Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) recently attended a joint Mental Health Hearing with other members of the Senate and Assembly Mental Health committees. The hearing focused on the potential closure or reconfiguration of mental health facilities across Long Island, including the Sagamore Children’s Psychiatric Center.

“Providing quality mental health services for those in need, especially the children in our communities, is a must,” said McDonough. “Unfortunately, the proposal put forward by the Office of Mental Health (OMH) could be detrimental to the long-term health of our young people who would now have to travel to Queens or the Bronx for care. The facility and staff at Sagamore have a long and proud history of providing comprehensive and accessible care to many of Long Island’s children suffering from a variety of psychological troubles. I will continue to do all I can to make sure that other avenues are explored that best meet the needs of our children, OMH and the staff at Sagamore.”

These changes to mental health services are part of an ongoing statewide restructuring project included in this year’s New York State Budget and were opposed by McDonough in March.