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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Paula Magnus, Deputy Director of Northside Center for Child Development
4:22:19
·
125 sec
Paula Magnus, Deputy Director of Northside Center for Child Development, testified on the value of DOHMH and its support for their behavioral health clinic serving over 4,000 children and families across New York City. She highlighted four critical programs that support children's mental health with the help of DOHMH oversight and City Council funding.
- The Children Under Five program supports preschoolers with early mental health challenges
- The Early Intervention program helps infants and toddlers with developmental delays
- The Youth Empowerment program assists young people facing mental health challenges and community violence
- Northside operates 23 school-based mental health clinics throughout New York City
Paula Magnus
4:22:19
Chairperson and esteemed members of the council, those representative there, thank you for the opportunity to testify today to the immense value of DOHMH and what it provides to New York City.
4:22:33
I'm Paula Magnus, the deputy director of Northside Center for Child Development, a behavioral health clinic serving over 4,000 children and families across the city.
4:22:45
Northside is guided by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's careful budget oversight and constructive program supports our main clinic and delivers four critical programs that directly support the mental health of vulnerable children.
4:23:02
We have four programs here that I want to highlight.
4:23:04
Our children under five program supports preschoolers facing early mental health challenges by helping families strengthen bonds and prepare for school.
4:23:15
The discrepancyary funding from you City Council, has supported these services which we thank you for that.
4:23:24
Our early intervention program supports infants and toddlers with developmental delays through therapy and home childcare settings, helping them reach their milestones during critical early years.
4:23:38
Thirdly, our youth empowerment program which is also supported by city council discretionary funding.
4:23:43
It helps the young folks who face mental health challenges and school disengagement and community violence through therapy, mentoring and leadership development, which helps the youth build emotional resilience and long term stability.
4:23:59
So again we thank you for supporting that with your financial support.
4:24:03
Fourth is our 23 school based mental health clinics which were spoken of earlier today.
4:24:08
We have 23 of them throughout the New York City.
4:24:12
You know the importance and the effectiveness of that.
4:24:15
We thank you for that as well.
4:24:16
And again, once again, thank you for your time and your commitment to the mental health of New York City's children and families.
4:24:23
Thank