THE ASSEMBLY STATE OF NEW YORK ALBANY

STEVEN H. CYMBROWITZ Assemblyman 45th District Kings County

CHAIRMAN Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee COMMITTEES Codes Environmental Conservation Health Insurance Steering

July 19, 2013 Dr. Thomas A. Farley, Commissioner NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 42-09 28th Street Long Island City, NY 11101 Dear Commissioner Farley: On July 16th I held a meeting in my district office with four representatives of your agency, representatives from the state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) and Community Board 15 Chair Theresa Scavo to discuss an outpatient substance abuse treatment center, First Steps to Recovery, Inc., and its proposal to relocate to 2632 East 21st Street in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. I requested this meeting after learning just a week ago that First Steps had been granted contingent approval for this clearly inappropriate location back on May 15th, allowing the provider to begin construction. That same week, angry residents of East 21st Street presented me with petitions and begged for my help to prevent First Steps from opening. As the Chairman of the Assemblys Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee, I find it extremely disturbing that I did not receive notification in this process. Even more disturbing were the numerous failures committed by your agency. At the meeting in my office, it became immediately apparent that your representatives were unaware of any issues surrounding this inappropriate location. They had no idea that the drug treatment center would occupy space in a residential building with children (a simple site visit by your agency would have revealed childrens toys on the terraces), that an elementary school is located right across the street, and that the street is too narrow to accommodate vehicles dropping off clients. Your agency would have been aware of all of these negatives if it had paid the slightest attention to the vehement opposition expressed by Community Board 15, which echoed residents feelings. DOH could then have included CB 15s recommendation in the assessment you forwarded to OASAS, which would likely have stopped the process in its tracks early on. Instead, your agency failed to recognize a clearly unacceptable site and turned a deaf ear to the community. This allowed a flawed process to move forward,
ALBANY OFFICE: Room 627, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248, (518) 455-5214, FAX (518) 455-5738 DISTRICT OFFICE: 1800 Sheepshead Bay Road, Brooklyn, New York, 11235, (718) 743-4078, FAX (718) 368-4391 E-MAIL: cymbros@assembly.state.ny.us WEBSITE: www.assembly.state.ny.us

wasting time, manpower, money and causing unnecessary distress for neighborhood residents. No one disputes the need for this type of outpatient program, but at the right location. It is my hope that you will take a close look at the errors made in your agencys review of this site and at the entire approval process for outpatient substance abuse facilities, which is clearly in need of improvement if fiascos such as this one can occur. I look forward to your prompt response. Sincerely,

Steven H. Cymbrowitz Member of Assembly cc: Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez, Commissioner NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services

ALBANY OFFICE: Room 627, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248, (518) 455-5214, FAX (518) 455-5738 DISTRICT OFFICE: 1800 Sheepshead Bay Road, Brooklyn, New York, 11235, (718) 743-4078, FAX (718) 368-4391 E-MAIL: cymbros@assembly.state.ny.us WEBSITE: www.assembly.state.ny.us