Archive: Around Town

Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County announced that it has secured a site that will be the first in Tompkins County to provide open access addiction treatment services, including a medically supervised detox and stabilization unit.. The 19,420 SF building is located at 2353 N. Triphammer Road in the Village of Lansing will provide addiction treatment services 7 days per week and a medically-supervised detox and stabilization unit with 40 beds. Ithaca native and local physician, Dr. John-Paul Mead, will serve as Medical Director of this program.

This facility will fill a critical gap in addiction treatment and serve as a valuable healthcare resource for Tompkins and surrounding counties. The Open Access component of this program will begin operating in February 2019, through the efforts of Governor Andrew Cuomo to expand access to addiction treatment and services across the state, and through $450,000 in funding from the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), led by Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez. The residential detox and stabilization portion will follow as additional funding is secured and renovations are made to create an appropriate, healthy residential space.

This recovery facility will offer a safe, easily accessible and stigma-free environment for people with substance use disorders to seek help whenever they are ready - at any time of the day or night. Clinicians will make assessments and work with each person to determine the most appropriate level of care. Partner agencies and peer advocates will also help support a continuum of care along the entire path to long-term, sustainable recovery, by offering ongoing medical, mental health, advocacy, legal, housing, employment, and social services, to more effectively and holistically address this public health crisis in our region.

"As we expand our services, we will be adding additional medical and clinical professionals to our staff to offer high-quality, compassionate care for our community," says Alcohol & Drug Council Executive Director, Angela Sullivan. "For anyone interested in working with us to offer treatment and hope, please visit our website at AlcoholDrugCouncil.org"

The securing of this site was made possible through strong support from the Tompkins County Legislature, led by Chairperson Martha Robertson, as well as County Administrator, Jason Molino, who says, "Tompkins County is committed to supporting the Alcohol & Drug Council to bring these vital and cost-effective services to our community, as part of our local services priority plan."

Tompkins County Mental Health Commissioner, Frank Kruppa, who has also been a strong advocate of the project adds, "There is no higher priority public health project in Tompkins County than adding these Open Access Medically Supervised Withdrawal services to address a gap in locally available care for people struggling with substance use disorders."

Assisting the Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County were David Huckle of Pyramid Brokerage Company, who brokered the lease; Kelly White of Illume Projects, who is the project manager; and Seth Hiland of Harris Beach, PLLC, who is legal counsel. The landlord, Blinders Property Company, was represented by Connor Colbert of Greenstate Properties.

"Addiction is a critical issue that crosses all socioeconomic boundaries, and I'm very happy to see this important project move forward in our community," says Robert Colbert, Jr. of Greenstate Properties, the building owner.

"We're so grateful to have been able to work with the Colberts to lease this beautiful property that will offer a very welcoming, healing point of entry for people to begin their recovery journeys," adds Sullivan. "They truly appreciate the importance and urgency of our work, and have been very supportive partners."

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