Hospitals & Facilities

NYC domestic violence shelters will provide on-site mental health services

Shelter residents will have access to in-person and telehealth therapy appointments.
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A new, $5.8 million initiative from New York City’s municipal hospital system aims to reduce wait times for mental health treatment for families in domestic violence shelters, by providing on-site services.

Adults and children at nine domestic violence shelters across the city will have access to mental health screenings, therapy sessions, and medication management, with the aim of reaching 10,000 people across all 55 New York City domestic violence shelters by 2025, NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) announced this week.

“Trauma recovery is critical to one’s mental wellness, stability, and security,” Obianuju Berry, director of H+H’s domestic violence mental health initiatives, said in the statement. “Reducing barriers and expediting mental health resources to thousands of families in domestic violence shelters is essential to helping them feel safe physically and emotionally.”

Residents at the participating shelters are screened for mental health services when they arrive and will have the option to attend free in-person therapy appointments at a shelter, H+H facility, or via telehealth, per the announcement.

Domestic violence can be detrimental to a patient’s health. Women who have experienced abuse were nearly 3x as likely to develop a mental illness compared to those who have not experienced abuse, according to a 2019 study from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

“Gender-based violence is a major risk factor for mental health concerns,” Adam Brown, vice provost for research and director of the Trauma and Global Mental Health Lab at the New School, said in the statement. “Yet, due to issues of stigma and other barriers to care, survivors of gender-based violence often go without access to adequate mental health support.”

Nationally, “providers predict longer wait times for mental health services.” New York is the 10th worst state for emergency room waits for mental health patients, a USA Today Network analysis found earlier this year. Health systems like H+H, which is the largest provider of behavioral health services in New York City, have had difficulty retaining and attracting behavioral health staff.

The municipal health system’s initiative isn’t the only effort in New York City to improve access to mental health services. The New York City Council passed a bill in March requiring homeless shelters serving families with children to have at least one mental health provider available on-site or via telehealth for every 50 families.

Is your health system working to improve behavioral health services? Email Kristine at [email protected] to chat about what’s working (or not working) at your system.

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Healthcare Brew covers pharmaceutical developments, health startups, the latest tech, and how it impacts hospitals and providers to keep administrators and providers informed.