van Ameringen Foundation Renews Support
for Children’s Mental Health Services

Back in November 2002, responding to an idea and a vision of enhanced services for homeless children, the van Ameringen Foundation helped Care for the Homeless launch an innovative Mental Health program for children residing in three family shelters in the Bronx. While it is not surprising that there is a high prevalence of mental health issues among homeless children, the fact is that accessing care for these children remains notoriously difficult.

An August 2003 study entitled Children's Mental Health Needs Assessment in the Bronx and published by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (in collaboration with the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University) showed that mental health clinics in the Bronx were in such short supply that only 43% of children who received a referral for mental health services actually received care. Even then, of those who did receive treatment, 57% were seriously mentally disturbed and wait times for treatment were up to 90 days, with an average wait of six weeks. To counter these troubling statistics, as well as the barriers of culture, race and language that families (especially Spanish-speaking ones) face, Care for the Homeless cooperated with the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Dominican Sisters’ Thorpe Residence to create a special outreach program which operated throughout 2003 – 2004.

In this period, CFH consultant child psychiatrist Dr. Yusuf Salim evaluated 53 children and provided follow-up visits and medication monitoring to 45 of these children and another hundred children participated in group and individual therapy with the Intensive Case Managers and social work staff. Additionally, Dr. Salim worked closely with the children’s parents both in assessing the children and ensuring that parents understand her treatment recommendations. With the foundations renewed support, these services will be supported once again, allowing Care for the Homeless to offer more consistent help to families struggling with the emotional dislocation of being homeless.

Contributions to Care for the Homeless are tax-deductible to the full extent provided by law.

Checks can be made out to "Care for the Homeless" and sent to:
Care for the Homeless
c/o Candyce Mason, Development Officer
12 West 21st Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10010-6902

Electronic donations can be made through Network for Good or NY Charities .