Castle Point To Remain Open, After VA Review Commission Dissolved

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY — Castle Point VA Medical Center in southern Dutchess County will not be closing as was previously proposed.

United States Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer announced Tuesday that the independent Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission process will not move forward, protecting the health care services for nearly 7,000 Hudson Valley veterans.

The commission had proposed in March relocating inpatient medical and urgent care services from Castle Point to community providers and then discontinuing them. Also suggested was relocating the community living center to current or future VA facilities, after which Castle Point would be shuttered.

Schumer said he had promised Hudson Valley veterans he wouldn't allow the plan to eliminate local treatment to come to fruition.

"I am proud to say a promise made is now a promise kept," he said.

"We must invest further in bolstering the veteran healthcare facilities in the Hudson Valley, not strip them away," Schumer said, "and the previous plan missed the mark in ensuring the needs of our Mid-Hudson vets came first."

On Monday, the bipartisan Senate members including the chair and members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee announced their formal opposition to the VA AIR Commission Process, saying the commission did not have their support and will not move forward.

Schumer said the results were the end of the commission and the preservation of Castle Point VA.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said the announcement Tuesday that Castle Point VA Medical Center will stay open follows months of his advocacy and that of countless Dutchess County veterans.

"On behalf of Dutchess County's veterans and their families, I thank the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee for hearing our passionate pleas to reject the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission's proposal to abandon our local heroes and the Castle Point facility that serves them," he said.

Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said he applauded the news that Castle Point would remain open.

"This is huge win for the Hudson valley, and for veterans and their families across the nation," he said. "Now we must push even harder for real investments to strengthen our regional VA services."