by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | Sep 30, 2020 | Blog
October marks the beginning of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, but if you’re thinking of adding a dog (or cat or other pet) to the family, adoption is a great way to go any time of year. You not only add a wonderful companion to your life, but also save a life.
Many families have adopted animals during the pandemic, since they’ve had more time at home to spend with their new pets. While it’s important to be sure you will be able to continue to care for your pet once life returns to a more normal schedule, the benefits to your children and teens are so numerous that you can be sure that the added responsibility is well worth it!
Just some of the benefits of having a dog or other pet for your family, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Developing positive feelings about pets can contribute to a child’s self-confidence. Positive relationships with pets can aid in the development of trusting relationships with others. And a good relationship with a pet can also help in developing non-verbal communication, compassion and empathy.
Pets provide unconditional love, which is important for every child, but especially helpful for kids who have difficulties with depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. In fact, research indicates that children with pets tend to have higher levels of empathy and feelings of self-worth compared to those who don’t have animals. They can also help children with issues such as shyness and autism with their social skills.
Some other benefits for kids of pet companionship: Leads to an increase in physical activity; reduces stress; provides companionship and social support; helps children learn responsibility; gives them someone to talk to; and fosters a connection with the natural world.
So, given the benefits to children’s mental and physical health of having a pet, visit your local shelter and bring a bundle of love home!
Want to learn more about pet adoption? Click here for a great source of information.
Caring for a Pet
The decision to adopt a pet should never be made impulsively, since it is a long-term commitment. Before bring a pet home, read up on the responsibilities of pet ownership, here, or take these tips from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology:
Taking care of a pet can help children develop social skills. However, certain guidelines apply:
- Since very young children (under the age of 3-4 years) do not have the maturity to control their aggressive and angry impulses, they should be monitored with pets at all times.
- Young children (under 10 years) are unable to care for a large animal, a cat or a dog, on their own.
- Parents must oversee the pet’s care even if they believe their child is old enough to care for a pet.
- If children become lax in caring for a pet, parents may have to take over the responsibility on their own.
- Children should be reminded in a gentle, not scolding way, that animals, like people, need food, water, and exercise.
- If a child continues to neglect a pet, a new home may have to be found for the animal.
- Parents serve as role models. Children learn responsible pet ownership by observing their parents’ behavior.
Where to Adopt
Long Island is home to many animal shelters and rescue groups. Following is a listing of many, but to find more, google “Long Island animal shelters” and “Long Island animal rescue.”
Almost Home Animal Rescue & Adoption
646 Route 112
Patchogue, NY 11772
(631) 627-3665
More Information
Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons (ARF)
124 Daniels Hole Road
East Hampton, New York 11937
(631) 537-0400
More Information
Bideawee
Westhampton
118 Old Country Road
Westhampton, NY 11977
Adoption Center – (631) 684-0079
Animal Hospital – (631) 325-0280
Volunteer – (631) 684-0079
More Information
Bobbi and the Strays
2 Rider Place
Freeport, NY 11520
(516) 378-4340
More Information
Brookhaven Animal Shelter
300 Horseblock Road
Brookhaven, NY 11719
(631) 451-6950
More Information
Forgotten Friends of Long Island Animal Rescue
(516) 719-0808
More Information
Jake’s Rescue Ranch
jakesrescueranch@gmail.com
More Information
Kent Animal Shelter
2259 River Road
Calverton, NY 11933
(631) 727-5731
More Information
Last Hope Animal Rescue
Wantagh Adoption Center – Dogs & Cats
3300 Beltagh Avenue
Wantagh, NY 11793
(631) 425-1884
More Information
Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center
33 Warner Road
Huntington, NY 11743
(631) 368-8770
More Information
North Fork Animal Welfare League
(631) 765-1811
More Information
North Shore Animal League America
25 Davis Avenue
Port Washington, NY 11050
(516) 883-7575
More Information
Ollie’s Angels Animal Rescue
More Information
Our Best Friends Animal Rescue Inc.
More Information
Posh Pets Rescue
770 Park Place
Long Beach, NY 11561
(516) 431-7674
More Information
Remember Me Rescue
rmrescueny@gmail.com
(310) 623-0463
More Information
Ruff House Rescue
(516) 960-6388
More Information
Southampton Animal Shelter
102 Old Riverhead Road WEST
Hampton Bays, NY 11946
(631) 728-PETS (7387)
More Information
Tender Loving Cats, Inc.
1208 Deer Park Ave
North Babylon, NY 11703
1-866-458-8228 (ILUVCATS)
More Information
Town of Babylon Animal Shelter
80 New Highway
Amityville, NY 11701
(631) 643-9270
More Information
Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter
75 Marino Avenue
Port Washington, NY 11050
(516) 944-8220
More Information
Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter
3320 Beltagh Avenue
Wantagh, NY 11793
(516) 785-5220
More Information
Town of Islip Animal Shelter
210 S. Denver Avenue
Bay Shore, NY 11706
(631) 224-5660
More Information
Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter
150 Miller Place
Syosset, NY 11791
(516) 677-5784
More Information
Sources:
https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_for_families/fff-guide/pets-and-children-075.aspx
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/p/pets-and-mental-health
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/top-reasons-adopt-pet
https://theconversation.com/when-pets-are-family-the-benefits-extend-into-society-109179
https://napacenter.org/super-pets-how-pets-can-improve-social-skills-in-children-with-autism/
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/guidelines-responsible-pet-ownership
https://www.rd.com/advice/pets/shelter-dog-benefits/
https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_for_families/fff-guide/pets-and-children-075.aspx
by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | Sep 24, 2020 | Blog
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, this week’s blog takes a look at our Latina Girls Project, which was created to respond to the alarming rate of depression, school refusal, self-harm, sexual abuse, suicidal ideation and attempted suicides by Hispanic teen girls.
In her work as Associate Executive Director at the Guidance Center, Regina Barros-Rivera has counseled numerous teens who suffer from depression and anxiety. But nearly a decade ago, she noticed a disturbing trend: An increasingly large number of first-generation Latinas were coming to the Guidance Center with severe depression, self-harming behaviors and suicidal thoughts. Many had stopped going to school, and some had been hospitalized for suicide attempts.
Barros-Rivera soon discovered that nationwide research mirrored what she was seeing at the Guidance Center. Studies show that Hispanic teenage girls are significantly more likely than their non-Hispanic peers to suffer from depression and thoughts of suicide.
As the daughter of immigrant parents, Barros-Rivera was gravely concerned—and determined to do something to help the teens and their families. She gathered a team of bilingual, multicultural counselors from the Guidance Center and created the Latina Girls Project, an innovative program that employs individual, group and family therapy, along with monthly outings and other activities, all designed to tackle issues such as depression, low self-esteem, school refusal and suicidal ideation.
In addition to bilingual individual, family and group therapy, the program incorporates a youth enrichment component that is comprised of monthly supervised outings to places such as theaters, museums and other cultural and educational sites. These trips, made possible by the generosity of John and Janet Kornreich, expose the girls to world in a way that would never have happened if not for this Guidance Center program. The trips also offer respite to the parents who are relieved to know that their daughters are in safe hands.
The pandemic has caused a temporary halt to these outings, and the girls have reported how much they miss them—a testimony to the importance the trips play in their lives.
As Barros-Rivera says, “The monthly trips play a significant role in the Latina Girls Project’s ability to transform these girls’ lives. They serve to boost their confidence and sense of independence. The girls also discover that there’s a great big world of opportunity out there for them, which allows them to feel hopeful about their futures.”
As one girl put it, “The therapy helped my mother and I communicate and become very close, and the monthly outings showed me a world I never would have seen. I felt that I wanted to be a part of the larger world. The trips gave me the feeling that I could be truly happy in my life.”
The Guidance Center looks forward to starting up the outings again as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, we have continued to see clients via telehealth, making sure that the girls have support as they and their families navigate these very difficult times.
To learn more about the Latina Girls Project and other Guidance Center programs, visit www.northshorechildguidance.org or call (516) 626-1971.
by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | Sep 23, 2020 | In The Media
Sept. 10, in honor of World Suicide Prevention Day, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is announcing the launch of the Douglas S. Feldman Suicide Prevention Project, an expansive initiative that aims to tackle the epidemic of suicide among young people.
“We get calls every single day from families in desperate need of help because their tweens and teens are expressing suicidal feelings,” said Regina Barros-Rivera, associate executive director of the Guidance Center, Long Island’s leading children’s mental health agency. “And with the isolation and heightened anxiety brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s created an even more dangerous situation.”
Ever since the stay-at-home order was put into place, she said, the Guidance Center has noted a significant increase in depression and anxiety among children and their families.
“The impact of this disaster is ongoing,” said Barros-Rivera. “Kids have lost their school and social connections, and many families have experienced the loss of loved ones. As a result of being secluded in an unstable home, children may also be exposed to domestic violence, substance abuse, neglect or other forms of violence.”
While the pandemic has created a surge in emergency cases at the Guidance Center, the crisis of suicide among young people is not new.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24, with more teenagers and young adults dying from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and lung disease combined.
Elissa Smilowitz, who heads up the Triage & Emergency program at the Guidance Center, has been treating suicidal youngsters for several decades. She will also be providing leadership for the Douglas S. Feldman Suicide Prevention Project.
“We’ve always seen emergency cases within 24 to 48 hours, but with this new initiative, we will be expanding our efforts substantially,” said Smilowitz. With the Douglas S. Feldman Suicide Prevention Project, the Guidance Center will continue to address high-risk cases with a thorough evaluation for suicide risk; multiple sessions of individual, group and family therapy each week; and an individualized treatment plan that focuses on safety strategies and healthy coping skills.
“I’m very excited that we will be increasing our outreach to the community with a focus on suicide prevention,” said Smilowitz. “With this new project, we will offer services that will decrease the prevalence of suicidal thinking and actions in our children and teens through education forums, both face-to-face and with webinars. In addition, we will launch a suicide survivors’ support group for those who suffer this tragic loss.”
The Douglas S. Feldman Suicide Prevention Project is made possible by a generous gift from Donald and Ellen Feldman in memory of their son.
Andrew Malekoff, executive director of the Guidance Center, said, “We are grateful to the Feldmans for supporting the development of a suicide prevention initiative that will enhance our ability to reach young people who may see no way out from the despair they are feeling—especially during a time of unprecedented risk, deep divisions in our nation and a global pandemic.”
Donations to support the lifesaving work of the Douglas S. Feldman Suicide Prevention Project can be made on the Guidance Center’s website at www.northshorechildguidance.org. or by calling (516) 626-1971, ext. 320.
by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | Sep 23, 2020 | Anton Media
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is pleased to announce that the nonprofit organization received a Community Development Block Grant from Nassau County for $147,500 to support its work serving Long Island’s communities during the pandemic crisis.
“During this most troubling and stressful time for so many families of all backgrounds, we are grateful to Nassau County for awarding us a Community Development Block Grant COVID grant,” said Andrew Malekoff, executive director of the Guidance Center. “It could not have come at a better time. We are seeing an increase in young people who are experiencing depression and anxiety, are at risk for suicide and other self-harming behaviors, and cannot afford to be placed on a waiting list. This funding supports our ability to offer a rapid response and quality mental health care for all families who need us regardless of their ability to pay.”
Nassau County distributed nearly $2.5 million in federal CDBG-COVID funding to 12 non-profit partners and nine municipalities across Nassau County to provide mental health and substance abuse services, youth and senior services, and health, safety, and accessibility upgrades for local community centers.
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, the leading children’s mental health agency on Long Island, is seeing new and existing clients via telephone and video during the COVID-19 crisis. To make an appointment, call (516) 626-1971. Visit www.northshorechildguidance.org for more information.
by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | Sep 23, 2020 | In The Media
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is pleased to announce that the nonprofit organization received a Community Development Block Grant from Nassau County for $147,500 to support its work serving Long Island’s communities during the pandemic crisis.
“During this most troubling and stressful time for so many families of all backgrounds, we are grateful to Nassau County for awarding us a Community Development Block Grant COVID grant,” said Andrew Malekoff, executive director of the Guidance Center. “It could not have come at a better time. We are seeing an increase in young people who are experiencing depression and anxiety, are at risk for suicide and other self-harming behaviors, and cannot afford to be placed on a waiting list. This funding supports our ability to offer a rapid response and quality mental health care for all families who need us regardless of their ability to pay.”
Nassau County distributed nearly $2.5 million in federal CDBG-COVID funding to 12 non-profit partners and nine municipalities across Nassau County to provide mental health and substance abuse services, youth and senior services, and health, safety, and accessibility upgrades for local community centers.
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, the leading children’s mental health agency on Long Island, is seeing new and existing clients via telephone and video during the COVID-19 crisis. To make an appointment, call (516) 626-1971. Visit www.northshorechildguidance.org for more information.
