Putnam’s Multi-Faceted Approach to Improving Mental Health By Michael Piazza, Commissioner, Putnam County Department of Social Service and Mental Health, and Michael Cunningham, Director, Putnam County Office for Senior Resources
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he COVID pandemic has tipped the scales causing a tsunami of mental health concerns. This is as true in Putnam County as it is around the state and the globe. Access to services has been hindered and mental health needs have increased. In Putnam, these challenges converge on two pre-pandemic issues: the opioid use epidemic, and a growing population of older residents living independently with varying needs. Fortunately, in a county of just under 100,000 residents, collaboration between the government departments of Social Services and Mental Health, Public Health, and the Office for Senior Resources dates back decades. With serious traction gained over the past two years, Putnam County leadership and community organizations are implementing multi-faceted solutions spanning the age spectrum.
Solving the burgeoning mental health crisis is facilitated by local recognition that mental health is public health, and that responding to crises through the lens of mental health is foundational. The local health department is expanding the capabilities of Putnam County’s Medical Reserve Corps. These volunteers are learning to respond to mental health and substance use aspects of public health emergencies, including naloxone usage for harm reduction and suicide prevention. Putnam’s Prevention Council, a local non-profit, has been a key driver of the expansion of naloxone training and availability. Youth have been particularly affected by the pandemic. To support this population, the Department of Social Services and Mental Health has been shepherding a project with CoveCare, one of the largest mental health care providers in the county. Now in the final stages, school-based services are set to begin. Pre-pandemic, two school districts had requested onsite services; now four more are interested, along with Green Chimneys, a non-profit providing residential education for students with special needs. With a $25,000 grant, CoveCare is working with the Putnam Valley School District to establish a satellite clinic in one of their schools. Here face-to-face services will be provided on school grounds, reducing the need for telehealth which has been less effective for some individuals. For families, these school-located services can eliminate a constellation of other stresses.
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NYSAC News | Summer 2022
