Developing a Comprehensive Trauma- and Resiliency- Focused Program After Superstorm Sandy in New York City

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (03) ◽  
pp. 613-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Scigliano ◽  
Virginia Roncaglione ◽  
Paula A. Madrid
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
York City ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Mobile Clinic ◽  
Superstorm Sandy

ABSTRACTTo contribute to the ongoing discourse about successful programming supporting intermediate behavioral and mental health needs of vulnerable communities affected by disaster, this article presents the Children’s Health Fund (CHF) Sandy Recovery and Resiliency Program as a descriptive case study for a multifaceted, community-based approach to building resiliency, coping, and socioemotional skills in an underserved community in New York City that was affected by Superstorm Sandy. The case study involves retrospective review and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data that were collected as part of routine care and program implementation. From the analysis emerged a program consisting of 3 components: (1) delivery of workshops and community events to decrease stigma and build community-wide resilience, (2) delivery of workshops for students and educators in the local school to increase coping skills as well as referrals to clinical mental health care, and (3) provision of mental health care via a mobile mental health clinic. As a result, we found that following periods of excessive trauma, children and families require a broad-based approach to mental health support. Additionally, the use of the mobile clinic abated most common access barriers and served as a proxy of the concern of the organization for the community. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;page 1 of 5)

Financial Barriers to Mental Healthcare Services and Depressive Symptoms among Residents of Washington Heights, New York City

2021 ◽  
pp. 154041532110575
Author(s):  
Roman Pabayo ◽  
Claire Benny ◽  
Sze Yan Liu ◽  
Erin Grinsteyn ◽  
Peter Muennig
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
York City ◽  
Financial Barriers ◽  
Washington Heights

Objectives: In the United States, Hispanics are more likely to experience financial barriers to mental health care than non-Hispanics. We used a unique survey to study the effect of these financial barriers on the severity of depressive symptoms among Hispanics who had previously been diagnosed as having depression. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the 2015 Washington Heights Community Survey, administered to 2,489 households in Manhattan, New York City. Multiple regression models and propensity score matching were used to estimate the association between financial barriers to mental health care and depressive symptoms and the likelihood of being clinically depressed. Results: Among those diagnosed with depression, those with financial barriers to mental health services or counseling had significantly higher (β = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.03, 0.70) depressive symptoms. When propensity score matching was utilized, those with financial barriers to mental health services had significantly greater depressive symptoms (β = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.37, 0.89) and were significantly more likely to be currently depressed (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.46, 3.89), in comparison to those who had access. Conclusions: Making mental health care more affordable and therefore more accessible to Hispanics is one step toward mitigating the burden on mental illness and decreasing health disparities.

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