Letter from Patricia Kennedy

Springbrook Thanks County for its Help

On November 15, New York State announced more than $33 million in Community Development Block Grant funding, awarded to dozens of municipalities for local infrastructure improvement and housing rehabilitation projects. Otsego County and Springbrook applied for and received a $300,000.00 grant for CDBG funds which will go toward the development and implementation of safety fencing around the perimeter of the main campus, the location of The School at Springbrook and residential units for the school and campus. The CDBG grants—designed to help communities provide affordable housing and safe living environments, primarily for low- and moderate-income residents—will improve safety and enhance the quality of life of those on campus.

This project, which has an estimated cost of over $400,000.00, will directly provide the safety and well-being of children and young adults with developmental disabilities attending The School at Springbrook, and several adults who reside on campus. Resident students and adults on the main campus have intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, that may put them at risk of elopement or wandering. Springbrook has invested in technology-based improvements to access controls and alarms, but a physical boundary will prevent future risks.

The Springbrook Foundation has secured private donations of $65,000.00 toward the project cost. But it is grant funding for projects like this that support the safety of our students most of all, in addition to the continued employment of more than 250 Springbrook staff who serve students and adults at this location. Staff at Springbrook include teachers, nurses, therapists, behavior specialists, residence counselors and support staff. Springbrook has approximately 1,320 staff working at locations across the Southern Tier and Central New York, more than half of whom are based in Otsego County, making Springbrook one of the largest employers in the county. The Mohawk Valley region, which includes Otsego County, was awarded $7.3 million in CDBG funding.

Springbrook is grateful for the ongoing partnership with Otsego County, which provided CDBG funds on a past project to make safety and accessibility upgrades to several Springbrook community residences in the county. Staff, students, and residents at Springbrook appreciate the support of the County Board of Representatives and Planning Department in securing these resources and for securing the future of Springbrook.

Patricia Kennedy, CEO
Springbrook