Grant for North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center
Blank Slate Media, June 23, 2017
On Our Island: Nonprofit highlights of the week
From Long Island Business News, June 23-29, 2017
(From left) John Grillo and Andrew Malekoff took part in the dedication ceremony for Johnny’s Garage, a North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center facility.
Spring Luncheon Benefits Local Families
From the Boulevard Magazine, Anton Media, Spring 2017
A Chance Encounter – Or More?
Have you heard of godwinks? A godwink is an experience where you’d say, “What are the chances of that!” It’s been described by some as a spiritual message of reassurance, especially in times of uncertainty, maybe the impetus for restored faith during difficult times. Some see it as divine intervention, others as pure coincidence.
Although I was not familiar with the term, it reminded me of something that happened to me that I thought was astonishing. In 2005 I lost a very good friend and colleague named Roselle. We had become business partners in 1990. The longtime editors of a popular professional journal decided to step down and asked the two of us, strangers at the time, to become their successors.
Years later we both revealed that we were, at first, wary of each other. After all, we’d never met, and so we had no idea what it would be like working together as co-editors of an esteemed quarterly publication. Roselle was a university professor and I was a frontline mental health practitioner. What we shared in common was that we were both published authors.
After a relatively short period of testing and unease we not only became great collaborators but fast friends. The relationship ended in June of 2005 when I received a call that Roselle had died. It was sudden, unexpected and heartbreaking.
Shortly thereafter, in December 2005, I organized a meeting with two of Roselle’s fellow professors and friends. Together we decided to develop a special publication in Roselle’s honor. We were to meet in Manhattan at their university. Normally, I would have just taken the LIRR into the city them morning of our meeting, but, as luck would have it, at the time there was a transit strike. So I decided to play it safe and get in the night before and stay in a hotel while the trains were still running.
That night I took a walk and stopped in a bar to get a glass of wine. I walked to the end of the bar and there was my cousin Amy whom I had not seen in years. Unbeknownst to me, she lived across the street from the bar and was working as a real estate broker. It was great catching up with her.
Fast forward some months later. I was back in Manhattan to take care of some business regarding my partnership with Roselle at a local university. Having reconnected, I called Amy to see if she was free for lunch. She was and so we got together. She asked me why I was in the city. I told her I had to go to Hunter College School of Social Work to take care of some business related to a partnership I had with a professor there. I explained that she died last June. She asked me, “What was name?” I told her, “Roselle Kurland.” She gasped and said, “Oh my God, I just sold her apartment!”
Was this a godwink? Was it a tangible signpost giving me hope and faith that someone is watching over me and everything is going to be alright? Or was it pure coincidence, a fluke? I choose to think that it was more than that. During these uncertain times, a source of faith, however unusual, is a welcome reminder that we are not alone and that there is hope.
From Anton Media Group, May 24-30, 2017
Garage dedicated to John Grillo
Blank Slate Media, May 19, 2017
Guidance Center Holds Spring Luncheon
From Blank Slate Media, May 5, 2017
Guidance Center Hosts 21st Annual Jonathan Krevat Memorial Golf & Tennis Classic
Roslyn Heights, NY, May 15, 2017 —North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center will be holding its 21st annual Jonathan Krevat Memorial Golf & Tennis Classic on Monday, June 19, at The Creek in Locust Valley, and the competition is heating up!
This year’s honoree is Dan Donnelly, chief executive officer, Donnelly Mechanical Corporation, and longtime supporter of the Guidance Center. Donnelly, a Garden City resident, has created a whole new approach to this year’s event, with four teams competing for the Krevat Cup: one from Garden City, with Donnelly as the team captain; one from Manhasset, with Mike Mondiello as captain; NYC captain Troy Slade; and East Coast team captain Michael Schnepper. As in the great tradition of the Davis Cup and the Ryder Cup, the “Krevat Cup” will be awarded to one of four competing teams.
“The reason I love Garden City is because it’s a kids’ town,” said Donnelly. “Nothing is more important than the wellbeing of our kids. That’s why my fellow GC-ers and I are competing (well, that and they love golf and tennis). But our team could definitely still use some help! Reach out to the Guidance Center- it’s a great cause- and tell them I sent you. Go Team Garden City!”
“This is going to be a phenomenal event,” said Mondiello. “The Creek is an amazing golf course. The location can’t be beat. The energy is high. And after golf, the outdoor beach club cocktail and dinner time will make it a truly classic and classy event! Team Manhasset is ready to bring home the Krevat Cup! ”
“The goal is to raise no less than $200,000 this year, all of which goes to support the important work of the Guidance Center,” says East Coast captain Michael Schnepper. “So for those in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and beyond, join my team! Let’s not let Garden City and Manhasset rule the roost.”
