Report: Everything running smoothly at CIT
NORWICH – Morale is high and staffing steady at the Valley Ridge Center For Intensive Treatment, according to a report made June 26 to the high-level security facility’s community liaison group.
CIT Director Chuck Kearley told the four members of the Valley Ridge Board of Visitors that the five-year old building on Upper Ravine Road in the town of Norwich is “in very good shape,” and that staff and inmates are “kind of into a rhythm.”
A recent post certification review by the New York State Office of Mental Health found no deficiencies in the treatment center’s program. “They found no deficiencies this time around and said, ‘See you in the fall.’ Our life is like going from one review to the next,” Kearley said.
The center, which is operated by the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, houses 60 mostly 18-35 year-old mentally retarded males who have a criminal past. The inmates, called “consumers,” live in five housing units and receive clinical services ranging from basic living skills to intensive anger therapy and relapse prevention services. The staff-to-consumer ratio is 3.75 to 1.
The community outreach group receives updates up to six times a year about the facility. The meetings are open to the public.
OMRDD officials are close to signing off on a design for a new 14,000 square foot addition to the east side of the building. Groundbreaking, which has been delayed one year, is now anticipated in the spring of 2008. According to a preliminary design sketch presented to the board, the main floor will house an administrative suite; dental, medical and psychologist’s suites; a business office; and a classroom complete with video conferencing capabilities. The basement will be used primarily for storage.
Vacated space in the current building will be renovated into programming rooms as well as a new personnel office accessible only on the outside of the building. Security issues regarding the construction, the placement of the personnel office, and new interior and exterior doorways were discussed at length during the meeting. Board of Visitor’s member Stephen M. Bernardi asked several questions in order to determine the placement of new, interior barrier walls.
In anticipation of the upcoming construction, work crews are updating the camera and pressure-sensing devices on the facility’s roof. The sensors detect pressure changes, and are able to discern between weather-related pressures - such as snow and ice - and human footsteps. CIT staff member Nick Andrews said all of the technological, electrical and security systems are backed up by an emergency generator and batteries. The generator has kicked in twice since the facility has been in operation, he said, once during last week’s electrical storm. “The generator came on. It was instantaneous,” he said.
There are 142 direct care staff workers currently employed by Valley Ridge, however, Kearley said about eight more are needed. In order to accommodate prospective workers, OMRDD is making arrangements to hold civil service examinations in the fall in Norwich. The last time the test was given locally was when Valley Ridge opened in 2002. The jobs pay $30,000 annually plus benefits.
Most of the individuals housed at the CIT are on probation; they were diverted before serving any time in prison. Approximately 20 are there involuntarily, and may have their status reviewed every one to two years, or request a court appearance when their parole or probation has run out. Many have filed applications, however Kearley told the board in April that he was unable to report the total number of appearances in Chenango County’s courtrooms.
“A new tracking is in place to be able to provide this information in the future,” he said. Board of Visitor’s Chairman Irad Ingraham had requested the report at a previous meeting.
Individuals are released if the court has found they weren’t mentally retarded or developmentally disabled, or are not currently a danger to themselves or another. About 15 are level III sex offenders.
Ingraham said last week that he hoped there weren’t any incidences or problems “that we will read about in the paper before you tell us.”
Kearley said the board would be notified first. “I’d never let that happen,” he said.
The next meeting is Sept. 19 at 8 a.m.
CIT Director Chuck Kearley told the four members of the Valley Ridge Board of Visitors that the five-year old building on Upper Ravine Road in the town of Norwich is “in very good shape,” and that staff and inmates are “kind of into a rhythm.”
A recent post certification review by the New York State Office of Mental Health found no deficiencies in the treatment center’s program. “They found no deficiencies this time around and said, ‘See you in the fall.’ Our life is like going from one review to the next,” Kearley said.
The center, which is operated by the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, houses 60 mostly 18-35 year-old mentally retarded males who have a criminal past. The inmates, called “consumers,” live in five housing units and receive clinical services ranging from basic living skills to intensive anger therapy and relapse prevention services. The staff-to-consumer ratio is 3.75 to 1.
The community outreach group receives updates up to six times a year about the facility. The meetings are open to the public.
OMRDD officials are close to signing off on a design for a new 14,000 square foot addition to the east side of the building. Groundbreaking, which has been delayed one year, is now anticipated in the spring of 2008. According to a preliminary design sketch presented to the board, the main floor will house an administrative suite; dental, medical and psychologist’s suites; a business office; and a classroom complete with video conferencing capabilities. The basement will be used primarily for storage.
Vacated space in the current building will be renovated into programming rooms as well as a new personnel office accessible only on the outside of the building. Security issues regarding the construction, the placement of the personnel office, and new interior and exterior doorways were discussed at length during the meeting. Board of Visitor’s member Stephen M. Bernardi asked several questions in order to determine the placement of new, interior barrier walls.
In anticipation of the upcoming construction, work crews are updating the camera and pressure-sensing devices on the facility’s roof. The sensors detect pressure changes, and are able to discern between weather-related pressures - such as snow and ice - and human footsteps. CIT staff member Nick Andrews said all of the technological, electrical and security systems are backed up by an emergency generator and batteries. The generator has kicked in twice since the facility has been in operation, he said, once during last week’s electrical storm. “The generator came on. It was instantaneous,” he said.
There are 142 direct care staff workers currently employed by Valley Ridge, however, Kearley said about eight more are needed. In order to accommodate prospective workers, OMRDD is making arrangements to hold civil service examinations in the fall in Norwich. The last time the test was given locally was when Valley Ridge opened in 2002. The jobs pay $30,000 annually plus benefits.
Most of the individuals housed at the CIT are on probation; they were diverted before serving any time in prison. Approximately 20 are there involuntarily, and may have their status reviewed every one to two years, or request a court appearance when their parole or probation has run out. Many have filed applications, however Kearley told the board in April that he was unable to report the total number of appearances in Chenango County’s courtrooms.
“A new tracking is in place to be able to provide this information in the future,” he said. Board of Visitor’s Chairman Irad Ingraham had requested the report at a previous meeting.
Individuals are released if the court has found they weren’t mentally retarded or developmentally disabled, or are not currently a danger to themselves or another. About 15 are level III sex offenders.
Ingraham said last week that he hoped there weren’t any incidences or problems “that we will read about in the paper before you tell us.”
Kearley said the board would be notified first. “I’d never let that happen,” he said.
The next meeting is Sept. 19 at 8 a.m.
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