As a proven leader in health care and medical rehabilitation, Sitrin is committed to serving the rehabilitation and civilian reentry needs of injured servicemembers and veterans, and has the expertise – and environment – to facilitate healing.  Many injured servicemembers and veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are going through an incredibly difficult time.  Suddenly, they are faced with traumatic changes in their physical, psychological, and emotional abilities.  Sitrin’s proposed expansion project will be a gathering place where injured servicemembers and veterans can integrate with civilians who have similar conditions, develop their skills, and participate in sports either recreationally or competitively.

Moreover, Sitrin’s location is ideal for such an expansion, as it is only 90 miles from Fort Drum, which is home to the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division.  Fort Drum is the largest military installation without a dedicated medical treatment facility, and the 10th Mountain Division is the Army’s most deployed unit in history.  This combination has resulted in an overwhelming need for the rehabilitation services that Sitrin will accommodate.

Sitrin's proposed expansion includes:

Lodge/Medical Treatment Center

This new facility will house specialized programs to help injured servicemembers and veterans recover from post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression, and other combat trauma, as well as provide year-round adaptive sports opportunities.  Special workshops will also be created to aid families adjusting to the return of a loved one from deployment. 

This lodge/medical treatment center will be located at Camp Sitrin, which offers a serene, relaxing setting to promote healing.  The 142-acre property includes a 10-acre lake, pavilions, nature trails, sports fields, and handicapped-accessible docks.

Additionally, Sitrin will implement a Post-Acute Treatment (Resiliency) Model of care that looks at every aspect of a patient’s life, from a medical standpoint to a social and educational perspective.  A multi-disciplinary team including physicians, psychologists, therapists, social workers, nurses, and others will partner with community agencies and educational institutions to fulfill this treatment plan.

Athletic Training Facility

This facility will provide a myriad of opportunities for injured servicemembers and veterans through sports, and will house a variety of first-rate rehabilitation and wellness resources for athletes and non-athletes alike.  It will also provide a comprehensive training environment for individuals of all abilities, including year-round indoor facilities for wheelchair basketball, tennis, racquetball, powerlifting, sledge hockey, wheelchair curling, target shooting, cross-country skiing and biathlon, as well as smaller multi-use areas for fencing, martial arts, and healing arts.

By engaging in sports, injured servicemembers and veterans experience camaraderie, confidence, independence, and physical strength.  In addition, they draw inner strength from these opportunities and use it to overcome life’s challenges when they need it most. 

Equestrian Center

Sitrin’s pastoral setting will provide a perfect environment for hippotherapy, a treatment that uses the multi-dimensional movement of a horse to help injured servicemembers and veterans who require physical, occupational, and/or speech therapy.  From a psychological standpoint, hippotherapy has also proven to be successful in treating people who have traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression.  While hippotherapy and therapeutic riding will help to improve neurological function, physical strength, and sensory processing, it will also provide a welcome pastime for injured servicemembers and veterans who wish to admire, feed, or care for them.