News from the Noteworthy from Springbrook
Expanded Clinic Will Ensure Care Access
For more than a decade, Springbrook has been at the forefront of providing integrated, person-centered care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). As CEO, I have had the privilege of witnessing what happens when healthcare is compassionate consistent, and designed around the person. It changes lives. It strengthens families. And it builds healthier communities.
In 2019, Bassett Healthcare Network opened a school-based health clinic in our residential and day school, creating a coordinated model of primary care supported by integrated electronic health records and trusted providers. Bassett has long been a leader in school-based healthcare across our region. Their commitment to bringing healthcare directly into schools has helped ensure that children can receive routine care, manage chronic conditions and address health concerns without leaving the school environment. This model has proven effective, improving access to care while reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and disruptions to learning.
For families in rural communities, access to healthcare can be challenging. Long travel times, limited providers and the difficulty of coordinating appointments can create real barriers. Bassett has continually adapted to meet these realities, demonstrating how thoughtful, community-centered care can make a meaningful difference for families across the region.
Today, we are not introducing a new concept but expanding a model that has already proven successful. With transformational support from philanthropist Tom Golisano, The Scriven Foundation, and many generous donors, we have received final approval from the New York State Department of Health to improve our existing clinic into an Article 28 Diagnostic and Treatment Center on our centrally located Oneonta campus.
More than 500 people currently receiving services from Springbrook lack direct and efficient access to consistent primary care. The expanded clinic will help close that gap while increasing healthcare capacity across Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties. Annual visits are projected to grow from approximately 2,000 in year one to more than 7,200 visits by year five.
The expanded Springbrook Wellness Clinic will provide comprehensive, sensory-responsive primary care for children and adults, integrated behavioral health services, extended appointment times, transportation coordination, and trauma-informed, disability-competent staff. For individuals with developmental disabilities when their healthcare is accessible and thoughtfully designed, emergency room visits decrease, missed appointments decline and people will spend more time fully engaged in their communities.
Families have already experienced the difference this approach can make. One parent described our school-based healthcare model as “a complete turnaround” for their family. Stories like these remind us why this work matters. This clinic expansion reflects our mission and belief that every person deserves healthcare that meets them where they are.
Construction has just begun, with doors opening in the fall, and I truly believe this is a mission that can be accomplished together as a community. With the continued partnership of the Bassett Healthcare Network, this expansion reflects the very best of the region, people who believe in dignity, access, and opportunity for all, and every investment in this project strengthens that promise for generations to come.
Patricia Kennedy is the chief executive officer of Springbrook.
