THOMPSON, N.Y. — Federal and state officials are celebrating the opening of a first-of-its-kind hospital in New York focused on children and young people with complex disabilities, including autism.

The Center for Discovery’s Children’s Specialty Hospital officially opened in December on a 15-acre campus in the Sullivan County hamlet of Rock Hill. The project had been planned since 2016 and cost about $20 million, according to Terry Hamlin, its president and CEO.

“It’s been tremendous to hear from the families and hear their stories and know that we can help,” she said. “It’s a dream come true, to be honest.”

The hospital has about 100 medical, clinical and hands-on staff members and can treat up to 18 patients at a time who are between the ages of 5 and 21. During their stay, which can be up to six months, patients receive comprehensive medical, behavioral and clinical services that engage parents, caregivers and school district partners.

Patients can use the facility’s classrooms, health clinic, sensory rooms, therapeutic gym for physical and occupational therapies, cafe and training kitchen. The campus also features outdoor walking trails, healing gardens and a greenhouse, which supports The Center for Discovery’s holistic approach to health care, according to a news release.

After patients leave the hospital, they return home with a specialized care plan that includes training for families, caregivers and school districts as well as continued support from The Center for Discovery.

“It’s just really (about) supporting families who are so desperate for help,” Hamlin said. “Many of the children we are admitting have spectrum disorders and they have co-occurring medical conditions.”

She continued, “This is really supporting those families with the goal of keeping their kids at home and not having to place residentially.”

The project was financially supported by a $4 million investment from Empire State Development and a $48 million low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Rural Development Community Facilities Program, according to a joint news release from U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and Gov. Kathy Hochul announcing the hospital’s opening.

“New York state is devoted to improving health outcomes for all children, particularly those with developmental disabilities whose families face challenges in accessing suitable medical care for their child’s needs,” Hochul said. “By bolstering this continuum of care through The Center for Discovery’s Children’s Specialty Hospital, families will spend less time apart and remain connected to their communities following treatment.”

Schumer believes the new hospital is “paving the way for a healthier future for vulnerable young patients and a brighter future for the Hudson Valley.”

“The Center for Discovery’s Children’s Specialty Hospital will provide critical life-enhancing care to children and teens and be a beacon of hope in Sullivan County for generations to come,” he said. “The impacts of the discoveries and systems of care made at this facility will stretch far beyond the Hudson Valley to help thousands of kids across America and the world.”

Hamlin said the $48 million USDA loan will support continued work in other areas of the hospital campus. While the first floor is dedicated to the hospital, the second floor will be the future home of a skilled nursing facility for people 35 and older with complex conditions and developmental disabilities.

“There is nothing inside our state that really focuses on those individuals and potentially they’re dying prematurely because they’re discharged from programs or they stay inside hospitals and they’re not thriving at all,” she said.

The hospital is the latest facility in The Center for Discovery’s expansive network, which annually provides health care and education services for more than 1,200 children and adults with complex conditions, medical frailties and autism spectrum disorders. Located on 1,500 acres across Sullivan County, the center houses school campuses, residences, medical and research facilities, organic and biodynamic farmland and leased private businesses. It has more than 1,600 employees.

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