New children's mental health facility opens at Montefiore Einstein
News 12 got an exclusive walkthrough of the Montefiore Einstein Center For Children's Mental Health with Gov. Kathy Hochul.
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Montefiore Health System unveiled its newest facility on Monday.
News 12 got an exclusive walkthrough of the Montefiore Einstein Center For Children's Mental Health with Gov. Kathy Hochul.
"We have more people struggling who could have had interventions as children, and free them from a lifetime of needing additional care... and that day starts now," said Hochul.
The $29 million facility houses 21 pediatric psychiatric beds.
Montefiore staff said the goal is to move hospitalized children in crisis from emergency rooms to equipped facilities.
"So that children who are in crisis, and families during one of the most challenging times in their life, will be able to come here and start their care as soon as possible," said Dr. Jonathan Alpert.
Alpert said the wait times in hospital emergency rooms can last days. The addition of this facility will get children immediate intensive care.
"Children are traveling outside of the Bronx to get this care. So having this closer to home, closer to where their social support system is, closer to their parents and families, I think will go a long way," said Salima Velji, unified executive administrator at Montefiore.
Josiah Morales, 14, spoke at the ribbon-cutting. His mother was brought to tears.
He took part in a school-based, clinical program aimed to help and heal struggling students. He is now an advocate for mental health awareness.
"It's great that they're doing it in facility now so they can have all these type of things for kids," said Morales. "At the end of day, it will always be worth it if you have a possibility to get through life or just like the way I am," said Morales.
"It's beautiful and it looks different. It doesn't look like a hospital. It looks like a school for them. It looks more playful! Because that's the scary part... when they see white walls, the metal, that's that was scary for him. So this facility is beautiful," said Josiah's mother.
