St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center coalition fights to save facility OGDENSBURG — The fight to preserve mental health services in northern New York has been a true community effort, with CSEA fully behind the efforts of a local task force that has worked hard to keep the state from closing the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center. The St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center Task Force was formed by Ogdensburg’s mayor and involves people from all aspects of this tight-knit community, including area business owners, politicians, law enforcement, family members, union leaders and psychiatric center workers. Recently, the advocates took their case all the way to the top, expecting to meet with representatives from the state Office of Mental Health and the governor’s office to urge them to keep the center, the only facility north of the New York State Thruway, open and not to send people who need inpatient mental health treatment to facilities hours away in Syracuse or Utica. Instead, they were surprised when the governor himself stopped in to join their meeting. Task Force Chair Chuck Kelly gave Gov. Andrew Cuomo a binder full of information about the facility’s importance to the communities it serves. The governor promised to review the materials. As the task force has worked to fight for the psychiatric center’s services, CSEA members have been involved throughout, said CSEA St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center Local President Ronnie Freeman Jr. “We provided and sold T-shirts to raise money for the task force’s efforts, and our members have CSEA members from St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center sport their “SAVE SLPC” T-shirts after staffing a table at the recent Special Olympics Polar Plunge in Massena to get petitions signed. (Photo by Amy Simmons) been putting signs all over the North Country to raise visibility,” he said. “We also helped get petitions signed to stop the closure.” CSEA also sponsored floats in several local parades, printed tickets for the task force’s spaghetti dinner fund-raiser, and Freeman and other local officers brought a supply of the fluorescent green “Save SLPC” T-shirts to CSEA’s Annual Delegates Meeting to sell to CSEA activists to help spread the word. “They’ve been getting support from all over and have put up a very strong fight,” said CSEA Central Region President Colleen Wheaton. “We hope that the governor and OMH recognize the entire community’s efforts to keep vital mental health services available north of the Thruway.” — Mark M. Kotzin CSEA sponsors snow closing announcements for 25 years For 25 years, CSEA has been committed to sponsoring snow closing and delay announcements on radio, TV and news websites across the state because it is an effective tool to actively remind the public and elected officials of the many important roles members’ work and service has in our communities. The importance and critical nature of keeping our roads clear and families protected in times of rough winter road conditions underscores the value that CSEA members bring to our communities. Our members believe in hard work, diligence and commitment, and they deliver around-the-clock service. CSEA members are often our communities’ first line of defense on roadways and other travel ways during snowstorms and winter weather events. Please share with family and friends CSEA “Don’t Zone Out” campaign’s tips fo safe winter driving at right. To learn more about the Don’t Zone Out campaign, “like” its Facebook page at www.facebook. com/Don’tZoneOut. Stay safe this winter Tips for safe driving in winter weather • Allow extra time for travel. • Maintain safe distances between other vehicles. • Don’t drive too fast. • Remember that snowplows move slower. • Never get too close to or try to pass a snowplow. • Be sure to have a cell phone. • Don’t use cell phones (talking, texting or other app use) while driving. • Drive cautiously on bridges. (They freeze faster than roads and are often more slippery.) • Never leave your car if you get stuck or become snowbound. • Stock your car with emergency supplies (for example: sand, shovel, flares, booster cables, rope, ice scraper, portable radio, flashlight, blankets and extra warm clothes.) • Always tell someone where you are going, how you will get there and give an estimate on how long it will take you. To easily share these tips with other drivers and loved ones, “Like” the Don’t Zone Out Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ Don’tZoneOut. 12 The Work Force January 2014
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