The Bethpage Union Free School District is proud to announce its new partnership with Northwell Health to create a community of care for its students and families. Bethpage joins several other Long Island school districts who have also connected with Northwell Health to support students’ mental wellbeing.
Starting on February 1, 2023, students that reside in the Bethpage School District will have access to Northwell Health’s Behavioral Health Center in Mineola. Here, students will be able to receive care in a timely manner for any mental health crisis that they are going through. Aside from the in-school efforts and supports already in place by the Bethpage Union Free School District’s pupil personnel team, the center will be readily available for any student that needs it. It will also eliminate the need to visit an emergency room in urgent situations.
“Sometimes we need to extend that support outside of our walls and find ways for families to connect to the healthcare field so that they get the proper care that they need,” said Bethpage Superintendent of Schools David Schneider.
Lisa Lucchesi, Bethpage’s executive director of PPS and special education, echoed that statement, noting that the partnership will provide “that extra support, more than what we can do within the school system.” The Behavioral Health Center will provide short term crisis care, including medication management and urgent access to psychiatric assessments and referrals for those in crisis. This is critical as it sometimes takes months for families to be connected to providers for ongoing care.
“Follow up care can take 6-8 weeks to get,” said Bethpage Director of Guidance Thomas Kenny. “That’s not a good thing for our students and families so this is the bridge to that.”
The Mineola facility is one of three Behavioral Health Center’s that Northwell has. Unlike an emergency room, the center is warm and inviting.
“The goal is for patients and families to come in and have a place where they feel comfortable to talk…not feel like their first entry into mental health care is in an emergency room or very clinical environment,” Northwell Health Assistant Vice President Gina-Marie Bounds said during an information session with the Bethpage Schools community.
In addition to the Behavioral Health Center, the new partnership allows for Northwell Health resources to be shared within the Bethpage Schools community. Northwell hosts community sessions and will provide a monthly newsletter for the district to share with its residents which will highlight relevant topics and resources. It also has a new mental health advocacy program for high schoolers called Cohen’s Strong. Students can be trained to support one another with the help of Northwell Health employees.
The partnership is a true collaborative effort as Northwell Health will provide professional development for Bethpage Schools staff and be there for guidance when supporting the mental health of its students. Bethpage Schools thanks the Board of Education for supporting this partnership and it looks forward to seeing the positive impact it has on students and families.