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The Behavioral Healthcare System’s Response to Families: A Legacy of Unfulfilled Promises
Family members of those with serious behavioral health conditions often encounter innumerable obstacles in the pursuit of effective treatment and other essential services for their loved ones. Navigating a byzantine network of resources, many of which entail restrictive eligibility criteria and...
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The Hidden Effects of Combat-Related PTSD on Spouses
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (2014) reported that approximately 20% of service members who served in Iraq or Afghanistan developed combat-related PTSD. Mental health issues following combat tours are not exclusive to service members. de Burgh et al. (2011) stated that spouses of service...
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Healthy Aging: For Older Adults, The Pandemic is Far from Over
As we move into Year Three of the Covid-19 pandemic, older adults remain at high risk. Those over age 65 now account for 90% of COVID deaths – and many of those becoming ill are fully vaccinated and boosted. While many Americans feel confident to resume social activities and travel, our older...
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A Family’s Recovery Journey, An Interview with Jorge R. Petit, MD
Services for the UnderServed (S:US) is a nonprofit organization that plays a critical role in the health and wellbeing of more than 37,000 of New York City’s most vulnerable individuals and families each year, helping them overcome complex and challenging life circumstances. At S:US, we...
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You Don’t Have to Do this Alone: 988 Lifeline Offers Support for Loved Ones Concerned About Suicide
At a recent fund-raising event I attended for St. Vincent’s, CNN correspondent Randi Kaye was honored for her efforts to promote suicide prevention. In her acceptance remarks, she spoke about her family’s shock, disbelief and unanswered questions when her father died by suicide. She...
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Consumer Perspectives: Housing is Essential for Recovery
This article is part of a quarterly series giving voice to the perspectives of individuals with lived experiences as they share their opinions on a particular topic. The authors are served by Services for the UnderServed (S:US), a New York City-based nonprofit that is committed to giving every New...
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Using the Seven Principles of Afrocentricity to Frame a Community-Based Organization’s Programs and Services for Individuals, Families, and Communities
Services for the UnderServed (S:US) is one the largest community-based, health and human services organizations in New York State and intentionally works daily to "right" societal imbalances by providing comprehensive and culturally responsive programming. The need to fulfill its mission of driving...
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The Behavioral Health Workforce Crisis and its Impact on Families
The behavioral health field has been enduring a workforce shortage for some time. In 2021 alone, direct support organizations saw a turnover rate of 43%. On top of that, research has shown an increase in the demand for behavioral and mental health services since the beginning of the COVID-19...
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What Can Families Expect After Drug Rehab?
The first step when a loved one leaves rehab is to determine if they are serious about sobriety. Worrying or constant monitoring doesn’t help. But, pretending everything is OK, because you want it to be OK, is even more harmful. Walk the thin line of being supportive, yet aware and ready to...
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Family Matters: Designing for Empathy & Inclusion
As the understanding and treatment of behavioral health patients has evolved, so too has the approach taken by facility planners, architects, and interior designers. The design professional’s challenge is to incorporate innovative improvements while respecting the underlying realities of the...
