As of June 30, Westchester County is no longer a provider of mental health services, having transitioned all of the county”™s nearly 1,200 patients to private health care providers in accordance with New York state law, according to Grant Mitchell, commissioner of the county”™s Department of Community Health.
The Westchester County Board of Legislators has been highly critical of the process by which the county”™s four mental health facilities were phased out over the last six months. Thirteen private organizations that run 25 mental health facilities in Westchester have inherited the responsibility for the former patients of the county facilities.
Alfreda Williams, chairwoman of the board”™s Community Services Committee, said Mitchell failed to provide the board with a detailed transition plan and that his department had exceeded its budget by $350,000 for the closing process.
Mitchell dismissed those claims and promised that his department will be in line with its budget by the end of the year. “We do not expect to end the year with any deficit in our department.”
He said his department was in consultation with the state Office of Mental Health throughout the entire process.
“It”™s been somewhat perplexing to me that the board has had as many issues with the plan as they have, when you consider that New York state Office of Mental Health has had no issues with our transition.”
Hayworth visits Mt. Kisco medical center
Republican Rep. Nan Hayworth, who represents New York”™s 19th Congressional District, visited the Open Door Family Medical Center”™s Mount Kisco office June 1 in a show of support for the center and its impact on the community.
Hayworth told the Business Journal she thought facilities such as Open Door, which specializes in providing health care services to the economically disadvantaged and which has four Westchester locations, will become increasingly vital to county residents, particularly as Medicare and Medicaid budgets are stretched thin.
“Places like Open Door are important to our communities ”“ now and in the future, there”™s no question,” she said.
The New York Times reported July 4 that President Obama and many Republican lawmakers had been discussing tens of billions of dollars in possible cuts to Medicare as Congress aims to come to an agreement on the budget.
However, Hayworth said she is for preserving the Medicare budget.
“In our budget we”™ve actually preserved Medicare as seniors know it, and said that people 55 and above will actually not have a change in the format of Medicare,” she said.
Cuomo sets special election date
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that special elections for six vacant state Assembly seats and for the 9th Congressional District would be held Sept. 13 in order to coincide with statewide primaries.
Assembly districts that are vacant include the 23rd, 27th, 54th, 73rd, 116th and 144th.
Hoyt tapped for ESDC
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has appointed Sam Hoyt to senior vice president for regional economic development at the Empire State Development Corp.
Hoyt previously was the Assembly representative for the 144th Assembly District. His primary area of focus will be western New York.
