By Paul Post 

ASCEND Chief Executive Officer Andrea Deepe wants everyone, but business owners especially, to know that help is only a phone call away.

Her non-profit agency is Warren and Washington counties’ main mental health wellness provider with numerous programs and support services available.

Just about every workplace has some degree of stress, but unsettling geopolitical issues, fast-rising prices and mounting financial pressures have contributed to unhealthy levels of anxiety and depression for many people.

“People are having to make some really difficult decisions now more than ever,” Deepe said. “We’re just all trying to keep up and get it done; just trying to show up for work and be there for our families. It’s a lot for a person to take on, especially when there’s no rulebook or guidebook for these types of life scenarios.”

Large companies and small firms alike should be cognizant of such issues and do their best help employees because as Deepe said, “If you don’t have them, you don’t have your business, so you have to invest in them and that includes mind and body. It makes a significant difference when you have top-down leadership who are invested in their employees.”

By Rod Bacon

An idea floated at a breakfast meeting at Shirley’s Diner in Saratoga Springs six years ago has finally come to fruition.

Three local residents — Cheryl Hage-Perez, Ray O’Conor and Tiffany LeAndrea — were planning the annual Veterans’ Ball, a fund raiser for the Ballston Spa-based Veterans & Community Housing Coalition. 

Eventually, the conversation turned to the unmet needs of veterans. LeAndrea, an Air Force veteran with two children, mentioned the fact that there wasn’t a facility where veteran women in similar situations could find housing and support services while they are making the often difficult transition from the military to civilian life. 

“Later that night Ray called me and said ‘We need to do something for veterans in this situation’,” Hage-Perez said. “That’s how Foreverly House started to take shape.”

The inspiration for the name came from a song entitled “Foreverly” penned in 2017 by local singer/songwriter Jeff Brisbin.

Foreverly House is comprised of two separate living spaces, each with its own entrance and each featuring four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area, pantry, and laundry room, ensuring privacy and comfort for the families. It will welcome its first residents June 1.

“Beyond housing, Foreverly House provides on-site counseling and facilitates access to essential services, empowering veteran mothers to rebuild their lives while keeping their families intact,” said Hage-Perez, executive board liaison for the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition.

Salem Family Health, Hudson Headwaters Health Network’s 26th brick-and-mortar health center, is now open. Located at 1830 County Route 64, Salem Family Health is a 14,300-square-foot building with nine exam rooms for general primary care and three exam rooms designated for pediatrics. Hudson Headwaters has also partnered with Glens Falls Hospital to operate on-site lab services at the center.

“The establishment of Salem Family Health has been a longtime community effort, with many details thoughtfully developed to improve access, convenience and patient experiences for years to come,” said Hudson Headwaters CEO Tucker Slingerland, M.D. “Salem was our first community to experience mobile health in 2021, resulting in numerous patients establishing primary care for themselves and their families, some for the very first time. This demand encouraged our further investment in Washington County. We thank Salem town officials and community members for their ongoing engagement and partnership.”

Salem Family Health opens with 14 employees, including full-time providers, Hunter Southerland, M.D., Jillian Herrington, PNP and Sarah Hyland, FNP. Services include family medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, nutrition counseling, as well as virtual care management and behavioral health services. Future plans include a community pharmacy on-site, and Hudson Headwaters will inform the community once updates are available.

Salem Family Health also includes the Stewart’s Shops/Dake Family Teaching Kitchen, a state-of-the-art space offering patients and community members free nutrition classes. A program series called “Kitchen RX: Cooking for Better Health” will launch in June, with classes scheduled throughout the remainder of 2025. This program series is made possible by the Mary McClellan Foundation.