On October 28, 2014, The Leeds Place of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center hosted a dynamic forum entitled: “Newly-Arrived Central American Children: A Presentation on the Role of U.S. Policy on Immigration.” Guest speaker Érika Patricia Guerra Escalante who is on tour from El Progresso, Honduras, spoke to an audience of social workers, psychiatrists, educators, advocates, attorneys and business people about the hardship and challenges faced by children who migrate from Honduras. For example, she testified that gang involvement is not a choice for youths in Honduras, rather it is a demand that is met by either their acquiescence or death.
Andrew Malekoff, CEO of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center opened the forum by saying, “What an honor it is to have this delegation join us this morning to raise consciousness about the plight of these children; and, to motivate joint action to ensure that the newly-arriving children, many of whom have histories of trauma and loss, receive our full support to help them to lead fulfilling lives in the United States.”
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is the pre-eminent children’s mental health agency on Long Island. The Guidance Center is dedicated to strengthening the emotional well-being of children and families, and leads the way in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, training, parent education, and advocacy.
The Guidance Center helps families to raise healthy children and works with kids (ages 0-24) who are troubled, in trouble, or causing trouble and parents who need help in these stressful times. Difficulties range from depression and anxiety, developmental delays and school failure, from substance abuse to family crises stemming from illness, death, trauma, and divorce. We offer outpatient mental health counseling and teen drug abuse and prevention services.
Our highly-qualified multi-cultural and bi-lingual staff consists of teams of caring psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, drug & alcohol counselors, mental health counselors, and family advocates, with expertise in working with children.
To learn more about the Guidance Center, visit our website: www.northshorechildguidance.org or call 516 626 1971.
