Northwell Health’s Staten Island University Hospital in New York City has launched a program aimed at improving access to pediatric behavioral health services, SILive.com reported Jan. 15.
The Linkage, Intake and Navigation for Kids program — or LINK — debuted Jan. 15 to provide children ages 5-17 with immediate access to mental healthcare. LINK is the first program on Staten Island to integrate pediatrics, emergency medicine and behavioral health services to streamline referrals and ensure continuity of care, according to the report.
The program operates out of Staten Island University Hospital’s outpatient behavioral health center and features seven dedicated clinical rooms. Each care team includes a medical assistant, psychiatrist and social worker.
The initiative comes amid a state and nationwide youth mental health crisis. Forty-eight percent of teens report depressive symptoms, and suicide is a leading cause of death among children ages 10-14, the New York City Department of Health reported. Hospital officials said the program supports the borough’s Zero Suicide Model and aims to stabilize patients before symptoms escalate.
Meagan Sills, president of Staten Island University Hospital, told SILive the program’s goal is to intervene early and connect families with appropriate care. Northwell Health leaders said the program reflects broaders concerns about access, fragmentation and delayed care, with 18% of children having seriously considered suicide in the past year.