The New York City captain is equally pumped up for his team’s performance. “It’s not too late to sign up and show Long Island what NYC is all about!” says Slade.
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is the preeminent nonprofit, children’s mental health agency on Long Island, dedicated to restoring and strengthening the emotional well-being of children (from birth to age 24) and their families. For more than 60 years, the Guidance
Center has been a place of hope and healing, providing innovative and compassionate treatment to all regardless of their ability to pay.
For those interested in joining a team, it’s not too late! Contact Diana Martin, dmartin@northshorechildguidance.org, 516-626-1971, ext. 309.
Johnny’s Garage
Roslyn Heights, NY, May 10, 2017 — What’s your favorite room in your home? For some, it may be difficult to choose just one. But John Grillo, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center’s former board president, says there’s no doubt which room his father Johnny would have chosen: the garage!
In honor of his father’s memory, John Grillo, in addition to contributing and helping to raise funds for the renovation of the Guidance Center’s garage, made a separate significant gift to officially name it “Johnny’s Garage.”
On May 8, several staff, clients and community members joined together to dedicate the garage to the senior Grillo, whom his son describes with great affection. “Johnny’s Garage is dedicated to my father, a man who was always fixing something. He was military trained during WWII as an aircraft and auto mechanic, but was equally comfortable around anything with an engine. It made absolutely no difference whether it was manufactured in 1925 or 1999. He was truly a mechanic’s mechanic with an unrestrained passion to repair things….anything.”
Grillo shared his experiences watching his father working on a 1957 Jaguar XK-120, which hadn’t run in more than 15 years: “He charged the battery, removed and replaced the spark plugs, installed a new set of points, a new condenser and rotor, drained and changed the oil and oil filter, checked the spark, adjusted the timing, cleaned out some very gunked up carburetors, sprayed some Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders, turned the engine over, and then vroom…..five hours later this classic car was running like a top.”
He proudly noted that his father was happy to help anyone in need. “All of our friends, neighbors and relatives knew that if they had a problem, just go see Johnny Grillo and he’d fix it. I think his confidence and belief in himself was the major ingredient in his magnificent tool bag.”
Also that evening, the garage was “christened” by the Guidance Center’s Parent Support Group, where clients utilized the garage as a painting studio and created vibrant canvases of sunflowers.
“We’re so grateful to John Grillo for his longtime support of the Guidance Center,” said Executive Director Andrew Malekoff. “John is clearly like his Dad in that when there is a need, he’s right there to help provide a solution. His service to our mission has been unwavering.”
Regina Barros-Rivera Honored at 2017 “What’s Great in Our State – A Celebration of Children’s Mental Health Awareness”
Guidance Center offering wide range of innovative programs for families
Long Island Business News, April 28, 2017
As the preeminent not-for-profit chil- dren’s mental health agency on Long Is- land, North Shore Child & Family Guid- ance Center is dedicated to restoring and strengthening the emotional well-being of children (from birth – age 24) and their families. The highly trained staff of psy- chiatrists, clinical social workers, psycholo- gists, mental health counselors, vocational rehabilitation counselors and family advo- cates lead the way in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, training, parent education, research and advocacy.
The Guidance Center helps children and families address issues such as de- pression and anxiety; developmental de- lays; bullying; teen pregnancy; sexual abuse; teen drug and alcohol abuse; and family crises stemming from illness, death, trauma and divorce. For 64 years, the Guidance Center has been a place of hope and healing, providing innovative and compassionate treatment to all who enter its doors. Unlike many organizations, the Guidance Center never turns anyone away for inability to pay.
What distinguishes the Guidance Center from similar organizations is its focus on innovative programs that address specific community needs. At its three main sites, the headquarters in Roslyn Heights, The Marks Family Right From the Start 0-3+ Center in Manhasset, and the Leeds Place in Westbury, the Guidance Center offers a variety of programs. They include the
Diane Goldberg Maternal Depression Pro- gram, which helps mothers experiencing post-partum depression as well as moth- ers of young children suffering from mood and anxiety disorders; C-GRASP (Care- givers Grandparent Respite and Support Program), which provides peer support ac- tivities, counseling, housing assistance and school advocacy; Changing Families, for children experiencing the divorce of their parents; Good Beginnings for Babies, which works with pregnant and parenting teens to promote healthier pregnancies, healthier babies and happier relationships between parent and child; and The Latina Girls Project, a multicultural and bilingual pro- gram that helps address the epidemic of de- pression and anxiety among young Latinas.
The Guidance Center also runs several programs outside the walls of its three main buildings. In partnership with Nas- sau B.O.C.E.S., the Guidance Center oper- ates the Intensive Support Program (ISP) in three Nassau County Schools, serving children from ages 5 to 21 years of age from all 56 Nassau districts.
