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Q&A
DYCD commissioner outlines mental health initiatives and peer-to-peer counseling
1:32:51
ยท
3 min
Commissioner Keith Howard responds to concerns about mental health support in youth programs, highlighting DYCD's prioritization of mental health and trauma support. He discusses the creation of a specialized unit and collaboration with other city agencies to address these issues.
- Mentions the creation of an Office of Mental Health Support within DYCD
- Discusses coordination with other city agencies like the Mayor's Office of Mental Health and Department of Health
- Highlights the focus on peer-to-peer counseling initiatives based on feedback from young people
Keith Howard
1:32:51
Mental health and trauma is one of the highest priority in DYCD and to the fact that we've actually created a unit within DYCD, office of mental health support to make sure that we're coordinating not only internally program areas but also externally to make sure that those that are really in the space like the mayor's office of mental health, the department of health and high mental hygiene and and New York City public schools and you know all of our stakeholders across the board that we're that we're coordinating and sharing resources to make sure that those that the young people are receiving at the highest level treatment and opportunities to be able to have clinicians and have services that they can really just really commit to and we can commit to them.
Nantasha M. Williams
1:33:54
Yeah they didn't reference any resources, they referenced some training.
1:34:00
So I guess there's a little something that you all try to do, but the commentary was that like income, this person is a program director but they're also you know a DOE employee, right.
1:34:12
So they're getting a certain set of training that's still not enough, right.
1:34:16
But it's more than what is actually required at the after school level and this is for all students across the board.
1:34:23
So like I want to acknowledge that he mentioned that there's some type of something, maybe a DOH state training or something that folks are required to do, I'm not sure.
1:34:33
Yeah, but he just he said it it's it does not go far enough to providing support for the employee to properly care for the young person.
Keith Howard
1:34:46
No and I hear you and I appreciate you bringing that up.
1:34:49
I think that the investment in mental health actually is on the mayor's highest list.
1:34:59
When we about a year ago we had town hall meetings with young people across the six precincts with the highest level of gun incidents and shootings.
1:35:11
And one of the two things that came out of of that hearing that young people stated to us is one, concerned about police police interaction, and number two, their their mental health and trauma.
1:35:25
But one of the things that one of the young persons told to at the time doctor Fassad was peer peer to peer.
1:35:37
And and we started to take a look at that to say to see exactly how we can pass that on to the providers and create those opportunities to do peer to peer counseling and train providers and train our young people to be able to to take on that part.
1:35:56
Because the young person was very clear, and he you know, and I remember it like it was yesterday, and really approached doctor Vazard and said, I'm not gonna talk to a clinician.
1:36:08
I'll I'll go through the routine, but I would rather talk to my friend as opposed to someone as a social worker.
1:36:17
And and that was vitally important for us to hear.
1:36:21
So we've been creating focus groups.
1:36:23
We've been again meeting with our stakeholders to make sure that the investments and the training are actually happening across our program areas.