SUNY Empire State College is launching a Bachelor of Science in addiction studies program  it says is the first of its kind.

It is intended to help address the urgent need for qualified substance use disorder treatment specialists in New York state and around the nation, officials said.

Students will be able to complete the unique B.S. in addiction studies degree online, face-to-face, or through an individualized blend to fit the busy lives of working professionals.

Enrollment opens in the spring of 2020.

Data from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) said a significant gap between the 21 million Americans in need of substance misuse treatment and the 3.8 million who actually received it. This means that only 18 percent of those who needed help were receiving it, officials said.

Hudson Headwaters Health Network will begin a renovation project on the lower level of West Mountain Family Health 2 to create additional clinical space for pulmonologists from Saratoga Hospital Medical Group to establish a local office.

The establishment of this specialty space will ensure that those within the region have improved access to this important care locally, without having to travel, officials said.

Construction will begin within the next couple weeks and is expected to be complete in late fall. The organizations are working to determine exactly how many days each week the pulmonologist will be on-site at the West Mountain Health Services building 2 location at 161 Carey Road in Queensbury.

Construction is expected to be complete in the fall. Patients will begin to be scheduled by late November.

Skidmore College officials said they are welcoming an incoming class of 740 students, selected from its largest-ever applicant pool of 11,000 candidates.

Skidmore’s Class of 2023 is also among the College’s most diverse, officials said. It includes Skidmore’s highest ever percentage of domestic students of color and first-generation college students. Members of the class come from more than 30 different countries and 30 U.S. states.

More than half the class, including athletes and international students, arrived on campus early for pre-orientation activities. The rest moved into residence halls on Sept. 1. Classes began Sept. 4.

Thirty-two students are spending their first semester in London, where they are studying with Skidmore professors and learning through participation in cultural and educational activities as part of a First-Year Experience program.

To help ensure an accurate, complete count in the 2020 census, SUNY Empire State College will open available computer labs at the college’s more than 30 locations all across New York state.

For the first time, the 2020 census will be conducted through an online questionnaire. This change in process may present significant obstacles for many residents who may have limited internet access or limited experience with digital interfaces.

One of the cornerstones of American democracy, a complete and accurate count of every resident in New York state will help ensure fair representation in federal government and equitable funding from federal programs, particularly to communities most in need, officials said..

“We have the ability and, more importantly, the responsibility, to help ensure our neighbors are counted in this vital constitutional process,” said Jim Malatras, president of the college. “Since, for the first time, the census will largely be completed online, we’ll be opening computer labs in all our locations throughout the state to help our neighbors fill out the census. With locations across New York, faculty and staff with strong community connections, and a great deal of digital know-how, SUNY Empire State College is uniquely positioned to help make this census as successful as possible.”

Saratoga PLAN’s 14th annual Feast of the Fields will return to Saratoga National Golf Club on Sept. 19.

The event, which officials said is likely to sell out to over 600 guests, features farm-fresh produce, meats, dairy products and more highlighting crops produced by local farms. Top area chefs transform the produce and meats into culinary treats.

Feast of the Fields celebrates the agriculture in the Saratoga region. Officials said it remains strong partly due to Saratoga PLAN’s farmland conservation efforts. Proceeds from the event support PLAN’s ongoing efforts to conserve farmland and open space in Saratoga County in perpetuity.

“At Feast of the Fields, guests have a chance to taste locally grown ingredients crafted by the best chefs, meet area farmers who produced the ingredients, learn about local farm businesses, and help raise funds so that Saratoga PLAN can continue helping farmland owners and municipalities permanently protect fertile soil resources and scenic views,” said Maria Trabka, Saratoga PLAN executive director.