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Committee hears plan for Utica Center veterans services in Oneonta
Summary
The Community Wellness Committee heard from a newly hired Utica Center case manager about plans to provide veterans-focused services in Oneonta, including case management, a food/clothing pantry, benefits assistance and possible equine therapy; the committee requested more data on veteran homelessness and follow-up with the program lead.
The Oneonta Community Wellness Committee on Jan. 9 heard from Carrie, a recently hired case manager with the Utica Center for Development, about planned services aimed at veterans and people in crisis.
The committee was told the program will focus “especially for unhoused veterans,” including case management, help accessing veterans’ benefits, and plans for a food pantry and clothing closet. Carrie said program staff hope to create a day room where veterans can meet outside a bar setting and referenced plans to offer or partner on equine (horse) therapy programs with local farms. “Gary is an an incredible resource, and I feel very lucky to be working under him and learning from him now,” Carrie said of the program lead who helped start similar services in other counties.
Committee members discussed possible sites for the services, including the city armory, and raised accessibility and building condition concerns. Committee members also discussed the county’s Dwyer program (referred to in the meeting as the Dwyer program), which allocates state funding to assist veterans with housing and basic needs. Carrie reported that county Dwyer funds exist but said they have not always been allocated in the county in the way program staff believe they should be distributed; she described the Utica Center as experienced in managing that program in other counties.
Committee members asked for more data on veterans in Oneonta, including how many of the city’s unhoused residents are veterans. Carrie clarified she had initially described a figure as “about 10%,” then corrected that she believed 10% referred specifically to the homeless population, not the total city population. The committee noted an upcoming point-in-time “pick count” of people experiencing homelessness and said they would seek more precise local data before further action.
The committee agreed to follow up by asking program staff — including Gary, who was not present — to return for another meeting and to provide more detailed statistics and clarifications on funding sources and site feasibility.
The discussion was informational; no formal motions or votes were taken.