“This program provides students who are experiencing serious emotional prob- lems an alternative to institutional or more restrictive settings,” explains An- drew Malekoff, Executive Director and CEO of the Guidance Center. “At the ISP, students receive mental health counseling, psychiatric care and special academic help to ensure they have successful school ca-
reers and graduate with their peers.”
The Guidance Center also operates a program called The Children’s Center at Nassau County Family Court. There, chil- dren from 6 weeks to 12 years are engaged in reading and other literacy programs in a safe, enriching and beautifully equipped en- vironment while their parents are conduct- ing court business. More than just a child care center, it is serves as an early learning
center and as a community resource. Finally, recognizing the value of out-
door experiences in nature, the Guidance Center operates two organic gardens, a Nature Nursery and a Wilderness Respite Program, which provides a unique oppor- tunity for at-risk adolescents to participate in nature activities that foster individu- al growth, leadership skills, mindfulness, self-esteem and friendships while also pro- moting environmental stewardship.
Whenever a child or family is in need, the Guidance Center is there to provide dedicated, expert and innovative care.
Nassau County Office of Mental Health May 1 2017 newsletter
Nassau County Office of Mental Health May 1 2017 newsletter
The American reality today is 1 in 5 children has or will have a serious mental illness. More children suffer from psychiatric illness than from autism, leukemia, diabetes and AIDS combined. Yet, the average delay between the onset of symptoms and intervention is 8 to 10 years. Nevertheless, we continue to treat illnesses above the neck differently than those below the neck.
There is great misunderstanding and fear among many who have erroneous ideas about people with mental illness. Consequently, young people suffering with mental illness walk around feeling isolated, believing that there’s something inherently wrong with them that will never change.
We must do more to identify mental health problems early and then, when indicated, provide ready access to quality community-based mental health care.
This is difficult to accomplish when resources for outpatient children’s mental health care are dwindling for middle class and working poor families. Access to care remains a daunting problem for families who hesitate to ask for help due to stigma and the shame it generates. When they finally call for help, they are often denied the timely, affordable and geographically sensitive care they need from insurers with inadequate networks of providers.
For 64 years, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center has been dedicated to offering our clients the gold standard in community-
based mental health care. The Guidance Center is headquartered in Roslyn Heights, with branch offices in Manhasset and Westbury. Our catchment area is all of Nassau County.
At the Guidance Center, where we turn no one away for inability to pay, we are receiving increasing numbers of referrals of children and youth at unprecedented rates of risk and danger, many of whom are at risk for institutional placement, the most costly form of care.
To prevent this costly alternative, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center has developed an array of intensive outpatient services to keep children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances at home and in their communities. These include office-based, home-based, and school-based mental health services that are provided by teams of qualified health professional and family advocate/professional parents working in partnership to optimize care coordination. Following are highlights of just a few of these initiatives:
LATINA GIRLS PROJECT
In recent years, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center has been fielding a record number of calls through our triage, emergency and high risk team from the families of Hispanic teen girls in dire need of help. These first-generation Latinas were coming to the Guidance Center with severe depression, self-harming behaviors, school refusal and suicidal thoughts or attempts. Many had been victims of sexual and emotional abuse or witnesses to domestic violence.
It became clear that there was a consistent theme among these young Latinas-the overwhelming feeling that they could never merge the cultural expectations of their families with their desire to fit into life in contemporary American society. They yearned to be more like their peers, but feared that would cause tremendous pain to their parents, many of whom had immigrated to America after experiencing severe trauma in their war-torn and poverty-stricken native countries.
In response to the crisis, the Guidance Center began the Latina Girls Project, an innovative program designed to foster effective, open and healing communication among these young women and their parents.
Through a culturally sensitive and holistic approach, our staff of bilingual and bicultural counselors and social workers- many of whom are also first-generation Latinas-provides individual therapy, family therapy, and weekly group meetings for the girls and their parents.
The Latina Girls Project also includes supervised outings for the girls that are designed to help them develop self-esteem, learn responsibility, gain team-building skills, and realize that the larger world offers them many opportunities to lead successful, joyful lives.
The Latina Girls Project was profiled in an award-winning nationwide story published by the Journalism Center on Children & Families at the University of Maryland.
ORGANIC GARDENS
Young people are inundated with constant stimulation from their digital devices, with many glued in front of computer screens and video games as they struggle with feelings of loneliness and rejection. That lack of connection to the natural world negatively impacts them physically, emotionally and socially.
To address this problem, the Guidance Center has added an organic garden initiative to our weekend wilderness program. This offers a unique opportunity for at-risk adolescents and children to participate in nature activities that foster individual growth, leadership skills, self-esteem, mindfulness and improved group communication while also promoting environmental stewardship. Young people tend to our two organic garden programs located at the Guidance Center’s headquarters in Roslyn Heights and early childhood center in Manhasset, where they water, seed and weed, filling with delight as they see their hard work grow into a healthy harvest.
