New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a major step toward improving mental health care for children and teens. The state is giving out $4.5 million in grants to help young people facing serious emotional challenges.
Ten organizations across the state, including the Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA) in New York City, will each receive $450,000 to build or grow programs that support youth mental health in their communities.
Helping Kids Stay Connected at Home and in School
The goal of the funding is to strengthen Youth Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams. These teams focus on children with serious emotional needs—especially those returning home from hospitals or care facilities. The teams work with families to keep children connected to their homes, schools, and communities.
Deb Falk, chief program officer at JCCA, said the funding will help expand their Brooklyn-based team. “We’ve seen that community-based mental health care can truly help young people stay grounded and thrive,” she said.
Support for Families After Inpatient Care
Governor Hochul explained that children living with mental health conditions sometimes need extra care to avoid going into, or to come back from, long-term treatment centers.
The Youth ACT program is designed to provide that care. By expanding these teams, the state hopes to make sure more children can safely return home and get the help they need.
“This expansion of our Youth ACT program will help provide more families with this critical support,” Hochul said.
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