By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 October 2020 at 1:35 pm
ALBION – Oak Orchard Health now has medical staff working three days a week out of the Orleans County Mental Health Building on Route 31, next to the County Administration Building.
Oak Orchard will have a physician’s assistant and a medical doctor available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., depending on the number of patients.
Oak Orchard Health is partnering with the Orleans County Mental Health to bring primary care services to the county’s behavioral health patients. Oak Orchard’s new office in the Mental Health building makes it convenient for patients to get the medical care they could be missing.
“Good physical health and mental health go hand in hand,” said Mary Ann Pettibon, CEO of Oak Orchard Health. “This comprehensive approach to care is needed in the community and we’re pleased to collaborate with the Orleans County Mental Health Department. So often these patients don’t have a primary care physician and haven’t been receiving the kind of medical care they need.”
To make an appointment with Oak Orchard, call (585) 589-5613.
BROCKPORT – Oak Orchard Health has been awarded $921,864 by the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System in response to a proposal submitted to the FLPPS System Transformation Fund.
This grant will fund the development of a collaboration between Oak Orchard Health, the Brockport Central School District, The College at Brockport, and University of Rochester – Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Dr. James Goetz, long-time OOH pediatrician, provided the vision behind this collaboration. For quite some time, he has been concerned about the lack of behavioral health services on the western side of Monroe County.
“For some time those of us caring for children have become alarmed at the increase in mental health and behavioral health problems in children and adolescents,” Goetz said. “Our goal is to establish a first class behavioral health program that addresses prevention, early detection and treatment of mental health and behavioral health conditions in children and adolescents. This grant is a giant step forward in this effort.”
Over the past 14 months Oak Orchard Health, with its newly established Behavioral Health Department, has led a coalition including the Brockport Central School System, the SUNY College at Brockport, and the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Rochester to address this issue.
OOH provides a model of care that integrates patient-centered primary care, behavioral health, dental and vision services – treating the whole patient and focusing on wellness and prevention. OOH believes that offering behavioral health services in the comfort and familiarity of a child’s own doctor’s office will break down the barriers to care and will treat the child holistically.
“The intent is to provide easy access to behavioral health care provided by a team of health care professionals who know the child – who know the family – and can help them on a road to wellness,” said Mary Ann Pettibon, oak Orchard Health CEO.
Staff will begin planning for the program immediately.
By Dr. Lalit Jain, Pediatrician and Dr. Karen Mawn, Pediatrician, Oak Orchard Health Albion
When it comes to healthcare, it’s important to treat the whole person—body, mind, and spirit. Many things affect your wellness. Physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental factors all matter. That’s where the idea of “integrative medicine” comes from. It’s how providers like doctors, dentists, and therapists at Oak Orchard Health all work together on your care. Integrative medicine combines traditional treatments like medications with therapy and wellness coaching.
Treating the whole family, including children, is important, too. For instance, what affects one family member affects others in your home. Plus, COVID-19 didn’t just affect our physical and mental health at home; it also changed our household routines, from screen time to exercise to schoolwork to sleep habits. At Oak Orchard Health (OOH), we understand the challenges you and your family face and have the experience to help you stay healthy.
Supporting new moms and their kids at Oak Orchard Health
From postpartum depression to anxiety, becoming a mother can be stressful. That isn’t something to be ashamed of. These are very common concerns. It’s important to ask for help. Our Mommy and Me program (Healthy Steps in Albion) combines routine office visits with the pediatrician, mental health for parents and caregivers, and social support. We can even provide supplies like diapers and children’s books. The Mommy and Me program also offers friendly people you can trust when talking to others about your changes and challenges. You’re not alone!
Looking out for mental health in young people
Everywhere you look, kids today often struggle with anxiety and depression, which can affect their physical health, too. It’s not always easy to find a therapist. With the recent opening of our Child & Adolescent Wellness Center in Albion and our behavioral health services in Brockport and other locations, Oak Orchard Health is expanding its mental health services so school-age kids up to 21 can see a therapist faster and closer to home.
During routine appointments like physicals or immunizations, we can screen school-age patients for anxiety and depression. If they need mental health services, they’ll get assigned a Care Manager who can get them into therapy, whether through our Wellness Center or a convenient telehealth appointment. Telehealth can also be a great alternative for our busy pediatric population and their families.
Dr. Karen Mawn, Pediatrician, Oak Orchard Health in Albion
Creating a healthier space at home
Just like it’s important to think of yourself as a whole person with different types of healthcare needs, it’s important to think of your whole family, too—the example you set and the routines you put in place for kids affect everyone in the household. For instance, the smartphone age has a big effect on children’s health. We can all get sucked into staring at our screens, from phones to TVs to laptops. That can affect you and your kids. Here are some helpful tips that can bring balance to your home life.
Make room in your schedule to be available to talk and give your kids your full attention.
Include your kids in household routines like family movie nights or cooking healthy meals together.
Students can be overwhelmed with school activities. Make sure they have some quiet downtime.
School-aged kids need at least nine hours of sleep. Create a routine that includes turning off their screens an hour before bedtime.
From bullying to bad information to inappropriate content, social media can be very harmful to young kids and teens. Limit kids’ screen time to two hours daily and use parental controls on devices and apps.
Here for you and your kids
As pediatricians with years of experience, we know what to look for and what to ask. If they aren’t making eye contact with us, facial expressions, fatigue, and simply not talking — often indicate that mental health services are needed. Changes from appointment to appointment are key signs, too. In addition, we often give kids a short questionnaire to help us understand where they are at. They may not want to talk about it and are more comfortable writing it down.
We understand that everything’s connected—not just to physical and mental health but to the health of your whole family. We’re here to support you as your family grows and changes at every step along the way, with caring providers at Oak Orchard Health and helpful support to make home life happier.
