Senator Carlucci Applauds the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) for Bringing Regional Centers of Excellence to Rockland County

David Carlucci

July 11, 2013

Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester), Chairman of the Senate Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee, today offered praise upon the release of the long-awaited OMH Regional Centers of Excellence plan that continues its mission of de-institutionalizing care for people with mental illnesses.  The plan reforms existing bureaucracy and provides better community-based care and services as a more holistic approach. 


Within the Hudson River Region of OMH, there will be a Lower Hudson Regional Center of Excellence located in Orangeburg, Rockland County through the consolidation of the Rockland Psychiatric and Children's Center (RPC), as well as an additional Regional Center for Excellence to be known as the Nathan Kline Research Center of Excellence,  located at the Nathan Kline Institute.  Within these regional centers there will also be state operated community services hubs, located in Orangeburg, Middletown, Poughkeepsie and Westchester County.  These hubs will provide improved oversight for state-operated providers of outpatient services, including clinics, housing, employment, and others through a centralized location.  According to OMH, this will not negatively impact or jeopardize existing employment among individuals serving within the agency.


"I am absolutely thrilled that OMH has decided to base part of its regional operations right here in Rockland County," said Senator Carlucci.  "This is also a huge win for the people of the Hudson Valley living with mental illness and their families who depend upon quality care and treatment.  I can think of no more fitting place better suited to meet the needs and the mission of the Regional Centers of Excellence."

The Hudson River Region Team within OMH will also be assigned the task of looking for community feedback and dialogue to see what additional services are needed.  Their mission also includes identifying regional priorities for community service expansion and developing regional outcome metrics.  This will include up to a 15 member appointed body of representatives of OMH, County Commissioner of Health, unions, consumer, family members, providers, and others who have a mutual stake in seeing that people suffering receive the benefits that they need. 

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