Referred to: The Health, Human Services and Housing Committee (Chairman Uchitelle and Legislators Collins, Corcoran, Harmon, Kitchen, Lopez, and McCollough), The American Rescue Plan Act Special Committee (Chairman Corcoran and Legislators Clinton, Levine, Lopez, and Sperry), The Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation Committee (Chair Nolan and Legislators Donaldson, Kovacs, Litts, and McCollough), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chair of the Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation Committee, Kathy Nolan, and Deputy Chair Herbert Litts, III offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Public Works; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature passed Resolution No. 333 dated August 17, 2021 creating Capital Project No. 598, entitled “ARP Mental Health and Addiction Recovery”, with an anticipated allocation in the amount of $5,000,000.00; and

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 333 dated August 17, 2021 resolved that funding for Capital Project No. 598 shall be subject to the further approval of the Ulster County Legislature; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Behavioral Health Task Force provided a report in September 2021 and identified Crisis Services and creation of a Crisis Stabilization Center as a priority investment for the County; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature passed Resolution No. 424 dated October 19, 2021 and resolved that, ‘it shall be the policy of Ulster County to have a Crisis Stabilization Center recommended to operate 24 hours/day, 7 days per week, with sufficient staffing”; and

WHEREAS, a crisis stabilization center would allow individuals in need of mental health and addiction services to connect immediately with an integrated team of clinical counselors, peer specialists, and addiction professionals who can provide support and treatment options; and

WHEREAS, the facility is located in a central location in the City of Kingston that benefits nearby qualified census tract numbers 9520, 9518, 9514, and 9517 as well as Ulster County as a whole; and

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 424 dated October 19, 2021 further resolved, “that any project established in furtherance of this policy shall be paid for from the $5,000,000.00 of American Rescue Plan Act funding allocated for the purpose of addressing the need for enhanced Mental Health and Addiction Recovery services throughout Ulster County”; and

WHEREAS, Capital Project 598 was amended pursuant to Resolution No. 166 of 2022, in the amount of $2,000,000 for the purchase of an existing commercial office building located at 368 Broadway in the City of Kingston, to meet the goals of Resolution No. 424 dated October 19, 2021 and the report of the Behavioral Health Task Force; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature passed Resolution No. 401 on August 16, 2022, which further funded Capital Project 598 in the amount of $175,000 for Architect and Engineering services at the Property; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature passed Resolution No. 217 dated May 16, 2023 amending Capital Project 598 in the amount of $56,442.18 which funded closing costs that relate to the purchase of the facility and brought the total funding for the Crisis Stabilization Center (Capital Project 598) to $2,231,443.00; and

WHEREAS, it is the intent to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the renovation of this Property; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County identified Opioid Settlement Funding to dedicate towards abating the opioid epidemic and as an approved allowable use of funds to support the Crisis Stabilization Center that will serve as an alternative to hospital emergency departments for persons with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions or persons that have experienced opioid overdose; and

WHEREAS, with the investment of American Rescue Plan funds and Opioid Settlement Funding to support Capital Project 598, to build a space, that will serve youth and adults, who will be able to stay in the center for up to 23.5 hours; During their stay, individuals will be seen by clinical staff as well as certified peer recovery advocates; They will be referred to services that best meet their unique needs, and a case worker will provide a warm handoff to those services and provide follow-up care coordination; and

WHEREAS, regulations implemented by the United States Treasury Department in their published Final Rule (31 CFR Part 35, RIN 1505-AC77), “recognizes that medical equipment and facilities designed to address disparities in public health outcomes are eligible capital expenditures” (see: page 128 of the Final Rule); and

WHEREAS, the approved 2024-2029 Capital Improvement Program includes construction funding for “Crisis Stabilization Center Project” in the amount of  $2,488,749.00; and

WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Public Works requests that Capital Project No. 598 be amended to increase funding for construction services in the amount of $2,488,749.00 for a total project cost of $4,720,192.00; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, Ulster County has determined that this funding action does not pose a significant potential environmental impact and may be progressed as a Type II action in accordance with 6 NYCRR Part 617 of SEQRA, and does not require any further determination or procedure under SEQRA; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the 2024-2029 Ulster County Capital Improvement Program is hereby amended as follows:

and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the 2024 Ulster County Capital Fund budget is hereby amended as follows:

and moves its adoption.

        ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

        AYES:                     NOES:    

Passed Committee: Health, Human Services and Housing ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­on ____________.

Passed Committee: American Rescue Plan Act ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­on ____________.

Passed Committee: Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­on ____________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­on ____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$2,488,749.00 – ADDITIONAL CAPITAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS

$2,488,749.00 – FEDERAL (ARPA) AND STATE FUND REVENUS