We’re also ready to meet you where you are and in your language. When you make an appointment, ask for our interpreter services. We’re here to help.
You might think homelessness could never happen to you or your loved ones. But life can bring sudden changes that leave you with impossible choices. Statistics show that 70 to 80 percent of individuals facing homelessness are from the community or have lived there for a year or longer before becoming unhoused.
The homeless population in Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties (GOW) is growing. The Homeless Alliance of Western NY states that in 2023, 710 people in GOW counties lost their housing, a 12.9% increase from the previous year. This included an 8% rise in youth homelessness and a 17.9% increase in clients 62 years and over.
When people talk about homelessness, there are many misconceptions and myths about how someone might have become homeless or what homelessness looks like.
Here are some common myths—and the facts that clear up these misperceptions.
Myth 1: “They did this to themselves.”
Fact: Homelessness is more often due to sudden illness or an accident, job loss, or financial problems that lead to eviction. The NYU Silver School of Social Work Professor Deborah K. Padgett and the Coalition for the Homeless says that some are fleeing domestic violence or are living in overcrowded, substandard housing.
Myth 2: “They’re lazy and don’t want to work.”
Fact: The primary cause of homelessness is the lack of affordable housing, according to the Coalition for the Homeless. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that 53% of those who are unhoused are employed full-time or part-time and sometimes working two to three jobs.A job does not guarantee stability because they are not earning life-sustaining wages to afford to pay rent or other bills. Those looking for employment face additional barriers when applying for jobs, including no permanent address or transportation, internet access to apply for jobs, or access to showers or appropriate clothes for interviews.
Myth 3: “They’re all addicts or mentally ill.”
Fact: Substance use disorders are rarely the sole cause of homelessness and, more often, are a response to it. Living on the street or in overcrowded housing puts the person in frequent contact with those who are in active addiction and facing the same issues, according to the Homeless Alliance of Western New York (HAWNY). However, the trauma of becoming homeless can certainly lead to depression or other mental health disorders and make it harder for people to find help because of the stigma of being homeless.
Myth #4: “They’re dangerous criminals.”
Fact: The reality is that most people without housing spend their time and resources trying to survive, improve their situation, or find a job. Others are teens with no place to turn or older adults on fixed incomes who can’t make ends meet. Unhoused individuals are more likely to be victims of a violent crime than to commit one, according to the Coalition for the Homeless. The risks of being victims of a crime were higher for older adults, women, or those who were homeless for more than two years.
Oak Orchard Health and its Community Partners are here to help with warming centers.
Winter in Western New York is especially brutal for those individuals facing homelessness.In 2023, Oak Orchard Health and its community partners opened the Orleans County Warming Center at Christ Church.It provides a warm and safe environment when the temperature hits 32 degrees or below, called Code Blue. Code Blue is activated when temperatures or the wind chill are at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for at least two consecutive hours.
The Orleans County Warming Center at Christ Church served 60+ people in the 2023 winter season. People come here not only to get out of the cold but also to get a hot cup of soup, snacks, toiletries, and rest. Working with community partners, they can also get referrals to the county and local non-profits for ongoing support.
If someone you know is in a housing crisis, call 211.
This is a central human services hotline for the Western New York region that can direct the appropriate community resources for help with housing, emergency services, food, utilities, healthcare, and employment.
Residents urged to fill bird feeders ahead of the count
Photos courtesy of Celeste Morien: An Eastern Screech-Owl is shown on a wintry day.
By Celeste Morien, count compiler for Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count
BASOM – It’s almost time for the Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count!
The count began in December 1968. The National Audubon Society has been sponsoring Christmas Bird Counts since their inception. Count compiler and Medina resident Celeste Morien would like the public to be alert for counters with spotting scopes and binoculars who will be out Dec. 27 on local roads, searching for birds in fields and at bird feeders.
Downy Woodpecker
Filling bird feeders now and keeping them stocked ahead of the count helps fulfill the count objective of counting all wild birds seen and heard within the circle. The Oak Orchard Swamp count circle is centered at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge on the Orleans and Genesee County line at Route 63.
Count volunteers follow routes through a designated 15-mile diameter circle, which includes more than the refuge and state wildlife areas, counting every bird they see or hear all day. It’s not just a species tally; individual birds are counted, giving an indication of the total number of birds per species in the circle that day.
If you are at home on count day within the circle, you may report the birds that visit your feeders. To do so, please contact celeste.morien@gmail.com. (See map)
According to the Audubon website, “Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas “Side Hunt.” They would choose sides and go afield with their guns—whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won.
Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Society, proposed a new holiday tradition—a “Christmas Bird Census” that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them.
So began the Christmas Bird Count. Thanks to the inspiration of Chapman and the enthusiasm of 27 dedicated birders, 25 Christmas Bird Counts were held that day. The locations ranged from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California.
From Dec. 14 through Jan. 5 each year tens of thousands of volunteers throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Pacific Islands brave snow, wind, or rain, and take part in the effort. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this long-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations, and to help guide conservation action.
Black-capped Chickadees are shown at a bird feeder.
The data collected by observers over the past century allow Audubon researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, it provides a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have changed over the past hundred years.
The long term perspective is vital for conservationists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their habitat, and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well.
Please consider donating to the Christmas Count here since the Audubon Society no longer collects fees from each participant.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 November 2024 at 9:18 pm
Speaking in Holley, senator says telehealth has improved healthcare access in rural areas
Photos by Tom Rivers
HOLLEY – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer was at the Eastern Orleans Community center today in Holley to highlight his push to keep telehealth services fully reimbursable by Medicare.
Schumer is shown at the eastern Orleans Community center with Dr. Danielle Renodin-Mead, Chief Medical Officer of Oak Orchard Health (left), and Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, which runs the community enter in Holley.
