Mental and Behavioral Health Blueprint for Staten Island Children and Young Adults
Did you know that the second leading cause of death in ages 10-24 years old is suicide in the United States? Unfortunately, that number has been increasing in the past decade. Staten Island Borough President Vito J. Fossella recently unveiled a plan of action to tackle the youth mental health crisis through a multi-tiered system that will prioritize mental health and create a supportive community within Staten Island.
The first of its kind in the country, the Mental & Behavioral Health Blueprint is a collaborative effort of the Department of Education, health care providers, educators, and others. It will serve as a customized approach to youth mental health in our community by enhancing the provision of mental health services and supporting legislators, schools, advocates, and other resources.
The comprehensive plan serves children and young adults in Staten Island, preschool to age 24. The creation of the blueprint involved identifying current gaps and issues in mental health services. Several national behavioral models were studied by this collective group to identify what Staten Island specifically needs. Other initiatives of the blueprint include:
- North Star Goals and Measures, which aims to achieve zero suicides among Staten Island youth
- An Implementation Team dedicated to sharing information across all child-serving systems.
- A Staten Island School System Improvement and Evaluation office whose goal is to strengthen the infrastructure of mental health services within our schools.
Overall, this blueprint represents a monumental step in the right direction for Staten Island Youth. For more information and a complete layout of the Mental & Behavioral Health Blueprint, click here.
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