No longer a “silent struggle,” hundreds of Bronx residents and families impacted by a wide range of conditions that affect, mood, thinking and behaviors participated in a range of events hosted by Montefiore Health System throughout the last two months in recognition of May being Mental Health Awareness Month. Topics relevant to mental health and discussed at the various events were requested by community members and the various discussions were led by Montefiore’s department of Psychiatry and its Office of Community & Population Health (OCPH).

 

Liz Spurrell-Huss, MPH, MSW, director of health equity programs at OCPH said of the event series, “These events were incredibly emotional and inspirational as each one was informed by individual neighborhoods expressing what was most important to them, ranging from mindfulness to distress, to victimization and violence.” She added, “Each event was different, but every time we were moved by how open and engaged everyone was about topics that are often highly stigmatized and hard to discuss.”

The events were held in partnership with local Bronx community-based organizations, including:

• Breaking Ground – Park House, La Central, Boston Road;
• Jewish Association Serving the Aging (JASA);
• Pastoral Migratoria Saint Antony Of Padua Church;
• Presbyterian Senior Services (PSS) Life University;
• Regional Aid for Interim Needs (RAIN): Middletown Center, Gun Hill Senior Center, Tolentine Senior Center and Parkchester Senior Center;
• Riverdale Senior Services: Schervier Apartments, Marble Hill Senior Center; and
• Luke Episcopal Church

 

Dr. Ana Ozdoba, director of psychiatry residency training at Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said, “Hearing each person’s stories, struggles and triumphs out in the community is an honor – and it is an essential step in bringing people who need mental health support into treatment.” Ozdoba added, “It was also an invaluable experience for our psychiatry residents, who are newer to the field, as it reinforces why we are here in The Bronx and the importance of community partnerships in addressing today’s mental health crisis.”

As Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close, the Montefiore Child Outpatient Psychiatry Division, led by Dr. Jenny Seham, partnered with HearYourSong, to present a concert featuring original songs about topics ranging from friendship to struggling with depression. HearYourSong is a nonprofit that works to empower children and teens with serious illnesses and complex health needs to make their voices heard through songwriting.

 

Seham, who serves as director of arts and integrative medicine and Montefiore Einstein’s Youth Empowerment Series (YES), said of the musical event, “Children in our community are feeling unprecedented levels of sadness and hopelessness; students of color are at elevated risk for increased stress, anxiety and depression.”

She continued, “YES highlights the strength, resilience, and creativity of local youth through arts performances and exhibits. Their songs have a powerful impact on themselves and the audience; the concert is a true community healing experience.”

 

Montefiore has been designated a behavioral center of excellence by the New York State Office of Mental Health and earlier this year, announced plans to create a new inpatient pediatric unit in The Bronx.