NCDMH to Host a Community Forum in partnership with the City of Lockport

The Niagara County Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (NCDMH) invites the public to a Community Forum, “A Community Conversation on Substance Use, Recovery Supports and Pathways to Care: Identifying What’s Going Well and What We Need in Our City” on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. The event will be at City Hall at 1 Locks Plaza, Lockport, NY 14094. Prior to the start of the forum from 4:45 PM to 5:30 PM, local service providers will be onsite providing information on available services, supports and resources.

“This effort comes at a critical time, particularly with the recent closure of Save the Michaels Recovery Community Center in Lockport,” said Laura Kelemen, NCDMH Director.  “Since NCDMH is the state-designated authority for overseeing our local services system, we are working diligently to gather data and input, and to conduct a gap analysis to inform a local needs assessment for sober support, activities, peer recovery advocacy, and more in the Lockport Community.

The event will bring together residents, service providers, local organizations, and county and city leadership to share experiences, identify gaps, and highlight opportunities for strengthening care and recovery supports for individuals with substance use concerns and/or co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns.

Community members are encouraged to send questions, concerns, comments ahead of time using the following link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LockportNeeds2026. Submissions will be grouped into key themes to guide a panel discussion for a portion of the forum.
 
“Given recent events, like the aforementioned closing of our local Recovery Community Center, it is more important than ever that we listen directly to residents and identify what supports are needed, “ said Laura Kelemen, NCDMH Director, “This event gives us the opportunity to gather meaningful input that will help guide future investments, strengthen pathways to care, and help us advocate with our state agencies so our community is not left without critical recovery resources.”
 
A flyer promoting the event is being distributed throughout the city and on social media.

For additional information or to see the full list of partners joining the event, follow the Niagara County Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services on Facebook. For questions regarding the event, please call (716) 439-7410.