NYS Assembly Alumni Secure $500K Grant for Additional Student Health and Counseling Center Renovations

At Stony Brook University’s Homecoming festivities on October 22, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie ’90, Assemblymember Steve Englebright ’75, Assemblymember Latoya Joyner ’08 and Assemblymember Kimberly Jean-Pierre ’07 announced that a State and Municipal (SAM) grant of $500,000 had been secured for the continued renovation of the Student Health and Counseling Center.

The center has undergone approximately $2.5 million in recent renovations, much of which were completed during COVID when students were off campus and certain health services were able to be done remotely.

• All counselor rooms and exam rooms where students receive behavioral health and medical care remodeled to include new seating spaces and state-of-the-art clinical equipment to perform exams (otoscopes, EKG machines, etc.)
• Full service lab and pharmacy remodeled
• Waiting room remodeled to decrease stigma of behavioral health services, inviting and warm throughout
• New nurse triage area for staff, including a student tracking system so care is received efficiently
• Seating area located outside the rear of the building so students can relax
• All areas of building made physically accessible
• Remodeled bathrooms, with all-gender bathrooms in the lobby

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this newly remodeled space for students, which will improve our student experience for those seeking medical and behavioral healthcare,” said Marisa Bisiani, assistant vice president, Student Health, Wellness and Prevention Services.

Speaker Heastie and Assemblyman Englebright toured the facility last year and Assemblyman Englebright secured a SAM grant of $200,000 to support the renovations.

During a tour of the renovated facility at Homecoming, it was noted that the grant would be used to upgrade the elevator, which was the only part of the facility that had not been renovated. Speaker Heastie, upon learning that the existing grant would not cover the full amount of the elevator repairs, immediately responded that the grant would be increased to $500,000, which will cover the complete cost. The change was quickly reflected in the check presented to the center by Speaker Heastie, Assemblyman Englebright and Assemblywoman Joyner.