Through the dedication of these young people, we had a bountiful surplus that was donated to local food pantries, a fact that made the teens—and our staff who have the honor of nurturing them—extremely proud.
GOOD BEGINNINGS FOR BABIES
The statistics on teenage pregnancy paint an alarming picture: babies born to teen mothers are more likely to be premature and have low birthweights, resulting in potentially long-term cognitive and health problems. Without proper care, the teen moms are also at high risk for physical, emotional and economic woes.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Our Good Beginnings for Babies program works with pregnant and parenting teens to promote healthier pregnancies, healthier babies, and happier relationships between parent and child.
In our weekly prenatal and parenting groups, teens receive education on crucial issues such as nutrition, labor and delivery, breastfeeding, newborn care and perinatal mood disorders. They also benefit from home visits by a parent educator who shares information and resources to help these young families.
May 1, 2017 Vol. 1: No. 2 Page 4
component of Good Beginnings for Babies will help prepare mothers for their most important role: to be their child’s first teacher.
CAREGIVERS GRANDPARENT RESPITE AND SUPPORT PROGRAM (C-GRASP)
What happens when parents are unable to care for their children? In many cases, the responsibility falls to their parents, many of whom face serious challenges as they strive to raise these youngsters. That’s why we created C-GRASP, the Caregivers Grandparent Respite and Support Program.
Through partnerships with a supportive team of local entities, including the Town of North Hempstead’s Project Independence, we provide the grandparents with a variety of services, including respite and peer support activities, counseling, clothing and other necessities, housing assistance, transportation and school advocacy.
Home visits are a major focal point, as we identify an increasing number of grandparent caregivers with illnesses that limit their ability to leave their homes. In partnership with Long Island Cares and Long Island Harvest, we added a food supplement component to our home visits this year, delivering fruits, vegetables and other nutritious items to each household.
The grandparents have created strong bonds among themselves and also social connections for their grandchildren, joining together for recreational activities in their homes. These dedicated caregivers continue to reach out to others faced with similar challenges, sharing their experiences, strength and hope.
INTENSIVE SUPPORT PROGRAM
A good education is the foundation of a successful life, inspiring knowledge, creativity, social bonds and an economically promising future. But for children with serious emotional difficulties, the regular school environment can be overwhelming. These kids are the most likely to drop out—and also be the targets of bullying.
The Intensive Support Program (ISP), a collaborative program developed by Nassau B.O.C.E.S and the Guidance Center, provides a therapeutic and nurturing alternative, offering intensive mental health services onsite at three schools for students ages 5-21 from all 56 Nassau County school districts. We reach more than 150 students each year.
ISP takes a team approach, as members of the Guidance Center staff work with each school’s administrators, counselors and teachers to support the students’ emotional and academic needs. ISP services include individual, group and family therapy; crisis intervention; coordination of family services; and medication management, when needed.
While the students are required to follow the same curricula as in other educational settings, the lessons are individualized to meet each student’s learning style. Through ISP, students develop the skills that are necessary for growth and success both on an academic and emotional level. We’re proud to be helping our most vulnerable children and teens achieve their full potential!
SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES
Drug and alcohol treatment and prevention services are provided for children, teenagers and their families at the Guidance Center’s Leeds Place-serving young people in Westbury.
Substance abuse services include: counseling for youth using/abusing substances; children who live in families with a parent suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction; youth who have co-occurring chemical dependency and mental health issues. Prevention services are provided to local school districts.
Andrew Malekoff, LCSW, CASAC, Executive Director
If you would like to participate in our research project and lend your voice to improving access to care, please go to this link to complete our IRB-approved survey: http://studentvoice.com/liu/projectaccess
Guidance Center Raises Over $63,000 at Spring Luncheon
Roslyn Heights, NY, April 28, 2017 — On April 27, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center held its Annual Spring Luncheon at Glen Head Country Club, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Cynthia Pizzulli, a renowned psychotherapist, lecturer and adolescent parenting expert. The event was attended by 200 people and made more than $63,000 to support the important work of the Guidance Center.
Guests began the day playing Mahjong and Canasta and then shopped at the event’s many boutiques, featuring some of Long Island’s trendiest and most charitable small business owners. Fine Jewelry, housewares, and designer purses were just some of the many items for sale.
At the delicious luncheon buffet, attendees were riveted by Dr. Pizzulli who spoke about the pros and cons of social media for teens. “I have good news,” said Dr. Pizzulli. “Your tweens and teens are not doomed because they use social media. The key is to teach them healthy boundaries, so they don’t act impulsively and post anything too personal or inappropriate.”
