RVC Schools and Northwell Health Announce Partnership

January 31, 2020

by Courtney O'Shaughnessy Taylor

This morning, Rockville Centre School District and Northwell Cohen Children’s Medical Center announced a breakthrough partnership that will change the community’s approach to addressing students’ mental health concerns. Rockville Centre is among five schools partnering with Northwell Health, including Hewlett-Woodmere, Freeport, East Rockaway and Oceanside.

Senator Todd Kaminsky and Assemblymember Judy Griffin joined Rockville Centre Schools Superintendent Dr. William B. Johnson, and Northwell Health executives to make the announcement, followed by a celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony.

As of today, students living in the district will have access to immediate mental health services at Northwell’s Behavioral Health Facility, located at 100 Merrick Road. Students may be referred by school personnel, or walk in independently to obtain services, Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. By law, students must be accompanied by a legal guardian.

This announcement could not have come at a more pressing time, with the youth of our nation in a state of mental health crisis, and the community of Rockville Centre still mourning the loss of two young lives to suicide in 2019. According to Dr. Charles Schleien, Head of Northwell Pediatric Services, “one in five children and adolescents have issues with mental health problems,” and, “suicide is the second leading cause of death in students over the age of ten.”

Northwell President and CEO, Michael J. Dowling, credited Senator Kaminsky for being a catalyst in the initiative, while Kaminsky acknowledged the school district for taking “an important and tremendous leap,” and thanked Northwell for their “generosity, and largesse.”

Northwell’s goal is to become “embedded in the community,” raising students’ awareness that they have a place to turn. As soon as a student is referred or “walks in,” an evaluation will be conducted to assess the immediate risk and identify care, counseling and/or medication needs.

The facility will help students overcome the typical delay in care associated with obtaining mental health services, and assist in linking them to a longer term provider. Additionally, the partnership hopes to reduce the number of emergency room visits which are often unsuccessful in providing solutions.

Dr. Johnson described the school’s role in the partnership as a “referral agency.” While the school is equipped with a staff of psychologists and social workers, the partnership will “add another dimension” to the support available to students. Johnson thanked Northwell Assistant Vice President, and Rockville Centre resident, Gina-Marie Bounds and Dr. Noreen Leahy, Rockville Centre Schools’ Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Personnel Services and Special Education, for introducing the idea of this partnership, “acknowledging (that the) systems could come together in solving a very difficult problem.”

Child Psychiatrist and Clinical Director of Cohen’s Behavioral Health Center, Dr. Vera Feuer, addressed questions regarding payment for services, explaining that insurance will be billed whenever possible. In the case that a student is uninsured, Northwell’s staff will help them to secure insurance. Michael Dowling of Northwell promised (in keeping with Northwell’s philosophy), ”We (will) never decline care to somebody based upon inability to pay,” and always honor (our) “commitment to do right by the community.”

While many of the questions from the press and community focused on suicide prevention, Northwell representatives stressed that there are a “constellation of (behavioral health) issues” our youth faces today, including issues around depression and anxiety. According to Feuer, a rise in adolescent anxiety and depression has increased incidents of school refusal and school phobia, resulting in students’ inability to function and get work done.

The partnership hopes to remove obstacles to care, including the stigmatization of mental health issues. Dr. Johnson emphasized the responsibility of the community for destigmatization and made a special recognition of the efforts of South Side High School student and guest speaker, Madison Gamburg. In the wake and confusion of a friend’s suicide last year, Gamburg and her friends started Project SAFE (Suicide Awareness in a Friendly Environment) with the mission of helping students shy away from the stigma and cope with daily stresses.

By establishing this partnership, the community has taken an enormous step forward in creating awareness and facilitating the destigmatization of mental health concerns. The partnership not only fills a gap in mental health care for the children of our community and the neighboring schools of Hewlett-Woodmere, East Rockaway, Freeport and Oceanside; but, it may open the door for other schools down the road. If Michael Dowling of Northwell gets his wish, they will “be working with every school district on Long Island over time.”