News release
St. Lawrence County, NY – The St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services (DSS) and Clifton-Fine Hospital are proud to announce a partnership aimed at expanding access to services for the community. Through this partnership, DSS and Clifton-Fine Hospital will work together to provide enhanced access to services and supports right in the community. This will result in a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to healthcare and social services for individuals and families.
This partnership will allow DSS to offer on-site services at the hospital, including Temporary Assistance (TA), SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) and medical service programs (Medicaid, Chronic Care). This will provide patients with easy access to social service staff and other support services. Clifton-Fine Hospital, in turn, will provide DSS with access to office space and other support resources to help meet the needs of the community.
“We are thrilled to be working with Clifton-Fine Hospital to expand access to services for our community,” said DSS Deputy Commissioner Douglas Hamilton. “This partnership will allow us to better serve individuals and families in need by providing more coordinated and comprehensive healthcare and social services.”
Clifton-Fine Hospital CEO, Dierdra Sorrell added “Overall population health cannot improve if parts of the population do not benefit from services aimed at prevention and treatment. We can control the access to services we offer at Clifton-Fine Hospital, but we understand that community health is largely determined by what happens outside of the four walls of our hospital. Therefore, we are hopeful that through powerful community partnerships, such as this, we can change and improve the health of our community.”
The partnership between DSS and Clifton-Fine Hospital is set to begin February 15, 2023. Community members will be able to drop-in between the hours of 8AM and 4PM every other Wednesday at the main entrance of the hospital.
About St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services
The St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services is dedicated to protecting, preserving and enhancing the safety, security, and well-being of children, adults and families in our community.
About Clifton-Fine Hospital
Clifton-Fine Hospital is a community-focused medical center, committed to providing high-quality care to the residents of St. Lawrence County.