Dr. Pizzulli was introduced by Jaci Clement, who moderated the discussion following Dr. Pizzulli’s presentation.
Clement is a media expert with more than 20 years of experience in the communications industry. She is executive director of the Fair Media Council, a New York metro area media watch organization. In supporting our message of removing stigma, Clement said, “The more we can do to raise awareness of mental illness, the faster we can retire the stigmas associated with it and people can get the help they need and deserve. The Guidance Center has built an exceptional legacy of caring for this community, and that’s something that can only be accomplished when the people involved are pure of heart and steadfast in spirit.”
Andrew Malekoff, Executive Director of the Guidance Center, said, “I was very impressed with Dr. Pizzulli’s presentation and also the questions from the audience. We all need to be aware of both the benefits and dangers to our children and teens of social media, and she provided excellent guidance to help parents navigate this new world.”
The event was a huge success due in part to the support of some very generous sponsors including: Jill Berman, Amy Cantor, Rita Castagna, Ruth Fortunoff Cooper, Flushing Bank, Joan Grant, iThrive, Klipper Family Foundation, Jack & Dorothy Kupferberg Family Foundation, Andrea Leeds, Marion & Irving Levine, Power Travel, Raich Ende Malter & Co. LLP, Cynthia Rubinberg, Alexis Siegel, Signature Bank, South Oaks Hospital, Lisa Strauss, Baker Tilly and Carol & Arnold Wolowitz Foundation.
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.
Barros-Rivera to be honored May 2
Appeared in Blank Slate Media, April 21, 2017
click on story for larger print version
Social Media and Parenting Expert to Speak At Guidance Center Luncheon
Roslyn Heights, NY, April 20, 2017 —On April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center will be holding its Annual Spring Luncheon at Glen Head Country Club. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Cynthia Pizzulli, LCSW, PhD, who will offer wonderful insights about social media and its effects on our children today. Dr. Pizzulli is a renowned psychotherapist, lecturer and adolescent parenting expert. She will present The Reasons Why Social Media is Not the Problem You Think It Is. She will dispel the myths about social media being the cause of mental health problems among today’s youth; define the actual causes of emotional distress experienced by tweens/teens in this electronic age; and identify some tools parents can use to encourage healthy adolescent development.
The Luncheon will open with Mahjong, Canasta, and Bridge. Then it will transition to a delicious luncheon buffet and most informative and engaging presentation by Dr. Pizzulli. Throughout, we will feature shopping boutiques from some of Long Island’s trendiest and most charitable small business owners. There will also be plenty of opportunities to participate in raffles for luxury prizes.
After Dr. Pizzulli’s presentation, she will be interviewed by Jaci Clement, a media expert with more than 20 years of experience in the communications industry. She is executive director of the Fair Media Council, a New York metro area media watch organization. Ms. Clement speaks around the country on the importance of being a media savvy consumer. She has created a media literacy program and brought it into the classroom, believing strongly that news literacy and literacy skills must develop simultaneously to enhance children’s deductive reasoning and critical thinking abilities.
Registration is now open and sponsorships are available by visiting our website, www.northshorechildguidance.org or calling 516-626-1971, ext. 309.
About Us:
As the pre-eminent 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.
Run-D.M.C. Founder Inspires Teens
On March 9, 2017 I had the honor of introducing Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, a founding member of the early hip hop group Run-D.M.C. Young and old of all backgrounds gathered together at the Leeds Place of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center in Westbury for a community forum.
If you don’t already know, DMC is a hip hop pioneer, a rap poet and an inspiring prophet. The packed house at the Leeds Place got to experience all three in a two hour tour-de-force in which Darryl taught us about the history of hip hop, delighted us with rap lyrics and moved us with intimate stories of resiliency.
When I introduced Darryl, I told the audience that I learned that his favorite things to do as a child were to read comic books and pretend to be a superhero. In fact, I told them, he now produces comic books under the DMC – Darryl Makes Comics – label.
Darryl’s comics are not about traditional superheroes like Batman, Superman, Spiderman or the Incredible Hulk. Darryl, I learned, believes that there are heroes in everyday life with powerful stories to tell. Just like everyone in the room tonight, I said.
Darryl is 52 years old, six feet tall and solidly built, with muscular arms bulging from his tight black t-shirt. He spoke for two hours without a break, moving about energetically without breaking a sweat.
He inspired the crowd with the story of when he was a young boy growing up in Hollis, Queens, and he was a self-described Catholic School nerd who wore thick-framed glasses and read comic books all the time. He said he liked school.
He gave a great history lesson about the birth and meaning of hip hop. He described how neighborhood kids who had little in the way of physical resources brought music and art to the parks and streets by plugging turntables and speakers into light poles, making dance floors out of cardboard boxes and creating street art by painting and drawing on walls.
