MHA-NYC Family Resource Centers
Do you have a child with emotional or
behavioral problems?
We've been there…
Parents with children who have emotional and behavioral
challenges often feel isolated. You are not alone!
When you walk into one of our Family Resource Centers, you
immediately meet people who have been in your shoes - other parents
who have struggled with the challenges of parenting a child with
emotional and behavioral challenges.
We know that parents are not to
blame for children's emotional and behavioral problems. We
understand that parents' feelings of guilt and shame and the stigma
attached to mental illness can get in the way of pursuing treatment
for their children. Remember, mental health problems are real and
they are treatable. Did you know that nearly one in five
of all children suffer from an emotional or behavioral disorder?
Serious emotional disorders severely disrupt daily functioning at
home, at school, and in the community.
The Family Resource Center staff is here to help. Our staff have
undergone extensive training to provide a variety of services,
which include: providing information and referrals to other
community organizations, teaching parenting skills, running support
groups, and even advocating for a parent who may be facing a
governmental agency alone and unprepared. This year, more than
1,000 families turned to us for support. Our core services
are family-driven and strength-based. They
include:
- Warm Line - A call-in line for
parents in need of resource information and peer support.
- Peer-to-Peer Empowerment Groups for
Parents
- Peer-to-Peer Empowerment Groups for
Youth
- One-on-One Advocacy
- Public Education and Outreach
- Care Coordination Services - Care
coordination services are offered to families with complex
situations for which there is a need for coordination among several
major child-serving systems (e.g., Juvenile Justice, ACS, mental
health, OMRDD).
- Respite
- Recreational Activities
- Youth Advocacy
- Workshops and Seminars for Families -
Topics covered include educational services, parenting, services
for transitional-age youth, information on psychotropic medication
and mental health diagnoses, and many other topics of
interest.
- Referrals - Referrals are made by FRC
staff to appropriate community services - ex., mental health
clinics, early intervention programs.
Help yourself and your child - call one of our
Family Resource Centers today. There are
locations in Northern Bronx, South Bronx, Northern Manhattan,
Southern Manhattan and Western Queens.
Bronx Zone 1: Director - Wanda Greene
Tel: 718-220-0456
Location: 975 Kelly St., Suite 301, Bronx, NY 10459
Bronx Zone 2: Director - Yvette Pena
Tel: 718-220-3868
Location: 975 Kelly St., Suite 301, Bronx, NY 10459
Manhattan Zone 3: Director - Olga Vazquez
Tel: 212-410-1820
Location: 1 West 125th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10027
Manhattan Zone 4: Director - Janet Rosa
Tel: 212-964-5253
Location: 50 Broadway, 19th floor, New York, NY 10004
Queens Zone 5: Director - Lorraine Jacobs
Tel: 718-651-1960
Location: 87-08 Justice Avenue, Suite C-14, Elmhurst, NY 11373
About Family Link and Family Link Plus:
A new program of MHA-NYC, Family Link and Family Link Plus is
designed for at-risk Bronx-area families who need assistance
learning to become more effective parents. Family Link Plus is
designed for families also suffering with substance abuse issues
and/or mental health challenges.
Family Link:
When a parent or caregiver walks through the door of Family
Link, they can rest assured that our staff understand and are here
to
offer support and resources to strengthen their family and provide
a safe and nurturing environment for their children. Our preventive
service program staff partner with families to develop
individualized family service plans and to provide or link family
members to the services they may need including:
- Support groups for parents, caregivers or youth
- Supportive counseling
- Parenting classes and help meeting the child's developmental
needs
- Help to stop domestic violence
- Mental health and substance abuse treatment services
- Help with housing, financial and immigration issues
- Help navigating the educational, health and social service
systems
Family Link Plus:
Family Link Plus is designed to help families when the parent or
caregiver's parenting challenges are more difficult because of
their
substance abuse or mental health issues.
We are also able to provide innovative services to families who
have a child who is using alcohol or drugs. In addition to all of
the services provided through Family Link, more intensive services
are provided in the family's home to help the family stay together
and repair the damage that caused as a result of these
stressors.
Our intensive, youth friendly care especially effective in
connecting hard to reach teens connected to services and improving
relationships with family members.
Families seeking Family Link
Plus services are usually referred by ACS.
Who Can We Serve?
Families who live in the following Bronx neighborhoods can
self refer to Family Link, or they can be referred
by the Administration for
Children's Services (ACS) or other community based agencies:
- Bedford Park
- Belmont
- East Tremont
- Fordham
- Highbridge
- Kingsbridge Heights
- Little Italy
- University Heights
Family Link and Family Link Plus services are provided free of
charge and are offered in both English and Spanish.