A New Model of Treatment
- Jodi Brunner
- Jul 6
- 4 min read
Article and Photos by Jessica McCafferty
In early August North Country residents will have access to a new service designed to meet the needs of one of our most vulnerable populations. The Champlain Valley Family Center Intensive Crisis Stabilization Center (CVFC Crisis Center) will provide immediate support and services to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises brought on by mental health or substance use disorders. In 2022 New York State awarded 13 grants for centers such as these throughout the state Our area’s center will be only the third to open its doors.
The center, that will be located at 11 Dormitory Drive on the MHAB Campus, will offer a new model of treatment. What makes it unique will be its significant medical presence. It will be a behavioral health Emergency Center staffed 24-hours a day. The model is made possible by working under integrated licensing regulations from both the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and the State Office of Mental Health (OMH).
Heading the project is the dynamic duo of Connie Wille and Ronald “Buster” Garrow who have collaborated on CVFC efforts in the past. Their most significant endeavor to date has been the Schuyler Falls Recovery Campus which has had great success in helping those struggling with substance use disorder.
Wille is the CEO of Champlain Valley Family Center, a position she has held for 26 years. Before joining CVFC she worked in Saranac Lake at St. Joseph’s Rehabilitation Center. She explained, “I have a true passion for the work and in helping those who are struggling.” She considers the work her calling.
Garrow, who joined CVFC to establish the Schuyler Falls Recovery Campus, will be stepping into the role of Program Director of the new Crisis Center. He has been a substance abuse counselor for roughly 20 years, the last ten of which have been spent at CVFC where he has held several positions including Director of the Recovery Campus.
Wille chose Garrow to head the project because of the work ethic he has displayed in his tenure and his proven capacity to oversee large projects. He has worked diligently to help all find a path to recovery.
Working with a state agency can be challenging. Working with three might feel like trying to get the planets to align. In addition to OASAS and OMH, Wille and Garrow are also working with the State Dormitory Authority to administer a million-dollar capital project to outfit the building.
When Wille and Garrow gave SB a walk-through of the facility recently, we talked about what people seeking help will be able to expect. The admitting desk will be on the left through the main entrance. Once checked in, those seeking treatment will wait in the Adult or Minor/ Guardian waiting room until they are assessed. Across from the waiting rooms will be the assessment area where clients will have a full triage in-take assessment with a registered nurse.
After assessments are complete, care recipients will receive a keyed locker where they will place their personal items. Safety measures, like keeping belongings in lockers, are aimed at preventing items like medications from entering the lounge areas. When belongings are stored, clients will have access to the adult or minor lounge, or one of the quiet rooms.
Lounges will have a television, a table, bathroom and several recliners. Patients will be able to spend the night if waiting for placement or as part of their potential discharge planning. The lounge areas will have certified peer specialists — employees with lived experience. Each lounge will have a peer counselor office attached, allowing them to monitor and consult with clients as well as help to provide phone access if needed.
Quiet rooms will contain a single recliner and a television. They will all be air conditioning, and have dim lighting for those in need of solitude. Showers and laundry facilities will be available on site. Staff will have access to a kitchenette to provide beverages, snacks and meals. There will even be a beautiful outdoor green space with picnic tables and shade trees.
The building will have a first responders’ entrance for those in intensive crisis who will be brought directly to an assessment room staffed by a registered nurse.
Medical staff, on hand 24/7, 365 will include seven full time RNs as well as an additional pool of per diem RNs who can be called in to ensure coverage. In addition, the center will have two/three Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, four licensed mental health counselors and three substance abuse counselors working under the supervision of medical director, Dr. George Disney. The focus of all staff will be to connect care recipients to the programs and services they need.
After assessments are complete, the emphasis of the center will shift to stabilization and discharge planning that may involve coordinating transfer to another facility, such as a detox center, or an in-patient facility if needed. The individuals may stay at the Crisis Center while awaiting a bed at another facility, but the center is not meant for long term stays.
Wille and Garrow expressed their gratitude for the strong community support and essential partnerships that have been instrumental in the project’s success. Notable collaborators include the MHAB Campus staff, CVPH, local law enforcement, other behavioral health providers, Clinton County Probation, and Community Mental Health Services for Clinton County, who have all been staunch advocates since the project’s inception.
The Crisis Center has been a three year, highly collaborative, labor of love and all involved can’t wait to make a positive impact on the community. They will review their success after the first year and continue to strive for improvements to better help those struggling. This is clearly a passion for Wille and Garrow and our community will be better for it.
Champlain Valley Family Center Intensive Crisis Stabilization Center
11 Dormitory Drive
Plattsburgh NY 12903
518 561-8480
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