Author Archives: Renee Riebling

Team Spotlight: Abraham Santana, MSW, on Creating a Safe Space for LGBTQ+ Youth

Child Center of NY Social Worker Abraham Santana works with LGBTQ+ youth at the Cohen Family Wellness Center in Woodside, Queens

Abraham, a social worker at The Child Center of NY

The Child Center began in 1953 as a single children’s counseling center, based on ideas that were ahead of their time: that children could need mental health services; that serving whole families is a critical component of serving children; and that serving the larger community is at the crux of it all. Seventy years later, we remain as committed as ever to serving the communities—geographic and social—that need us.

Right now, the LGBTQ+ community needs us. Continue reading

Jonathan’s Story

Below is a speech that Jonathan delivered during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Cohen Family Wellness Center. You can listen to additional thoughts that Jonathan shared during an interview with amNY, above. Credit: amNY, Kyle Sweeting, and Jason Schwartz.

Hello everyone, my name is Jonathan, and I have been involved with The Child Center for about three years.

To begin my journey, I started with Zoom calls due to the pandemic and restrictions placed by COVID-19. The resources provided by The Child Center helped with resolving many of the issues I was suffering from and helped me overcome major challenges that were tied to my anxiety.

It took me a while to warm up to my therapist due to the unusual circumstances, but when I became comfortable, that’s when my journey decided to pick up speed.

When I went to the clinic for the first time, I was tense and overwhelmed. Due to the country opening up and returning from a remote environment to an in-person environment, I was on edge and all over the place. I was worried that I would lose all the progress I had made during the Zoom sessions. But my therapist helped me ease my worries and helped me with my transition to this new life.

At the time, I was scared of everything happening around me, afraid of change, and intimidated by the smallest challenges that life presented. Although these problems never seem to cease, the ways to manage these stressors were some skills that I would eventually pick up in my therapy sessions.

Jonathan with Amazin' Mets representatives at the Cohen Family Wellness Center in Woodside, Queens

Jonathan (second from left) at the grand opening of the Cohen Family Wellness Center. Learn more: childcenterny.org/photo-of-the-month-cohen-family-wellness-center/

The [Cohen] Family Wellness Center created the resources necessary for my improvement. I felt like I had no cure, and although it seemed like that at the time, I would later be proven wrong.

I learned that I was not the only person to have these uncomfortable symptoms. I was not the only person to live this type of way. I was not alone in this struggle.

This sense of belonging would bring me great comfort, allowing optimism back into my life once again. This place helped me grow, helped me change into someone that I am proud to be.

I would have never imagined the progress I would have made; it still amazes me today.

I would like to happily share that due to the progress I made at this place, I was able to accomplish some achievements that I could have never possibly imagined. This would include my role as valedictorian for my class of 2023, and being a Macaulay Scholar attending Queens College in the fall, majoring in psychology to pursue a passion of being a therapist or clinical psychologist. This passion was inspired by my time at The Child Center.

To end things off, I would like to thank my therapist, Abraham, and my psychiatrist, Dr. Yang, along with my parents and siblings who supported me through this journey. I do not know what type of person I would be without them.

Thank you.

National Foster Care Month Spotlight: Karriem

Karriem, a client of our Prevention and Family Support Flushing program, reads to his children during National Foster Care Month.

Karriem, a client of our Prevention and Family Support Flushing program, reads to his children during National Foster Care Month.May is National Foster Care Month, an observance that has special meaning at The Child Center of NY. The Child Center operates four Prevention and Family Support programs for families with children at risk of abuse, neglect, or foster care placement, or who simply need help with parenting challenges. The hardworking employees in these programs work tirelessly and holistically to give parents and other caregivers the tools, support, and confidence to raise their children in a safe and nurturing environment—now and in the future.

One of these parents, whose case was successfully closed last month due to achievement of goals, is Karriem. Continue reading

Important Changes to New York Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan

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Do you or a family member currently have health insurance through New York State Medicaid, Child Health Plus or the Essential Plan? Starting in Spring 2023, New York State will resume eligibility reviews and renewals for people enrolled in these programs. This means you may need to take action to renew your health insurance or the insurance of your family members.

Here are some things you can do now to get ready.

1) Sign up for text alerts
Sign up to receive SMS/MMS Text alerts from NY State of Health so you don’t miss important health insurance updates, including when it’s time to renew your coverage.

To subscribe, text START to 1-866-988-0327.

2) Make sure your address is up to date
Make sure NY State of Health has your current mailing address, phone number and email address so they can contact you about your health insurance. To update your information:

• Call NY State of Health at 1-855-355-5777 (TTY: 1-800-662-1220)
• Log into your account at nystateofhealth.ny.gov, or
• Contact an enrollment assistor
If you enrolled in Medicaid through your county’s Medicaid office or through New York City’s Human Resources Administration, contact that office to update your address and contact information.

3) Take Action
When it is time to renew your health insurance, you will receive a letter from NY State of Health or a renewal packet if you enrolled through your county’s Local Department of Social Services or the New York City Human Resource’s Administration. This letter/packet will let you know what you need to do to renew your coverage and how much time you have to respond. Follow the instructions right away.

Mental Health Awareness Month: The Crisis Among Our Children, Three Years After the COVID-19 Pandemic Began

Governor Hochul at mental health plan announcement

By Linda Rodriguez, SVP, Behavioral Health, Early Childhood, and Community Partnerships

Governor Hochul at mental health plan announcement

A photo of Governor Kathy Hochul announcing her mental health plan, taken by the blog author

As a multiservice organization that provides mental health treatment and support to young New Yorkers, before March 2020 we were busy, serving more than 40,000 New Yorkers annually through our behavioral health, early childhood education, youth development, and other programs across the city. Since then, the intensity of our work has profoundly escalated. Continue reading

Photo of the Month: Welcome to the Cohen Family Wellness Center!

Ribbon cutting of the Cohen Family Wellness Center in Woodside, Queens
Ribbon cutting of the Cohen Family Wellness Center in Woodside, Queens

From left to right: Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan; Child Center of NY Vice Chair Samuel Freed; Executive Vice Chair Dick Jay; Board Chair Adam H. Schwartz; CEO Traci Donnelly; Julianna Sabra, Co-Head, Foundation and Community Engagement of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation; Alex Cohen (center, cutting the ribbon); Jeanne Melino, Executive Director of the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation; NYC Council Member Julie Won; Congresswoman Grace Meng; Child Center client Jonathan; Jane Son, Co-Head, Foundation and Community Engagement of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation; and Assemblymember Steven Raga. Photo credit: Michael Dorgan, amNewYork/QueensPost.

We cut the ribbon at the state-of-the-art Cohen Family Wellness Center (CFWC) in Woodside, Queens, this month, and we couldn’t be happier, prouder, or more grateful! Continue reading

Social Work Month 2023: Why I Am a Social Worker

By Anita Sanehi, LCSW
School-Based Clinical Coordinator

School-based Clinical Coordinator Anita Sanehi (right) with her client Kayla

As an eager teenager majoring in sociology and psychology, I began working as a youth counselor at the afterschool program in J.H.S 185.

Every stage of life has its own importance, and even though I was still a young adult, I believed in the powerful impact of childhood. Schools have a great opportunity to be a safe haven and steady support for many students. Sometimes students spend more time at school than with their families. Continue reading


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