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Community-Based Mental Health Agencies Must Be a Part of the Social Determinant Solution
The behavioral health community can take enormous pride in the societal evolution of attitudes toward mental health challenges (to avoid the repeat of the word “treatment”). Psychological treatment is no longer discussed only in hushed tones but is now more accepted and supported than ever. But...
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Empowering Adults to Recognize and Respond to Youth in Suicidal Distress
The statistics regarding youth mental health are not only strikingly frightening but they point to the inexcusable reality that what is currently being done to address the problem is not working. According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five teens and young adults live...
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Helping People Cope with Grief During COVID-19
In these uncertain times of physical distancing, grievers are feeling more alone and isolated than ever. Many are craving physical closeness that is an integral part of the grieving process – a hug from a family member, lunch with a friend, someone dropping by to check on them. The...
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Telehealth Appointment Tips
Gather all the information you might need before your appointment. This might include your list of medications (with dosages), medical conditions, problems and symptoms you want to address, and a list of questions for the healthcare practitioner. Find a private spot in your home so you feel...
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Licensed Practical Nurses: Furthering the Goal of Integrated Health
It is a startling and sad fact that individuals with serious mental health problems on average die earlier than those without mental health issues. An article in JAMA Psychiatry reported that these premature deaths are primarily due to largely preventable conditions, such as high blood pressure,...
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A Comprehensive Look at What’s Needed to Age in Place with Dignity
Former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter stated, “There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” Caregiving for the elderly is a growing phenomenon in the...
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From Our Recent Children’s Issue: An Innovative Solution for Family and Home Day Care
Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), a non-sectarian, not-for-profit multi-service agency founded in 1943, has a long history of focusing on early childhood as a key component to its program for children and families. Research has proven the crucial importance of the first years of life on...
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LGBTQ Parenting Issues
Adolescence is a time for growth and exploration. In the best of circumstances, children are encountering new experiences, making new friends, pushing limits and testing boundaries, and withdrawing from family to be with friends during this time of rapid development. They are learning social skills...
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The Emerging Role of Nursing in the Delivery of Psychiatric Care
Although we have always known that mind and body are connected, there is now increased understanding that mental and physical health are closely intertwined. Recent studies indicate an interaction between symptoms of mood and anxiety with exercise, diet, and overall health, as well as chronic...
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One Mental Health Clinic’s Journey into Integrated Care
We have heard the statistic countless times over the past few years, yet they are still shocking. People with serious mental illness will die, on average, 25 years sooner than the general population. WJCS, like many mental health providers, has predominantly focused on the area of the human body...
