Grant helps Oneida Health increase access to behavioral-health services

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ONEIDA, N.Y. — Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has won a $150,000 Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Member and Community Health Improvement (MACHI) grant to support increased access to behavioral-health services at Oneida Health. The grant will award the funds over a three-year period to establish services to address mental health, substance abuse, or age-specific women’s behavioral-health conditions of […]

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The grant will award the funds over a three-year period to establish services to address mental health, substance abuse, or age-specific women’s behavioral-health conditions of Oneida Health patients receiving care at its Women’s Health practice, Lullaby Center, or emergency department.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the mental and behavioral health crisis we are facing in our communities,” Oneida Health President and CEO Jonathan Schiller said in a news release. “The need for coordinated behavioral-health services has never been greater and represents a significant clinical health improvement priority for our medical staff and clinical team. Through the support provided by Excellus BCBS, we will be able to connect a critical network of services and resources that already exist within our communities to improve the outcomes and lives of our patients.”

The new Women’s Care Coordination Program at Oneida Health helps bridge the gap between patients and access to mental health and substance-abuse treatment services through a care-coordinated model. Through a single point of contact, patients can receive coordinated care from a range of community resources and services available for women including mental-health and substance-abuse counseling, bereavement support, transportation, domestic violence advocacy, care management, and other community services.

The program aims to increase depression screenings for maternity and gynecological patients by 70 percent and reduce return emergency-department visits of those presenting with behavioral and mental-health conditions by 17 percent. Achieving those goals will drive early detection and treatment of behavioral-health conditions and reduction in unnecessary return visits to the emergency department.

“We thank Excellus BCBS for their shared vision in addressing opportunities to improve the overall health of our communities,” Schiller said. “This program would not be possible without their support.”

The MACHI grant program provides funding to local, nonprofit organizations that promote healthier communities and supports initiatives with specific objectives and measurable outcomes for improving health.

“Providing access to high-quality health care is core to our mission as a nonprofit health plan,” Eve Van de Wal, Excellus regional president for the Mohawk Valley region, said. “We are excited to partner with Oneida Health to support this vital behavioral health program that addresses the needs of our region by increasing access to mental health and substance-use services.”

Oneida Health is a regional health-care system that includes a hospital, primary and specialty care, physical rehabilitation, and skilled-nursing services.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and has more than 1.5 million members in upstate New York.

Dannible & McKee acquires Auburn CPA firm

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SYRACUSE — Syracuse–based accounting firm Dannible & McKee, LLP has acquired an Auburn firm in a deal that took effect Nov. 1. Buffington & Hoatland CPAs, PLLC is a certified public accountant (CPA) and consulting firm that is now operating under the Dannible & McKee, LLP brand, the Syracuse firm said in its Oct. 31

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SYRACUSE — Syracuse–based accounting firm Dannible & McKee, LLP has acquired an Auburn firm in a deal that took effect Nov. 1.

Buffington & Hoatland CPAs, PLLC is a certified public accountant (CPA) and consulting firm that is now operating under the Dannible & McKee, LLP brand, the Syracuse firm said in its Oct. 31 announcement.

Dannible & McKee didn’t disclose any financial terms of the deal. The acquisition is part of its “strategic plan to strengthen its position” throughout Central New York, the Syracuse firm noted.

“Dannible & McKee’s focus on growth is driven by our commitment to deliver the highest level of quality service to our clients, while attracting and retaining bright and collaborative team members,” Christopher Didio, managing partner at Dannible & McKee, said. “With our mutual priority on client service excellence, the strong synergies between our businesses and a shared culture focused on team member success, we see tremendous opportunities in this partnership for both our clients and our people. We are excited to welcome the staff, clients and friends of Buffington & Hoatland CPAs to our firm.”

Besides its Syracuse headquarters, Dannible & McKee also operates offices in Vestal and Schenectady.

The acquisition will add seven employees, including two partners, to Dannible & McKee, and the firm will maintain its current location in Auburn. Buffington & Hoatland CPAs has been providing accounting, tax, and consulting services to individuals and businesses since 2009.

