Unity House looks to alter residence program

AUBURN - The supervised community residence program at Unity House of Cayuga County may soon be undergoing a transformation. The 14-bed community residence, which is part of the agency's mental health services programs, is currently located at 108 South St. in Auburn.

The lease for that building expires in 2011 and Unity House is exploring other alternatives in care for its mental health consumers, said executive director Joyce Williams. The facility is under 24-hour supervision.

Only 10 of the 14 beds are filled on a regular basis and of those, usually four people truly need the 24-hour care. The rest would often rather be in one of the different programs Unity House offers, Williams said. Typically, when someone comes to Unity House from a referral, they want to be more independent but the 14-bed facility may be the only place with an open bed.