Carmel’s Planning Board has rejected a proposal to convert an existing medical building at 10712 Stoneleigh Ave. in Carmel Hamlet into a mental health and addiction stabilization center offering 24-hour services seven days a week including help for walk-in patients. Two previous proposals for such a center at different sites had been rejected.
The stabilization center was to be run by the nonprofit agency People USA, which has operated the Dutchess County Stabilization Center since 2017. Putnam County had allocated $2.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to pay for operation of the facility for the first two years.
The proposed center had received vocal opposition from local residents. Many of them expressed concern about neighborhood safety being affected by patients being drawn to the area and the area being saturated with similar metal health facilities.
Steve Miccio, CEO of People USA, had told the Planning Board that people who have issues with either mental health or substance abuse would come to the facility voluntarily to seek help.
“When they come in they are provided an assessment, to get to know what they are looking for,” Miccio said. “Within those 24 hours that they could be with us they could be put into a service in the community or outside the community, for example, rehab, detox or mental health service. It’s an urgent service delivery for the community, so they don’t have to go to a hospital and wait in the emergency room for hours and get discharged without a plan for the help they may need.”
Miccio said the facility would address a big gap in the mental health and substance use system and would help people ranging from ages 3 to the 80’s. He also pointed out that the organization already operates a mobile crisis team in Putnam that is accessible to the community. He said that while there would be no beds for patients to stay overnight there would be lounge chairs where they could sit while waiting for help. He said that the facility would be open around the clock.
When the Carmel Planning Board met to vote on the proposal it had separate resolutions on the agenda that would approve or reject the proposal. The resolution to approve the proposal did not receive the necessary motion and second to be brought up. The motion to reject the proposal was offered and received a unanimous vote.
Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne on Jan. 29 said, “I respect and accept the Carmel Town Planning Board’s decision regarding the proposed stabilization center and appreciate the thoughtful public process that allowed community voices to be heard. Local decision-making matters and community support is important for the success of any project.”
Byrne said that the county remains deeply aware of the mental health challenges facing our residents and families and will continue working with providers, community partners, and municipal leaders to try to meet those needs.
“With respect to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funding originally dedicated for this project prior to my taking office in 2022, my administration will work with the Legislature to ensure these public dollars are used responsibly for pre-approved ARPA projects,” Byrne said. “We will ensure full compliance with federal standards for the benefit of Putnam County and to ensure these dollars are not wasted or lost to the U.S. Treasury.”