“We are very proud of the nearly 13-year history of our firm and recognized that the next step for our team and clients was to join with a firm as highly respected by their clients and within the community as Dannible & McKee,” Elaine Buffington, managing partner of Buffington & Hoatland CPAs, said in a statement. “We look forward to offering expanded specialized services and deep industry insights for our clients and advancement opportunities for our employees.”

Buffington will continue to practice as a partner at Dannible & McKee. She has more than 35 years of experience in both private and public practice. Her areas of specialization are auditing and accounting, business consulting, and tax preparation. She has extensive experience with nonprofit organizations, as well as manufacturers, wholesale distributors, and retail businesses.

Alice Hoatland will continue to serve as a consulting partner. Hoatland has more than 40 years of experience as a CPA in small-business consulting and taxation.

CNY regions post year-over-year job gains in September

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The Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, Ithaca, and Elmira regions all gained jobs between September 2021 and this past September. The Central New York subregions generated job growth ranging from 0.8 percent in the Ithaca region to 3.1 percent in the Binghamton area in the past 12 months. That’s according to the latest monthly employment

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Oncenter renovation work planned as it marks 30 years

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SYRACUSE — As the facility marks 30 years of operation in downtown Syracuse, Onondaga County has plans for some renovation work at the Oncenter Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center. The plans include work on meeting rooms that will be starting soon and continuing through next May. The county expects to add five new meeting rooms

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SYRACUSE — As the facility marks 30 years of operation in downtown Syracuse, Onondaga County has plans for some renovation work at the Oncenter Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center.

The plans include work on meeting rooms that will be starting soon and continuing through next May. The county expects to add five new meeting rooms with 3,000 square feet of meeting space outfitted with presentation technologies.

The renovation work will also include some new restrooms and new flooring and lighting, along with and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning units in the venue’s ballroom atrium.

“We are going to look at an ambitious and aggressive plan for the needs of our new economy here, and future investment in this facility and in the Oncenter campus is going to be a big part of that,” Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said.

McMahon shared details during an Oct. 24 press event in the convention center’s atrium area. The renovation work should cost between $2 million and $5 million, he told reporters covering the event.

“This building is evolving, and certainly every year we put capital into this venue,” the county executive said in his remarks. “With the latest news in the community [Micron Technology coming to Clay], we need to look at the opportunity in front of us now and this venue needs to meet the needs of the community moving forward.”

McMahon then added, “Our community is now instantaneously the semiconductor hub for memory technology in the world.”

The convention center is part of the Oncenter complex. “It’s more than just this [convention center] building. We have the Upstate Medical Arena at the Oncenter War Memorial, the John H. Mulroy Civic Center Theaters, all managed under the Oncenter brand since 1992,” McMahon explained.

Los Angeles, California–based ASM Global currently manages the Oncenter complex.

Former Onondaga County Executive Nicholas J. Pirro, for whom the facility is named, was out of town and couldn’t make the event, McMahon said.

However, Edward Kochian, longtime deputy county executive, was among those attending the event. The county office building at 600 S. State St. in Syracuse is named in honor of Kochian.

VIEWPOINT: NLRB steps up penalties for unfair labor practices

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In a September 2021 memorandum, The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) signaled its intent to exercise the full extent of its power to enforce stricter and more costly penalties for unfair labor practices (ULPs). The change was made evident in June 2022, when the NLRB issued a consequential-damages award in a settlement agreement for the

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Employers should be aware that this calls for a heightened advocacy. Under Section 10(c) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), when faced with a ULP, the NLRB has the power “to take such affirmative action, including reinstatement of employees with or without back pay, as will effectuate the policies of the Act.” In the past, the Board has almost exclusively ordered remedies under Section 10(c) in the form of (1) reinstatement, (2) backpay, (3) injunctions, or (4) required posting of a board notice highlighting the ULP. The following highlights some of the relevant aspects of potential remedies.

