Effective September, 2022, the Sullivan County District Office of NYSDOH is being moved from Monticello to Middletown, in Orange County.

Hard to believe, given that Sullivan County ranks next to last in health metrics out of the 62 counties in New York State.

Hard to believe, given that Orange County already has a full-service County Department of Health, which Sullivan County does not.

Why does this matter? Here are just a few of the many services provided to Sullivan County residents through the current NYSDOH office in Monticello:

• Regulation of 215 children’s camp sites & 300 temporary residences (bungalow colonies, motels, hotels)

• Inspection of public water systems, including sampling and monitoring for contaminants

• Inspection of mobile home parks, and restaurants, mobile food and temporary food services

• Lead, mold, and sewage problem response and prevention

Once the Monticello office disappears, how will NYSDOH:

• Protect and promote the public’s health and safety with the same level of effectiveness when the office is no longer located in Sullivan County?

• Manage the increased response time to provide routine and emergency services to Sullivan County, particularly during peak summertime demands and inclement winter weather?

• Manage the increased health inequities & poor health outcomes that inevitably result from reduced access to services?

• Manage emergent public health problems in Sullivan County in a timely manner, including infectious disease outbreaks (Covid-19, measles, etc.)?

• Provide Sullivan County residents access to walk-in services, particularly for those who are unable to commute to Middletown?
  

Why is this happening?

• According to NYSDOH, there is no suitable space in Sullivan County for the District Office, a claim disputed by State, County and local officials.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Call, email, or write to Governor Kathy Hochul to express your outrage at this looming and preventable public health crisis in Sullivan County.

  • Phone: 1-518-474-8390

  • Email: https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form

  • Write: The Honorable Kathy Hochul,
    Governor of New York State,
    NYS State Capitol Building,
    Albany, NY 12224

• Raise awareness of this pending disaster with your town and county officials and ask them to lobby forcefully to keep the Sullivan County District Office of NYSDOH in Sullivan County - where it belongs and where it is needed most.

• Share Fallsburg’s Future Facebook post.

Here is a sample phone or email message:

“I live in Sullivan County and I’m calling to express my strong opposition to the proposed move of the New York State Department of Health District Office in Monticello to Middletown. Why would the State deliberately undermine access to public health services in one of New York’s neediest counties? Public officials dispute the claim that the move is necessary because of inadequate space in Sullivan County. Please stop this unnecessary and reckless move before it is too late. Thank you.”

Sample letter to Governor Hochul that you can use as is or modify for other recipients:

The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State

NYS State Capitol Building

Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Hochul,

Effective September of this year, the New York State Department of Health has decided to move their Sullivan County District Office to Middletown, in Orange County. As Sullivan County remains 61st out of 62 NYS counties in overall health, this brings up the very serious issues of health equity, rural ethnicity, and equal access to health services, all of which are bipartisan concerns.

A major issue is that during the summer the Sullivan County population goes from 78 thousand to over 300 thousand because of the summer camps and vacation colonies. The District Office of the New York State Department of Health is fully engaged assessing the environmental safety of these facilities as well as other local institutions and businesses. Without a fully dedicated local District Office, I am very concerned that the issues that arise will not be attended to effectively or in a timely way. In the recent past, there have been outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as SARS-Covid 19 and measles, as well as unsafe sanitary conditions that required ongoing prompt attention. Of all the counties in New York State, it simply does not make sense to further weaken the public health resources of Sullivan County, which does not even have a full-service County Department of Health.

I urge you to please work with the NY State Department of Health to reverse their decision and maintain a fully staffed, year-round Sullivan County District Office.

Sincerely,