Friends group and health system push for comfort care home; county legislators agree to support transfer effort

Members of the Friends of Lewis County Hospice (FOLCH) and Lewis County Health System described a plan to open a comfort care home for residents who cannot be safely cared for at home and asked county legislators for help acquiring a vacant state building in Castorland.

At a Human Services Committee meeting, Joanne Deckup (Friends of Lewis County Hospice) said current hospice patients are often sent out of the county because family caregivers cannot meet care needs. Deckup and the Friends’ subcommittee reported extensive outreach to other regional comfort care homes and hospice houses, and said the group concluded a comfort care model is more feasible for Lewis County given regulatory differences and funding realities.

Linda Notcher told the committee the group identified a candidate property at 9502 Church Street in Castorland, a one‑story, ranch‑style building constructed about 10 years ago for the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). Notcher said the building has a full basement, attached garage and an interior layout suitable for up to 10 bedrooms and large patient bathrooms; it has been vacant about five years due to staffing challenges.

Jerry Keier, identified as Lewis County Health System leadership supporting the plan, outlined an operational model in which the county would own or steward the property but day‑to‑day operations could be managed by a not‑for‑profit operator. He said Medicare‑funded hospice services would continue to provide clinical care while Friends of Lewis County Hospice would continue fundraising to offset operations. Deckup told legislators FOLCH has contributed between $125,000 and $250,000 annually to the hospice program in recent years and intends to continue fundraising for the home.

Committee members and county staff described outreach already underway: Notcher and others said they had met OPWDD and the New York State Office of General Services (OGS) staff and that Senator Walzick and Assemblyman Blankenbush had expressed support. Committee members asked whether a transfer from the state would require the county to accept title; presenters said transferring the building to a county entity — preferably the Lewis County Health System — was the most straightforward path because OGS typically first seeks interest from other public agencies.

A legislator moved and the committee approved a resolution directing staff to work with stakeholders and state contacts to seek transfer of the Castorland property and to support development of a comfort care home; a motion to draft the formal resolution passed by voice vote.