In his talk, Darryl encouraged the young people in the room with transcendent and core messages of hip hop: “Always be open to do something different. It could change your life.”
Darryl spoke about his unexpected rise to fame and fortune, exhorting the young people to develop what they like to do, try new things, take chances and, most important, to know that “no matter what you’re going through, you’re worth something.”
He went on to say that despite his early rise to fame and fortune, at the age of 35 he discovered that he was adopted and was a foster child. Around the same time he went through a period of suicidal depression and became addicted to alcohol.
When he finally sought professional help, he discovered that he had been suppressing powerful feelings his whole life, especially things that angered him. Despite the powerful lyrics in his raps, he said that he never wanted to make waves in his personal relationships.
Some of the lessons he learned were: “You have to express your truth. It’s normal to feel. Release what you’re going through. Your situation doesn’t define who you are.”
In time, with the help of his adoptive parents, Darryl met his biological mom who told him that she gave him up so that he could have a better life.
In the end, before Darryl patiently signed autographs, posed for photos and chatted with kids and parents, I closed the meeting by saying, “DMC gave his music to the world. And, tonight Darryl gave us his heart.”
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.
Anton Media, April 26, 2017
Click on story for larger print version
Guidance Center Associate Executive Director Honored by NY State
Regina Barros-Rivera designated as leader who is
“Great In Our State” in children’s mental health
Roslyn Heights, NY, April 13, 2017 — North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is pleased to announce that Regina Barros-Rivera, our Associate Executive Director, has been chosen to be honored at the 2017 “What’s Great in Our State—A Celebration of Children’s Mental Health Awareness” reception for her leadership role in the organization. She will be presented with the award on Tuesday, May 2nd, from 2-4:30 pm at the Huxley Auditorium in the New York State Museum in Albany.
The award is very competitive. Only three individual honorees and two programs are selected statewide for successfully addressing the issues of children’s mental health, including successful intervention on behalf of children and their families.
According to Andrew Malekoff, Executive Director and CEO of the Guidance Center, Ms. Barros-Rivera’s contribution to the organization is critical to the Center’s success. “We count on Regina’s leadership in the overall clinical operation, from providing direct care to families to creating innovative programs that have healed thousands of children, teens and families,” he says. “One of her many contributions is the Latina Girls Project, which Regina created as a result of the high incidence of suicide among this population. With the Latina Girls Project, these girls and their families are given the social, emotional and psychological support they need in a bicultural and bilingual context. This program has saved lives and staked hopeful paths for these girls.”
“I am honored to be part of an organization that supports services to children and families in dire need who have limited access to comprehensive quality-of-care clinical services,” says Barros-Rivera. “Alone we cannot provide the much needed care for our children and families but as part of a collaborative of caregivers and the community, we can take on challenges that will give our children and families emotional safety and stability.”
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.
Neiman Marcus lunch, makeover event
Animal Assisted Therapy for Vulnerable Youth – Behavioral Health News
Behavioral Health News
Bassett Furniture Transforms Guidance Center Waiting Room in “Make(over) a Difference”
Roslyn Heights, NY, March 13, 2017 — North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is pleased to announce that on March 9, 2017, Bassett Furniture donated nearly $10,000 worth of furnishings to completely makeover its Roslyn Heights headquarters waiting room, where children and families spend time while at the Guidance Center.
“The room is absolutely beautiful,” said Andrew Malekoff, Executive Director of the Guidance Center. “It is a warm and comforting space, and it will make our visitors and clients feel welcomed and relaxed. It’s especially great for youngsters, who can play with all the toys and read books on the comfortable sofa. We are so grateful to the people at Bassett Furniture for choosing us as part of their Make(over) a Difference initiative, which shows that they care about the communities they serve.”
“Bassett Furniture is incredibly proud to be a member of the Westbury community and is committed to supporting the businesses and organizations in this area,” said Anthony Lear, Store Manager of the Garden City Bassett Home Furnishings store. “After learning about the positive impact the North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center has on children and families in this community, we knew we wanted to help this deserving organization. We were excited to donate nearly $10,000 worth of furniture and a room makeover to the waiting room of the Guidance Center, the first place a family visits when seeking help, to provide a comfortable and welcoming area for those who visit the Center. We believe that a great makeover can bring smiles, comfort, and encouragement for those who most need it.”
About Us:
As the pre-eminent 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.
About Bassett Furniture: Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:BSET) is a leading manufacturer and marketer of high quality, mid-priced home furnishings. For more than a century, the name Bassett has defined quality without compromise, and today stands as one of America’s most iconic furniture brands. It all began in the late 1800s in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains northwest of Martinsville, Virginia. Today, Bassett remains committed to the early principles of the company: that high quality, stylish furniture should be available to everyone at an affordable price. With 90 company and licensee-owned stores, Bassett has leveraged its strong brand name in furniture into a network of corporate and licensed stores that focus on providing consumers with a friendly environment for buying furniture and accessories. For more information, visit www.bassettfurniture.com.