I. Consequential damages

In the context of the labor relations, consequential damages would seek to make employees and employers whole for economic losses suffered as a direct and foreseeable result of a ULP. This proposed change could open the door to financial penalties beyond backpay, substantially increasing employers’ and unions’ exposure to liability. Some examples of consequential damages include compensation for health-care expenses that an employee incurred as a result of an unlawful termination of health insurance, or compensation for the loss of a piece of property that an employee could not afford because of an unlawful discharge.

This past June, the NLRB honored this proposed change by issuing a $13.3 million consequential damages award against a union (United Mine Workers of America [UMWA]) for strike-related ULPs. UMWA then announced that it would challenge this award, and, on Sept. 19, 2022, the NLRB Regional office in Atlanta reduced the damages award to about $500,000. Notably, neither party contested the Board’s expansion of potential damages awards beyond backpay. Consequently, both employees and employers appear to now be equipped with a new make-whole remedy that has the ability to raise the stakes of labor relations to a point never seen in the history of the U.S.

II. Remedies specific to discrimination cases

Proposed changes in the context of discrimination cases also have make-whole aims as they seek to restore individuals to the status quo they would have enjoyed but for the unlawful conduct. In order to achieve that goal, NLRB General Counsel Abruzzo encouraged Board regions to seek compensation for consequential damages and front pay, on top of backpay.

III. Remedies specific to charges involving undocumented workers

Sticking with the theme of make-whole remedies, in charges involving undocumented workers, NLRB regions are urged to seek remedies that would prevent an employer from being unjustly enriched by its unlawful treatment of undocumented workers. Some of the remedies mentioned in the memorandum include: (i) compensation for work performed under unlawfully imposed terms or conditions of employment, and (ii) employer sponsoring of work authorizations.

IV. Remedies specific to ULPs committed during union-organizing drives

The NLRB has consistently sought to ensure “free and fair elections.” In the event that elections are deemed to be unfair, General Counsel Abruzzo articulated a non-exhaustive list of proposed remedies, including: (i) increased union access to employees, (ii) reimbursement of organizing costs, (iii) increasing the length and reach of posted notices, (iv) increased Board monitoring of employer activity to ensure compliance with orders, (v) required training of employees on their rights under the NLRA, and (vi) broader cease-and-desist orders.

V. Damages specific to unlawful failures to bargain

Regarding unlawful failures to bargain, General Counsel Abruzzo suggests a number of remedies that would raise the stakes for employers or unions that fail to bargain over terms and conditions of employment. Some of these remedies include: (i) Board-required bargaining schedules, (ii) submission of progress reports on the status of bargaining, (iii) various extensions on a union’s certification period, (iv) reinstatement of prior bargaining proposals, (v) reimbursement of collective-bargaining expenses, and (vi) broader cease-and-desist orders.

VI. Stricter posting requirements for NLRB notices

The postings of board notices themselves typically are not longer than a couple of pages and are almost exclusively posted at the employer’s place of business. General Counsel Abruzzo seeks to strengthen this already existing remedy in ways that could spread employer notoriety far beyond the reach of the employees themselves. The changes that would accomplish this include distribution of notices through text messaging, posting on social-media websites, and posting on any internal apps used by an employer to communicate with its employees.

Bringing ULPs into the public eye is likely to expose employers to public scrutiny and could further educate workers on their rights under the NLRA. This, coupled with new make-whole remedies already put into action in the UMWA settlement, has the potential to usher in a new era of high-stakes labor disputes.

Samuel G. Dobre is an associate attorney in the New York City metro area offices of Syracuse–based law firm, Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC. He represents employers in complex labor and employment-litigation matters. Michael Kratochvil is an associate trainee at the Bond law firm who helped with researching and drafting this article. This viewpoint is drawn and edited from the firm’s New York Labor and Employment Law Report blog.

Genius NY top-prize winner looks ahead to future growth

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A company from the United Kingdom is looking ahead to growing its business after winning the $1 million grand prize in round six of the Genius NY accelerator competition. Archangel Imaging “deploys smart machines, alongside people, to protect valuable assets and at-risk staff in remote or challenging places,” as described in a

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A company from the United Kingdom is looking ahead to growing its business after winning the $1 million grand prize in round six of the Genius NY accelerator competition.