“This helped thousands of seniors in rural areas across Upstate NY when the closest doctor is hours away access critical health care services,” Schumer said about telehealth services. “Telehealth is one of the biggest tools for supporting rural Upstate communities that face shortages of doctors. Especially for seniors who can have difficulty going to a doctor’s office due to mobility challenges, telehealth lets people get routine care without having to worry about how to get to the doctor’s office.”
Hungerford said it is “paramount” that telehealth continued to be covered by medicare and health insurers. She said telehealth has increased access to healthcare professionals for many Orleans County residents, who would often face transportation challenges to get to doctor’s appointments in person.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wants telehealth services to become a permanent and accessible option for all on Medicare.
“As a key provider of health- related social needs, including facilitation of telehealth, we understand how critical telehealth is for vulnerable populations who live in rural areas with very limited transportation,” Hungerford said. “Losing the availability of payer-covered telehealth would result in people not receiving much needed care and would deteriorate positive health outcomes.”
Medicare started covering telehealth during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and has continued to cover it since. However, that authorization is due to expire Dec. 31, 2024, Schumer said. He said there is bipartisan support to keep telehealth services as fully reimbursable through Medicare.
“Telehealth services are essential in places like Orleans County; it is a lifeline for our rural areas and seniors who can’t easily travel to the doctor to get the healthcare they need and we can’t let it expire,” Schumer said.
There are 9,770 senior citizens in Orleans County covered by Medicare, Schumer said. There are 14,219 in Genesee County, and 169,605 in Monroe, he said.
“We saw telehealth surge in use during the pandemic, and we should make sure that access to your doctor is as easy as picking up your phone,” Schumer said. “I was proud to help Medicare expand telehealth services during the pandemic, but we need to act quickly to preserve this program and ensure this lifeline isn’t cut off for our seniors come 2025.”
Dr. Danielle Renodin-Mead, Chief Medical Officer of Oak Orchard Health, said telehealth has been used at Oak Orchard, including by mental health counselors as well as other healthcare professionals.
“Telehealth breaks down barriers,” she said during a news conference with Schumer.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer was joined at today’s news conference by Dr. Danielle Renodin-Mead, Chief Medical Officer of Oak Orchard Health (left); Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, which runs the community enter in Holley; and Marc Shurtz, CEO of Orleans Community Health and Medina Memorial Hospital.
Marc Shurtz, CEO of Orleans Community Health and Medina Memorial Hospital, said telehealth is a lower-cost option for care, and often much easier to access for residents in a rural community.
“Healthcare access in rural areas is often fraught with obstacles,” Shurtz said. “Long travel distances, a shortage of specialists, limited medical resources, and transportation challenges make it difficult for our patients to receive timely, consistent care. For seniors, these challenges can be even more daunting.”
Telehealth keeps patients engaged in their health management, particularly those with chronic conditions, Shurtz said.
“As we face the Medicare cliff we know that the financial strain it could place on healthcare providers could result in fewer services for our seniors,” he said. “Telehealth allows us to continue delivering quality care in a more cost-effective way, reducing the need for emergency room visits or hospitalizations.”
Photos courtesy of Oak Orchard Health: Jose Iniguez, an owner of Lamont Farms, stands in an orchard with Sandra Rivera, a community health worker for Oak Orchard Health.
Posted 21 August 2024 at 2:06 pm
Press Release, Oak Orchard Health
Since 1973, Oak Orchard Health has been committed to providing person-centered and culturally competent care to our most underserved communities, especially in our agricultural community.
Oak Orchard was originally funded as a migrant health project. Agriculture is the number one industry in Western New York, specifically in Orleans and Genesee counties, where most of our farmworkers and their families reside, work and attend school.
Farmworkers are exposed to risky and harsh conditions, such as harmful chemicals, long working hours, working with large animals, operating heavy equipment, and extreme weather conditions. Agricultural workers are also responsible for feeding our local communities and our country, and we must keep them healthy.
With his permission, Jose Iniguez shares his story of working with Oak Orchard Health to keep his farmworkers healthy. Iniguez began his journey when he came to the US at age 16 in 1991. He began as a farmworker in Washington State, saying, “My employer was ahead of the times, engaging in state-of-the-art growing practices, so I learned a lot.”
In 1994, he had the opportunity to come to New York, bringing the knowledge and skills he had learned in Washington State and working his way up to VP and Chief Operating Officer at Lamont Farms. He is one of the three partners.
Apple Harvesting is labor intensive
Apple harvesting is a labor-intensive process by the time it hits the stores.
“By the time you get apples to the store, it has been touched 20-25 times from the time it blossoms and eventually turns into an apple,” Iniguez said. “Mowing is also important to the upkeep of the orchard; mowing before the harvest can make it easier to move ladders, bins, and boxes through the orchard. The bottom line is that a lot of hard work goes into each apple by the time you get it to the store. To achieve this, it takes many people; you must prune the trees, removing suckers and bad wood, which help stimulate the tree to produce more fruiting spurs. Pruning also opens the branches so sunlight and air reach the ripening fruit. This is why so many workers are needed for one harvest.”
Lamont Farms has not had a good harvest in almost eight years due to the weather and the Covid-19 pandemic. “But this year is looking much better,” Iniquez said.
Not only does Iniguez have to work with the farmworkers, but he also has to adhere to NY State labor laws, harvesting times, weather, and balancing out the needs of the farm owners. If they have bad weather or there is a miscalculation in their numbers, workers are still paid at least 30 hours per week.
Most farm workers do not know they have sick time available. Lamont Farms recognizes this and encourages workers to take the available time so that farmworkers can get the care they need. Because of how well Lamont Farms treats their employees, they have had a return rate of 95% over the last 10 years. Iniguez says, “It has taken us almost 20 years to build this team. It is built on a lot of trust.”
