NYC Health + Hospitals Receives $550,000 from The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
The grants will support career development for psychiatric physician assistants and care for asylum seekers who are survivors of torture The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers
Mar 08, 2024
NYC Health + Hospitals today announced that it received $550,000 in funding from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. A $300,000 grant will fund the launch of the Psychiatric Physician Assistant Career Pathways Program at NYC Health + Hospitals. The program will include courses at local colleges, guest lectures by behavioral health professionals, clinical placements, fellowships, and tuition repayment. The program is designed to help attract and retain clinicians who care for New Yorkers with mental health or substance use needs as the U.S. faces a national shortage of mental health professionals. The program will launch later this year. A grant of $250,000 will fund care at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst for asylum seekers who are survivors of torture. The funding will allow the Libertas Center for Human Rights at Elmhurst Hospital to continue its focus on delivering trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health care; integrated medical, legal and social case management; and care coordination for survivors of torture and allow it to serve more individuals in response to the recent surge of asylum seekers in New York City.
“This generous gift form the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation comes at a critical time for our system,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Chief of Behavioral Health and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Omar Fattal, MD, MPH. “The Psychiatric Physician Assistant Career Pathways Program will help us to bring new talent into the NYC Health + Hospitals system. We are so proud to work alongside our partners to attract and retain clinicians bringing high quality behavioral health services to more New Yorkers.”
“I want to express my gratitude for the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation’s exemplary investment in this work,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President for External & Regulatory Affairs and Communications Deborah A. Brown, JD, MSW. “With this generous contribution, we hope to significantly bolster our efforts to develop and recruit psychiatric physician assistants, addressing a crucial gap in mental health care provision in New York City. Additionally, it enables us to expand our support for asylum-seeking survivors of torture, who often face immense challenges in accessing the comprehensive care they desperately need. I extend my deepest gratitude to our partners and supporters for recognizing the importance of these initiatives. Together, we will continue to make strides in improving the health and well-being of our communities.”
“Our grantees are on the front lines each and every day helping improve health outcomes for underserved New Yorkers. Today’s grant announcement will provide over 500 nonprofits with the resources to bolster innovative and life-changing programs across New York. From prioritizing mental health to helping newly arrived immigrants navigate complex legal systems, grantees will continue to impact every corner of New York and help communities thrive,” said Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., Executive Chairman of Visa and Chair of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Board.
The Libertas Center is a leader in the field of care for survivors of torture. As the only holistic survivors of torture program in the most ethnically diverse county in the country, and the only emergency department-based program, Libertas has been recognized for its essential, high-quality integrated services and advocacy for survivors of torture by the Greater New York Hospital Association, New York City Council, and New York State Department of Health, among others. Libertas has an ongoing relationship with the NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Program for Survivors of Torture, with which Libertas cross-refers clients based on geographic proximity and collaborates closely on local and national efforts.
“Thank you to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for their support of the Libertas Program for Human Rights,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Libertas Center’s Executive Director, Dr. Dinali Fernando. “The assistance they have provided to the Libertas Center for Human Rights greatly improves the lives of torture survivors who come to us from all over the world.”
“We are extremely thankful to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for the enormous gift of $550,000 for our Libertas Center for Human Rights and the Psychiatric Physician Assistant Career Pathways Program. Increasing the pool of talent for mental health professionals will be of great benefit to our patients and will allow us the enhance and expand the care we provide in an underserved community where people are often unaware of local mental health resources, and struggle to recover from trauma, anxiety, and depression,” said Dr. Helen Arteaga-Landaverde, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst.
New Yorkers interested in seeking out mental health support can reach out to 844-NYC-4NYC for an appointment at NYC Health + Hospitals, or by contacting Virtual ExpressCare at expresscare.nyc or by calling 631-EXP-Care (631-397-2273).
If you would like to donate to NYC Health + Hospitals, please visit this link on our website.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York State that either provide direct healthcare services or address the social determinants of health. For more information, visit https://www.cabrinihealth.org/