Archangel Imaging “deploys smart machines, alongside people, to protect valuable assets and at-risk staff in remote or challenging places,” as described in a Nov. 3 news release from the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul. Whether it’s stealing cables, tapping oil, or poaching elephants for ivory, the company provides the ability for the security team to know before these incidents are about to happen and “immediately intervene or follow up.”

“Being selected as the GENIUS NY 2022 grand-prize winner is an incredible achievement and recognition for our team, particularly in the context of such high-quality companies in the cohort this year,” Dan Sola, CEO of Archangel Imaging, said. “This investment enables us to create high value jobs and fuel long term growth and local partnerships. Throughout the program we have benefited from the amazing support and investment from GENIUS NY, CenterState CEO, and Empire State Development. Both local government and local businesses here have helped us to hit the ground running and we’re already hiring and engaging in joint development. We are proud to be a part of the Central New York community.”

Participants are required to operate their business in Central New York for at least one year. The Genius NY program is the “world’s largest” business-accelerator competition focused on uncrewed systems, data to decision, and Internet of Things (IoT). Genius NY stands for Growing ENtrepreneurs & Innovators in UpState New York.

The year-long program awarded five finalist teams a total of $3 million at its finals night event at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown, including investments of $1 million and four $500,000 awards.

Fusion Engineering of the Netherlands; AVSS – Aerial Vehicle Safety Solutions, Inc. of Canada; Wonder Robotics of Israel; and Dronehub of Poland were each awarded investments of $500,000.

CenterState CEO’s Tech Garden in Syracuse administers the program, which offers incubator space, company resources, programming and mentoring to accelerator finalists. To date, New York State has invested $30 million in Genius NY over the program’s six rounds.

“The GENIUS NY programs represents our region’s commitment to advancing new and next stage innovations in the uncrewed, smart systems and IoT sectors,” Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, said. “The investments these high-potential teams receive now will enable them to accelerate their growth and participate in the exciting progress that is driving our community forward. These international teams will continue in this program with the tools and resources they need to leverage these investments, advance their technologies and platforms, create jobs and contribute to the growing ecosystem we have established in Central New York.”

Boots to Business program offers education, support to veteran entrepreneurs

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Veterans and their dependents with an entrepreneurial spirit have a wealth of education available to them through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Boots to Business program. In New York, that program is operated by the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) at the McNulty Veterans Business Center in Watervliet and offers monthly in-person and online training options.

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Veterans and their dependents with an entrepreneurial spirit have a wealth of education available to them through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Boots to Business program.

In New York, that program is operated by the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) at the McNulty Veterans Business Center in Watervliet and offers monthly in-person and online training options.

Whether its starting from scratch, opening a franchise, or buying an existing business, the goal is to help veterans not only achieve that but also to operate that business successfully, says Amy Amoroso, director of the VBOC.

The Boots to Business (B2B) program, provided via a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, is offered at all military installations that are transition bases. Transition bases are those whose military personnel are sent to transition back to civilian life. In New York state, that includes Fort Drum near Watertown.

Amoroso offers monthly classes at those bases to exiting servicepeople who are interested in pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors rather than an education or career path. “They get this training program for free,” she adds.

Additionally, the VBOC offers a Boots to Business Reboot (B2BR) program, which brings the training off military installations and into the community for all veterans of any era, along with National Guard and Reserve, and, in the VBOC region, military spouses and dependents.

B2BR, which just held an event on Nov. 2 in Binghamton, offers one-day in-person classes and two-day online classes every month with the same curriculum as offered on military installations.

The classes cover all the ins and outs of starting and operating a business including business plans, financing, marketing, cash flow, and even how to utilize veteran status to promote and grow a business.

Veterans comprise less than 1 percent of the U.S. population, Amoroso says, and they have something unique to offer. “They’ve been through certain opportunities that others have not.”

