The Child Care Center of NY in Forest Hills is a recipient of the annual New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) commissioner’s Community Care Award.
The award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of individuals and organizations who have furthered the OMH mission and have made a positive contribution to the mental health system in their communities.
“OMH has many great partners who are helping us strengthen our state and the local mental healthcare system by increasing access to community-based services and improving health outcomes for consumers,” said Dr. Ann Sullivan, OMH commissioner. “The Child Center of NY is a powerful presence in New York City, reaching more than 35,000 children each year. Their work gives these children and their families the skills and emotional support necessary to build healthy, successful lives. We truly appreciate their work, vision, values and the role they play in helping us to fulfill our mission.”
The Child Care Center of NY, located at 118-35 Queens Blvd., operates behavioral health, early childhood education, health homes and integrated care, youth prevention and family support, and youth development services throughout New York City and Long Island.
The center was recognized for partnering with OMH on the OnTrackNY program, a nationally recognized, evidence-based team approach that works with youth who have been recently diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. OnTrackNY has been proven to help young adults stay in school and reduce the impact of their psychiatric condition.
Traci Donnelly, CEO of The Child Care Center, said they’re grateful to be recognized by OMH, which has been an effective and trusted partner for years.
“At The Child Center, we engage children and families in New York’s underserved communities because we know that with the right skills, education and emotional support, children of any background can build a happy, healthy and fulfilling future,” Donnelly said. “Our work and this award are made possible, even in the face of a pandemic, by our skilled and dedicated staff who show compassion for those who truly need help the most.”
The Child Center is also launching a new maternal health center in Queens that will work with mothers and fathers who may be struggling with parenting to ensure that their infants meet all developmental milestones, and the organization was recently chosen to take over the state’s only residential treatment facility for juvenile justice youth.
OMH’s Community Care Awards were created in 2019 to highlight OMH’s partners and stakeholders in local communities across the state that are helping to identify and eliminate gaps in services and are working to build strong community-based behavioral healthcare systems. Input from these local partners helps OMH better understand regional needs and implement programs that will help people on the road to recovery from mental illness live their lives with a greater degree of independence and dignity.
