The New York City Health Department will receive $20 million investment over three years from the city’s budget to expand perinatal and early childhood mental health resources under the Strong Foundations initiative.
The funding aims to expand capacity at the Health Department’s Perinatal and Early Childhood Mental Health Network clinics and grow the early childhood mental health workforce. The initiative will fund specialized mental health certification for 20 practitioners annually and establish a three-year fellowship program to develop a pipeline of clinicians with perinatal and early childhood experience.
The NYC Health Department will also connect more families to visits from registered nurses to support pregnancies and provide mental health resources for parents and children. Strong Foundations will also expand eligibility for the NYC Nurse-Family Partnership to include parents with more than one child and allow enrollment later in pregnancy.
At the Becker's Fall Behavioral Health Summit, taking place November 4–5 in Chicago, behavioral health leaders and executives will explore strategies for expanding access to care, integrating services, addressing workforce challenges and leveraging innovation to improve outcomes across the behavioral health continuum. Apply for complimentary registration now.