A proposed New York state “veteran's village” pilot program, to identify and help veterans who need housing, might be an ideal use of St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center, according to state Assemblywoman Addie Russell (D-Theresa).

Russell, whose district includes Ogdensburg and St. Lawrence County townships along the St. Lawrence River, plus Canton and Potsdam, says legislation introduced in the Assembly for a state veteran's assistance program to coordinate mental health and substance abuse counseling, employment and job training, housing assistance, and any other related information or services to veterans, seems to fit the recently redefined mission of the center as a Regional Center of Excellence in the state mental health structure.

According to Russell, the bill stipulates that the services for veterans should be centralized in one facility. With its new status as a Regional Center of Excellence, an OASAS treatment services on the grounds, and the regional presence of VA clinics in Massena and Watertown, Russell noted that the a facility on the grounds of St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center would be an ideal location for the program.

“There is tremendous support for veterans in the North Country, including strong veterans advocates in Ogdensburg,” said Russell in a press release. “The facilities are already in place that provide the services that will help them recover to a productive life. Bringing this program to Ogdensburg would serve the high concentration of veterans in the area and create new jobs.”