Ulster County has completed a comprehensive behavioral health needs assessment and released a recommended action plan aimed at strengthening mental health and substance use services across the county.
The assessment, conducted by the Human Services Research Institute for the Ulster County Department of Mental Health, is expected to help guide the department’s five-year strategic plan.
County officials said the report draws on quantitative data analysis and feedback from more than 200 community members, including people with lived experience navigating mental health and substance use systems. The process included 73 interviews involving 179 stakeholders, including service providers, families, local officials, law enforcement representatives and school officials.
The report identified several challenges facing the county’s behavioral health system, including increasing cultural diversity, racial and geographic disparities, language barriers and limited access to care in rural communities, where more than half of the county’s residents live. Officials also cited rising housing costs and workforce shortages as factors straining the system.
According to the report, community members called for a more coordinated and easier-to-navigate behavioral health system focused on whole-person care.
Recommendations include expanding access to services, strengthening crisis response efforts and continuing a shift toward proactive, community-based care. County officials said the assessment positions the Mental Health Department as a central convener in efforts to improve coordination and outcomes.
The work builds on several recent initiatives undertaken by the county, including the creation of the Center for Well-Being, which houses the Crisis Support Center and the Children’s Way Counseling Center. Officials also highlighted expanded partnerships with community-based providers, including the LaSalle School.
Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said the assessment provides an evidence-based understanding of where the county’s behavioral health system is succeeding and where improvements are needed.
“Every resident in Ulster County deserves timely, high-quality behavioral health care, no matter where they live or what challenges they face,” Metzger said in a statement. “This assessment gives us a clear, evidence-based picture of where the system is working and where it must be strengthened.”
Mental Health Commissioner Tara McDonald said the county is focused on improving access, coordination and equity in behavioral health services.
“This assessment reflects our commitment to building a behavioral health system that truly meets the needs of our community,” McDonald said.
Special Projects Director Joleen Darby said the process emphasized input from residents and people with lived experience.
“That input is helping shape a system that is more responsive, easier to navigate, and centered on the whole person,” Darby said.
Ulster County separated its Mental Health Department from the Department of Health in 2021. Officials launched the countywide assessment in 2025 in response to growing behavioral health needs tied to the opioid crisis, housing instability and workforce challenges.
The full assessment and information about opportunities for public feedback are available through the county’s behavioral health assessment webpage.