Roslyn Heights, NY, April 30, 2018— On Thursday, April 26, 2018, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center,the preeminent not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island, raised more than $68,000 to support our mission to restore and strengthen the emotional well-being of children and their families.
The event, which took place at Glen Head Country Club, began with exciting games of Mahjong, Canasta and Bridge, along with unique shopping boutiques from some of Long Island’s trendiest and most charitable small business owners, including Dale’s Novelty Knits, Dash, Designs That Donate, iThrive, Kostume Klassics, Museum Coffee House and RFC Fine Jewelry, among others.
Following the delicious luncheon buffet came a most informative and engaging presentation by keynote speaker Dr. Victor M. Fornari, MD. Dr. Fornari is Director of the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at The Zucker Hillside Hospital and Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center and Professor of Psychiatry & Pediatrics at the Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine atHofstra/Northwell. He discussed the latest developments in the field of children’s mental health, focusing on the Mobility study currently being done in conjunction with the Guidance Center and others of a medication named Metformin.
“The purpose of this study is to determine if adding Metformin to a healthy lifestyle program would help children and teens control weight gain caused by certain medications,” said Dr. Fornari. He explained that a large percentage of some anti-psychotic medications for children and adolescents cause weight gain, which increases the risk of developing Type II diabetes as well as cardiovascular, neurological and digestive conditions.
Dr. Fornari cited “the courage” of Dr. Reena Nandi, the Guidance Center’s Director of Psychiatric Services, Executive Director Andrew Malekoff and other Guidance Center colleagues for playing such a central role in this study. He also said that the Guidance Center is “the most productive of all of our partners.”
He also told the audience that this is the largest pediatric psychopharmacological study ever funded by PCORI, the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute.
“We are proud to partner with such a prestigious and patient-outcome drive study,” said Dr. Nandi. “We’re eagerly awaiting the results, which could have a dramatic impact on the health of children and adolescents.”
The luncheon couldn’t have been so successful without the hard work of our co-chairs, Jan Ashley, Amy Cantor and Alexis Siegel. “For several years, these three dedicated Guidance Center supporters have taken on the formidable task of organizing this exciting and informative event,” said Malekoff. “Their dedication to our mission is unwavering.”
We are also grateful for the support of our sponsors, without whom we couldn’t host such a terrific event. They are: The Children’s Medical Center at NYU Winthrop Hospital; Ruth Fortunoff Cooper; Americana Manhasset; Nancy Lane; Andrea Leeds; Signature Bank; Amy Cantor; Fara Copell; Klipper Family Foundation; Tracey Murray Kupferberg, CBR; Power Travel; Raich Ender Malter & Co. LLP; Alexis Siegel; Linda Cronin; Ann Dorman & Kenneth Adler; Joan Grant; Carol Marcell; Nanci Roth; and Carol Wolowitz.
About Us:
As the preeminent not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is dedicated to restoring and strengthening the emotional well-being of children (from birth – age 24) and their families. Our highly trained staff of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, vocational rehabilitation counselors and other mental health professionals lead the way in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, training, parent education, research and advocacy. The Guidance Center helps children and families address issues such as depression and anxiety; developmental delays; bullying; teen pregnancy; sexual abuse; teen drug and alcohol abuse; and family crises stemming from illness, death, trauma and divorce. For more than 60 years, the Guidance Center has been a place of hope and healing, providing innovative and
compassionate treatment to all who enter our doors, regardless of their ability to pay. For more information about the Guidance Center, visit www.northshorechildguidance.org or call (516) 626-1971.
It’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and one thing that has come a long way in recent years involves research on the brain’s development. Once upon a time, there was widespread belief that the human brain was fully developed by the time a child reached five or six years old. We know, for example, that the amygdala, the part of the brain that is responsible for instinctual reactions such as fear and aggressive behavior, does fully develop early. However, thanks to new technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), neuroscience researchers have discovered that there are significant changes that occur around the time of the onset of puberty, between 10 and 13 years of age.
Scientists have discovered that during adolescence there is a rapid increase in the connections between the brain cells and refinement of brain pathways and that these changes are critical for the development of coordinated thought and action. As psychotherapist Craig Haen put it, “In the teen years, young people are going through a software upgrade, neurologically, in which circuitry is being consolidated, networks are being reorganized, connections are being made stronger and more expedient and unused pathways are wearing away.”
Changes in the brain take place in the context of many other factors including early childhood experiences and environment. Scientists are continuing to look into the development of the brain and the relationship between the changes taking place, behavior and health.
The stakes are great during the teenage years. There is a perplexing contradiction between adolescents reaching the peak of physical health, strength and mental capability and, at the same time, facing greater risks and hazards than ever before. Parents walk a fine line between supporting their children’s independence and protecting them from harm.
