Behavioral Health
Latest Behavioral Health News
Here’s the Story Behind This Moving Letter
June 18, 2024–As a Care Manager in the Health Home program run by VNS Health’s Behavioral Health team, Saheed Kinoshi knows there is more to a home than four walls—and that, in some cases, there’s more to home care than attending just to a person’s health care needs. He’s also a big believer in the VNS Health mission and our Core Value of Empathy. These qualities were all on full display recently when Saheed walked into the studio apartment of his new client, David*, to help him with his multiple chronic health conditions. The first thing Saheed was struck by was something he knew he had to change right away: His client had no furniture at all, except for a broken-down bed. “I have empathy for all my clients,” said Saheed, who thinks of VNS Health as a “family business” – taking care of families. “I don’t want him to have to
Behavioral Health Team Transitions to Netsmart Electronic Health Record System
June 15, 2024–In April, the VNS Health Behavioral Health (BH) Team transitioned to a new electronic health record (EHR) system, Netsmart myEvolv. The new system will help enhance the BH team’s outcome reporting, streamline documentation workflows for clinicians, and optimize billing. “With this transition, BH reaffirmed our commitment to leverage technology in order to improve health outcomes, patient and employee experience, and financial sustainability,” said Jess Fear, SVP, Behavioral Health. The BH team has worked closely with the IT and Revenue Cycle Department (RCD)/Finance teams since May 2023 to initiate, configure, validate, and adopt myEvolv. IT, RCD, Strategy and HR have also provided invaluable support to BH team and end users by helping to develop communications and training plans for pre- and post-go live activities.
Behavioral Health Team Hosts 13th Annual Children’s Mental Health Fair!
June 15, 2024–From start to finish, the Behavioral Health team’s 13th Annual Children’s Mental Health Fair was a huge success. Held at our FRIENDS East 153rd Street location on Thursday, May 30th, current and past VNS Health clients as well as the families in the Bronx community were all invited to participate in the festivities. Invitees included clients from various Behavioral Health programs including the FRIENDS Clinic, Children’s Mobile Crisis, HBCI, Promise Zone, and Safe Pathways to name a few. It is estimated that over 120 residents of the community attended. Check out the photos below!
Honoring VNS Health’s Nurses for National Nurses Month. See the Photos (and Videos)!
May 28, 2024–To celebrate National Nurses Month, events were held honoring VNS Health’s nurses in every New York City borough plus Westchester and Long Island. Click on the links below to see slideshows of our nursing colleagues in photos from each event—and don’t miss the videos featuring government officials giving special tributes to VNS Health at the Brooklyn and Bronx celebrations! Manhattan — May 3, 2024 Staten Island — May 7, 2024 Queens — May 9, 2024 Long Island — May 14, 2024 Westchester — May 16, 2024 Brooklyn — May 22, 2024 NYC Council Member and Former VNS Health Nurse Mercedes Narcisse at Brooklyn Nurses Month Giving VNS Health a Proclamation Bronx — May 23, 2024 Mahnoor Jaura from Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson’s Office Presenting a Proclamation for VNS Health In Honor of Nurses Month And a little music and dancing … Manhattan for New Nurses — May 31
McKnight’s Spotlights Jessica Fear, SVP, Behavioral Health for 2024 “Thought Leader” Award
May 14, 2024–
The Bronx Times Spotlights Behavioral Health RN John Tawiah for Nurse’s Month
May 6, 2024–
From Escort Translator to Peer Specialist: How Waldina Palacios Found Her Dream Job
April 9, 2024–As a peer specialist with VNS Health’s Intensive Mobile Treatment (IMT) team, Waldina Palacios provides help to vulnerable, unhoused New Yorkers who are navigating severe mental health challenges. This means meeting them wherever they may be living—in a shelter, a single-room occupancy residence (SRO), a hospital, or on the streets. Over more than two decades, Waldina has held many positions at VNS Health, including escort translator, home health aide, and HHA coordinator. During this time, Waldina also experienced VNS Health as a family member – her grandmother was a patient in the Shirley Goodman and Himan Brown Hospice Residence near East 96th Street. (“The place felt like home,” says Waldina. “So cozy and comfortable. Everyone there gave her such good care.”) Waldina’s current role with the Behavioral Health team, she says, is her dream job. It’s also one she didn’t even know existed until recently. Here, in her own words,
Jessica Fear, Esther Conteh, Among Industry Leaders Honored at McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards
March 25, 2024–
BronxNet Spotlights Bronx ACT Program Coordinator Amy Amadasu for Social Worker Month
March 22, 2024–