How Oak Orchard Community Health Centers keeps farmworkers healthy
One step to keeping farmworkers healthy is the Oak Orchard Health Outreach Team and their community health workers. CHWs visit the farms or camps and provide necessary healthcare, health education, immunizations, and blood pressure checks.
They can also help set up future medical appointments and get prescriptions filled. The community health workers are certified Spanish interpreters and have built a trusted relationship with the farmworkers, their families, and the farm owners. In addition to the above services, the outreach team provides the following services:
Covid-19 education, testing and vaccinations
Spanish-English interpretation and translation
Transportation
Expanded evening hours for just farmworkers so they don’t lose pay
If farmworkers are eligible for health insurance, Oak Orchard has facilitated health insurance enrollers in their health care facilities, or facilitated enrollers will tag along with the OOH Outreach team to enroll them where they live to help with medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
Having health insurance removes the financial barrier to getting health care. If they are not eligible for health insurance, Community Health Workers will help guide them to enrolling an individual into our Sliding Scale Fee program.
Our Vision for the Future
Oak Orchard Health’s Vision is to be a leader of continuous growth and transformation, where innovative, holistic, and comprehensive care—for body and mind—is provided for all in partnership with our community.
We are here for everyone, all farmworkers, and their families, regardless of financial means, immigration status, or station in life, as a caring, compassionate, nonjudgmental, trustworthy provider.
Provided officials: Several local elected officials joined Oak Orchard Health leaders on Thursday in celebrating the opening of the expanded behavioral health program in Albion.
Press Release, Oak Orchard Health
ALBION – It’s official. The Behavioral Health Program for Children and Adolescents is growing at the Oak Orchard Health Wellness Center in Albion and the Brockport Health Center.
Oak Orchard has always treated children (as well as adults) but there has been a growing need for a counseling specialty for young kids ages 2-21. With that in mind, Oak Orchard Health hired additional therapists with pediatric expertise and a psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Dr. Michael Scharf (left), Psychiatrist-in-Chief at the University of Rochester Medical Center, joins Dr. James Goetz, retired as former Chief of Pediatrics at Oak Orchard Health.
“We are thrilled to utilize the Wellness Center to enhance the lives of children and their families,” said Karen Kinter, CEO of Oak Orchard Health. “This ribbon-cutting ceremony symbolizes the expansion of our program and the community’s needs. We eagerly anticipate helping many children here and at all our health centers.”
This program started with a seed of an idea from Dr. James Goetz, retired as former chief of pediatrics at Oak Orchard Health after 45 years, said Robin Govanlu, Chief of Behavioral Health at OOH.
“Of course, OOH could not have done it alone,” Govanlu said. “We have served as a lead agency for many years on the Western Monroe County Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Coalition, which includes important community partners such as The University of Rochester Strong Pediatric Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, Rochester Regional Health, SUNY Brockport, and the Brockport Central School District. Thank you to everyone who made this program a reality.”
Dr. Michael Scharf, Psychiatrist-in-Chief at URMC Golisano Children’s Hospital and Chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, is a key partner with this coalition.
“I met Dr. Goetz many years ago when I was still a trainee at the University of Rochester Medical Center,” Scharf said. “He sought out behavioral health services and training to serve the children in this region. This was before the pandemic, and it has continued to get worse. Back then not a single child psychiatrist was available from the site of Rochester General Hospital to Batavia. This group came together to solve this problem and to be centered in ‘community.’ There can be no health without mental health. You can’t support children’s health without supporting families. You can’t support families without supporting the community. And that’s what Oak Orchard Health is here to do.”
The ribbon cutting was attended by many local and state leaders. Assemblyman Steve Hawley was present along with JW Cook from Governor Hochul’s office, Bernard Alexander represented Senator Charles Schumer, Congressman Joe Morelle sent a proclamation, Skip Draper represented NY State Senator Robert Ortt. Lynne Johnson, Chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature, and Marie Mongeon, VP Police for CHCANYS, also were at the event. Many spoke of the importance of bringing behavioral health services to the children in the region.
For more information or to make an appointment contact Oak Orchard Health at (585) 589-5613. or visit our website at www.OakOrchardHealth.org.
National Health Center Week (August 4-10) is a time when we celebrate, and increase awareness of, America’s 1,400 Community Health Centers (CHCs) that serve 31.5 million patients annually across nearly 15,000 communities. Oak Orchard Health (OOH) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and has nine health centers in the Genesee, Monroe, Orleans, Steuben, and Wyoming Counties. We continue to grown over the years, in 2019 we served 23,399 patients and have grown to over 31,602 in 2023. We truly value the trust our patients have in our health center.
Impact of Oak Orchard Health in Our Community
Beyond offering essential medical, dental, and behavioral health services to all, regardless of insurance status, OOH significantly contributes to our local economy. In 2022 alone, OOH injected $67,765,000 into the community and fostered the creation of 520 local jobs. Moreover, the center’s employees, by spending their earnings locally, further amplify this positive impact. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement for our community!
What Our Patients Say
We greatly value feedback from our patients, as it helps us better understand their needs and enhance the care we provide. A heartfelt thank you to all our patients who take the time to complete our surveys.
Here are a few heartwarming comments from our incredible patients:
“Doctors are always kind and attentive, truly listening to what you have to say.”
“Oak Orchard Health’s staff is exceptional, going above and beyond to assist their patients. I am immensely grateful for them!”
“The office staff is friendly, and my doctor explains things thoroughly. I’ve been a loyal patient here for a long time.”
“Our local, fully staffed medical facility delivers excellent service with top-quality medical equipment. Without funding, small communities would lack essential services.”
