{"id":39404,"date":"2026-01-23T17:49:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T17:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/?p=39404"},"modified":"2026-01-23T17:49:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T17:49:24","slug":"mamdani-administration-announces-new-youth-clinics-at-nyc-health-hospitals-woodhull-and-queens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/archives\/39404","title":{"rendered":"Mamdani administration announces New Youth Clinics at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull and Queens"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEWYORK: Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined\u00a0NYC Health + Hospitals\u00a0and\u00a0MetroPlusHealth\u00a0to announce\u00a0the launch of\u00a0two new clinics to provide comprehensive healthcare to\u00a0young people\u00a0ages\u00a016 to 25 years old\u00a0at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull\u00a0and Queens.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Supported by $4 million from\u00a0MetroPlusHealth, the clinics will\u00a0aim to\u00a0keep youth engaged in care as they age out of pediatric care,\u00a0reduce emergency room visits, and\u00a0improve long-term health outcomes.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0MetroPlusHealth\u00a0claims data,\u00a0nearly 90%\u00a0of youth stop seeing their mental health provider\u00a0after\u00a0they turn 21.<\/p>\n

The new\u00a0Elevate\u00a0You\u00a0clinics will provide behavioral health care, primary care, reproductive care, vocational support, and social support services from a consistent care team.\u00a0The\u00a0program\u2019s\u00a0multidisciplinary treatment team\u00a0includes\u00a0a\u00a0social worker, psychiatrist, nurse, youth peer, and family advocate.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we want young New Yorkers to chase their dreams here, we have to make it clear that their struggles are not just their own,\u201d said\u00a0Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccess to consistent, high-quality health care is not optional\u2014it\u2019s\u00a0essential, and our\u00a0City\u00a0is showing that. These new youth clinics will support young people as they move into adulthood and are just one example of a city government that is on their side, every step of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m\u00a0so excited to be here building a healthier city, and\u00a0a healthier generation, with our amazing partners. This announcement gets to the heart of the work of our administration and the work that the mayor is committed to\u00a0—\u00a0treating every New Yorker, even our young ones, with dignity and the respect that they deserve, ensuring that we are addressing every issue at the root cause,\u201d said\u00a0Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Helen Arteaga.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe transition to adulthood can be challenging for anyone, and we found our teenage patients disconnecting from behavioral health services as they aged out of pediatric care,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s two new Elevate You clinics are bright, comfortable spaces for our teenage patients to get the care they need and build the skills to enter the next stage of their lives. We are deeply grateful to our colleagues at\u00a0MetroPlusHealth\u00a0for their vision and support for this initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAddressing the youth mental health crisis includes making sure that our young people stay connected to behavioral health care and supportive resources as they enter adulthood,\u201d said\u00a0Omar Fattal, MD, MPH, Chief of Behavioral Health Services at NYC Health + Hospitals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is\u00a0why we are dedicated to developing innovative programs like the Elevate You clinics that provide essential mental health treatment to young people as they navigate the transition to adulthood.\u202fThis support is especially crucial for vulnerable populations, such as those aging out of foster care, by addressing\u00a0common challenges\u00a0like housing instability, employment difficulties, and mental health concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are proud of the tremendous growth of our Behavioral Health Service over the last few years, and we are excited to take the next step in addressing the needs of the communities we serve in North Brooklyn,\u201d said\u00a0Dr. Ross MacDonald, Chief Medical Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

\u201cTransitional age youth are at a critical point in their lives, and we\u2019re dedicated to building healing relationships with that change lives for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMetroPlusHealth\u00a0is committed to investing in the future of our city\u2019s youth\u2014building continuity, fostering safety, and inspiring hope during one\u00a0of\u00a0the most pivotal stages of human development,\u201d said\u00a0Talya Schwartz, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of MetroPlusHealth.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a mother, pediatrician, and leader, I am honored to be part of an initiative that stands beside our children as they grow. This is about more than care\u2014it\u2019s about connection, stability, and the belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re incredibly proud to champion these spaces where young people feel safe, respected, and supported\u2014because that\u2019s what they need to stay in care,\u201d said\u00a0Karen Lenard, Vice President of Behavioral Health at MetroPlusHealth.<\/p>\n

\u201cToo often, teens lose the support to access to mental health services just as life starts to get more complicated. This program helps them stay connected to the same care team, in a place that feels familiar, while they navigate school, relationships, work, and growing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Elevate You clinics are designed to break the cycle of disengagement in mental health services for our youth in Southeast Queens,\u201d said\u00a0Neil J. Moore, MBA, MPA, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Queens.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy focusing on comprehensive care that includes behavioral health, vocational support, and life skills training, we are addressing the unique challenges faced by young people in this community. Our commitment is to empower these youth to make informed decisions and build a healthier future as they transition into adulthood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis program is a game-changer for the youth we serve,\u201d said\u00a0Dr. John Navas, Chief of Psychiatry at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Queens.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Elevate You clinics provide not only mental health support but also a safe environment where young individuals can gain essential life skills and support networks. In neighborhoods like Southeast Queens, where access to resources is often limited, our goal is to help these young people thrive by ensuring they have the tools, guidance,\u00a0and care they\u00a0need to make positive choices that\u00a0impact\u00a0their futures.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cElevate You is redefining behavioral health by removing age-based hurdles to care,\u201d said\u00a0Eva\u00a0Sanders, LCSW, CCM, Associate Executive Director, Behavioral Health, NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this program, NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull patients are supported with services that honor the real-life social and emotional complexities 16\u201324-year-olds experience as they grow into adulthood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn behalf of the NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull Behavioral Health Ambulatory Service, I am very excited with the opening of the Elevate\u00a0You\u00a0program,\u201d said\u00a0Maria Chona P. San Gabriel, MD, DFAPA, Deputy Chief of Psychiatry (Behavioral Health Ambulatory Services), NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis program bridges the gap between youth-focused care and adulthood, empowering and supporting young individuals in\u00a0optimizing\u00a0their skills and potentials for independent adult life. It\u00a0showcases\u00a0our team\u2019s commitment and passion in providing excellent clinical care and service to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEWYORK: Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined\u00a0NYC Health + Hospitals\u00a0and\u00a0MetroPlusHealth\u00a0to announce\u00a0the launch of\u00a0two new clinics to provide comprehensive healthcare to\u00a0young people\u00a0ages\u00a016 to 25 years old\u00a0at NYC Health + Hospitals\/Woodhull\u00a0and Queens. Supported by $4 million from\u00a0MetroPlusHealth, the clinics will\u00a0aim to\u00a0keep youth engaged in care as they age out of pediatric care,\u00a0reduce emergency room visits, and\u00a0improve long-term health outcomes. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":39405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1469,31,1378],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-york","category-news","category-us"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39404"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39407,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39404\/revisions\/39407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}