NORWICH – No residents of the Valley Ridge Center for Intensive Treatment have taken rehabilitation excursions in the community, assures the maximum security facility’s director, but the practice is officially permitted now.
Off-site visits in Chenango County were prohibited at Valley Ridge when a host of public and private officials laid out stipulations and commitments for accepting the facility back in 2002. Chenango County donated the Upper Ravine Road land where about 60 developmentally disabled adults who have offending or criminal behaviors are currently held.
The rules changed when Valley Ridge came under the umbrella of Broome Developmental Disabilities Services Organization in Binghamton last year. Broome DDSO’s community inclusion therapies include patronizing local stores and restaurants in Chenango County under strict supervision.
“Valley Ridge has rigorous oversight procedures to ensure those individuals who have shown progress in their treatment are allowed this opportunity with the appropriate oversight and safeguards in place,” said Nicole Weinstein, director of public information for the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).
Valley Ridge Director Carl Letson told members of the CIT’s Board of Visitors on Oct. 21 that he was “unaware of any such visits in Chenango County.” The community oversight group, which has met about four times per year at the Eaton Center in Norwich since the CIT opened, has the authority to visit Valley Ridge at any time; receives all incident reports; and is advised of preliminary plans for construction and alterations and programs and activities at the facility.
Board of Visitors President Stephen M. Bernardi said Monday that inmates, called consumers, would be accompanied by at least two staff members per consumer at all times, and wouldn’t actually go into a restaurant or business.
“I know for a fact that there’s not more than one or two people in the whole facility who would even qualify,” said Bernardi. “They may be driven through a drive-through window, or something like that.”
Valley Ridge’s treatment program includes clinical services ranging from basic living skills to intensive anger therapy and relapse prevention services. There have been up to 15 registered high-level sex offenders residing there at any time.
Through the years, OPWDD has at times issued citations and even relocated managerial staff following allegations of consumer on staff and staff on consumer abuse. The Chenango County BOV learned last month that there have been 234 such reported allegations at the facility from Dec. 2009 to Sept. 2010.
The merger, which was part of Governor Paterson’s budget cuts enacted with the 2009-2010 legislative budget, resulted in staff reductions at the Norwich facility and uncertainty about the future of the local oversight group. Meetings are now held in conjunction with Broome’s BOV, and only two took place in Norwich this year. In addition, longtime members Thomas Whittaker and Irad Ingraham have indicated that they will be stepping down, leaving only three of seven local slots filled.
“We would certainly like to continue to function here and maintain a level of representation,” said Letson.
Upon learning of the merger last year, Chenango County Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Richard B. Decker, R-N. Norwich, said he was concerned about security and previous agreements.
“I am concerned that they continue the security measures and other agreements in place up there. One of the original agreements was that they wouldn’t be taking the residents into the area,” he said.
Prior to community inclusion activities occurring, individuals’ progress and safety plans are reviewed and endorsed by both local and statewide oversight committees, said the OPWDD spokeswoman.
“Businesses within the Chenango County area benefit as do the people OPWDD serves. These community visits give the people we support the opportunity to practice skills naturally and provide healthy relationships within the community they live. Individuals who have reached this status are considered to have progressed to allow for referrals to less restrictive settings,” said Weinstein.
The subject of community visits came up during Letson’s report about a baseball game hosted by Valley Ridge last summer against consumers at Broome DDSO. Valley Ridge management is considering transporting individuals to play in a basketball competition with the Binghamton facility soon.
The sports events, coupled with new webcam capabilities for consumers to communicate with their families, has boosted morale at Valley Ridge, according to Operations Director Fred Barnes. In addition, three consumers received their GEDs this summer resulting in “a positive jump in others wanting their diploma,” he said.
Broome DDSO offers a variety of services for people of all ages with developmental disabilities and their families in Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga and Tompkins counties.