May 01, 2013 — The state Office of Mental Health (OMH) plans a public forum this month at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center in Ogdensburg. The office is considering downsizing, and even closing some of its facilities.

Leaders in Ogdensburg are speaking out: they say they want the North Country center to remain open.  Go to full article

Apr 02, 2013 — A new program from SUNY Oswego is looking to train people who work with Fort Drum's soldiers in the basics of mental health and counseling. It's starting with a course that's being taught right now at Fort Drum, "Trauma management and stewardship."

Fort Drum is home to the 10th Mountain Division, one of the most heavily deployed units in the US. When those soldiers return home from overseas, they can suffer from a range of physical and mental problems connected to their service, like post-traumatic stress disorder, mental issues associated with bodily injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Mar 08, 2013 — Second Amendment rights advocates, who have held rallies in Albany recently, are not the only group upset with portions of the state's recently enacted gun law. Some people with developmental disabilities believe the law unfairly stigmatizes them.  Go to full article

Troy, NY, Nov 23, 2012 — We're heading into some of the darkest days of the calendar year. It's an especially challenging time for people who have trouble adjusting to the increasing dark.

The Innovation Trail's Marie Cusick explains that research into our individual cycle of sleeping and waking at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy may help.  Go to full article

Saranac Lake, NY, Jun 13, 2012 — A foundation headed by Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau is helping jumpstart a proposed respite center for veterans in Trudeau's hometown of Saranac Lake. Trudeau has secured $125,000 to help Homeward Bound Adirondacks purchase a home in the village that was once owned by Trudeau's grandfather. The nonprofit plans to use the site to provide reintegration programs for soldiers and their families.

Organizers described the project as an important step forward in a more-than-two-year effort to make Saranac Lake a center for veteran healing.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, May 25, 2012 — Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to create a new state agency, designed to protect people with disabilities living in instutions or assisted-living facilities across New York.

Yesterday, Courtney Burke, who heads the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, traveled to Plattsburgh to promote the idea, which is now being considered by the state Assembly. Brian Mann has our story.  Go to full article

Apr 11, 2012 — The physical damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene has started to fade, but the emotional toll it took on the people it affected still lingers. A mental health program launched last fall aims to address those issues.

Project Hope is a program administered by the state Office of Mental Health, with help from the Mental Health Association of Essex County and the Research Foundation of Mental Hygiene. Its aim is to provide counseling services and build a support network for people whose lives were impacted by Irene, which devastated communities along the AuSable River last August.

Members of Project Hope met with town supervisors from Keene and Jay at the Keene Community Center last week. As Chris Morris reports, they're hoping to reach more people still struggling with the consequences of the flood.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Mar 16, 2012 — Two North Country not-for-profit agencies will get nearly $500,000 from the Federal department of Housing and Urban Development, to fund programs for the homeless.  Go to full article

Saranac Lake, NY, Feb 06, 2012 — Neighbors of St. Joseph's Rehabilitation Center in Saranac Lake are concerned about plans for a new treatment facility for veterans struggling with substance abuse addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder.

St. Joseph's wants to change the zoning of a vacant, 3-acre parcel of land near its main campus to accommodate the 10,000-square foot veterans' community residence. But neighbors say the zoning change, and the uses and activities associated with the project, would impact the character of the mostly residential area.

As Chris Knight reports, the two sides met late last week to talk about a compromise.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jan 12, 2012 — The federal government is criticizing the Cuomo administration for mishandling care and safety for people with developmental disabilities. In a report issued this week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that one of New York's key watchdog agencies wasn't independent enough to provide proper oversight.

The study also concluded that state officials weren't revealing enough information about how federal health care dollars are being spent. The federal review followed a series of New York Times articles that found a high rate of unexplained deaths, abuse, and other problems in the state's disability care system.

Some of those problems were identified at the Sunmount facility in Tupper Lake.  Go to full article