ALBANY – Hospitals and group homes may accept visitors starting Friday, Governor Cuomo announced on Tuesday.
Orange County Mental Health Commissioner Darcie Miller was happy for the relatives of those residents.
“We have many families reaching out to us wanting to visit their loved ones who are in group homes with developmental disabilities or mental health issues and the governor just gave permission for those visits to occur. That will make many families and consumers of the service happy. Of course, they will have to following all the rules and social distancing criteria,” she said.
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro said the decision to allow group home visitation at state facilities is “long overdue, but certainly welcome none the less.”
He credited the “persistence of the parents” and said, “after months of isolation, they can finally be re-united with their children.”
Molinaro commended the caregivers at the facilities “for their heroic efforts during these extremely anxious times, and thank our dedicated public health employees who have been providing local group homes support, supplies, and guidance throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Before going to a hospital or state group home to visit a loved one, check with the facility to ensure they will allow visitors.
It will be up to the discretion of the facilities and applicable COVID-19 safeguards must be followed.