Mark your calendar for ‘The Krevat Cup’
Screenagers: Growing Up In The Digital Age
On Feb. 8, I was invited to participate in a program for parents and their teen and pre-teen children at East Woods School in Oyster Bay. The focus was on raising awareness about the struggles and danger our youth face today in connection with improper and inappropriate use of social media, cyber-bullying and gaming addictions. The program included a viewing of the documentary film Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age, and featured a live panel discussion afterwards. I was one of four panelists.
Before seeing the film, I read some anonymous reviews written by adults and kids. Many of them sounded like this one: “Spot on Fantastic!” A few others were more critical. For example, a 16-year-old wrote, “It focuses on the downsides of electronics and never positives.” A 12-year-old wrote, “The message of Screenagers is that kids just exist for their parents to boss around and children’s opinions don’t matter.”
The film was well done and did spend a good deal of time presenting the risks in the digital world. The strength of the film was the interaction it stimulated, a positive step toward reducing isolation and building community.
The audience of kids and adults was asked, “Are you more fearful after having seen the film?” Easily more than half the parents raised their hands. A 13-year-old boy, when asked what he thought, said that he hadn’t realized how the overuse of digital technology impacts the brain and learning.
I shared the insight that, “Most parents are immigrants to the digital world, while our kids are digital natives.” A mom responded by saying that she never thought about it that way, like actual immigration and the misunderstandings it can create between the generations. Another parent spoke to the analogy by citing the challenge of trying to negotiate traditional and modern values with her kids, and how to preserve their cultural heritage without preventing them from adapting and growing.
“The digital world is an evolving landscape that parents have to learn to navigate,” said Kathleen Clark-Pearson, M.D., in a report she co-authored for the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The digital world is a great place for kids to connect socially, share photos with family, learn and have fun. As “immigrants” to this high-tech arena, parents would do well to immerse themselves in the digital world of their children and learn as much as possible in order to build common ground for communicating effectively with their kids.
If a child’s job is to explore and a parent’s job is to protect, becoming more knowledgeable and proficient in digital technology is essential for parents to help their children navigate the many risks and dangers of the digital world including online grooming, cyber-bullying, sexting, gaming addiction and sleep deprivation. Of course, adults are also susceptible to risks and, we have to be careful not to fall victim to “distracted parent syndrome,” when we use our own hand-held devices, for example.
I shared the story of observing a mother and her pre-teen son sitting across from one another at a local diner. She did not get off of her mobile phone the entire time. The boy did not have such a device. He just fidgeted most of the meal. It was so sad. What was he learning from her example?
Social media and digital technology are here to stay. The benefits far outweigh the dangers, but with the average kid spending 6.5 hours a day looking at screens, it’s imperative that parents learn the ins and outs, growing with their kids as we all get accustomed to this new world.
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. Visit www.northshorechildguidance.org to find out more.
Neiman Marcus provided mentoring and lunch for teen girl clients of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center
Neiman Marcus provided mentoring and lunch for teen girl clients of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. (From left) Andrew Malekoff, Doris Wilshere and Nancy Lane.
Neiman Marcus Staff Mentors Guidance Center Clients
Also donates $2,000 to our Nature Nursery
Roslyn Heights, NY, March 6, 2017 — North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center and Neiman Marcus teamed up on Friday, Feb. 24, for a luncheon and makeover event that was educational and lots of fun for nearly 20 of our teen girl clients. The girls, along with staff from the Guidance Center, were treated to a wonderful lunch as five employees of Neiman Marcus and one from Estee Lauder shared their inspirational stories that described their career paths.
The teens, along with several staff and board members from the Guidance Center, were welcomed to the lovely café at Neiman Marcus by Doris Wilshere, the store’s Vice President and General Manager, who told the girls, “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t fulfill your dreams. You can accomplish anything!”
The concept for the mentoring initiative came from the Business Advisory Committee of the Guidance Center, which includes Board Member Linda Ugenti, who was instrumental in coordinating the effort at Neiman Marcus and was one of the six mentors at the luncheon.
“Helping children is Neiman Marcus’s top priority, so connecting them in this mentoring program with the Guidance Center was a natural,” said Ugenti, who is a selling associate at Neiman Marcus and a long-time board member of the Guidance Center.
Neiman Marcus also made a generous donation of $2,000 toward art supplies for our new Nature Nursery, located at our Marks Family Right From the Start 0-3+ Center in Manhasset, which will come in handy when our younger clients begin using the Nature Nursery in the Spring.
