(HealthNewsDigest.com) – ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY – To help address the increase in teen suicide and the growing crisis of mental and emotional distress in children and adolescents, Northwell Health has opened an innovative behavioral health center in Rockville
Centre. Made possible by a unique collaboration between Northwell’s Cohen
Children’s Medical Center, five Long Island school districts and State Senator Todd
Kaminsky, the new center fills a gap in mental health care that has left many families
struggling to find timely help for children experiencing problems.
One out of five young people today suffer from mental health issues, and
suicide is the second-leading cause of death for adolescents and children as young as
age 10. There were several teen suicides last year in Long Island school districts.
“There’s a severe shortage of adolescent mental health specialists in the state
and around the country, and stigma keeps many families from reaching out for
help,” said Northwell President & CEO Michael J. Dowling. “This new center can
make an enormous difference by offering urgently needed care in a welcoming, non-
intimidating setting. I applaud State Senator Kaminsky and local school officials for
making this program a reality.”
Senator Kaminsky was instrumental in creating the new model of
community-embedded urgent care, which is designed to overcome barriers posed
by the shortage of providers and low insurance reimbursements. A child
psychiatrist and licensed mental health counselor are available at the center five
days a week to provide expedited assessment, initial treatment and navigation to
ongoing care for students struggling with behavioral health issues. Students will be
referred by the East Rockaway, Freeport, Hewlett-Woodmere, Oceanside and
Rockville Centre school districts.
The center is unique in the way it streamlines care and makes it immediately
available, said Senator Kaminsky. It typically takes parents four to six weeks or
more to arrange an appointment with a mental health provider.
“There was a need in our community for a new approach in addressing the
mental health needs of our children,” Senator Kaminsky said. “I’m proud to work
with Northwell to pioneer this unique model of providing students access to top-
notch critical mental health services.”
New York State Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, who represents the 21 st
District, said the center is an important resource for families on Long Island.
“Providing essential mental health care to our adolescent community is crucial and
can save lives,” Assemblywoman Griffin said. “So many parents, teachers,
administrators and school board members have expressed the need for services like
these. Sadly, in the past year we lost two beautiful teens to suicide, and I believe that
increased awareness and support is what we need. With this new Northwell facility,
residents will have a place to go when they feel lost and are in need of support, and I
am so proud that teens will have access to it.”
Charles Schleien, MD, senior vice president and executive director of
pediatric services at Northwell, said the center is part of the health system’s ongoing
effort to meet the behavioral health needs of children and teens. In 2017, Cohen
Children’s Medical Center opened a Pediatric Behavioral Health Center in New Hyde
Park, which offers same-day interventions for young people experiencing a crisis. In
addition, in a program launched in 2017 by Northwell’s dedicated psychiatric
facility, South Oaks Hospital, a child psychiatrist regularly visits schools in seven
districts across Long Island to provide drop-in mental health services for students.
“It is essential for students and families to have access to a high-quality
behavioral health center,” said Ralph Marino, Jr., Ed.D., superintendent of Hewlett-
Woodmere Public Schools. “This collaboration with Northwell provides instant
access to care, and that can make a world of difference.”
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About Northwell Health
Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with
23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We
care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to
philanthropic support from our communities. Our 70,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and
4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are
working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the
Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical
professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at
Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician