In this section...
Type Ctrl+F; then enter what you're looking for. For example, to quickly find a clinic near you, type Ctrl+F. Then type your zip code. To print this section: Type Ctrl+P
|
This list is adapted from Partners in Healing, a booklet developed by the Partnership for After School Education and Youth Communication. We are grateful to PASE for allowing us to use material from the booklet. We are also grateful to the Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation which funded the booklet, and to the Robin Hood Foundation and the Tiger Foundation, which also supported the Partners in Healing Project. |
At the end of this section we provide a list of clinics all across the city. If you want to get help in your neighborhood, you may find a good clinic. There is also a program, called LifeNet [below] that can help you find the right services. There’s a lot of pain and trauma in foster care that can leave you feeling depressed or anxious or angry. It can also lead to substance abuse or other ways of trying to deaden the pain. Mental health services can help you deal, become happier, and feel more in control in ways that are healthier. Take advantage of them. Featured Resources The Fostering Connection is a nonprofit organization that provides FREE mental health services to young adults affected by foster care. The Fostering Connection has many private practice therapists who volunteer their services. They are carefully screened and The Fostering Connection will match a therapist with any young person who is or has been in foster care at any time. This therapist will work with the young person for as long as the relationship is needed or wanted—all at no charge. If you are currently in foster care (or have aged out), and would like to find a therapist through The Fostering Connections, contact the Clinical Director at 212-255-8895. [Note: Therapists who would like to become volunteers at The Fostering Connection may also call this number.] The Youth Counseling League is a clinic for youth ages 12-21. They offer help for a wide range of emotional problems and diagnoses. They have individual and group therapy for young people, plus individual, group or family treatment for adult family members of those in treatment. (They also have satellite clinics in eight Manhattan public high schools.) Call 212-481-2500. Address: 386 Park Avenue South, Suite 401 (near 27th St.) What is Mental Health?
Being in good mental health means being able to cope effectively with day-to-day problems in life. And it means being basically happy. When a person is mentally healthy, he or she is able to make good decisions about relationships with others and caring for oneself, and feel reasonably good about those decisions. Each person has certain strengths and stressors in his or her life. When you can handle the stress and problems that life presents without major disruption, you’re in basically good mental health. When people have a fever or a cold, they have a physical health problem. Similarly, when people frequently feel sad, find it difficult to concentrate, or feel overwhelmed by life’s daily problems, they have a mental (or emotional) health problem. As with physical problems, emotional problems can be mild, such as occasional sadness, or severe, such as weeks or months of feeling low. Mental health problems are very common and affect 1 in every 5 young people at any given time. But an estimated two-thirds of all young people with mental health problems are not getting the help they need. If you feel you need help—get it! Who Can Help? What Kind of Help Is Best? Just as physical illness or injury can be addressed through physical therapy, mental health issues can be addressed through self-help, counseling, and various kinds of therapy. Mental health problems, like physical problems, can also be treated with medication. Medication can help some people feel more in control of their feelings. Self-Help – Sometimes you can help yourself, without a counselor. If you are feeling sad or upset and you are able to do things to feel better on your own, then you may not need to seek outside help. Some people find that writing down feelings, talking to friends, or exercising can provide relief. Help from Peers – There are two main ways to get help from peers: informal help by reaching out to people you know or taking part in a peer self-help group. Talking to friends may be enough to help you get through a lonely or sad time. If the problem is more serious, a peer self-help group, facilitated by an adult professional, may be useful. The youth in the group share their experiences and support each other. Help from Community Members – There are many people who may be helpful during a difficult emotional time—school counselors, teachers, clergy, coaches, mentors, caseworkers, and after school staff members. Some of these adults may have training in related areas and be able to provide the help needed. They also may be able to help evaluate the situation and, if needed, refer you to other services. Professional Help – There are three main kinds of professionals who have been trained to help people with mental health issues: social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists. All have specific training in the field of mental health and can provide support, advice, and individual assistance in helping people cope with problems. In seeking help for a young person, it may be important to determine that the provider has had experience working with youth. Social Workers typically have a Masters degree and provide counseling services. Psychologists have Doctoral degrees and are able to provide counseling and testing services. Psychiatrists are medical doctors with special training in mental health issues. Psychiatrists are able to conduct therapy sessions, as well as prescribe medication. A psychologist or social worker may refer a patient to a psychiatrist to evaluate and prescribe medication, while continuing to see the person for counseling sessions. (Adapted from Youth Communication’s The Teen Guide to Getting Help, copyright © Youth Communication) What Kinds of Therapy or Counseling are Available? Counseling or therapy is a process where people explore their feelings and behavior, and what is going on in their lives because they want to find ways to feel better and haldle their problems differently. If you get into formal counseling or therapy, you’ll probably experience individual, group or family counseling. If problems are severe, though, a person may be hospitalized.
Individual Counseling – You meet one-on-one with a counselor. You usually meet regularly, at least once a week, for anywhere from a few weeks, to months, or years, depending on the issues you are working on. Group Counseling – A group of people sharing common problems, concerns, and questions who meet regularly to discuss their thoughts and feelings and to listen and support each other. Family Counseling – Two or more family members will meet together and/or separately with a counselor to discuss conflicts, issues, and communication in the family. The counselor helps the family members deal with important issues without taking sides. Hospitalization – If a person is experiencing severe mental health problems, such as strong feelings of hopelessness, losing control, or an inability to quit using drugs, hospitalization (in-patient treatment) may be necessary. Hospitalization gives a person the chance to get more intensive services. What If You Feel Uncomfortable? One goal of therapy is to help you solve some of life’s problems, and to think differently about the problems you can’t solve, so that you won’t blame yourself for them. When this happens successfully, your self-esteem usually starts to rise. It may be very uncomfortable, however, to look at and talk about problems in your life. If you begin to feel uncomfortable in therapy, or are concerned you are not making progress, don’t quit or jump to another therapist. Discuss these issues with your therapist. Therapists are willing to talk with you about treatment issues, and whether they are meeting your needs.
It is important in therapy to gradually face hard issues about yourself or others in your life. Sometimes the best therapist is the one who is demanding and occasionally makes you feel pretty uncomfortable. The times when you feel the most uncomfortable or want “out” of therapy may be the times when you’re making the most progress. At those times, it can be hard to figure out whether you don’t like the therapist, or whether you don’t like the issues that you are being asked to think about. Therapists usually have your best interests at heart, even if they make you feel uncomfortable. It takes time to develop trust in a new relationship and to become comfortable sharing feelings, so be patient, and give your therapist and yourself some time. However, if you’ve given it an honest try, and still don’t feel you can trust your therapist, or if you don’t feel like you’re making progress over time, you may need to seek a new one. Privacy When you talk with someone about your personal issues, you probably won’t want them sharing that information without your permission. It’s a good idea to ask the therapist in your first session about confidentiality. For example, will they share your conversations with your parents? With other people in the agency? Will they share some information but not other information? In general, people who offer licensed psychological counseling (psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers) can offer much more confidentiality than informal counselors, like teachers and mentors (who may not be legally required to keep your conversations confidential). You need to ask them who they share information with and why, so that you can make your own decisions about what you share with your counselor.
How to Use this ListList of Clinics, By Borough Manhattan ABC-Association to Benefit Children Alianza Dominicana, Inc. Bellevue Hospital Center Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic Beth Israel Medical Center/Child & Adolescent Catholic Charities Community Service Children's Aid Society Children's Aid Society-East Harlem Center Children's Aid Society-Lord Memorial Building Clinic Children's Aid Society-Mirabal Sisters Campus Children's Aid Society-PS 8 Children's Aid Society-Salomé Ureña de Henriquez Campus Covenant House NY The Door Dunlevy Milbank Center/Milbank Medical Group Educational Alliance-East Village Educational Alliance-Lower East Side (FEGS) Federation of Employment & Guidance Services (FEGS) Federation of Employment & Guidance Services- Gouverneur Healthcare Services Gouverneur/Roberto Clemente Family Guidance Center Graham-Windham Manhattan Mental Health Clinic Grand Street Settlement Hamilton-Madison House Harlem Children's Zone Harlem Hospital Child & Adolescent Outpatient Clinic Henry Street Settlement Community Consultation Center Hudson Guild Outpatient Mental Health Clinic Inwood Community Services Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Dr . Eugene D. Glynn/YCL Counseling Center Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Greenberg Manhattan West/YCL Counseling Center Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Manhattan South/Youth Counseling League Karen Horney Clinic Lenox Hill Hospital Metropolitan Hospital Center Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center Planned Parenthood-Margaret Sanger Center The Puerto Rican Family Institute St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals-Child & Family Institute Union Settlement Mental Health Services Union Settlement Association-Washington Community Center University Settlement Consultation Center Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center/Emma L. Bowen Community Center William F. Ryan Mental Health Department Bronx Adolescent and Family Comprehensive Services, Inc BronxWorks Children's Aid Society-Bronx Family Center Children's Aid