Thank you for being part of our Oak Orchard Health community.
National Health Center Week: Powering Communities Through Caring Connections
At Oak Orchard Health we’ll be celebrating National Health Center Week (NHCW) in a variety of ways from August 4-10.
Tuesday, August 6th is Agricultural Worker Health Day. Our roots run deep in the agricultural community. Oak Orchard started by caring for farmworkers. During NHCW we will reach out to our patients and deliver items that will help keep farmworkers safe while they work to put food on our tables. We’ll be visiting farmworkers this day and giving out helpful items such as first aid kits, sunscreen, etc.
On Thursday, August 8th at 2 p.m., join us for a Ribbon Cutting at the Albion Wellness Center. We’re celebrating the expansion of our Behavioral Health program for children and adolescents. Dr. Goetz, who dedicated over 45 years as a pediatrician at Oak Orchard, will be in attendance, along with Assemblyman Steve Hawley and many community leaders.
Dr. Goetz played a pivotal role as an early advocate for this program. Collaborating with Oak Orchard’s Robin Govanlu (Chief of Behavioral Health), Dr. Danielle Mead (Chief Medical Officer), and the Western Monroe County Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Coalition, they developed this vital initiative. Recognizing the increased need for children’s behavioral health services post-pandemic, we’re committed to swiftly connecting our young patients to essential mental health care.
As part of this commitment, Oak Orchard Health will expand child and adolescent behavioral health services at both the Brockport Health Center and the Albion Wellness Center
Saturday, August 10th at the Brockport Arts Festival we’ll be highlighting Health Center Week’s Children’s Wellness Day. We’ll have the Teddy Bear Clinic, games, and giveaways available for the youngsters who stop by with their parents and guardians. We’ll also have the Mobile Medical Unit there which goes to community organizations and provides medical and mental health services. Stop by to learn more about our services for children.
We take pride in being an integral part of the community health network. This affiliation empowers us to deliver top-quality care and essential services, addressing barriers that may otherwise prevent individuals from accessing medical, dental, and behavioral health services. To schedule an appointment or learn more, please reach out to us at (585) 589-5613.
Join us for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Albion Wellness Center on August 8th at 2 p.m.
By Robin Govanlu, LMHN, LAC, LPC, Chief of Behavioral Health, Oak Orchard Health.
Although many aspects of daily life appear to have returned to some sense of normalcy since the pandemic, there is an increasing impact and cultural shift in the need for mental health services, especially for children and adolescents. Since the start of the pandemic, Oak Orchard Health (OOH) continues to see the demand for behavioral health services on the rise, with limited resources to respond to that demand in the rural regions that we serve.
Since 2020 we have continued to see immense growth year after year with a 119% increase in all behavioral health visits and a 164% increase in pediatric visits since the start of the pandemic.Our Brockport and Albion sites are our largest volume sites serving many of our child and adolescent patients. Unfortunately, that has resulted in longer than usual wait times for an appointment. As a parent, we know how difficult that can be, so we’ve been partnering with many organizations to help improve this situation.
Oak Orchard Health has served as a lead agency for many years on the Western Monroe County Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Coalition, which includes important community partners such as The University of Rochester Strong Pediatric Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), Rochester Regional Health, SUNY Brockport, and the Brockport Central School District.The collective data from this coalition further demonstrates the need for expansion of pediatric behavioral health services in Western Monroe and Orleans Counties, and the surrounding areas as many families that live west of Rochester experience significant challenges with accessing care closer to home.
To adequately address the behavioral health crisis in our regions and keep more children out of the hospital we need more mental health services in our community and that’s where Oak Orchard comes in. Getting our young patients connected quickly to the services that they need is vital to their well-being and ongoing development. Therefore, OOH will be expanding child and adolescent behavioral health services at the Brockport Health Center and the Albion Wellness Center. This expansion will include hiring additional therapists with a specialty in pediatric behavioral health. We’ll also be hiring support staff and a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner within the next year. Services can be provided in-person and through our telehealth program which allows for audio or video communication between the patient and mental health provider using their phone, laptop, or iPad.
Another goal is to reduce the wait from time of referral to time of intake to get kids and families the help they need sooner.With the new therapists hired in the coming months, we expect to be able to see new patients this summer. We plan to care for kids from as young as 2 to 21 years of age. Please share with others and we look forward to partnering with schools and parents in the area regarding the expansion of this program. We hope to make a major impact on the youth in the region. If you have any questions or want to make an appointment for the July/August period, please call Oak Orchard Health at (585) 637-3905, ext. 2102.
Press Release, Orleans County Mental Health Department
ALBION – The month of May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month and the Orleans County Department of Mental Health is taking the opportunity to work with their local, regional, and national partners to promote the many mental services available to residents.
“It is important that we are always talking about mental health and the services and supports available, as it is an effort to reduce stigma and reinforce the importance of reaching out for help for anyone who is experiencing a mental health challenge or are in emotional distress,” said Danielle Figura, director of Orleans County Mental Health & Community Services. “Through efforts like Mental Health Awareness Month, I believe we have made tremendous progress on how the public views mental health, although we recognize we still have a lot of work to do.”
Figura said drawing attention to mental health awareness begins with promoting the county’s Care and Crisis Helpline. Those in crisis should call the helpline at (585) 283-5200. The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
“The helpline is there when people feel they have nowhere else to turn, whether its depression, anxiety, substance abuse, trauma or any other need that may be interfering with emotional wellbeing,” said Figura. “We want the people to know they are not alone.”
Figura said locally in Orleans County, there are many mental health supports and resources available to the residents of Orleans County. “These programs and services exist to support individuals and their families so if you feel you or someone you know may need assistance, please take advantage of them.”
New York State Office of Mental Health Licensed Article 31 Outpatient Clinic Treatment Programs offering individual therapy, family therapy, couples therapy and psychiatric services (to include psychiatric evaluation, psychiatric monitoring, and pharmacology). Open access hours for new clients are Monday to Friday at 12:30 p.m.
New York State Office of Mental Health Licensed Article 31 Outpatient Clinic Satellite Sites at UConnect Care (formerly GCASA) and Orleans County School Districts offering individual therapy at those host locations.
Health Home Care Management Programs serving both youths and adults. A program under New York State Department of Health, which looks to connect individuals to additional supports and resources to promote overall physical and emotional health wellness.
Crisis Supports & Resources
Spectrum Health CARES Team – Mobile Crisis Team Available Evenings, Weekends, Holidays for over the phone support, and in home assessments. Serving both adults and youth. Requests for the CARES Team can be made by contacting the Care & Crisis Helpline at (585) 283-5200 or contacting the Orleans County Sheriffs Dispatch.
Rochester Psychiatric Center MIT Team (mobile integration team) – Serves Adults only and is available Monday – Friday during business hours. Providing in home, community based assessments, outreach and engagement efforts.Requests for the RPC MIT Team can be made through the Care & Crisis Helpline at (585) 283-5200.
“988” National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or Text 988, Connect via chat at 988Lifeline.org or visit 988Lifeline.org for more resources.
Additional Programs & Resources
Mental Health Association of Genesee & Orleans Counties. Serving adults in Orleans County, through programs to include the Warm Line, Transportation, and Drop-In-Center. Click here for more information.
Oak Orchard Health. Click here for more information.
Photos courtesy of Celeste Morien: A Dark-eyed Junco is at left and an Eastern Screech Owl is at right.
Posted 23 December 2023 at 7:01 pm
Press Release, Celeste Morien, count compiler for Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count
BASOM – It’s time again for the Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count! The count began in December 1968. The National Audubon Society has been sponsoring Christmas Bird Counts since their inception.
Count compiler and Medina resident Celeste Morien would like the public to be alert for counters with spotting scopes and binoculars who will be out and about December 27th on local roads, searching for birds in fields and at bird feeders.
Here is the map showing different sections for the Oak Orchard Swamp Christmas Bird Count. One of the recent count totaled 20,843 birds in 73 species.
Filling bird feeders now and keeping them stocked ahead of the count helps fulfill the count objective of counting all wild birds seen and heard within the circle. The Oak Orchard Swamp count is centered at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge on the Orleans and Genesee County line at Route 63.
Count volunteers follow specified routes through a designated 15-mile diameter circle, which includes more than the refuge and state wildlife areas, counting every bird they see or hear all day. It’s not just a species tally—all birds are counted all day, giving an indication of the total number of birds in the circle that day.
According to the Audubon website, “Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas “Side Hunt.” They would choose sides and go afield with their guns—whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won.
Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Society, proposed a new holiday tradition—a “Christmas Bird Census” that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them.
So began the Christmas Bird Count. Thanks to the inspiration of Chapman and the enthusiasm of 27 dedicated birders, 25 Christmas Bird Counts were held that day. The locations ranged from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove, California with most counts in or near the population centers of northeastern North America.
From December 14 through January 5 each year tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas brave snow, wind, or rain, and take part in the effort. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this long-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations, and to help guide conservation action.
The data collected by observers over the past century allow Audubon researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, it provides a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have
changed in time and space over the past hundred years.
The long term perspective is vital for conservationists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their habitat, and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well.
If you are interested in participating in the count for December 2024, to do so please contact celeste.morien@gmail.com.
Please consider donating to the Christmas Count here since the Audubon Society no longer collects fees from each participant. (Click here for more information.)
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 September 2023 at 9:17 am
Genesee attorney calls Orleans action ‘frivolous and politicized attack’
Photos by Tom Rivers: The new sewer line is shown on Aug. 12 on Route 63 in the Town of Alabama, Genesee County. Orleans County officials are seeking to stop the construction from going to the STAMP site about 10 miles north to the Oak Orchard Creek.
SHELBY – Orleans County is suing its neighbor to try to stop a sewer line from coming into the Town of Shelby and depositing up to 6 million gallons of what Orleans says is “contaminated” water into the Oak Orchard Creek.
The county on Monday filed an Article 78 complaint in State Supreme Court, seeking to halt placement of a sewer line from the STAMP site to the Oak Orchard Creek, a 9.5-mile long pipe along Route 63 that has been under construction since Aug. 3.
Orleans is asking for a temporary restraining order to stop construction so the arguments can be heard in court without the pipeline getting built in Orleans County.
The court action from Orleans County is called a “frivolous and politicized attack” in a court response from Craig A. Leslie, attorney for GCEDC and others named in the suit.
Orleans County officials contend the county never gave its permission for the project, and the Genesee County Economic Development Center formed a “sham corporation” – STAMP Sewer Works – to make the project happen.
The STAMP site is 1,250 acres and is considered a top priority for economic development officials in the region. It is targeted for advanced manufacturing – semi-conductors and renewables manufacturing.
Plug Power is currently building a $290 million facility at STAMP for a green hydrogen production facility that includes an electric substation. The new facility will produce 45 metric tons of green liquid hydrogen daily when fully operational, making it the largest green hydrogen production facility in North America. Plug will employ 60 people.
Another company, Edwards Vacuum, announced last November it would build a $319 million “factory of the future” at STAMP in a project serving the semiconductor industry. Edwards plans to employ 600 high-skill professionals at the semiconductor dry pump manufacturing facility.
The commitments from the two companies follow a 20-year effort to develop STAMP in a rural area of Genesee County, only a few miles south of the Orleans County border. STAMP has been pushed by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Gov. Kathy Hochul and her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo.
