7/27/2019 Assemblyman Cymbrowitz's letter blasting DOH for approving East 21st Street rehab facility

1/2

STEVEN H. CYMBROWITZAssemblyman 45th District

Kings County

THE ASSEMBLYSTATE OF NEW YORK

ALBANY

CHAIRMANAlcoholism and Drug Abus

Committee

COMMITTEESCodes

Environmental ConservatioHealth

InsuranceSteering

July 19, 2013

Dr. Thomas A. Farley, Commissioner

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

42-09 28th StreetLong 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 anoutpatient 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 fromopening. 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 thedrug 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 toaccommodate 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, whichechoed 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 siteand 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) 455-5738DISTRICT 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

7/27/2019 Assemblyman Cymbrowitz's letter blasting DOH for approving East 21st Street rehab facility

2/2

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 abusefacilities, 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) 455-5738DISTRICT 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