Socially distant but close at heart
Telehealth helps our program participants to continue on a path to wellness.
Social distancing: the phrase we never knew that now dominates our lives. It has impacted all of our lives in so many ways. Now imagine you are someone who is living with mental illness or addiction and, suddenly, social distancing has changed the way you get treatment.
In these times, when it’s more important than ever for The Guidance Center of Westchester's (TGCW) program participants to stay on a path to recovery and out of the hospitals and emergency rooms, our staff has shown that it’s possible to practice social distancing with emotional closeness and continued connection. Here are a just a few of the ways we are keeping our participants close at heart:
• Our ACT team works with 50 of the most vulnerable members of our community, those who have not been successful receiving mental health and addiction treatment through traditional means. Many of them do not have phones or do not trust them. In addition to their social/emotional needs, they have high medical needs and some are homeless. Our ACT team is out, five days a week, meeting with participants, ensuring they are receiving their needed medications and providing counseling.
• The opioid crisis didn’t take a break because of COVID-19. Our opioid treatment program is open six days a week, continuing to ensure that each participant receives the medication they need to support their recovery. The staff has worked hard to implement procedures to ensure that treatment and intake continue. If you know someone who needs help, please call 914-613-0700 x7303.
• We are here to provide mental health or addiction counseling via telehealth for anyone – regardless of their ability to pay. To get started, call 914-613-0700 x7104.
• Our Creative Learning Center (CLC) provides preschool education to many young children with emotional and learning issues. For these students, having their routine and schedule disrupted is traumatic. That is why every day our staff are reaching out to each family, providing guidance and support and posting online videos of activities and circle time for families to follow with their children. The children are reassured seeing the familiar faces of their teachers, and it is easing the stress for families.
All of our program staff are working with gloves and masks as well as with a passion to help make sure that our participants can continue to learn, work, and thrive.
In these days when there seems so much that we cannot do, you CAN do something right now. Please help support our work and maximize your impact during these challenging times by donating today.
Your generosity can help us keep close at heart to all of our program participants.
$50 –> Resources to provide support for families with young children
$100 –> 25 protective masks for staff as they see participants
$150 –> Groceries/meals delivery to people in our housing & ACT programs
$400 –> Individual crisis therapy sessions (4 sessions)
Any amount –> general support of TGCW’s work to help our community thrive
Thank you, and I look forward to keeping you updated.
Together, we thrive -
Amy Gelles,
Chief Executive Officer
