Health system says Tompkins intensive crisis stabilization center on track for phased openings

Representatives from the local health system told the Tompkins County Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday that work is under way to open a combined withdrawal/detox and crisis stabilization facility at 2353 North Trappheimer Road.

The most immediate milestone, the presenters said, was securing control of the building and putting a lease in place. "Probably the biggest achievement we've had was the April. We gained control of the building. So we have a lease in place now," said Frank Krupa, a representative of the health system. He said construction bids are expected to go out "mid to late summer."

Marty Stallone, identified in the meeting as CEO of Centralis Health, told the committee the project is proceeding on a phased schedule. He said the withdrawal and stabilization component — described in the presentation as 20 beds for medically assisted detox and 20 beds for stabilization — is targeted to open in December, while the intensive crisis stabilization program remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026. "We have put together a plan with target dates for the December for the withdrawal and stabilization component," Stallone said. "Intensive crisis stabilization, we're still targeting the first quarter of 2026."

Why it matters: committee members and presenters framed the facility as a way to match people to care outside emergency departments and to reduce downstream costs and crowding. Stallone said the health system views the project as a long-term investment even where ongoing program funding is uncertain: "By getting people to the right place for the right care will help save costs in other places in the health system," he said.

Operational and regulatory steps remain. Krupa and Stallone said power, construction and licensure paperwork remain active tasks. The presenters said licensure submissions to New York regulatory reviewers (they named OASIS and OMH during the meeting) are being prepared; providers expect approval to take several months once submitted. Krupa told the committee he expects to submit licensure paperwork by the end of the month and for review to take a few months.

Staffing and finances also shaped the timeline. Krupa said the project will hire a program director and then build clinical teams; he noted the health system’s human resources and talent-acquisition teams are helping recruit. Stallone said the detox/stabilization component carries an annual state deficit-reimbursement allocation of $600,000 to offset anticipated shortfalls; he described the intensive crisis stabilization funding as less certain and said the health system committed to the program even where other operators elsewhere initially received additional state funds. "For the detox and stabilization component of this, there is $600,000 annually of state aid reimbursement that is assigned to the program," Stallone told the committee.

Presenters described expected partnerships and protocols for transfers to the facility. Krupa and Stallone said licensing will require memoranda of understanding with first responders and a separate law-enforcement/EMS entrance. "The licensure for the intensive crisis stabilization center requires a separate entrance for law enforcement and EMS," Krupa said, describing plans to avoid unnecessarily exposing people brought in by police or EMS to other building occupants.

Committee members asked about long-term sustainability, security and discharge planning. Stallone said discharge planning will begin at intake and that the facility will coordinate with residential and outpatient placements, including programs inside the health system. On security, Krupa said intensive crisis stabilization regulations include stronger security requirements than those that applied to the prior detox/stabilization model, allowing the team to design more robust measures.

No formal county action on the facility was taken at the meeting; the presentation was an update and committee members offered support. The presenters said they will return with further updates as milestones — construction bids, licensure approval and hiring of a program director — are achieved.