Q&A
Mental health services and support for NYCHA seniors
1:03:15
ยท
5 min
Council Member Banks inquires about mental health services for NYCHA seniors, particularly in light of increased isolation during the pandemic. Representatives discuss efforts to address mental health needs and challenges in reaching isolated seniors.
- Distribution of tablets to seniors during the pandemic to maintain connectivity
- Geriatric mental health services embedded in many older adult centers
- Discussion of ongoing challenges in addressing mental health stigma and reaching isolated seniors
Chris Banks
1:03:15
Thank you.
1:03:16
Well, how does these efforts address the mental health needs of these older adults, particularly in the light of increased isolation during the pandemic?
1:03:25
How are you dealing with that?
Ukah Busgith
1:03:27
So during the pandemic, we were fortunate that, we received some funding to distribute over 10,000 tablets to older adults and we work with, OTI to distribute those tablets to seniors.
1:03:41
So, it helped where if aging was conducting a workshop or training, our seniors, but older adults at the time could have access to those programming.
1:03:51
Post pandemic, the startup for those centers were very slow.
1:03:55
Recruitment was, residents were not returning.
1:03:58
They, you know, there was still a fear of going and, congregating in open spaces.
1:04:03
So, we had to really partner with aging to get the word out that the
Ryan Murray
1:04:07
centers are open.
1:04:08
And, and
Chris Banks
1:04:09
now after the pandemic,
Ryan Murray
1:04:11
what's
Ukah Busgith
1:04:11
the difference?
1:04:11
So, it took us a slow start, but I think centers are building up to the numbers that they, they used to serve pre pandemic.
1:04:17
But Ryan could confirm that.
UNKNOWN
1:04:19
Yeah.
1:04:19
I can add a little more.
1:04:20
And I actually, just this morning, I was talking to providers about, you know, if they're having trouble reaching out to residents that we've had a lot of luck, I think, especially with the resident leaders.
Charles Madray
1:04:29
A lot
UNKNOWN
1:04:29
of times they have their pulse.
1:04:30
So, you know, I've said so many times that could be your best friend if, you know, if you work with them, to get information out.
1:04:35
But as far as mental health, another program that we have, embedded into a lot of our older adult centers is geriatric mental health services, and that's open to any older adults.
1:04:44
They don't have to be, part of that site.
1:04:47
They don't have to be they can live anywhere.
1:04:49
They can go wherever they're comfortable, but that is something that, we have in in a a large portion of older adult centers, including some of our our NYCHA sites.
1:04:56
And so that's been a wonderful program.
Chris Banks
1:04:58
And and I know this is probably not a NYCHA based question, but, for those seniors who are not residing in NYCHA, so I guess this will be more directed to the Department of Aging.
1:05:10
What's the outreach, when it comes to mental health?
1:05:13
How do you monitor them?
1:05:16
Because I I have a particular senior, who, resides in Meadowood, who's a, it's a it's a condominium.
1:05:24
Used to be a Mitchell Lomb back in the day.
1:05:26
And, she she has a made major ordering issue, that we're now trying to address, but it seems like it went over the, the CBO's head or the the the center that she attends.
1:05:42
So, you know, if we can this this is also a outcry to also to to work together to collaborate to see how we can help this particular senior that attends, the I think she attends the, Penn Workman Senior Center, which I believe the sponsors Millennium Development.
Renee Keitt
1:05:58
Yeah.
Ryan Murray
1:05:59
We're happy to support you with the case that you're referring to, more broadly.
1:06:05
Obviously, mental health, thankfully, we can now have this conversation, right, about mental health being part of health and being important for all of us and not just, in moments of crisis or, based on a particular mental illness.
1:06:23
So we as Anya said, we have collocated programs, with our older adult centers.
1:06:29
There are 88, geriatric mental health programs that was expanded, in this administration up from 20 something, from the prior.
1:06:37
There's so much more to be done there as part of the cabinet work.
1:06:40
We are currently working with the parks department, for example, to make sure the theory here is go where people are.
Chris Banks
1:06:47
Right.
Ryan Murray
1:06:47
The centers are 1, as opposed to waiting for people to go to the clinic where the clinician is and can offer services.
1:06:53
Right?
1:06:53
Culturally, also, in many communities, talking about how you're feeling and thinking and what you might be struggling with, hoarding, or other kinds of things, is still a barrier.
1:07:04
And is and we we've only gotten recently to the place where we can have these conversations.
1:07:08
So for folks who are older, there is so much work that needs to be done there.
1:07:12
So, 1, happy to work on this case with you.
1:07:15
2, we're always looking to, collocate and cite and so on.
1:07:20
There's a whole Office of Mental Health process around what is appropriate to expand and when for licensure, but we need to do more.
1:07:28
And I think I I wanna if this is an area you wanna work on, happy to bring you in.
Chris Banks
1:07:32
And my last question on this particular topic, when it comes to, outreach and particularly, when we talk about mental health, are there adequate, case workers and, the, in in in the centers, although adult centers, to assist?
1:07:52
Because we we constantly, see where, directors are having to take on that responsibility.
1:07:59
And, you know, that that definite that definitely puts a stress on the director.
1:08:05
So, are there adequate, case workers in the centers?
UNKNOWN
1:08:11
Yeah.
1:08:11
I think, so obvious again, every center is different and the the providers are, determine what their structure looks like.
1:08:19
It's you know, I don't know off top of my head what the vacancies look like at those programs.
1:08:23
However, you know, and and needs change.
1:08:25
I think that what happens especially with more serious mental health issues is sometimes staff it is more than an older adult center should be handling.
1:08:33
And so that's why we have this part you know, the partnership with the geriatric mental health, program.
1:08:39
But as far as we are aware, it's not, we're they're not We we don't hear complaints that there's not enough staff to do case assistance.
1:08:47
However, the what the older adult centers should be doing, is really more kind of basic assistance, and then usually bigger needs are referred out.
1:08:55
Obviously, it's, you know, it's also education, I think, to ensure that the people providing those, services know all the resources.
1:09:02
And that is something we we it is in our standards that, programs have that available.
1:09:07
But, you know, it it's I think it's different in every case, and sometimes these are more challenging situations.
1:09:12
So we are always here to support.