New York State Offers Support To Fort Drum Soldiers And Families

May 28, 2007 -- New York Governor Eliot Spitzer today announced a series of measures designed to assist families of deployed soldiers and other military personnel in New York.

“We want to do all we can to help those who are serving our nation during wartime,” Spitzer said. “That includes ensuring that their dependents and loved ones at home receive the assistance they need.”

The Governor visited Fort Drum this week and met with a group of soldiers, family members and civilian employees to discuss problems they face. As part of an initial effort to address those problems, the Governor announced the following:

New Housing Programs

The Housing for Veterans Program is a new program designed to help veterans across the state achieve the dream of homeownership. As part of this initiative, the State of New York Mortgage Authority (SONYMA) will be offering a $10 million program to provide eligible veterans a below-market mortgage with a fixed interest rate to help purchase a home. This program – being offered exclusively through M&T Bank –will provide mortgages at interest rates substantially lower than conventional financing. Low-interest financing coupled with SONYMA’s closing cost assistance, construction incentives, and remodeling financing, will greatly enhance the ability of U.S. military veterans to buy or improve their homes.

In addition to this new program, the state Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) has approved tax incentives for the construction of approximately 200 housing units to be built in the Fort Drum area. This project – Summit Wood in the town of Watertown – will provide rental housing for low- and moderate-income families. The project is being funded through DHCR’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program.

Expanded Social Services

To address the multiple needs of military families dealing with lengthy deployments overseas and with the stress of service during times of war, the Office of Mental Health (OMH), the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) will offer the following programs and services:

* Funding of approximately $300,000 for family support and counseling services at the Carthage Area Hospital and the Samaritan Medical Center near Fort Drum dealing with the stresses associated with coping with deployment of loved ones;
* Expand family support services through the Independent Living Center in Jefferson County to provide support to families who have children with emotional problems;
* $200,000 to the Jefferson County Department of Social Services to provide short-term family crisis counseling and for a joint human services military day at Fort Drum to increase awareness of available community resources;
* $280,000 for alcohol prevention counseling in the main Fort Drum impacted schools and the creation of a new “Creating Lasting Family Connections” program to directly address the issues that are emerging in Jefferson County families relate to wartime military deployments;
* Expediting the expansion of an outpatient clinic at Credo Community Center for the Treatment of Addictions, Inc. In Jefferson County; and
* Give priority status to returning military personnel for admissions to St. Lawrence Addiction Treatment Center.

Veterans Agency Involvement

The State Division of Veteran Affairs (DVA) is also working to improve coordination of existing services in the Fort Drum region by:

* Establishing a full-time state veterans counselor in Watertown;
* Scheduling training sessions with county mental health, social services and substance abuse providers to help them understand veteran eligibility and available services.

Governor Spitzer stressed that the package of assistance was the beginning of an effort to better address the needs of military personnel and their families. He said that an interagency task force within his administration would continue to work on other initiatives.

Source: New York Governor

Bookmark/Search this post with:

 •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •