Grant will help educate community about racial disparities in birth outcomes
Roslyn Heights, NY, June 14, 2018—North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, the preeminent not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island, is pleased to announced that we received a $2,800 grant from the March of Dimes Greater NY Market. The grant will go toward supporting the Birth Justice Warriors Project, an initiative that focuses on improving the health of black mothers and their babies.
The concept of the Birth Justice Warriors, an initiative co-chaired by the Guidance Center’s Dr. Nellie Taylor-Walthrust and Hofstra University’s Dr. Martine Hackett, was born out of the crippling bias and injustice faced by black and brown mothers in the United States in general and in Nassau County in particular. According to the New York State Department of Health, a black woman is up to four times more likely to die in childbirth than a white mother. In Nassau County, the infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births is 9.4 for black babies versus the 2.2 reported for white non-Hispanic babies.
The three communities at highest risk are (in order) Roosevelt, Hempstead and Westbury/New Cassel.
“I think most people are surprised—I certainly was—when they find out that an affluent suburb like Nassau County has such high infant and maternal mortality rates in certain areas for black mothers and babies, higher than it is in New York City,” says Dr. Hackett. “Lack of awareness means that these poor health outcomes are basically invisible, and if you can’t see these problems, then you can’t act on them. Birth Justice Warriors will use local residents to increase the understanding of the causes of infant and maternal mortality and what we can do about it.”
“Our goal is to bring education and awareness to this issue of inequality, which has a multitude of contributing factors,” says Dr. Taylor-Walthrust, Director of the Leeds Place, a Guidance Center site. “We’re going to educate people at all levels, from women in the community to pediatricians, nurses, health care professionals, elected officials and those in faith-based institutions. Ultimately we want legislation to be written that guarantees that this crucial information is delivered to all women of child-bearing age.”
Action is also being taken on the state level. On April 23, 2018, Governor Cuomo announced an initiative to target maternal mortality and reduce racial disparities in health outcome. The initiative includes efforts to review and better address maternal death and morbidity with a focus on racial disparities, expanding community outreach, and taking new actions to increase access to prenatal and perinatal care.
To find out more about the Birth Justice Warriors, contact Dr. Walthrust-Taylor at (516) 997-2926, ext. 229, or email NTaylorWalthrust@northshorechildguidance.org.
On Tuesday, May 15th, the Welcoming Club of Garden City hosted their Spring Soirée at the Garden City Hotel, with all proceeds going to benefit North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, the premiere not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island.
The event featured fabulous boutique shopping, getting-to-know-you games, a Garden City trivia contest, great raffle prizes and a delicious buffet.
“Tuesday was a fun and fabulous night that allowed the ladies of the Welcoming Club of Garden City to come together with old friends and mix and mingle to meet new ones in a chic and festive atmosphere,” says Meg Dockery- Cremins, President of the Welcoming Club. “The Spring Soirée was the culmination of a year’s worth of family, couples and ladies events to benefit North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. The wonderful vendors along with our generous community sponsors provided fabulous prizes which will allow us to make a generous donation to The Guidance Center, which we view as a critically important organization in the community.”
“We are so grateful to the members of the Welcoming Club of Garden City for making us the beneficiary of their events for September 2017 through June 2018,” says Lauren McGowan, Director of Development for North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. “The funds that they raise will go directly to our core mission of helping Long Island children and their families who are in need of mental health or substance use care. We could not do our work without generous donations from community minded organizations like the Welcoming Club.”
The Welcoming Club of Garden City is a well-established women’s organization of over 650 members that focuses on welcoming new members to our community while promoting charitable and humanitarian projects. The Club offers many social activities/events for couples, children, families and nights out for the ladies. Some of the events they offer include: running/walking, tennis, golf, bowling, gourmet club, book club, bunko, toddler playgroups, family events, ladies nights, social events, = and movie night. To learn more, visit www.thegardencitywelcomingclub.org.
In a report issued by Nassau County’s Department of Health—Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan (2016-18)—there is no mention of maternal mortality or information on social and environmental risk factors for women and infants of color. Consequently, no initiatives to address maternal and infant mortality disparities are recommended, yet overall Nassau County health data indicates that it ranks at the top of all counties in New York State.
To address this “invisible injustice,” maternal and child health advocates convened at Hofstra University on March 23 for a Birth Equity Breakfast organized by the Nassau County Perinatal Services Network.
Birth equity refers to the assurance that all human beings have the best possible births, buttressed by careful attention to racial and social disparities.
Keynoter Dr. Martine Hackett, assistant professor at Hofstra University’s School of Health Professions and Human Services, presented data from the state Department of Health that showed the disparate outcomes for black mothers and babies as compared with their white counterparts.
Infant mortality refers to the death of children before their first birthdays, which is a key indicator of the overall health of a population. According to the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Japan is the number one ranked country for newborn survival, while the United States ranks only 22nd in the world.
Among the eye-opening data that Hackett cited are the differences between the infant mortality rates in contiguous communities in Nassau County. For example, in Roosevelt there were 11.1 infant deaths per 1,000 births from 2012-14, while neighboring Merrick had zero deaths. Overall, in Nassau County the black infant mortality rate is more than four times that of the White infant mortality rate and even higher than in New York City.
Dr. Joia Creer-Perry, president of the National Birth Equity Collaborative, spoke about the perception of black mothers and the barriers to receiving holistic care by the health care system. If a woman is living under great stress she will have trouble carrying her baby to term. Premature birth to underweight babies is a leading cause of infant mortality.
Social justice activist and attorney Fred Brewington condemned the institutional racism prevalent in healthcare that has resulted in infant mortality figures today that are no different than they were almost a century ago.
Just weeks after the Birth Equity Breakfast, Tasha Portley, a nurse living in Tyler, TX, spoke at a similar forum halfway across the U.S. In a report published in the April 16 edition of the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Portley stated that “Pregnant black women often experience casually degrading remarks from white people when they seek maternal health care.”
Portley shared the story of a black woman who had some difficulty acquiring a breast pump from a local social services agency and, in the process, was the target of demeaning remarks by an employee. Portley went on to say, “We are dying because we are black and we are living in a country where there is inherent racism. It is systemic. It is the thread; it is the fiber of everything that exists.”
Hackett highlighted what needs to happen in order to turn the corner on disparities in Nassau County. Among her recommendations were to inform women after childbirth of warning signs for hemorrhage, embolism or infection, especially when there are preexisting conditions; to enhance service integration for women and infants; and to treat women of color with dignity, respect and culturally relevant care.
Bringing birth inequities to light is an important step forward. When this issue is not identified in Nassau County health data, people don’t know about it and it cannot be addressed. The breakfast concluded with the unveiling of the Birth Justice Warriors, an initiative envisioned by Hackett, to train birth advocates with the hope of ameliorating the birth inequities in Nassau County.
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, including support for pregnant and parenting teens and their babies. To find out more, visit www.northshorechildguidance.org.
From left): Andrew Malekoff, Nancy Lane, Todd Kaminsky, Jo-Ellen Hazan and Andrea Leeds participated in North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center’s Spring Luncheon.
On Tuesday, May 15, the Welcoming Club of Garden City hosted their Spring Soirée at the Garden City Hotel, with all proceeds going to benefit North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, the premiere not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island.
The event featured fabulous boutique shopping, getting-to-know-you games, a Garden City trivia contest, great raffle prizes and a delicious buffet.
“Tuesday was a fun and fabulous night that allowed the ladies of the Welcoming Club of Garden City to come together with old friends and mix and mingle to meet new ones in a chic and festive atmosphere,” says Meg Dockery-Cremins, president of the Welcoming Club. “The Spring Soirée was the culmination of a year’s worth of family, couples and ladies events to benefit North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. The wonderful vendors along with our generous community sponsors provided fabulous prizes which will allow us to make a generous donation to The Guidance Center, which we view as a critically important organization in the community.”
“We are so grateful to the members of the Welcoming Club of Garden City for making us the beneficiary of their events for September 2017 through June 2018,” says Lauren McGowan, Director of Development for North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. “The funds that they raise will go directly to our core mission of helping Long Island children and their families who are in need of mental health or substance use care. We could not do our work without generous donations from community-minded organizations like the Welcoming Club.”
Despite feeling blindsided, many of us now know that we are living in the midst of an unprecedented drug epidemic. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, since 1999, the rate of overdose deaths including prescription pain relievers, heroin and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, nearly quadrupled.
In the intervening years, many steps have been taken to help save lives. These include improving prescribing practices and expanding access to medication assisted treatment and the use of Naloxone.
Medication-assisted treatment combines behavioral therapy and medications such as methadone or buprenorphine to treat opioid addiction. Through affordable, accessible and quality care people can recover and go on to live productive lives.
Naloxone is used to treat a narcotic overdose in an emergency situation by reversing the effects of opioids, including slowed breathing or loss of consciousness.
Notwithstanding the increased attention to lifesaving measures, there is relatively little focus on the devastating impact of addiction on children living in families where a parent is addicted to drugs or alcohol.
There are more than 8 million children under 18 years of age that are growing up in homes with alcohol and other drugabusing parents. These young people are likely to become alcohol or drug abusers themselves without intervention.
Parental alcoholism and drug addiction influence the use of alcohol and other drugs in several ways. These include increased stress and decreased parental monitoring that contributes to adolescents’ joining peer groups that support drug use.
Children who grow up with an addicted parent learn to distrust to survive. When unpredictability dominates one’s life, he or she is likely to be wary, always sensing disappointment lurking nearby.
Children growing up with an addicted parent become uncomfortably accustomed to living with chaos, uncertainty and unpredictability. When a child grows up under these conditions, they learn to guess at what normal is.
Denial, secrecy, embarrassment and shame are common experiences of children who live with an addicted parent. Even seeking help outside of the family might in itself be seen as an act of betrayal, a step toward revealing the family secret. The stigma of addiction can leave chemically dependent persons and family members feeling utterly alone in the world.
Children who grow up with an addicted parent live with the unspoken mandate – don’t talk, don’t trust, don’t feel.
Growing up with an addicted family member leaves children with little hope that things will ever change. I am reminded of a parable about the small village on the edge of a river.
One day a villager saw a baby floating down the river. He jumped in the river and saved the baby. The next day he saw two babies floating down the river. He and another villager dived in and saved them. Each day that followed, more babies were found floating down the river. The villagers organized themselves, training teams of swimmers to rescue the babies. They were soon working around the clock.
Although they could not save all the babies, the rescue squad members felt good and were lauded for saving as many babies as they could. However, one day, one of the villagers asked: “Where are all these babies coming from? Why don’t we organize a team to head upstream to find out who’s throwing the babies into the river in the first place!”
Mobilizing resources to pull babies from the river, while neglecting the one’s left behind makes no sense.
Andrew Malekoff is the Executive Director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, which provides comprehensive mental health and chemical dependency services for children from birth through 24 and their families. To find out more, visit www.northshorechildguidance.org.
Roslyn Heights, NY, May 21, 2018— On Thursday, May 17, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center hosted a free community forum on the dangers of e-cigarettes, vaping and other substances such as new concentrated forms of marijuana. The forum was held at the Guidance Center’s Leeds Place location, at 999 Brush Hollow Road in Westbury.
“Marketers are selling teens and even younger kids on the idea that vaping is safe,” says Kathy Knaust, Clinical Supervisor at Leeds Place. “They’re also making the products more appealing to younger ages, including creating products such as fruit- and dessert-flavored vaporizer Juuls and decorative vape pens.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, millions of young people have taken up vaping—a trend that could push back decades of progress in helping prevent kids from taking up smoking. The U.S. Surgeon General’s office reports that, along with nicotine, e-cigarettes can contain harmful ingredients such as ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs; flavorants such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease; volatile organic compounds; and heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead.
The seminar also discussed the fact that teen marijuana users are also more likely to be exposed to newer, more potent forms of marijuana, including a dangerous marijuana extract called “dabs” that is rapidly gaining in popularity. “We are seeing many more clients reporting that they’re using THC oil or THC wax,” says Dr. Nellie Taylor-Walthrust, Director of the Leeds Place. “It’s a very alarming trend, especially when they can’t know for sure what other substances may be added.”
Other information covered included how these marijuana products are produced and the dangerous chemical byproducts that are left as residue. Says Knaust, “It is a much concentrated form of THC that is addicting and causes hallucinations, psychotic symptoms, ER visits and long-term damage due to the chemicals involved, mostly butane. These are becoming more sought-after products due to the potency and due to the fact that when vaped there is no smell; therefore they can be used undetected in public places or in school or in the home.”
The forum also featured Nassau County Police Officer Yolanda Turner from Community Affairs at Police Headquarters in Mineola. “Parents need to know that kids are vaping right in front of them and they likely don’t even know because it is colorless and odorless,” says Officer Turner. “It’s been spreading to children as young as fifth grade.”
Spring Soirée Benefits North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center
Welcoming Club of Garden City Donates All Proceeds to the Mental Health Organization
Roslyn Heights, NY, May 17, 2018— On Tuesday, May 15, the Welcoming Club of Garden City hosted their Spring Soirée at the Garden City Hotel, with all proceeds going to benefit North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, the premiere not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island.
The event featured fabulous boutique shopping, getting-to-know-you games, a Garden City trivia contest, great raffle prizes and a delicious buffet.
“Tuesday was a fun and fabulous night that allowed the ladies of the Welcoming Club of Garden City to come together with old friends and mix and mingle to meet new ones in a chic and festive atmosphere,” says Meg Dockery-Cremins, President of the Welcoming Club. “The Spring Soirée was the culmination of a year’s worth of family, couples and ladies events to benefit North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. The wonderful vendors along with our generous community sponsors provided fabulous prizes which will allow us to make a generous donation to The Guidance Center, which we view as a critically important organization in the community.”
“We are so grateful to the members of the Welcoming Club of Garden City for making us the beneficiary of their events for September 2017 through June 2018,” says Lauren McGowan, Director of Development for North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. “The funds that they raise will go directly to our core mission of helping Long Island children and their families who are in need of mental health or substance use care. We could not do our work without generous donations from community-minded organizations like the Welcoming Club.”
The Welcoming Club of Garden City is a well-established women’s organization of over 650 members that focuses on welcoming new members to our community while promoting charitable and humanitarian projects. The Club offers many social activities/events for couples, children, families and nights out for the ladies. Some of the events they offer include: running/walking, tennis, golf, bowling, gourmet club, book club, bunko, toddler playgroups, family events, ladies nights, social events and movie night. To learn more, visit www.thegardencitywelcomingclub.org.
On Thursday, May 17, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center will be hosting a free community forum on the dangers of e-cigarettes, vaping and other substances such as new concentrated forms of marijuana.
The forum will be held at the Guidance Center’s Leeds Place location, at 999 Brush Hollow Road in Westbury.
“Marketers are selling teens and even younger kids on the idea that vaping is safe,” said Kathy Knaust, Clinical Supervisor at Leeds Place. “They’re also making the products more appealing to younger ages, including creating products such as fruit- and dessert-flavored vaporizer Juuls and decorative vape pens.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, millions of young people have taken up vaping — a trend that could push back decades of progress in helping prevent kids from taking up smoking.
The U.S. Surgeon General’s office reports that, along with nicotine, e-cigarettes can contain harmful ingredients such as ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs; flavorants such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to serious lung disease; volatile organic compounds; and heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead.
The seminar will also discuss the fact that teen marijuana users are also more likely to be exposed to newer, more potent forms of marijuana, including a dangerous marijuana extract called “dabs” that is rapidly gaining in popularity.
“We are seeing many more clients reporting that they’re using THC oil or THC wax,” said Dr. Nellie Taylor-Walthrust, director of the Leeds Place. “It’s a very alarming trend, especially when they can’t know for sure what other substances may be added.”
Information to be covered includes how these marijuana products are produced and the dangerous chemical byproducts that are left as residue.
Said Knaust, “It is a much concentrated form of THC that is addicting and causes hallucinations, psychotic symptoms, ER visits and long-term damage due to the chemicals involved, mostly butane. These are becoming more sought-after products due to the potency and due to the fact that when vaped there is no smell; therefore they can be used undetected in public places or in school or in the home.”
The forum will also feature Nassau County Police Officer Yolanda Turner from Community Affairs at Police Headquarters in Mineola.
The forum is free but registration is required. Contact Dr. Nellie Taylor-Walthrust at (516) 997-2926, ext. 229 or email NTaylorWalthrust@northshorechildguidance.org.
Andrew Malekoff (center) of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center received a Folio Award from the Fair Media Council. He was congratulated by James Kinney (left) and Jaci Clement.
Luncheon guests enjoy the American Manhasset raffle prize puzzle game during the North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center’s spring luncheon. (Photo courtesy of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center)
On April 26, 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.
Pictured, from left, are North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center Executive Director Andrew Malekoff, Nancy Lane, state Sen. Todd Kaminsky, Jo-Ellen Hazan and Andrea Leeds. (Photo courtesy of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center)
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.
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 at Hofstra/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 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.
Pictured, from left, are Andrew Malekoff, Amy Cantor, Alexis Siegel, Dr. Victor Fornari, Jan Ashley and Nancy Lane. (Photo courtesy of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center)
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 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.
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.
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.
Dina De Giorgio (center) of the Town of North Hempstead honored Vivian Moy (left) of the Port Washington Crisis Relief Team and Nancy Lane of the North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center at the town’s 25th Annual May W. Newburger Women’s Roll of Honor.
Andrew Malekoff (right) of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center was honored with a Folio Award from the Fair Media Council. (Also shown, from left) Jo-Ellen Hazan, Rita Castagna and Frank Castagna.
Includes Book Signing by author of Creative Mind: A Diary of Teenage Mental Illness
Roslyn Heights, NY, April 17, 2018 — On Friday April 13th, 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.
Nicole Nagy signs her book for Guidance Center Associate Executive Director Regina Barros-Rivera.
“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 13th 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 Reverend Gideon L. K. Pollach, rector at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Cold Spring Harbor, NY.
“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.
Left to Right: Andrew Malekoff, Sean Grover, Nicole Nagy, Kerry Lynn Eller, Nancy Manigat, and Reverend Gideon L.K. Pollach.
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.”
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.
From left, James Kinney, Fair Media Council board chairman; Andrew Malekoff, executive director of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center; and Jaci Clement, CEO and executive director of Fair Media Council. (Photo courtesy of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center)
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center Executive Director Andrew Malekoff was honored today at the Fair Media Council’s Folio Awards as Best Columnist. His winning column was “Looking for a Path Back to Civility,” which ran in Newsday’s Opinion section on Sept. 17, 2017.
Here is an excerpt from the column:
Most people I talk to agree that civility is on the decline. Everyone seems to have his or her own horror stories, whether it is inconsiderate neighbors or co-workers, aggressive driving or just plain rudeness.
Highways have become the Wild West. Hardly anyone comes to a complete stop for a stop sign. The yellow traffic signal has evolved from its original meaning, slow down, to speed up. And, of course, there are tailgating, middle-finger salutes and rampant road rage.
Today, there is so much talk about putting an end to bullying in schools. Yet, we live in a world of adults who don’t think twice about trampling personal boundaries through rude, intimidating and obnoxious behavior.
If we cannot reverse the trend, we can at least slow down and teach our children, after we remind ourselves, the importance of putting a pause between impulse and action. Perhaps it is somewhere inside of that sacred space that we can find our way back to a civil society.
“I’m honored to receive this prestigious journalism award, especially for this piece that I’ve come to realize has such universal appeal,” said Malekoff.
“It’s more important than ever for responsible, credible voices to take a leading role in the public conversation to ensure we have an informed public and a smarter democracy,” said Jaci Clement, CEO and executive director of Fair Media Council. “Winning a Fair Media Council Folio Award illustrates North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center’s commitment to bettering the community by raising awareness, and cements its role as a Long Island leader.”
Debbie Greco Cohen, Lauren Edwards, Vivian Moy, Bridgette Hirsch, Mariann Dalimonte and Robin McDermott.
Port Washington resident Vivian Moy and Sands Point resident Nancy Lane have been named to the 2018 May W. Newburger Women’s Roll of Honor and were recognized at the annual breakfast at the Clubhouse at Harbor Links in Port Washington on March 28. Moy and Lane were among 12 women honored for their contribution to the community and significant achievements through public or private efforts.
“North Hempstead has a long, rich history of strong, compassionate women who dedicate themselves to the enrichment of our great town,” said Town of North Hempstead Clerk Wayne Wink at the breakfast. “It is my distinct privilege to organize this event each year to honor women throughout the Town of North Hempstead that have generously dedicated their time to make our town a better place. This year, we are proud to honor 12 deserving women for their exemplary service to the community. They join the ranks of many whom, through their service, have contributed positively to the lives of others.”
Back row: Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Clerk Wayne Wink and Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio. Front row: Port Washington honorees Vivian Moy and Nancy Lane.
The 25th annual breakfast featured a color guard made up of Manhasset VFW Post 5063 and American Legion Post 304, the singing of the national anthem by Lisa Berman and readings from Shirley Romaine. All 12 honorees were recognized with a presentation of certificates by Wink and Supervisor Judi Bosworth.
“Wayne Wink called me to let me know that five people submitted nominations for me,” said Moy. “I was surprised initially, then humbled, then horrified in that order. I really don’t enjoy the limelight. It’s not what motivates me to give back to my community. This award was an unintended consequence of my efforts to highlight the work of all the nonprofit organizations I volunteer for. I believe people admire me because of my heart for community service motivated by passion for helping others.”
Moy volunteers with several nonprofit organizations including the Port Washington Crisis Relief Team (PWCRT), which supports residents during times of crisis and disaster, the Ed. Foundation, the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce, the Port Washington Community Chest and the Port Washington Public Library. She also volunteers for Island Harvest, the United Service Organization and the American Red Cross.
“I have run Red Cross Blood Drives in Port Washington and organized a Red Cross and PWCRT event where teams of volunteers from both organizations, plus community members installed smoke alarms in any home that needed one,” said Moy.
Moy has also run several shelters for residents during disasters including Superstorm Sandy.
“Within the Port community this was my greatest accomplishment,” said Moy regarding her help with Superstorm Sandy. “It was as exhausting as it was rewarding. I remember the town commenting to us afterwards that they were fielding emergency calls from every town except Port Washington because residents had somewhere to go to find food, information, camaraderie and electricity to charge their cellphones.”
Moy was previously the recipient of awards including the 2016 Community Service Award by the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce, the 2016 Red Cross Emerging Leader Award and a Hometown Hero Award from the Town of North Hempstead after Superstorm Sandy.
Sands Point resident Lane had similar sentiments about being named to the women’s roll of honor.
“It is an honor,” said Lane. “There are a lot of wonderful people in North Hempstead. It’s wonderful to be listed among those women who make a difference in our community.”
Lane moved to Port Washington Estates in 1980, then moved to Flower Hill in Manhasset in 1983 and recently moved to the Village of Sands Point. Lane was introduced to the North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center by a friend who was then the board president. Lane joined the committee to give back to her community.
Founded in 1953 as a result of a grassroots parents movement, North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center is a specialty outpatient children’s mental health agency located on Long Island with licenses from the New York State Office of Mental Health and New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. The Guidance Center’s staff of psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, addiction counselors and professional family advocates work with children ages birth through 24 and their families, leading the way in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, parent education and advocacy.
“I think raising awareness of mental health needs and treatment is no longer the stigma it used to be,” said Lane. “We’re trying to enlighten people. We advocate for services to be provided.”
Lane has served on the board of the Guidance Center since 1986 and, having served as its board president in the late 1980s, she is currently serving as the board president once again. As a member of the board and its president, Lane assists in raising funds for the Guidance Center to provide more services to the community.
“Helping to advocate and bringing more awareness about what can be done and the change that can happen in a family if services are provided to that family can make all the difference,” said Lane. “I live in this community and it’s important for me to give back. I want to be able to feel that the community is better for the work I do.”
Also honored at the event were honorees Jo Marino and Robin Garrison Bolling of Westbury, Paula Groothuis and Mona Ng of Albertson, Helene Harris and Lillian Barnola of Mineola, Stella Biniaris of Manhasset, Barbara Silverman of Roslyn, Lida Edalati of Great Neck and Rose Lowe of New Hyde Park.
What did you think of this article? Share your thoughts with me by email at cclaus@antonmediagroup.com.
Roslyn Heights, NY, March 29, 2018— North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center Executive Director Andrew Malekoff was honored today at the Fair Media Council’s Folio Awards as Best Columnist. His winning column was “Looking for a Path Back to Civility,” which ran in Newsday’s Opinion section on September 17, 2017.
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center Board Members Jo-Ellen Hazan and Rita Castagna; Frank Castagna of Castagna Realty Co.; and Andrew Malekoff, Executive Director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center
Here is an excerpt from the column:
Most people I talk to agree that civility is on the decline. Everyone seems to have his or her own horror stories, whether it is inconsiderate neighbors or co-workers, aggressive driving or just plain rudeness.
Highways have become the Wild West. Hardly anyone comes to a complete stop for a stop sign. The yellow traffic signal has evolved from its original meaning, slow down, to speed up. And, of course, there are tailgating, middle-finger salutes and rampant road rage.
Today, there is so much talk about putting an end to bullying in schools. Yet, we live in a world of adults who don’t think twice about trampling personal boundaries through rude, intimidating and obnoxious behavior.
If we cannot reverse the trend, we can at least slow down and teach our children, after we remind ourselves, the importance of putting a pause between impulse and action. Perhaps it is somewhere inside of that sacred space that we can find our way back to a civil society.
“I’m honored to receive this prestigious journalism award, especially for this piece that I’ve come to realize has such universal appeal,” says Malekoff.
“It’s more important than ever for responsible, credible voices to take a leading role in the public conversation to ensure we have an informed public and a smarter democracy,” says Jaci Clement, CEO and Executive Director of Fair Media Council. “Winning a Fair Media Council Folio Award illustrates North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center’s commitment to bettering the community by raising awareness, and cements its role as a Long Island leader.”
James Kinney, Partner at Mazars USA and Chair of the Board of Directors of Fair Media Council; Andrew Malekoff, Executive Director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center; and Jaci Clement, CEO and Executive Director of Fair Media Council.
Times Union, March 22, 2018, Letter from Andrew Malekoff
Although our children’s safety is paramount (“School safety debate evokes Albany deja vu,” March 7), in the aftermath of yet another mass shooting, we must understand that it is incredibly rare for people living with mentally illness to be violent. In fact, they are far more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators of it.
Nevertheless, we do need to have a discussion about mental illness at a time like this. That discussion, however, needs to be about how the health insurance industry and the elected officials who depend on their donations are failing miserably at having adequate networks of providers on their lists who take insurance.
Why is this? Health insurers pay substandard rates of reimbursement; consequently, fewer and fewer providers will accept insurance.
Health insurers are discriminating against people living with mental illness and addiction. This is a violation of civil rights and federal parity law, which government regulators then fail to enforce, as is their statutory responsibility.
In New York, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) is charged with enforcement. I urge Gov. Andrew Cuomo to authorize, and DFS Commissioner Mary Vullo to implement a full-scale investigation into network adequacy during this, the 10-year anniversary of the bipartisan Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
Andrew Malekoff
Long Beach
Executive director and CEO of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center in Roslyn Heights
Taking Care of Business Talk Radio, March 27, 2018, featuring Guidance Center’s Vanessa McMullen, LCSW and supervisor at The Marks Family Right From the Start 0-3+Center
Newsday, Opinion, March 28, 2018
Getting Sandy Koufax’s Autograph Was Worth the Risk
By Andrew Malekoff
A painting of Sandy Koufax by Ron Stark from a photo of Koufax taken before the start the 1963 World Series, where he struck out 15 Yankees. Photo Credit: /
I am not the rabid baseball fan that I once was, but the start of a new season each year brings me back to 1963, when I was just 12. I was a Dodgers fan and much too young to have appreciated the devastating impact of the team’s 1958 move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles for so many fans.
My summertime ritual was to get up, ride my bike to buy a newspaper at the nearby candy store in my hometown of Maplewood, New Jersey. I headed right for the sports section and the box scores. If Sandy Koufax pitched the night before, my heart pounded in anticipation of the details.
Sometimes I clipped the articles for a scrapbook, spending hours with scissors, paper and Elmer’s glue.
One fall day in 1963, my father told me he had four tickets to a World Series game. The Yankees were playing the Dodgers. I did not get to see Sandy pitch, but I wasn’t disappointed. The Dodgers won 4-1, giving them a 2-0 Series advantage. Nevertheless, the excitement of being at the game and seeing my team triumphant was soon eclipsed.
As my mother, father, younger brother and I exited the ballpark in South Bronx, we passed an open garage that led back into Yankee Stadium. I peered in and spotted a bus. I stopped as my family walked on. As the metal garage door started its slow descent, I knew that this was the moment of truth.
When the garage door was about three feet from the concrete, I hit the ground, World Series program and pen in hand, and rolled inside along with a few other kids.
As a stadium door opened, the first one through was Don Drysdale, who would go on to pitch a shutout in game three. Next was Johnny Podres, who pitched that day, followed by the exciting Maury Wills, who broke all the base-stealing records in the early 1960s.
They signed the back of my program over a full-page ad for Sinclair Dino Supreme gasoline. The ad said, “Try a tankful today. Your satisfaction guaranteed — or your money back.”
I could feel my heart beat harder with each autograph. But where was Sandy?
I learned later that my parents had frantically searched for me, and that someone told them some kids had slipped under the garage door.
Finally, Sandy came through, but he boarded the bus before I could get to him. I was crestfallen.
Faced with another decision, I overcame my inhibition and climbed up the bus stairs. I asked a player sitting in front to pass my program back to Sandy. It came back with his signature. I was soon escorted out of the garage, to my parents’ great relief. I was floating on air. The glow lasted for days.
With each new season, I wonder back what that day and those precious moments and split-second decisions would have felt like if I hadn’t been in it for love, but for the money that a celebrity’s signature might bring. Later, my mom framed the front and back covers together. It hung in my bedroom for decades, well after I moved out. I took it with me to Long Beach after I got married in 1980. It’s out of the frame and I keep it in a night table drawer.
I am so grateful for that day, and for not knowing that an autograph could be worth anything more than a wonderful moment to be preserved for a lifetime.
Activists in Manhattan (Photo provided by Andrew Malekoff)
On March 24 I was proud to stand with the youth leaders of Stoneman Douglas High School and other youth activists across the U.S. As one of them said on a news broadcast, “Every voice matters.”
They demonstrated that by extending their reach to youth survivors beyond Parkland and broadened the frame to include gun violence in all domains.
Think for just a moment about the value-laden authenticity of these social justice youth warriors as compared to what masquerades as leadership in Washington D.C.
Think about Congress’s reliance on the likes of the NRA, Big Pharma and others for campaign financing and, even closer to home, the unending and sordid political corruption trials in municipalities across Long Island.
We have sunk so low in terms of greed, thirst for power and social dysfunction, that it will take our babies to save themselves.
And, some babies they are!
How long before their enemies try to delegitimize their efforts, even beyond characterizing them as inauthentic “crisis actors,” which only serves to reinforce their resolve?
How long before the tabloids attack them and attempt to rip them apart by manufacturing sordid headlines to discredit them?
How long before the NRA public relations corps attempts to marginalize them as ego-tripping puppets of the left and Hollywood elite, rather than the free-thinkers, born of trauma that they are?
How long? Not long. It’s already happening.
Their detractors cannot differentiate between the teens being resourceful in their partnering with adults and being dependent on them.
They don’t need our leadership. They’ve already eclipsed it. But, they will need soldiers of every generation to support them.
And, let us not forget that they have suffered post-traumatic injury and are grieving.
They’ve vowed not to let this go. We cannot lead or co-opt their revolution.
What we can do is follow and support or get out of the way.
Andrew Malekoff
Executive director of the nonprofit children’s mental health agency North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center in Roslyn Heights www.northshorechildguidance.org
Grant will help educate community about racial disparities in birth outcomes
The event featured fabulous boutique shopping, getting-to-know-you games, a Garden City trivia contest, great raffle prizes and a delicious buffet. 
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.
