Categories: New York City, Member News
03.21.2016
Mental health initiatives are the focus of the event.
Left to right: Dr. Ginny Mantello, Borough Director of Health and Wellness; Assembly Member Mike Cusick; Larry Hochwald, Co-Chair of the Staten Island Mental Health Council; Linda Wilson Executive Director of NAMI-Staten Island Chapter; the Network's Executive Director Laura Mascuch; District Attorney Michael McMahon; and Terry Troia, Project Hospitality.
In the wake of the City and State’s recent commitments to creating 35,000 units of supportive housing over the next 15 years, Project Hospitality Executive Director Terry Troia invited Network Executive Director Laura Mascuch to present on supportive housing to this year’s Annual Staten Island Mental Health Council’s Community and Legislative Priorities Breakfast on Friday, March 4th. Some 200 stakeholders discussed the Council’s agenda next year which will focus on the importance of creating supportive housing for homeless Staten Islanders struggling with mental illness; the need for funding for children’s mental health services; the need for employment support for Island residents living with mental illness.
On hand were Assembly Member Michael Cusick and Assembly Member Matthew Titone as well as representatives from the offices of Senator Diane Savino, Public Advocate Letitia James, Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis, and Council Member Debi Rose.
Ms. Mascuch spoke about the work of the City’s Supportive Housing Task Force which she co-chairs and on which Reverend Troia sits, emphasizing the thirty year track-record of successfully helping vulnerable New Yorkers build lives in the community and supportive housing’s history of improving neighborhoods. The breakfast was hosted by the Staten Island Mental Health Council and Co-Chair Larry Hochwald, and other featured speakers included Linda Wilson, Executive Director of NAMI of Staten Island and Staten Island Mental Health Society’s Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Libby Trainor.