BY ARCHANA HARIHARAN
Northwell Behavioral Health Centers are taking a step in a new direction by having created a resource where students of any age can come to receive proper and adequate mental health treatment.
Students tend to experience several stressors throughout their school careers—assignments, tests, and college preparation are just a few–and Jericho High School students are no exception. Senior Evonne C. said, “What stresses me out the most is trying to keep up with all the homework and assignments, all while balancing our personal lives.”
Similarly, junior Thaseen S. said, “Doing well on exams puts a lot of pressure on me and stresses me out.”
Many students struggle the most with developing a healthy work-life balance, and this kind of prolonged stress can eventually cause students to experience poor mental health outcomes.
Northwell Behavioral Health Centers acknowledge this trend and are doing something about it. They noticed that not all students who come into the emergency room for mental health crises need hospitalization, but rather they need to see a psychologist or psychiatrist. This prompted them to start designated behavioral centers, where students can get immediate help, either through a referral from their respective schools or on their own. The behavioral centers provide quick access to a psychologist who will then assess precisely what the student needs. After the assessment, the center will find proper long-term assistance.
To fully understand the impact of school-related stresses, Northwell also provides monthly meetings in which a Northwell representative meets with school administrators and clinicians to discuss issues regarding student mental health. Through these meetings, school districts are informed about how they can help students, and they, in turn, can explain to the representatives what they see students struggling with most. Through this exchange of information, both the school and the center stay informed on issues students are struggling with and how to help them. Northwell Health’s director of pediatric emergency psychiatry Vera Feuer said, “The idea is in each district to support not just the people who need the crisis care, but to support everybody with education and mental health literacy, talking about these things, and decreasing the stigma around it.”
Jericho High School psychologist Dr. Danielle Smith feels very fortunate to work with Northwell. She said, “We’ve been very lucky because this mental health partnership really allows us to get individuals connected to resources.”
Jericho High School psychologist Dr. Smith values all of the resources that Northwell provides for school districts including staff training and education. She said, “They speak with us, the clinicians, and provide us with some professional development, so it’s really cool that we can get that exposure.”
Through these centers, students are able to receive much needed help and care, and educators are improving their practice. Northwell’s Behavioral Health Centers provide opportunities for young people and educators and paves the way for more improvements to student mental health on Long Island.
The closest center to Jericho is Cohen Children’s Northwell Health Physician Partners Pediatric Behavioral Health at Mineola, located at 156 1st Street, Lower Level, Mineola, NY 11501. They can be reached at 516-321-5770.
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