But Orleans County officials say the Genesee County Economic Development Center has been driving the contracts for the project, including engineering and construction – and that is illegal because an economic development agency can’t fund and push projects outside its own county unless it has permission from the other municipalities, Jennifer Persico, an attorney representing Orleans County, wrote in the complaint filed in State Supreme Court in Orleans County.
Jennifer Persico, an attorney with Lippes Mathias LLP, speaks during an eminent domain public hearing on July 27. She said at the hearing that the Genesee County Economic Development Center illegally created STAMP Sewer Works as “a sham corporation” to do the eminent domain proceedings against two Orleans County property owners.
In the court filing, she said Orleans “strenuously objects” to the sewer project.
Genesee County EDC is illegally funding a project outside its jurisdiction, Orleans contends in its complaint. The EDC paid for easements to allow for temporary construction, including all but two in Shelby. Orleans County secured two easements in Shelby with the stipulation no sewer line can be constructed.
Orleans officials contend the sewer discharge could limit the county’s efforts to develop its own business park in Medina, and the water may cause flooding and hurt the county’s $30 million annual fishing industry at the Oak Orchard, which is world renown for salmon and trout fishing.
The GCEDC on March 25, 2021 awarded a $9,777,000 contract to G. DeVincentis & Son Construction Company for the 20-inch sewer main which goes from the northern refuge boundary to north of Shelby Center. GCEDC accepted low bid from Highlander for construction at $5,193,445 and approved a $900,000 contract and a $560,000 contract to Clark Patterson Lee for engineering services for the sewer project. GCEDC approved the bids without the consent of Orleans County.
The request for bids shows GCEDC contemplated construction in Orleans County without the consent of Orleans, Persico said.
GCEDC also has purchased at 18 temporary easements in Orleans County to allow for construction of the sewer line, without consent of Orleans, a violation of general municipal law, according to the complaint.
Orleans, in the complaint, also faults Genesee County EDC for improperly forming STAMP Sewer Works, for illegally funding and noticing the eminent domain hearing at the Alabama fire hall on July 27.
Orleans seeks to have the Supreme Court annul the easements. The county also seeks to stop the GCEDC-backed project in Orleans without the county support. That includes efforts from the GCEDC-affiliated Genesee Gateway Local Development Corporation and STAMP Sewer Works.
Leslie, attorney for GCEDC, asked the judge, Frank Caruso, to not approve a temporary restraining order on the project. Leslie said the sewer line construction has received all of the needed environmental and right-of-way permits from the state Department of Transportation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to cross the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.
Leslie said Orleans County shouldn’t be granted a temporary restraining order because the project is still weeks and even months from getting into Orleans. Persico wrote in her court filing the project was likely a matter of hours or days until it started in Orleans. The contractor is currently installing the sewer line in the refuge in Genesee County, Leslie wrote.
Orleans is beyond its authority isn’t seeking to stop all sewer line construction when the project currently is solely in Genesee County.
Leslie , the GCEDC attorney, said the claim that GCEDC is using its own money is false because the funding is part of $33 million awarded for STAMP development by Empire State Development, a state entity “which fully supports the STAMP project,” Leslie wrote.
He responded that the Town of Shelby gave its consent to the sewer line project, and so did the Orleans County Department of Health.
He asked the judge to deny the Orleans request for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order.
“Orleans County will sustain no injury by the continued construction of the Force Main, particularly in Genesee County, while this matter is appropriately determined by this Court,” Leslie wrote to Judge Caruso. “Meanwhile, STAMP Sewer will be irreparably harmed if the overbroad and unreasonable order requested by Orleans County is granted.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 July 2023 at 10:58 am
Provided photos: Oak Orchard Health has a new dental office at the former All Smiles Dentistry site at the corner of Allen Road and South Main Street.
ALBION — Oak Orchard Health welcomes the community to a ribbon-cutting celebration at 3 p.m. on Aug. 10. Oak Orchard has a new dental office at 362 South Main St.
The public also can tour the facility which includes 7 new exam rooms. Oak Orchard has a full-time dentist, dental hygienist, and dental assistant. Oak Orchard accepts most insurances, including Medicaid, and offers a sliding fee discount scale.
Dr. Jenna Rogge
“The lack of dental services in our region is detrimental to the total health of our patients,” said Karen Kinter, CEO of Oak Orchard Health. “The Albion community has needed more dental care for some time and we are proud to have our new office opened. We continue to grow to meet the needs of our community and now serve more than 30,000 patients across Monroe, Orleans, Genesee, Steuben, and Wyoming counties.”
The open house on Aug. 10 also will be a chance to meet Dr. Jenna Rogge, DDS; dental hygienist Miranda Betances, RDH, Dr. Rachel Nozzi, the chief dental officer.
“We’re so proud of our new dental center and the qualified dental team there,” said Dr. Nozzi.
Dr. Rogge brings with her several years of dental experience working with families including children and seniors. She said she believes it’s very important to treat patients with respect and empathy while supporting them in making decisions about their health and course of treatment. She is a graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine where she received her Doctorate of Dental Surgery.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Roger Hill, a Seneca Nation chief, urged the community to join the Seneca Nation in fighting the STAMP development.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 May 2023 at 8:26 am
Full buildout at 665 acres seen as threat to wildlife, Native American culture
ALABAMA – A full buildout on 665 acres of the STAMP manufacturing site in the town of Alabama, just south of Orleans County off Route 63, was called a threat to the culture of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation and the presence of wildlife, especially the short-eared owl and northern harrier.
Many speakers at a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation public hearing on Thursday evening were strongly against the DEC approving the plan proposed for mitigating the environmental impacts for the full build-out of the land. The Genesee County Economic Development Center is applying for the permit. About 200 people attended a 2 ½-hour public hearing at the Alabama Fire Hall.
