Uptown Hub

SHARON G. KIM, LMSW• Program Manager • shk9051@nyp.org x ERICA M. CHIN, PHD • Director of Psychology and Co-Principal Investigator • erc9027@nyp.org x ALWYN T. COHALL, MD • Co-Principal Investigator • atc1@cumc.columbia.edu • Dominican Women’s Development

Mission and Goals Number of People Reached

Since 2017, NewYork-Presbyterian’s Uptown Hub, a Youth Opportunity Hub initiative of the Manhattan District Attorney of New York’s Criminal Justice Investment Initiative, has served youth and young adults from the Washington Heights and Inwood community. In partnership with several communitybased organizations, the Uptown Hub provides a free and safe space for young people to connect, create, and grow as well as access holistic and culturally affirming services and resources.

Objectives

•To cultivate a community that facilitates the engagement and retention of young people in employment-readiness, educational support, wellness, creative youth development, and recreational Heights and Inwood (The Y)

activities.

•To reduce idle time, risky behaviors, and justice system involvement through an individualized support system that fosters positive relationships with peers and mentors.

•To improve mental and physical health by supporting psychological development and enhancing resilience and acquisition of coping skills.

•To increase the collective impact of youth-serving agencies and to expand community awareness of available services through enhanced

589

450

322

Total Members Enrolled Since 2018 Workshops (Employment, Education, Health/Wellness, Youth Development) Monthly Average of Drop-In Visits

Community Collaborators

• Columbia University Irving Medical

Center (CUIMC)

Center (DWDC)

• Northern Manhattan Improvement

Corp. (NMIC) • People’s Theatre Project (PTP) • Police Athletic League (PAL)

• The YM & YWHA of Washington

collaboration.

The Uptown Hub provides a free and safe space for young people to connect, create, and grow as well as access holistic and culturally affirming services and resources.

Key Accomplishments

In 2019, the Uptown Hub had a number of key accomplishments that reflected its mission to improve the well-being of youth and young adults in the community, which included:

Supportive Guidance. The Supportive Guidance program was established with the addition of four Hub Advocates. Upon joining the Hub, every member is assigned a Hub Advocate who provides individualized support, referrals to resources, and general mentorship and coaching.

Behavioral Health Services. The Uptown Hub Behavioral Health team provided preventive and comprehensive psychological services. Wellness and affirming psychosocial groups were made available to all Hub members. Comprehensive services included diagnostic evaluations and individual and group interventions, as well as neuropsychological testing. The Uptown Hub team is multidisciplinary; all staff members partnered and collaborated in team case conference reviews contributing to treatment planning and prevention-focused screening of mental health needs in our community. Behavioral health screening and engagement services were available to members on-site in the drop-in youth development space. Medical Services. Hub Members had access to medical services, particularly reproductive and sexual health services, primarily through NewYorkPresbyterian’s Project STAY, Young Men’s Clinic, and Family Planning Clinic.

Employment Readiness & Educational

Support. The Uptown Hub hosted employment-readiness-related activities year-round, such as resume and interview skills workshops. Additionally, select Hub Members participated in job training programs or other paid experiences through Hub community partners NMIC (Train & Earn, Intern & Earn, YouthBuild), DWDC (Uptown’s Voices), and PTP (Luna Ensemble). In summer 2019, the Uptown Hub hosted a cohort of about 40 SYEP Younger Youth from The Y, providing them shadow opportunities at NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital. All interns participating in CHALK’s Summer Youth Market internship program and CCHE’s NYPeers program were enrolled as Hub Members. Beyond employment services, a volunteer group composed of CUIMC medical students offered tutoring on a weekly basis.

Creative Youth Development. As a drop-in space, Hub Members accessed amenities such as free Wi-Fi and laptops, snacks and refreshments, games and entertainment, and a study space on a daily basis (Monday through Friday). The Hub also offered structured workshops, such as Manhood 2.0, Sisters Table, Uptown Pride with DWDC (LGBTQIA+ group), All About Me with NewYork-Presbyterian’s Pastoral Care, and a variety of Hub Clubs (e.g., Hub Acting Up with PTP, Healthy Living with NMIC). Hub Members also participated in volleyball and basketball at PAL.

Youth Advisory Council & Teens Unite

for Health. The Uptown Hub Youth Advisory Council welcomed a new group of young leaders to provide feedback about Hub programming and work on service projects. The Council, along with several other youth volunteers, planned NewYorkPresbyterian’s 2019 Teens Unite for Health event held at Highbridge Recreation Center, which was attended by approximately 300 youth across New York City.

Uptown Hub Youth Center. The Uptown Hub’s new physical site at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene building on 168th Street and Broadway completed its design phase with anticipated construction in 2020 and site opening in January 2021.