Senator Foley Saves Adult Day Care Program

Senator Brian X. Foley (D – Blue Point) announced today that the John J. Foley Skilled Nursing Center in Yaphank will be able to operate its Adult Day Health Care Facility at full capacity.

The Department of Health had the facility listed as providing 24 slots, when the facility had been operating at 60 slots since its expansion in 2003. At that time, the county had done the preliminary paperwork to get the building itself certified by the Department of Health, but never completed the paperwork to increase the number of slots. Recently, an audit of the facility revealed this discrepancy.

After receiving calls from Legislators Bill Lindsay, John Kennedy and Kate Browning regarding the discrepancy and the potential relocation of 34 seniors to a facility in Middle Island, Senator Foley personally, as well as staff, contacted the New York State Department of Health. Through Senator Foley’s efforts, the paperwork was straightened out and a letter was issued by Deputy Commissioner Mark Kissinger, who specializes in Adult Day Care and Long Term Care, officially allowing the John J. Foley Skilled Nursing Center to operate an Adult Day Health Care facility with 60 slots.

“Thank you to Legislators Lindsay, Kennedy and Browning for bringing this matter to my attention,” said Senator Foley. “By acting quickly we were able to correct an oversight on the part of the County Health Department and protect the seniors who benefit from the day care services offered at the John J. Foley Skilled Nursing Facility. When the facility was created, the intention was to have a place in the community where residents could receive quality care close to home. I was glad to be able to step in and help to correct a problem so that the mission and vision my father and others had for the facility can continue.”

“Senator Foley deserves our thanks for his persistence on this issue,” said Presiding Officer William J. Lindsay. “He really worked hard behind the scenes to make this happen. The Adult Day Care program at Suffolk’s Skilled Nursing Facility can now continue to operate at full capacity thanks to Senator Brian Foley.”

“I commend Senator Foley for stepping in to rectify a clear misstep by the County Health Department on a simple licensing issue,” said Legislator Kennedy. “Without Senator Foley’s assistance residents’ regular care in our county facility would have been disrupted.”

“Senator Brian Foley’s effort to increase our Adult Day Care Program from 24 to 60 slots is just another step in the right direction,” said Legislator Browning. “Every day this facility is becoming more efficient and its deficit is decreasing.”