Ulster County committee reviews HSRI behavioral‑health assessment calling for better navigation, more outpatient access and a 24‑hour pharmacy

The Ulster County Health, Human Services and Human Rights Committee on March 5 heard a behavioral‑health needs assessment prepared by the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) for the Ulster County Department of Mental Health.

HSRI senior research associate Bevin Croft summarized a multi‑method study that included three public listening sessions, 179 interviews (51 with people with lived experience), quantitative data review and document analysis. Croft said the final report contains 24 recommendations and noted the county’s 2023 resolution directing a five‑year plan for behavioral health informed the study.

Why it matters: HSRI reported large geographic and racial disparities in access to services, with many resources clustered in Kingston and growing needs in rural areas such as Ellenville and the southeastern county. The study flagged an unusual service pattern among Medicaid enrollees: locally, 42% of Medicaid beneficiaries who use behavioral‑health services received outpatient care versus 69% statewide, while inpatient use was higher in Ulster (about 14% locally versus 8% statewide), Croft said. HSRI also emphasized…