“We’ve been opposed to it from day one,” said Roger Hill, a Seneca Nation chief.
The site should be recognized as Seneca land at the local, state and federal levels, he said.
Scott Logan, a subchief for the Bear Clan, said the project would be a threat to birds, other wildlife, water, and the medicine plants in the Big Woods that border STAMP.
“This would be an immense injustice to Mother Earth,” he said at the hearing.
Valerie Parker-Campbell, a Tonawanda Seneca woman, said STAMP jeopardizes sacred medicines and practices of the community.
GCEDC has been applying for permits one project at a time and is instead pursuing a permit for the overall site. Its first tenant, Plug Power Inc., is under construction for a $290 million hydrogen production facility that is expected to be ready in the summer 2024.
Another company, Edwards Vacuum, announced plans in November for a $319 million factory that will produce equipment used in the semiconductor industry.
There is still plenty of space at STAMP for other businesses and GCEDC officials say they are talking with other companies about coming to STAMP.
But the location doesn’t fit a very rural area near the Tonawanda Indian Reservation and Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, several speakers said. At full buildout the site could draw 600 trucks a day, likely leading to more motor vehicle accidents and more greenhouse emissions for the nearby residents, said Dr. Kirk Scirto, a family medicine specialist who works out of the Tonawanda Family Care Center on Bloomingdale’s Road in Akron.
He provides healthcare for many of the Tonawanda people, and said STAMP will have negative health consequences for the nearby residents. Emissions from cars and the manufacturing sites could exacerbate asthma, emphysema and other health conditions, he said.
He asked the DEC to deny the permit due to the health impacts on residents and also on the basis on environmental justice. The project will hurt the Tonawanda culture by scaring away wildlife. Many of the local residents rely on the lands for hunting and fishing, he said.
Chief Emerson Webster of the Tonawanda Band of the Senecas said the development at STAMP should be stopped because of the negative impacts on the local residents and Tonawanda people.
“We ought to work together to stop this,” said Chief Emerson Webster of the Tonawanda Band of the Senecas. “Our way of life is to save animals and medicine.”
He worries about the project’s impact on nearby lands that aren’t technically in STAMP, but would be altered by the project.
“We don’t need this,” he said at the hearing. “It’s not our way. This project may be good for some people, but it’s not good for us.”
Environmentalists decried a mitigation proposal from GCEDC. The full buildout would impact 665 acres of current open land. GCEDC is proposing for a 25-acre grassland habitat in the southeastern portion of STAMP and a 33-acre parcel north of the John White Management Area. That site would be converted from row crop to grassland.
GCEDC is seeking an Article 11 Part 182 permit for the mitigation plan, which would allow the agency to have 665 acres of land developed that is currently used as overwintering habitat for the state-listed endangered short eared owl and the state-listed threatened northern harrier.
Designating land of 25 and 33 acres doesn’t guarantee the endangered and threatened species will go to those sites, said Dr. Joe Stahlman, an anthropologist and research scientist at the University of Buffalo.
“The loss of birds and wildlife threatens the Tonawanda community,” he said.
The natural resources of a community are critical to the indigenous cultures, Stahlman said.
Kathy Melissa Smith, a member of the Tonawanda Band of the Senecas, lives a mile away from STAMP. She said the development of the site in such a rural area next to the reservation “will end our way of life.”
Environmentalists spoke at the hearing from the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Sierra Club, Save Ontario Shores, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, University of Rochester, Western New York Environmental Alliance and the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York.
Pam Atwater, president of Save Ontario Shores, said the local area has about 10,000 acres that will disturbed due to wind turbine projects and large-scale solar. That land isn’t far from the wildlife refuge.
“The cumulative impact of those projects should be considered,” she said.
GCEDC has been successful convincing large companies to commit to STAMP, a “quiet site” with little ground vibrations that is critical to advanced manufacturing.
STAMP would have its own wastewater treatment facility on site, with the treated water to be released in Oak Orchard Creek.
That impact is a concern for Karen Jones of Shelby, who lives about 5 miles north of STAMP. She said the watershed is interconnected.
“The refuge wasn’t intended as a wastewater filtration system,” she said.
Margaux Valenti, attorney for the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, said STAMP sits in an important area for biodiversity and the region’s ecological health.
“You’re setting this area up for disaster,” she said. “This is a grave threat to endangered species.”
Arthur Barnes, a Shelby resident, said the STAMP project is too disruptive to the Tonawanda community that relies upon and treasures open land and nature.
About 200 people filled the Alabama Fire Hall for the public hearing.
Scott Logan, a subchief for the Bear Clan, said STAMP is in a wildlife rich area. He said its development “would be an immense injustice to Mother Earth.”
By Dr. Lalit Jain, Pediatrician and Dr. Karen Mawn, Pediatrician, Oak Orchard Health Albion
By Karen Kinter, CEO of Oak Orchard Health
By Karen Kinter, CEO, Oak Orchard Health
By Robin Govanlu, LMHN, LAC, LPC, Chief of Behavioral Health, Oak Orchard Health.
To adequately address the behavioral health crisis in our regions and keep more children out of the hospital we need more mental health services in our community and that’s where Oak Orchard comes in. Getting our young patients connected quickly to the services that they need is vital to their well-being and ongoing development. Therefore, OOH will be expanding child and adolescent behavioral health services at the Brockport Health Center and the Albion Wellness Center. This expansion will include hiring additional therapists with a specialty in pediatric behavioral health. We’ll also be hiring support staff and a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner within the next year. Services can be provided in-person and through our telehealth program which allows for audio or video communication between the patient and mental health provider using their phone, laptop, or iPad.
