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VA Proposes Changes for New York Health Care Facilities
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has released details about a proposal for realignment of its nationwide health care facilities, including New York.
"The draft National CARES plan, which was released on Aug. 4 for public comment, will enable VA to provide more care, to more veterans, in places veterans need it the most," said VA’s Under Secretary for Health Dr. Robert H. Roswell.
In New York, where 431,000 of the state’s 1.3million veterans are enrolled in VA’s health care system, the Castle Point facility would transfer the inpatient spinal cord injury unit to the Bronx medical center to create a "center of excellence" for spinal cord injury.
In Montrose, outpatient services on campus would be maintained. Acute inpatient medicine, psychiatry and domiciliary services would be transferred to the Castle Point medical center. Uses for portions of the campus, such as assisted living facilities or other compatible uses, would be explored for alternative uses to benefit veterans. Enhanced-use leasing would be explored for the Montrose campus. Revenues would be retained for investments to improve local services to veterans.
Other proposals include transfering the Canandaigua medical center’s psychiatric, nursing home, domiciliary and psychiatric inpatient services to the Bath, Batavia and Syracuse medical centers. Outpatient care and services at Canandaigua would be absorbed by expanding current community-based outpatient clinics and adding contracted or leased outpatient clinics.
Additional proposals include:
- Finger Lake area: Enhance inpatient and outpatient care through community contract services.
- Syracuse: Establish a new 30-bed spinal cord injury unit.
- New York City: Study the feasibility of consolidating inpatient care at the Brooklyn medical center. Outpatient primary and specialty care would be maintained in Manhattan at the current site. Enhanced-use lease would be explored for the Manhattan site.
- St. Albans: Build facilities for outpatient, nursing home and domiciliary care. The old buildings would be demolished. Explore enhanced-use lease for the rest of the site for assisted living or other compatible uses to benefit veterans.
Roswell emphasized that the latest developments are only proposals and no final decisions have been made. The plan now goes to the national CARES Commission. During the next three months, the commission will hold public reviews and hearings.
Veterans and other stakeholders will have ample opportunity to comment on the proposals, which will be published in their entirety on VA’s Web site at http://www.va.gov/CARES.
On Nov. 30, after holding public hearings to garner comments from veterans and other stakeholders, the commission will present its recommendations to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for a final decision. Secretary Principi will make that final decision in December.Flower Arranging Workshop at Historic Ryder Farm
On Tuesday, August 26th the Southeast Museum will be presenting a flower-arranging workshop at the historic 1795 Ryder Farm on Starr Ridge Road in Brewster. Museum President Betsey Ryder will take participants through a beginner-level workshop on ways to create successful and decorative flower arrangements. The workshop will begin at 10 am.
Participants in the workshop will have the opportunity to take a tour of Ms. Ryder’s gardens and new nuptial garden at the farm. Ms. Ryder helps to manage the 1795 Ryder Farm, which still produces a variety of organically grown vegetables and flowers.
There is a $15 fee for the workshop, which will cover the cost of materials. Participants will be able to take home their bouquets at the end of the morning. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the Southeast Museum at (845) 279-7500 or via e-mail to director@southeastmuseum.org.
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