Northwell Health is launching a comprehensive behavioral health program to expand access to care for children and adolescents that will be spearheaded by Northwell Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH). The initiative includes partnerships with local community organizations and schools, a new behavioral health center, a psychiatric outpatient practice, patient navigation and ultimately, intensive outpatient services. Northwell has a similar program in other regions of downstate New York that has helped reduce emergency room visits related to child and adolescent behavioral health by an average of 60 percent.
“The treatment needs of children and adolescents experiencing psychiatric crises can vary widely, and too often, they end up in emergency rooms because of limited access to appropriate care,” said Vera Feuer, MD, medical director, child and adolescent psychiatry, Northwell Health. “This program is designed to provide immediate psychiatric support and seamlessly connect patients to the next level of care, including psychotherapy, psychiatry and case management, reducing the burden on emergency services and improving outcomes for families.”
A 2022 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reveals that nearly 20 percent of children between the ages of three and 17 in the United States experience mental, emotional, developmental or behavioral challenges. Additionally, the decade leading up to 2019 saw a more than a 40 percent increase in suicidal behaviors among high school students, with mental health issues being the leading factor – behind serious harm and loss of life – in this age group.
Northwell’s Westchester-based mental health initiative will roll out in four phases. The initial phase, beginning this fall, will focus on education and awareness by partnering with local schools and community organizations. It will enhance their existing behavioral health programs by improving literacy and promoting early intervention. In early 2025, the program will expand its reach and open a child and adolescent psychiatric practice, offering comprehensive treatment for young people. By the summer of 2025, a stand-alone behavioral health center will open to provide rapid access to care for children and adolescents in crisis. The final phase will introduce an intensive outpatient program to support young people in need of a higher level of care than an outpatient practice but who do not require hospitalization.
“This program exemplifies Northwell’s commitment to mission-driven initiatives that enhance the health of our entire community,” said Derek Anderson, FACHE, president, Northwell Northern Westchester Hospital. “It comes at a critical time, as behavioral health crises among teens continue to rise across the country. We look forward to working with schools, community organizations, NGOs and local behavioral health providers to build on the high-quality care they already provide and to strengthen support for the well-being of children and families.”
To support these efforts, Northern Westchester Hospital Foundation aims to raise $7 million over the next several months to expand pediatric and adolescent behavioral health services in Westchester. The hospital’s annual gala on November 2, chaired by local community advocates and philanthropists Lisa Schwartz and Jane Donaldson, will focus its fundraising efforts on the new child and adolescent behavioral health initiative.
Northwell has committed to investing $500 million over the next several years to expand pediatric and adolescent behavioral health services across its network, including the construction of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Pavilion connected to both Cohen Children’s Medical Center and Zucker Hillside Hospital, the health system’s behavioral health facility.