“Goodwill and supporting the communities surrounding our stores are two of the guiding principles of Neiman Marcus,” said Wilshire. “It was with those principles in mind that we were honored to partner with the Guidance Center. The mentorship luncheon was an amazing success. We look forward to continuing our community involvement and charitable efforts on Long Island and partnering again with the Guidance Center.”
“We are so grateful to the Neiman Marcus staff for hosting this mentoring partnership,” said Regina Barros-Rivera, Associate Executive Director at the Guidance Center. “Hearing the stories of success of the six mentors was very motivating for them, and they also had a terrific time getting their makeovers at the Estee Lauder counter.”
Executive Director Andrew Malekoff added, “We look forward to continuing and expanding this partnership with the gracious and caring staff at Neiman Marcus.”
About Us:
As the pre-eminent 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.
ABOUT NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP:
Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC is a luxury, multi-branded, omni-channel fashion retailer conducting integrated store and online operations under the Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Last Call, Horchow, CUSP, and mytheresabrand names. For more information, visit www.neimanmarcusgroup.com.
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North Shore Guidance gets lobby makeover
GC resident to be honored by North Shore Child Guidance
Dan Donnelly, Captain of the Garden City Team
In the great tradition of the Davis Cup and the Ryder Cup, the new Krevat Cup will be the coveted prize. This outing will offer an amazing day of good-spirited competition in golf and tennis while raising much needed funds for the Guidance Center. Attendees will form teams comprised of representatives from Garden City, Manhasset, New York City or an East Coast team for participants outside of those areas.
“Krevat Cup” Team Captains
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is the pre-eminent not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island, dedicated to restoring and strengthening the emotional well-being of children (from birth – age 24) and their families.
The Guidance Center, which is headquartered in Roslyn Heights, has a long relationship with the Garden City Community. Many members of the staff and Board of Directors live in the town, and residents have benefited from the Guidance Center’s many innovative programs and services.
“I know Garden City’s spirit of competition will be in full swing,” says Donnelly. “This is going to be an outstanding event, and I’m thrilled that the Garden City community is rallying behind our team! Our goal is to raise no less than $200,000 this year, all of which goes to support the important work of the Guidance Center. Garden City is a community that gives with their heart and plays to win.”
Thus far, Garden City team members include: Caterina Asaro, Maria Balsamo, James Buser, Joseph Diprisco, John Fallon, Dino Mangione, Sean Mcentee, Mike McGowan, Peter Samaan, Tiziano Sartori, Paul Vitale, and Dave Westermann.
“We’re so grateful to Dan for serving as our honoree and captain of the Garden City team this year,” says Andrew Malekoff, Executive Director of the Guidance Center. “It’s going to be a great way to raise funds and awareness of our programs while having a terrific day at the Creek, which is one of Long Island’s finest golf courses.”
Malekoff adds, “The event is crucial to our fundraising efforts, and will help us continue to help thousands of children each year who are struggling with issues such as bullying, depression, anxiety, divorce and substance abuse. It is through the support and generosity of Garden City and other Long Island communities that we are able to continue and expand our efforts.”
For those interested in joining a team, please contact Diana Martin, dmartin@northshorechildguidance.org, 516-626- 1971, ext 309.
Run-D.M.C. Founder Darryl McDaniels Inspires Teens at Guidance Center Event
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Run-D.M.C. Founder Darryl McDaniels Inspires Teens at Guidance Center Event
Roslyn Heights, NY, March 13, 2017 — North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center’s Leeds Place was hip hop heaven last Thursday as Darryl McDaniels, the founder of Run-D.M.C., inspired a roomful of teens and adults with his stories of personal adversity and ultimate triumph.
“Darryl is a hip hop pioneer, a rap poet and an inspiring prophet,” said Andrew Malekoff, Executive Director of the Guidance Center. “The packed house got to experience all the sides of this remarkable man in a two-hour tour-de-force in which he taught us about the history of hip hop, delighted us performing rap, and moved us with intimate stories of resiliency. The audience gave him a standing ovation, which he richly deserved.”
Darryl McDaniels with Guidance Center Executive Director Andrew Malekoff
In his talk, McDaniels encouraged the young people in the audience with the transcendent and core messages of hip hop: “Always be open to doing something different. It could change your life.”
McDaniels shared not only the story of his rise to fame and fortune but his personal struggles, which included a battle with severe depression and substance abuse. “I’m no better than anyone of you sitting here,” he said. “No matter what you are battling, you can beat it. And no matter what your passion is, be it music or art or science or law or medicine, go for your dreams. Everything needed to change the world is inside you. Education is your deliverance!”
“I truly believe that Darryl’s honest, uplifting talk has changed the lives of the young people in the audience,” said Malekoff. “He spoke from the heart, and his message came across loud and clear as he told the teens ‘Anything you can dream, you can do!’”
About Us:
As the pre-eminent 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.