Child and adolescent brain studies affirm that the brain is hard-wired for social interaction and for attaching and bonding with caregivers. Despite all the scientific advances, according to leading brain researcher Jay Giedd, people might be disappointed to know that the “best advice we can give is things that our grandmother could have told us generations ago: to spend loving, quality time with our children.”
Teenagers hunger for significant relationships with adults who care about them. This belief has been validated by social scientist Ellen Galinsky, who interviewed more than 1,000 children and found that teens longed for more time with their parents, even when they seemed to be pushing them away. Galinsky concluded , “Even though the public perception is about building bigger and better brains, what the research shows is that it’s the relationships, it’s the connections, it’s the people in children’s lives who make the biggest difference.”
If a child’s job is to explore and a parent’s job is to protect, understanding changes in adolescent brain development offers an opportunity to support and create environments that promote positive peer experiences, where teens can safely explore and experiment and avoid behavior that can harm themselves or others.
Note: A version of this story first appeared in a column by Andrew Malekoff in Anton Media.
Most babies start to show an interest in the world and the people around them at a very young age. By their first birthday, typical toddlers look people in the eye, copy words, play games like peek-a-boo and engage in clapping, waving hello and good-bye, and other simple behaviors.
But for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, the picture is often very different.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with ASD—which is a complex developmental disability that manifests in many different ways and to many different degrees—may struggle with social, emotional and communication skills.
Children or adults with ASD might:
not point at objects to show interest (for example, not point at an airplane flying over)
avoid eye contact and want to be alone
prefer not to be held or cuddled, or might cuddle only when they want to
appear to be unaware when people talk to them, but respond to other sounds
repeat or echo words or phrases said to them, or repeat words or phrases in place of normal language
have trouble expressing their needs using typical words or motions
not play “pretend” games (for example, not pretend to “feed” a doll)
have trouble adapting when a routine changes
have unusual reactions to the way things smell, taste, look, feel or sound
According to Dr. Sue Cohen, Director of Early Childhood and Psychological Services at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, other signs to look for include a child not responding to his or her name when called; repeating actions over and over again; and having highly restricted interests.
“People with ASD may have trouble understanding other people’s feelings or verbalizing their own feelings,” she says. “Their conversations may be focused only on what they are interested in, which can make it difficult for them to make friends. On the other hand, they may be very interested in people, but not know how to talk, play or relate to them. They don’t understand that others might be bored with their topic and it’s time to talk about what somebody else is interested in.”
Early intervention is important, but even with older children, treatment can result in real improvements. The Guidance Center provides thorough testing and, depending on the results, will create a customized therapeutic treatment plan, which often includes social skills groups and play therapy.
Support groups for caregivers are also very helpful. In addition to parent support groups, we have a program called GASAK, which stands for Grandparent Advocates Supporting Autistic Kids.
Also, our staff includes family advocates who often get involved in the cases, helping clients get appropriate services from their schools and other providers.
“It’s very important to determine the child’s needs and come up with a good educational and therapeutic plan,” says Dr. Cohen. Although people with ASD may face challenges, a diagnosis doesn’t mean your child won’t experience feelings of love, bonding and joy, she adds. “The child is still the same loving child they were before the diagnosis. It’s a condition they have, but it doesn’t have to define your child’s life.”
To reach the Guidance Center, call (516) 626-1971.
Imagine being American in every way except on paper and knowing that if you are the victim of violent crime you cannot report it out of fear of being deported. This is the sad reality for nearly 800,000 young immigrants who found hope in DACA.
If you’ve heard the acronym but are not familiar with DACA, it refers to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a federal program that began in 2012 permitting any person who was brought into the U.S. before the age of 16 the temporary right to live, study and work legally in America, providing they meet certain criteria including no criminal record and attending in high school or college, or serving in the military.
According to the Pew Research Center, two-thirds of current DACA recipients are 25 or younger, many of whom were brought to the U.S. as children so they might escape persecution, violence and poverty for the promise of a better life.
One young immigrant, Rodrigo Trejo, shared his story with United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the country: “When I was in the 11th grade my step dad was deported to Mexico, but he had a conversation with me before he was sent back. He told me that I was going to have to be the man of the house because he didn’t think he was ever coming back. I didn’t know what he was trying to say at the time, until he passed away crossing the U.S border. He couldn’t bear to be away from his family.”
Although Rodrigo became depressed and dropped out of school he bounced back. He reenrolled and graduated at the age of 20. Soon thereafter he applied for DACA in order to continue his education. “I plan to continue my studies and want to help others who have the potential of becoming someone great but because of similar life circumstances, don’t believe in themselves,” he said.
On September 5, 2017, U.S. Attorney General (AG) Jeff Sessions pronounced, “I am here today to announce that the program known as DACA that was effectuated under the Obama administration is being rescinded [effective March 5, 2018].”
On January 9, 2018, four months after AG Session’s announcement, a U.S. District Judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending DACA, thus allowing recipients to renew their protected status for two years, re-affirming their legal legitimacy to remain in the U.S. A subsequent appeal of the judge’s ruling to keep DACA going failed.
If DACA were to be permanently rescinded it would prevent young immigrants like Rodrigo from applying for deportation protections and work permits, exacerbating the isolation, uncertainty, hopelessness and terror that preceded DACA becoming law.
If you follow national news, there is a cat-and-mouse game being played with DACA recipients in our nation’s capital. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that what is at stake is the physical and emotional well-being of young people like Rodrigo who came to the U.S. as children by no fault of their own.
In addition to the shifting sentiments expressed by the president, there is an organized anti-immigrant movement underway in the U.S. led by groups such as the Federation for American Immigrant Reform (FAIR), Center for Immigration Studies and Numbers USA. These nativist groups advocate for white European power and political control, and paint undocumented immigrants with a broad criminalized brush.
The issue of immigration in the U.S. is much broader than DACA. Nevertheless, we need to stand up to protect these young people from being rounded up and sent away. If you believe in human rights, doing nothing is not an option.
Andrew Malekoff is the Executive Director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, which provides comprehensive mental health services for children from birth through 24 and their families. To find out more, visit www.northshorechildguidance.org.
This article was first published in Long Island Weekly of the Anton Media Group, April 18-24, 2018
Left to Right: Andrew Malekoff, Sean Grover, Nicole Nagy, Kerry Lynn Eller, Nancy Manigat, and Reverend Gideon L.K. Pollach
On Friday April 13, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center hosted a program featuring Long Island author Nicole Nagy.
Nagy’s book, “Creative Mind: A Diary of Teenage Mental Illness,” is a moving first-person account of her mental health challenges and also of the roadblocks she faced when trying to access timely and affordable treatment.
Nagy, a graduate social work student at Stony Brook, has also become a Project Access advocate, fighting alongside the Guidance Center for timely, affordable access to mental health and addictions care.
The April 13 program featured Nagy’s discussion of her journey to healing and also addressed the battle to overcome stigma.
“In her book, Nicole writes with an authentic, courageous voice as she talks about her experiences with depression and anxiety,” said Andrew Malekoff, executive director of the Guidance Center. “With this book, Nicole has helped lift the fear of stigma by so honestly sharing her story. In addition, her advocacy for people struggling with mental health issues is very powerful. The battle for access to care is a matter of civil rights for millions of people.”
Even with excellent health insurance, Nagy said that getting access to treatment was very difficult. “It took weeks to get an appointment after I was hospitalized for a suicide attempt,” she said. When she was finally able to get the help she needed, she “learned to own and manage my illness and love myself.” Her goal is to share her story with everyone she can and give them hope.
The April 13 event included insights from an outstanding panel: Nancy Manigat, chief program officer of CN Guidance & Counseling Services; author and psychotherapist Sean Grover; Kerry Lynn Eller, a social worker at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center who has experienced the difficulty of accessing mental health care in her own family; and the Rev. Gideon L. K. Pollach, rector at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Cold Spring Harbor.
“Nicole’s story shows that having mental illness and being successful are not mutually exclusive,” said Eller. Grover talked about the need for adults to remember what it was like being a teenager and to “tap into our humanity,” while Pollach spoke of the need for communities of faith to fight for parity for mental health and addictions treatment.
Manigat, Chief Program Officer of CN Guidance & Counseling Services, applauded Nagy for being an advocate, and also spoke about the importance of the Project Access study, which surveyed 650 Long Islanders about their experience trying to find mental health care. “We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center on this very important study with the goal of improving access to lifesaving services for individuals living with a mental health and/or substance use disorder,” said Manigat. “Through our participation with Project Access, we were able to provide significant data which helped identify obstacles to care. At CN Guidance and Counseling Services, we believe in every individual’s ability to recover – and access to care is a necessary component of treatment. We are enthusiastic about the potential for change to come through the results of this survey.”
For more information about Project Access, email Guidance Center CEO Andrew Malekoff at amalekoff@northshorechildguidance.org. You can order “Creative Mind” on Amazon.com.
Imagine being American in every way except on paper and knowing that if you are the victim of violent crime you cannot report it out of fear of being deported. This is the sad reality for nearly 800,000 young immigrants who found hope in DACA.
