Q: What is the mission of St. Joseph’s?
We promote healing and recovery for men, women, veterans, adolescents, and families suffering from the disease of alcoholism and chemical dependency. We offer these services with a commitment to providing effective, professional and quality treatment that is enhanced by our belief in the spiritual nature and inherent dignity and worth of each individual.
Q: When was St. Joseph’s founded?
The Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, whose headquarters are in Graymoor, New York, established St. Joseph’s as an alcohol treatment center for men in 1971.
In 2010, St. Joseph’s became an independently-governed corporation, and in that same year we purchased our main facility from the Friars. This year, 2016, we celebrate our 45th anniversary of service – a history rich in compassion and treatment excellence.
Q: Where are you located?
Our Inpatient facility is located in Saranac Lake, New York in the former historic Rumsey Cottage. The property’s original owner, John W. Rumsey, found success as a literary agent representing hundreds of the era’s leading authors, from Eugene Walters (Trail of the Lonesome Pine) to William Anthony McGuire (numerous Ziegfeld musicals) and sold the motion picture rights to over 1,000 plays. Rumsey built the 20-room home in 1928 on a 20-acre estate where he entertained lavishly.
In 1936, businessman and ex-patriot artist, Gerald Murphy and his wife Sara occupied the property. F. Scott Fitzgerald patterned his main characters in Tender is the Night, Dick and Nicole Diver, after his dear friends the Murphys. Ernest Hemingway also became a regular visitor to the Saranac Lake home.
Our Veterans Program is also located on our Saranac Lake Campus and is conducted from the Col. C. David Merkel, MD Veterans Residence.
We provide adolescent treatment at our Rose Hill affiliate which is located in Massena, New York.
We also operate Outpatient clinics in Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Malone, Ticonderoga, Keeseville, and Elizabethtown.
Our continuum of care includes the Poughkeepsie Guest House, the Schenectady Guest House, and our supportive living site, Joseph’s House, which is also in Poughkeepsie.
Q: How long does a resident stay?
Our average length of treatment is 90 days, which is substantially longer than the standard treatment period covered by insurance of 30 days. Our experience demonstrates this longer stay to be more effective in providing lasting recovery.
Q: How many people do you treat each year?
We serve approximately 300 men and women each year at our Inpatient facility, and nearly 1,000 clients in our Outpatient clinics. Our Veterans Program has a capacity for 25 male clients, and our Rose Hill affiliate is licenced for 21 adolescents.
Q: How effective are your programs?
A recent outcome study revealed that 93% of the men and women who come to us for treatment maintain sobriety, avoided recidivism, and have made significant progress with employment during the first critical six months after graduation. Importantly, society benefits as well from the addition of productive citizens to our communities.
Q: I understand that spirituality is important to your treatment program. Exactly what is meant by spirituality, and how do you incorporate this element into your program?
An affirming relationship with self, others, and a higher power of one’s personal understanding is critical to successfully arresting the disease of addiction. Whether one is a believer in God, is an agnostic, or is an atheist, spirituality has a place in everyone’s recovery program. Accordingly, residents are assisted in developing a spiritual recovery program through supportive relationships and fellowship.
Q: How many people are employed at St. Joseph’s, and what’s the quality of the work environment?
We employ a staff of 220 which makes us one of the larger employers in the area. In 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015 we earned recognition as one of the Best Places to Work for small-to-mid-sized companies in New York.
We have advanced our Director of Human Resources to Chief Talent Officer to reflect our appreciation of our staff as being our greatest resource. The CTO has, in turn, established St. Joseph’s Leadership Academy, which is our internal career nurturing curriculum for selected staff. Our Leadership Academy, one of the first in New York State, involves a nine-month curriculum to both strengthen us as an agency and to provide professional and personal development for participants.
Q: What is your annual budget?
Our current operating budget is in excess of $13,000,000, while our economic impact in the community is estimated to be in excess of $26,000,000.
