Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kendra Hall, Social Work Intern at Ali Forney Center
7:28:39
ยท
88 sec
Kendra Hall, a social work intern at the Ali Forney Center, testifies about the need for expanded mental health services for LGBTQ+ youth in New York City. She requests financial support to expand their residential treatment model, which provides on-site mental health professionals at housing sites.
- The Ali Forney Center provides housing-related services and mental health care to over 1,800 LGBTQ+ youth annually.
- They seek to make the residential treatment model available 24/7 at all AFC housing sites to better address crises and reduce the need for police and EMS engagement.
- The organization is facing funding cuts from other sources, making this support crucial.
Kendra Hall
7:28:39
Okay.
7:28:40
Good evening everyone.
7:28:42
My name is Kendra Hall and I'm a social work intern with the Allie Forney Center.
7:28:46
We provide housing related services to LGBTQ plus youth who live in New York City.
7:28:51
Our agency provides mental health care to over 1,800 young people per year.
7:28:55
With the current onslaught of chaos from the Trump administration, it's a really scary time to be queer, trans or unhoused.
7:29:01
Our clients are living in constant uncertainty and it's really taking a toll on their mental health.
7:29:06
We would like your financial support in expanding our residential treatment model to reduce barriers to mental health care for our clients who are currently living in Alieforney Center housing.
7:29:15
Through the residential treatment model, social workers and mental health therapists work out of housing sites so that clients can receive therapy in their own home and so that mental health professionals can be on-site should any crises occur.
7:29:27
We introduced the residential treatment model to AFC housing in 2021 and we've had success in staffing social workers part time at housing sites.
7:29:36
We would like your support in making this available at all AFC housing sites 20 fourseven.
7:29:40
We all know that crises rarely happen in nine to five hours and having on call mental health professionals on-site especially during our overnight shifts will protect clients, prevent burnout among California Center staff, and will reduce the need for police and EMS engagement calls.
7:29:57
This support is needed now more than ever especially since we're facing funding cuts from other sources and we appreciate your support to make this possible.
7:30:06
Thank you.