Our Bureau
New York, NY
NYC Health + Hospitals today announced the expansion of its Domestic Violence Shelter Mental Health Initiative, which increases access to evidence-based mental health services for families residing in the city’s domestic violence shelters. Announced in May 2023, the initiative began at 9 domestic violence shelters building on the success of the NYC Health + Hospitals mental health program operating at the City’s five borough-based Family Justice Centers and is now available at 41 domestic violence shelters. NYC Health + Hospitals’ staff conducted over 5,600 behavioral health appointments and served over 700 patients through this initiative since launching in late 2022. Residents of participating domestic violence shelters are now able to see a mental health specialist within one week, compared to previously waiting six months to one year for an appointment.
Patient Aisha Wilson also shared her story about leaving her abusive relationship and moving with her two teenage children into one of the City’s domestic violence shelters, where she found free mental health support for herself and her son and the resources to build a new life for her family.
This $5.9 million initiative aims to support mental health services to the thousands of adults and children who receive services at the city’s domestic violence shelters. Family screenings, individual and group sessions, and medication management are provided directly on-site to adults and children in these domestic violence shelters, significantly decreasing wait times. Behavioral health services, including therapy and psychiatric medication management is provided at no cost to the resident. The Domestic Violence Shelter Mental Health Initiative is a multi-agency collaboration between NYC Health + Hospitals, the NYC Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration, the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, and the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health.
“Increasing access to mental health services for special populations like survivors of domestic and gender-based violence is one of our behavioral health strategic priorities systemwide,” said NYC Health + Hospitals System Chief of Behavioral Health Services Omar Fattal, MD, MPH. “This is why we are proud to expand this initiative to all of our community-based partners so that residents of the City’s domestic violence shelters can access critical mental health services directly on-site, addressing their trauma in a patient-centered way and helping them attain stability.”
“The trauma that causes survivors to enter the City’s domestic violence shelter system is deeply profound and painful, requiring immediate support and therapy,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Domestic Violence Mental Health Initiative Director Obianuju Berry, MD, MPH. “This is why embedding access to mental health services directly in these domestic violence shelters is fundamental to ensuring the survivors and their children receive the help they need to heal and build a fresh start. Today we are thrilled to announce significantly growing this initiative and providing life-changing mental health support to more domestic violence shelter residents.”
“Every survivor in our care has endured a series of deeply destabilizing and traumatic experiences that can, without proper treatment and care, result in lasting physical and mental health challenges,” said DSS Deputy Commissioner of Domestic Violence Services Rima Rivera. “Which is why expanding access to high-quality, trauma-informed mental health services within the DV shelter system is absolutely critical. These are life-changing interventions, and we are thrilled to work with NYC Health + Hospitals to bring mental health services directly to these facilities so survivors can quickly and conveniently access the care they deserve.”
“Our mental health program with NYC Health + Hospitals at the city’s five borough-based Family Justice Centers has already made a meaningful impact on the communities we serve, and we’re excited to continue strengthening this partnership and building on its success,” said Saloni Sethi, Commissioner of NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. “Expanding this critical care to 41 domestic violence shelters acknowledges the deep connection between mental health and domestic violence and ensures survivors and their children receive mental health support in an environment where they feel safe and are already connected to the help they need.”
