Mental health transfer update: Nyack is now interviewing applicants

BY MICHAEL RICONDA

NEW CITY – Speaking to the county legislature’s Multi-Services Committee, Rockland County’s executive director of Public Policy, Stephen Powers, announced more details on the transfer of inpatient and emergeny treatment services from the county’s facility in Pomona to Nyack Hospital.

According to Powers, the transfer process is smoothly progressing toward its projected completion date in March. Part of the recent progress involved a second round of job interviews by Nyack, which is looking to hire 50 people and has already interviewed 60 staffers with the county.

Powers went on to explain the evaluation of services was ongoing to “keep people from falling through the cracks.” Though most services will remain with the county, Powers explained improvements to the hospital make it better suited to the needs of patients.

“It’s really a quality of care issue,” Powers said. “They’re going to be set up to cover emergencies.”

A hundred people will potentially be affected by abolishment of positions which will occur in April, provided the legislature approves the cuts. Almost half of those positions are for temporary relief staff. This will leave 53 positions with the county to serve about 700 patients at any given time. About half of the county’s remaining mental health personnel will operate the outpatient unit, Powers reported.