Assemblyman Scott Gray (R-Watertown) is issuing a public service announcement to raise awareness about the resources available to individuals who were recently laid off or had their contracts terminated by North Star Health Alliance (NSHA) at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center. In coordination with the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL), Gray is reminding affected workers that they should contact their county’s NYSDOL office based on where they live, not where they were employed.

The NYSDOL has several locations throughout the North Country, including:

• Jefferson County
  • The Workplace, 1000 Coffeen St, Watertown, NY 13601
  • (315) 786-3651
• Lewis County
  • The Lewis County Workplace, 5274 Outer Stowe St, Lowville, NY 13367
  • (315) 376-5800
• St. Lawrence County - (Canton)
  • One Stop Career Center, 80 NY-310, Canton, NY 13617
  • (315) 386-3276
• St. Lawrence County - (Ogdensburg)
  • St. Lawrence Career Center, 1031 Paterson St, Ogdensburg, NY 13669
  • (315) 393-4600
• St. Lawrence County - (Massena)
  • St. Lawrence Career Center, 35 Glenn St, Massena, NY 13662
  • (315) 769-3596

Following NSHA’s downsizing efforts, Gray has reiterated the need for immediate action from Albany to address the impact these changes will have on accessibility for rural communities.

“As a voice for the North Country in Albany, it is imperative that the state government act quickly and effectively to respond to this situation,” said Gray. “In recent days, I’ve heard from countless constituents who are worried about their access to local health-care services and the lack of transparency from both the state and NSHA. As elected officials, we can’t sit around and wait for this situation to fix itself. We must take action now to ensure that our frontline health-care workers aren’t left in the dark.”