OMH recognizes The Child Center of NY for service to the community

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ALBANY, NY

Office of Mental Health (OMH) Commissioner Ann Marie T. Sullivan today announced that The Child Center of NY (The Child Center) is the New York City region’s recipient of the 2020 OMH Community Cares Award.

This award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of individuals and organizations who have furthered the OMH mission and made a positive contribution to the mental health system in their communities.

OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan, said, “OMH has many great partners who are helping us strengthen our state and local mental health care system by increasing access to community-based services and improving health outcomes for consumers. The Child Center of NY is a powerful presence in New York City, reaching more than 35,000 children each year. Their work gives these children and their families the skills and emotional support necessary to build healthy, successful lives. We truly appreciate their work, vision, values, and the role they play in helping us to fulfill our mission.”

Traci Donnelly, the chief executive officer of The Child Center said, “We are so grateful to be recognized by OMH, which has been such an effective and trusted partner for years. At The Child Center, we engage children and families in New York’s underserved communities because we know that with the right skills, education, and emotional support, children of any background can build a happy, healthy, and fulfilling future. Our work and this award are made possible, even in the face of a pandemic, by our skilled and dedicated staff who show compassion for those who truly need help the most.”

The Child Center operates behavioral health, early childhood education, health homes and integrated care, youth prevention and family support, and youth development services throughout New York City and on Long Island. In addition to their history of fine work in the community, The Child Center was recognized for partnering with OMH on the OnTrack NY program, a nationally recognized evidence-based team approach that works with youth who have been recently diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. OnTrack NY has been proven to help these young adults stay in school and reduce the impact of their psychiatric condition.

Also being launched by The Child Center is a new maternal health center in Queens that will work with mothers and fathers who may be struggling with parenting to ensure that their infants meet all developmental milestones. The organization was recently chosen to take over the state’s only residential treatment facility for juvenile justice youth.

OMH’s Community Care Awards were created in 2019 to highlight OMH’s partners and stakeholders in local communities across the State that are helping to identify and eliminate gaps in services and are working to build strong community-based behavioral healthcare systems. Input from these local partners helps OMH better understand regional needs and implement programs that will help people on the road to recovery from mental illness live their lives with a greater degree of independence and dignity.

About The Child Center of NY
The Child Center of NY began in 1953 as a children’s counseling center in Queens. Today, it is a powerful community presence throughout NYC, reaching more than 35,000 children and their families each year. The Child Center’s mission is to strengthen children and families with skills, opportunities, and emotional support to build healthy, successful lives. The Child Center’s staff guide children from birth to adulthood with evidence-based, innovative programs that engage them with school and help them become secure, capable, and confident. Learn more at http://childcenterny.org