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0-5 Perinatal + Early Childhood Mental Health Initiative

The Child Center of NY is pleased to serve as the Queens borough-wide provider in the Perinatal + Early Childhood Mental Health Network, a Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health initiative designed to provide mental health services and supports for families who have young children, ages 0–5, with mental health needs. Our bilingual and bicultural therapists utilize evidence-based, trauma-focused models of treatment, including play therapy and Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), that have been proven to make a difference for this age group and give them the promising start we want for all our children.

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Just as we need to ensure that children begin school academically ready to learn, we also need to ensure they begin life socially and emotionally ready to thrive. The Child Center can help with that piece of the puzzle. 

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Many people wonder what mental health counseling for such young children entails. It mostly involves strengthening the parent-child bond in ways that make the child feel safe and secure and support their development. We work with pregnant people and children 0-5 years old, including newborns, with their parents or other primary caregivers. The goal is building secure and healthy relationships between parent and baby and preventing insecure attachment relationships that tend to result in mental health issues down the road. We help every family in our care to establish a mentally and emotionally healthy start. 

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Here are some things that we can provide children, parents, caregivers, and families who enter counseling with us:

  • Individual and family therapy

  • Parent groups

  • Individual child screenings

  • Caregiver depression, anxiety, and parental stress screenings

  • Other assessments and screenings

  • Guidance in increasing positive interactions and communication between parent and child

  • Assistance in developing social-emotional skills, building resiliency, improving self-esteem, and encouraging self-regulation

  • The tools to help families handle the inevitable setbacks and challenges of life in a safe and constructive way, now and in the future

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We also offer perinatal and infant mental health consultation to individuals working in early childhood settings to promote best outcomes. Through this program, we pair mental health professionals with schools, hospitals, or other agencies that serve perinatal to preschool populations. The consultant works with staff to increase their ability to support the social and emotional development of the young children in their care. We also work directly with families to improve relational health.

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We recently launched a new model of consultation in hospitals, where we support staff to build healthy birth outcomes for new parents with trauma or perinatal mental health concerns.

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Program Details

Eligibility: 

  • Families with children up to age 5, including pregnant people

  • Preference given to those enrolled in Head Start and Pre-K for All programs

  • Medicaid and many third-party insurance plans are accepted. We work with families with and without insurance to ensure access for all and will find a financial solution based on each family’s individual financial situation.

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Services include:

  • Staff and teacher training

  • Consultations and coaching on incorporating social-emotional learning in the classroom

  • Assistance in identifying and assessing children’s and families’ social and emotional needs

  • Strategies for working with young children and their families

  • A place where you can feel confident referring families who may be in need of mental health support

  • P+ECMY services are also available at Corona Early Head Start and Corona Head Start

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Contacts:

Program Director, 0-5 Perinatal + Early Childhood Mental Health Initiative: 
Michele Neuhaus micheleneuhaus@childcenterny.org

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Director, 0-5 P+ECMH, Clinical Services: 
Seline Bearman, LCSW-R selinebearman@childcenterny.org

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Languages:
Bengali, Cantonese, English, Mandarin, Spanish
We also utilize an interpretation service so that we can provide services to clients who speak any language.

Perinatal Mental Health Service Pilot:

Currently, we are piloting a new model of consultation in a hospital setting where we are supporting staff to help build healthy birth outcomes for new parents with trauma or perinatal mental health concerns. Services include:

  • staff and teacher training

  • consultations and coaching on incorporating social-emotional learning in the classroom

  • assistance in identifying and assessing children’s and families social and emotional needs

  • strategies for working with young children and their families

  • a place where you can feel confident referring families who may need mental health support

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Locations

Cohen Family Wellness Center: Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)

43-08 52nd Street, Second Floor

Woodside, NY 11377

 

In-Person Hours:

  • Monday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Tuesday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

  • Wednesday-Thursday 12-8 p.m.

  • Saturday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Remote services are available six days a week by appointment.

  • These reflect current hours. Please call our main number for more information. We maintain flexible hours for both in-person and remote services​.

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Ages accepted: All ages, newborn-adult

 

Admission criteria: Anyone who has mental health, addiction/substance use, or other social-emotional concerns for themselves or a family member

 

Languages spoken:​

  • Bengali

  • Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese)

  • English

  • Korean

  • Spanish

  • Others​

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Services Provided at Cohen Family Wellness Center:

All mental health programs offer:

 

Specialized programs at this site:

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Public transportation: Subway–7 train to 52 St. LIRR–Woodside Station (10-15-minute walk). Bus–Q32 to Roosevelt Ave/51 St, Bus—Q60 to Queens Blvd. and 52nd Street.

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Director of Cohen Family Wellness Center: Xiomara Borja, LCSW, CASAC-T xiomaraborja@childcenterny.org 

Phone: 718-358-8288
Fax: 718-358-5265

Jamaica Family Wellness Center: Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)

163-18 Jamaica Avenue, Second Floor

Jamaica, NY 11432

 

In-Person Hours:

  • Tuesday 12-8 p.m.

  • Wednesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Thursday 12-8 p.m.

  • Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Saturday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Remote services are available six days a week by appointment.

  • These reflect current hours. Please call our main number for more information. We maintain flexible hours for both in-person and remote services.

 

Ages accepted: All ages, newborn-adult

 

Admission criteria: Anyone who has mental health, addiction/substance use, or other social-emotional concerns for themselves or a family member

 

Languages spoken: 

  • Bengali

  • Creole

  • English

  • Mandarin

  • Spanish

  • Others

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Services Provided at Jamaica Family Wellness Center:

All programs offer:

 

Specialized programs at this site:

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Public transportation: Subway— E, J, Z train to Jamaica Center stop; walk three blocks north on Jamaica Avenue.

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Director of Jamaica Family Wellness Center: Najiyah Laskar najiyahlaskar@childcenterny.org 

Phone: 718-358-8288

Fax: 718-358-5265

Macari Family Wellness Center: Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)

140-15B Sanford Avenue, Second Floor

Flushing, NY 11355

 

In-Person Hours:

  • Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

  • Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

  • Saturday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 

  • Remote services are available six days a week by appointment.

  • These reflect current hours. Please call our main number for more information. We maintain flexible hours for both in-person and remote services

​​

Ages accepted: All ages, newborn-adult

 

Admission criteria: Anyone who has mental health, addiction/substance use, or other social-emotional concerns for themselves or a family member

 

Languages spoken: 

  • Bengali

  • Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese)

  • English

  • Hindi

  • Korean

  • Spanish

  • Tagalog

  • Urdu

  • Others

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Services Provided at Macari Family Wellness Center:

All mental health programs offer:

 

Specialized programs at this site:

 

Public transportation: Subway—#7 train to Main St., Buses—Q17, Q20A/B, Q25, Q32, Q34, Q44, Q65, LIRR to Main St​

 

Macari Leadership: 

Elizabeth Traverso, Senior Program Director of Integrated Clinical Services, elizabetraverso@childcenterny.org

Katherine Taveras, Senior Program Director of CCBHC katherinetaveras@childcenter.org

Phone: 718-358-8288

Fax: 718-358-5265

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