On this Veteran’s Day as we honor the men and women who fought so bravely on our behalf, let us also reaffirm our commitment to those who have sacrificed for our freedom. Veterans and their families continue to struggle with mental health issues among other needs. The VA and communities around the country have made advancements… View ArticlePublished on - November 11, 2016 11:14 amPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts
Today, the CDC released new data that discusses the death rates of youth aged 10-14. The data compares suicide rates, motor vehicle rates and homicide rates for youth. Dr. John Draper, Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a program administered by MHA-NYC, shares his thoughts on this release and the statement by the National Action… View ArticlePublished on - November 4, 2016 3:38 pmPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts
By Jessica Giordano A voice comes on the telephone “How can I help you?” A sigh. “I don’t know. I’m afraid.” A sigh. “What’s going on?” “I don’t know; I’m just scared. I feel like I’m having a panic attack.” Deep breaths. “Ok, it’s ok. Let’s take some deep breaths.” And I go there. Through… View ArticlePublished on - November 3, 2016 8:51 pmPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts
Now that the school year is underway and kids are hopefully settling into the new routines of school, this is often the time of year when relationships start to solidify. And that means that your child, or teen, has probably reconnected with friends and started to make some new friends. It can also be a… View ArticlePublished on - October 12, 2016 11:59 amPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts
Being a kid can be exciting, fun and joyful, but it can also be stressful! As parents, caregivers, and teachers, we strive to enhance the joyful times and curb the stressful ones, but there are many factors over which we have no control. What we can control is our responses to your children and young… View ArticlePublished on - October 7, 2016 6:23 pmPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts
Last month NPR published an article titled, “Here’s How Schools Can Support Students’ Mental Health,” where they suggest a ‘multi-tiered system of support’ which can substitute the mental health support needs that are lacking in schools. This multi-tiered system offers support for everyone and builds levels of more and more specialized help. MHA-NYC’s Cristina Harris,… View ArticlePublished on - October 3, 2016 7:12 pmPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts
Suicide prevention does not take a break now that it’s “Depression Awareness Month.” In fact, as mental health advocate Kevin Hines reminds us, there are thousands of reasons to think of suicide prevention in the context of depression. It was depression, and other symptoms of bipolar disorder including paranoia and mania, that led Hines to… View ArticlePublished on - October 2, 2016 8:22 pmPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts
I emerged from the subway on that clear Tuesday morning, likely the last train to Manhattan before America’s great city locked down to become a militarized zone. It was about 9:15 AM, just minutes after the second plane hit the Twin Towers, and I could see the smokestacks billowing disaster about 20 blocks south of… View ArticlePublished on - September 9, 2016 9:34 pmPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts
September 11, 2016 marks the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA, in which nearly 3,000 people were killed. This event has had far reaching effects on attitudes and perceptions about national security, disaster response, and the impact of traumatic events on both the individual and… View ArticlePublished on - September 9, 2016 9:20 pmPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts
Christian Burgess, Director of the Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH), a program administered by Vibrant Emotional Health for the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), describes how you can cope with lockdowns and shelter in place orders. If you’re like me, just hearing or reading the word ‘lockdown’ gets your heart rate jumping…. View ArticlePublished on - August 25, 2016 7:00 pmPublished by - Srinivasan AttoorLeave your thoughts