An SBA study showed that veterans score high when it comes to leadership, tenacity, management skills, drive, and dedication. “Veterans are very entrepreneurial,” Amoroso says. Now they have a program to give them the business skills to fill in around their military skills, she adds. And with a first-year failure rate between 80 percent and 90 percent for small businesses, it’s very needed.

The program has been around since about 2013, Amoroso says, and she’s still working to build awareness of the offerings off base. The VBOC’s monthly online programs are holding steady with 20 to 40 people participating every month. The in-person classes are lagging behind, she notes. There were just six people registered for the recent Binghamton session, but Amoroso says no matter the number of attendees, she shows up and gives it her all.

Once participants complete either the B2B or B2BR programs, they can go on to the Boots to Business Revenue Readiness program, offered online in conjunction with Mississippi State University. That six-week program prepares them to take their idea from a concept to an executable business model.

VBOCs around the country — there are 22 total — provide ongoing support to veteran business owners. Amoroso’s VBOC for SBA Region II serves New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

More information about the program, including a schedule of upcoming classes, can be found online at sbavets.force.com/s/.

New York milk producer prices edge down from prior month

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Milk prices at the producer level in New York state remained elevated in the latest month as pricing pressures continued. New York dairy farms in August were paid an average of $25.90 per hundredweight of milk in August, down 3 percent from $26.70 in July, but up 42.3 percent from the $18.20 average in August 2021.

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Lender Center to use grant for research into racial wealth gap

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The MetLife Foundation has awarded Syracuse University’s Lender Center for Social Justice a $2.7 million grant for research initiatives with a specific focus. They’ll focus on ways to “accelerate efforts to address the racial wealth gap and help dismantle the root causes of wealth disparity,” the university said in a release. The

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The MetLife Foundation has awarded Syracuse University’s Lender Center for Social Justice a $2.7 million grant for research initiatives with a specific focus.

They’ll focus on ways to “accelerate efforts to address the racial wealth gap and help dismantle the root causes of wealth disparity,” the university said in a release.

The MetLife Foundation is based in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Syracuse University’s Lender Center for Social Justice says it “aspires to foster proactive, innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to issues related to social justice, equity and inclusion.”

The Lender Center for Social Justice will use the three-year grant to address — what the foundation calls — a “persistent crisis that continues to undermine” social and economic opportunities for “underserved and underrepresented” communities across the U.S. The projects will include new research on the topic; discussions among social-justice leaders to gain added insights on the issue; and new data-collection and evidence-gathering activities to illustrate the racial wealth gap’s impacts, Syracuse University said.

“The Lender Center is grateful for the partnership with MetLife Foundation as we work together to further uncover systemic issues contributing to the racial wealth gap in the United States,” Marcelle Haddix, associate provost for strategic initiatives in the Syracuse University Office of Academic Affairs, said. “Together, we aim to find scalable solutions that reduce inequities, provide access to opportunity and enable historically marginalized communities to ultimately build better economic futures.”

Haddix oversees the work of the Lender Center.

Four key focus areas

The Lender Center will coordinate an “Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap Working Group” that partners with the university’s social differences, social justice research cluster to organize thought-leadership discussions.

The panel discussions will promote collaboration between Syracuse University faculty and national social-justice leaders. Plans are to hold discussions in New York City, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Los Angeles, the university said.

Syracuse University will also hire diverse postdoctoral researchers with experience with the issue to examine questions regarding the gap and its impact on diverse communities, families, and individuals.

In addition, faculty fellows selected in coordination with Syracuse University’s Office of Research will have access to annual research grants to conduct research investigations related to the gap.

The Lender Center will also partner with “other leading voices on the subject to increase awareness of and amplify discussions around planned actions and potential solutions,” Syracuse University said.

The work will include mapping the social dynamics of racial wealth disparity, charting perceptions of social justice, and uncovering patterns that can serve as a foundation for ongoing work.

Leadership from the Lender Center and the social differences, social justice research cluster will manage the projects.