Society-Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom Schools Counseling & Psychotherapy of Throggs Neck East Side House Settlement Effective Alternative in Reconciliation Services (FEGS) Federation of Employment & Guidance Services (FEGS) Federation of Employment & Guidance Services-The Academy Good Shepherd Services-North Bronx Family Services Center Good Shepherd Services-Neighborhood Family Empowerment Center Good Shepherd Services-Beacon MS 45 Counseling Prevention Program Graham-Windham Mental Health Family Permanency Planning Services Hunts Point Multi-Service Center Independent Consultation Center Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Riverdale Office Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Pelham Office Jewish Board of Family and Child Services-Co-Op City Family Services Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center Montefiore Medical Center-Department of Child Montefiore Medical Center-Adolescent Depression and Suicide Clinic The Children's Hospital at Montefiore Planned Parenthood-Bronx Center The Puerto Rican Family Institute Riverdale Mental Health Association/ Child and Family Program South Bronx MH Council, Inc. Sound View Throgs Neck Community Mental Health Center St. Barnabas/Fordham-Tremont Community Mental Health Center University Consultation & Treatment Center for Mental Hygiene Brooklyn Beverly Mack Harry Consulting Services Brooklyn Center for Families in Crisis Brooklyn Children's Center Brooklyn Community Services Brooklyn Psychiatric Center Brooklyn Psychiatric Center-Clearway Brooklyn Psychiatric Centers-Bushwick Mental Health Center Brooklyn Psychiatric Centers-Canarsie Mental Health Clinic Catholic Charities-Flatlands Guidance Center Catholic Charities-Brooklyn West Community Center Center for Family Life in Sunset Park Children of the City CAMBA Community Counseling & Mediation East New York Diagnostic & Treatment Center (FEGS) Federation of Employment & Guidance Services (FEGS) Federation of Employment & Guidance Services Good Shepherd Services-Family Reception Center Good Shepherd Services-Red Hook Community Center Family Counseling Services (PS 15) Good Shepherd Services-Single Stop Service Center Graham-Windham-Brooklyn Heart Share Human Services of New York Institute for Community Living-Guidance Center of Brooklyn Institute for Community Living-Guidance Center of Brooklyn Heights Institute for Community Living-Highland Park Clinic Institute for Community Living-Rockaway Parkway Clinic Interfaith Medical Center-Child and Adolescent Clinic Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Doris L. Rosenberg Counseling Center/Southern Brooklyn Office Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Boro Park Counseling Center Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Break-Free Adolescent Services Jewish Board of Family and Child Services-Bay Ridge Counseling Center Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Neptune Family Services Jewish Children Care Association Kings County Hospital Center Lutheran Medical Center-Sunset Terrace Family Health Center Maimonides Medical Center Child and Adolescent Outpatient Clinic National Neighborhood Counseling Center New York Methodist Hospital NIA Community Services Network Ohel Children's Home & Family Services Ohel Children's Home & Family Services-Tikvah Center Planned Parenthood-Boro Hall Center Partnership with Children-Life Steps Project Reach Youth The Puerto Rican Family Institute Safe Horizon-Counseling Center Woodhull Medical Center Queens Catholic Charities-Corona Elmhurst Clinic Catholic Charities-Glendale Mental Health Clinic Catholic Charities-Jamaica Satellite Clinic Team Catholic Charities-Rockaway Mental Health Clinic Catholic Charities-Woodside Clinic & Mobile Outreach Team Elmhurst Hospital Child & Adolescent OPC (FEGS) Federation of Employment & Guidance Services (FEGS) Federation of Employment & Guidance Services-Project COPE Flushing Hospital Medical Center Outpatient Mental Health Clinic Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House Jewish Board of Family & Family Services-Pride of Judea Counseling Center Joseph P. Addabbo Mental Health Clinic New Horizon Counseling Center The Puerto Rican Family Institute Queens Child Guidance Center Queens Child Guidance Center-Flushing Clinic Queens Child Guidance Center-Jamaica Clinic Queens Child Guidance Center-Kew Hills Clinic Queens Child Guidance Center-South Jamaica Clinic Queens Child Guidance Center-Woodside Clinic Queens Hospital Child & Adolescent Clinic Safe Space South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!) Steinway Child & Family Services: Steinway Clinic Steinway Child & Family Services: Martin DePorres Clinic Steinway Children & Family Services: Howard Beach Clinic Staten Island Child Study Center of New York Children's Aid Society-Goodhue Center Jewish Board of Family & Child Services-Morris Black Community Counseling Center Planned Parenthood-Staten Island Center Richmond County Medical Society-Referral Service South Beach Psychiatric Center-South Richmond Outpatient Services Staten Island Mental Health Society Staten Island Mental Health Society-South Shore Center Staten Island Mental Health Society-Family Support Center Staten Island University Hospital-Children & Adolescent Outpatient Clinic YMCA Staten Island-South Shore Counseling Center YMCA Staten Island-North Shore Counseling Center
|
Introduction
back to top