Health Resources in Cortland
This is my final article for our monthly newsletters, so I wanted to take the time to highlight some of our crucial community partners here in Cortland!
First, we have several health resources that fall under the umbrella of our parent agency, Family & Children’s Counseling Services of Cortland County. These include:
Cortland Prevention Resources (CPR): offers education and interventions for youth, adults, and families across Cortland County. This includes classroom drug prevention education in schools, 1:1 substance intervention counseling for youth, after-school programs such as Compass, and both virtual and in-person parenting classes. Read more about CPR here: https://familycs.org/prevention-services/
Outreach & Engagement Services (OES): provides treatment and recovery supports for individuals living in Cortland, Madison and Herkimer counties who are struggling with substance use disorders. This includes clinical services, care management, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), peer engagement, and the Rapid Opioid Assistance in Recovery (ROAR) program. Check out OES here: https://familycs.org/our-services/substance-use-disorders/outreach-engagement-services/
Access to Independence is a nonprofit that provides a variety of services to people living with disabilities. Their services include advocacy, benefits counseling, medical equipment loans, and assistance with work readiness. They also offer a physical space with a computer lab and a special Telehealth room. While they don’t provide direct healthcare services, they can help you navigate the healthcare and Medicaid system. Check out their website here: https://aticortland.org/services/
Seven Valleys Health Coalition is a nonprofit that is dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of people in Cortland County. They offer a multitude of services including community health education, programs to connect folks with low-cost and nutritious food, maternal health programs (e.g. their Doula program), and can also help connect you with other local health resources. Check out their website here: https://www.sevenvalleyshealth.org/
The Rural Health Institute of New York works to improve public health in our local area with a variety of educational and support programs. They provide mental health awareness trainings to community members, community groups, and agencies (https://nyrhi.softr.app/mental-health), education on harm reduction, support for the unhoused community through the Grace Space, and are currently collaborating with the Cortland Health Department to prevent lead poisoning in the county. They also collect and analyzes health-related data across Cortland County. Check out their website here: https://www.nyrhi.org/projects-portal
The Family Planning Agency of South Central New York offers sexual/reproductive healthcare and education in the CNY and Southern Tier area. Their medical services include contraceptive prescriptions, HIV/STI testing, and low-cost/FREE over-the-counter contraceptives, such as condoms and the “morning after” pill. Their Cortland medical office also offers HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) for transgender patients. Their Cortland medical office is located in the same building (the Crescent Commons) as the Cortland LGBTQ Center. Check out their website to make an appointment: https://fpscny.org/
The Cortland County Health Department aims to promote health and prevent illness across our county. Their health services include lead poisoning prevention, nursing clinics, radon home testing, rabies control/response, support with public health insurance enrollment, and anti-tobacco initiatives. They also provide community health education throughout the year on topics such as cancer, immunizations, car safety, heart health, and more. Check out the CCHD here: https://www.cortlandcountyny.gov/432/Health-Department
The Cortland County Mental Health Department focuses on support and treatment for individuals living with mental health conditions. This includes mental health counseling as well as other assistance and advocacy. Check them out here: https://www.cortlandcountyny.gov/433/Mental-Health