KINGSTON – Ulster County officials and their community partners literally celebrated in the street on Wednesday as they cut the ribbon on a new center that will offer around-the-clock mental health and wellness services to people of any age, regardless of their ability to pay.
Located at 368 Broadway in Kingston, adjacent to Health Alliance Hospital, the Center for Well-Being is a four-floor, multi-service facility that includes the Hudson Valley’s first and only Intensive Crisis Stabilization Center on the ground level.
Unlike Dutchess County’s stabilization center, Ulster’s facility is ‘intensive’, which means it’s overseen by a medical director and has psychiatric nurse practitioners on staff who can prescribe medication. It offers immediate, walk-in support for anyone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
“For the first time, residents can access a full continuum of behavioral health and wellness services under one roof and receive compassionate care in a supportive environment,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger.
“This center is grounded in dignity, compassion and the belief that help should be available the moment someone needs it, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
“This facility represents a better response–one rooted in treatment, compassion and public safety,” said Ulster County Public Health Director, Dr. Eve Walter.
“It gives first responders, hospitals, courts and families all somewhere to turn to when someone is in crisis. More importantly, it gives people hope and a path to recovery instead of having them fall through the cracks. This a statement about who we are as a county and how we choose to care for one another.”
State Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Marie Sullivan says there are currently 10 crisis stabilization centers operating in New York.
“These centers help individuals and families avoid visits to often busy hospital emergency rooms, providing high-quality treatment and vital connections to community-based services,” said Sullivan. “The growth of these centers across the state reflects Governor Hochul’s vision for providing access to mental health care for all New Yorkers who need it.”
The Crisis Support Center, operated by People USA and the Ulster County Department of Mental Health, had a soft opening in January and has already served 350 people, according to county officials.
People USA CEO Steve Miccio called this a powerful moment.
“We’re celebrating more than a building. This is a paradigm shift what we’re seeing here today with the number of community partners we’re working with,” said Miccio.
“I’m always asking my staff, ‘How do we know that we’re doing the right thing? How do we know we’re doing better?’ When we see the people we serve and the quality of their lives improve to the point where they’re self-determined and empowered to live their lives. That’s how we know. We’re committed to working alongside every single person who walks through these doors,” he said.
The center’s second floor will house a walk-in, mental health and substance use urgent care run by Access: Supports for Living. The Ulster County Crime Victims Assistance Program can also be found there.
The Third floor is dedicated to the Children’s Way Counseling Center run by the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie, a new youth mental health clinic for children ages 5-21 and their families. Administrators say the counseling center opened two weeks ago and has already provided nearly 1,000 counseling sessions.
The fourth floor will house the County’s Department of Mental Health administrative offices.
Ulster County Legislature Chair Peter Criswell says the County purchased the building in 2022 and later renovated it, using five of the $34 million in funding it received from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act).
“Will the community, thirty years from now, say we spent this money wisely?” said Criswell. “This is a permanent home for healing, and it will be serving our neighbors, their families and their children for years to come. That’s exactly what responsible public investment looks like.”
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