“Transforming our diversity, equity and inclusion commitments into meaningful action is a top priority for both MetLife and MetLife Foundation,” Mike Zarcone, head of corporate affairs at MetLife and chairman of MetLife Foundation, said in a statement. “MetLife Foundation’s partnership with the University and Lender Center is directly aligned with our strategy to help drive economic mobility by addressing the needs of underserved and underrepresented communities. There’s strength in numbers, and by working together with the University and other national leaders, we have an even greater opportunity to further reduce the racial wealth gap.”

Gretchen Ritter, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer at Syracuse University, views the existing cooperation between the school and the surrounding community as a “perfect backdrop” for the projects.

“Our research resources, our connection to the community, and the strong University and Lender Center commitments to social justice, as well as diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, provide an excellent foundation for this work,” Ritter said. “The MetLife Foundation’s generous funding of these projects will help propel the University forward as an evidence-based, field-focused research leader with the goal of finding additional ways to address the racial wealth gap across the country.”

The organizations will share research materials produced — including scholarly articles and presentations, plus results of data collection and evidence-gathering activities — through the MetLife Foundation and Lender Center annual events. The information will also be posted on the Lender Center website and circulated by both the university and the MetLife Foundation, Syracuse said

Since 1976, the MetLife Foundation says it has contributed more than $900 million to strengthen communities where MetLife has a presence.

Greater Utica Chamber names Business of the Year finalists

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UTICA — The nominees are in for the 2022 Business of the Year awards from the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce. The chamber recently announced the finalists in each of five categories and will announce and celebrate the winners at its annual Business of the Year Awards luncheon on Dec. 8 at Hart’s Hill Inn

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UTICA — The nominees are in for the 2022 Business of the Year awards from the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber recently announced the finalists in each of five categories and will announce and celebrate the winners at its annual Business of the Year Awards luncheon on Dec. 8 at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro.

This year’s finalists in the for-profit business with 50 employees or fewer category are DJB Wealth Management, Sentinel Media Company, and the DiGiorgio Law Firm.

Finalists in the for-profit business with over 50 employees group are Fountainhead Group, Indium Corporation, and Mastrovito Hyundai.

On the not-for-profit side, the finalists for organizations with 50 employees or fewer category are Abraham House, Griffiss Institute, and Utica Monday Nite (UMN).

Finalists in the not-for-profit with over 50 employees class are Catholic Charities, CNY Home Health Network (CNYHHN), and Hospice & Palliative Care.

Bagg’s Square Brewing Co., Blue Truck Wine & Liquor, and LaFa Mediterranean by Zenia’s are the finalists for the Catalyst Rising Business award, which honors new businesses open for five years or fewer.

“We are incredibly grateful to be recognized amongst other amazing local businesses in our community,” LaFa Mediterranean by Zenia’s owner Elias Zenia said.

The café opened in New Hartford on March 1, 2021, and employs about 30 people, most of them high school or college students, according to Zenia.

“We pride ourselves on hiring team members who have no working experience, taking them through a rigorous training program, and giving them the practical and professional skills they need to be successful members of our community,” Zenia said.

In selecting finalists, the chamber looked at a number of areas including a firm’s staying power, response to challenges, product/service innovation, growth within their industry, longevity, community involvement, public service, business leadership, and involvement in the chamber.

The awards recognize that work and also provide publicity for the finalists and winners, Kari Puleo, executive director of the chamber, told CNYBJ in an August interview.

“It really puts a spotlight on business and gives people the opportunity to see a little bit more about an organization,” she said.

The chamber accepted nominations for the award through Sept. 1. The chamber’s executive committee reviewed all the nominees to select three finalists for each category.

The 2022 Business of the Year awards luncheon, presented by Staffworks, begins at 11 a.m. with networking, holiday, music, and beverage tastings. The program begins at noon. A one-hour television special recapping the event will air Dec. 28 from 7-8 p.m. on CBS-Utica 2 (WKTV).

Tickets and sponsorship packages for the event are available online at www.greateruticachamber.org. Tickets cost $55 each, or $420 for a table of eight.

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