Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hudson Valley This Morning with Ed Kowalski is the new
voice in the Hudson Valley.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hi, this is Ed.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
I am so grateful for the support you've already given us.
We are creating a platform that gives you, our listeners
a voice. Together, we can build the best local community
talk program in the Hudson Valley. I am so happy
(00:33):
to be joined again in the studios by CEO Leah
Feldman of Family Services, an organization that the more I
get to know them, and the more I get to
work with them, and the more I get to be
able to highlight their stories. I'm just so impressed with
what Family Services is currently doing. And she is joined
(00:54):
by Marilyn Morales. Leah, can you just introduce Marylyn to
our listeners and talk a little bit about what she does,
and we'll talk about what Family Services is doing this month?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Yes? Absolutely, Good morning everyone, Good morning Hudson Valley. Happy
to be back. It's been a few months since I
been beer. Yeah, and I hope I just also hope
everyone's doing okay. This is it's a rough time of
year that yeah, and the cold and the winter. We
haven't had a winter like this in a while and
everyone I talk to is feeling it and their mental
(01:23):
health is feeling it. So I just want to say
to everyone out there, sunny days are coming. Hold in there,
you know, do what you got to do to bring
some sunshine into your life. But we're going to get
through this. And I'm really pleased this morning to have
our vice president for behavioral health at Family Services in
Maryland here. You know, Marylyn has been with Family Services
almost two years and we're a little over a year,
(01:44):
right and she came to us with lots of experience
in this field and we've just been so thankful to
have her her expertise, and you know, having her as
part of our team has really allowed us to take
our behavioral health services to the next level. And we'll
be talking more about that, but we're doing a lot
of enhancing and expanding of our mental health services, which
(02:05):
is really what's needed right now in the world and
in the Hudson Valley. So really pleased to have Marylyn here.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
We welcome, Thank you, welcome. Tell us what behavioral health
means in the context of what you are offering for
Family Services.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Sure, well, we provide services for adults at the moment
or behavior health, really treating mental illness. We have clinicians
who provide therapy, and we have providers who provide medical evaluations,
psychological evaluation, evaluations, provide medication when needed. And I'm mostly excited.
(02:44):
I can't even wait to announce it. But I do
want to talk about the fact that we're expanding on
services to children.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Oh my gosh, I am so happy to hear this.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
It's really something that is needed, not only in New York,
but in the nation.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
You know, it's funny, you know, I don't know if
you were listening. Last week we ended up having because
I like going to the Dutchess County legislators meetings. You know,
I met a woman by the name of Genie Agnolette
who the way that the legislative meetings work is at
(03:17):
the end of the official business, any members of the
public can come up and express, you know, whatever is
on their mind. And and Genie came up and in
the three minutes that were allotted to her, you know,
she spoke a little bit about the issue of pediatric
psychiatry and the issues of of how how big of
(03:41):
a of a gap we have in this particular area,
in that area, in that in you know, in that
uh you know, for that type of service. And she
talked about very very frankly. She talked about, you know
that she is the mother of two daughters who have
some some issues, you know, and and and she spoke
a little bit about what that meant for her in
(04:02):
terms of her husband, in terms of trying to find
the correct providers. And both of her daughters now are
doing well, one is and they're both in college. I
was going to tell you where they were about he
figured out, I'm not going to do that. But they're
doing very very well. But I immediately after she gave
that her speech or I ran up to her, I said, Genie,
(04:25):
I've got to have you on the show. And we
had her in last week to talk about this particular issue,
and she said, yeah, it's a huge, huge problem. So
I'm glad we're talking about this.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
And when we at Family Services made the decision to
expand we made the decision last year and our services
will be starting this summer. Is that we The first
thing that happened was I heard from a mother who
had a five year old and she was looking for
a psychiatric evaluation for him. He was exhibiting some signs
of anxiety, and there was an eighteen month waiting list
(04:58):
for him to be evaluated. And you know, in eighteen months,
you know, this is going to be a six and
a half year old. And she was saying, you know,
her fear was that it would be too late by then.
And this was a person who yeah, wow, And this
was an individual who was well resourced in life, you know,
(05:19):
had good insurance and still couldn't find the services. So
it really started my wheels turning in our conversations about yeah,
what you know not you know, just the sort of
lack of access. But then also if you look nationally,
the rates of anxiety and depression and suicide among young
people has skyrocketed, and there's lots of you know, reasons
(05:42):
or ideas of why that's happening, one of which we're
going to be focused on in our report to the
community coming up on March twentieth.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
When about that. Yeah, but and.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
So I Family Services, When we see and hear things
like this, we really position ourselves to do what we
have to do to meet the need. And I'm really
excited that we have a team of committed professionals who
are like let's do this right, because it's not easy. Right,
It's not easy to expand a surface provision. But everyone's
on board to say this is what's needed in our community.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Let's do it. Yesterday, I don't know if you were
listening to the show yesterday, but on Wednesdays, we have
a sort of a standing appointment with a gentleman by
the name of doctor Sal g and Johnny and forgive me,
I'm terrible with last names, but he is the one
of the founders of an organization called Healthy Men, Inc.
(06:33):
And we were talking. He's a pharmacologist by trade. He's
not an MD, but I spoke to him because coincidentally,
last week I was talking to someone who's an associate
of mine. He's an attorney as well, and he came
up through the foster care system, and he spoke about
the fact that from the ages of like fourteen to seventeen,
(06:55):
while he was in the foster care system, he described
himself as a zombie because he was basically over medicated
without having the coordination of care in terms of and
I spoke to doctor sal about that, and that's certainly
something that I think you guys are seeing. You're seeing
the misuse of pharmaceuticals, the misdiagnosis you're seeing without that
(07:16):
kind of coordination of care from a therapeutic perspective, from
a pharmacological perspective. This individual described himself as a zombie,
and that was something that I really wanted to talk
to sal about. And it certainly is something that you
guys have seen as well.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
I mean, I can't tell you that you know, there
are some I guess schools of thought that you know
feel that way that you know, children may be over
medicated and there you know, there's a focus on that.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I guess the point that I was making is that
is that I'm not trust me, I am not questioning
the medication issues. I'm just questioning the fact that it's
not just the end all be all. It's got to
be done in a full approach if you will.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Absolutely proper therapy, correct involvement of care verse right. And
you know you mentioned foster care. I mean maybe that
there was a lack of that, you know, maybe they
might have been a no, no, no.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
I know, I get it, but it just but it's
an interesting contrast. I'll tell you what. Let's take a
quick break and we will be rejoined after this quick
break with Leah Feldman and Marilyn Morales from Family Services
to continue this conversation. We are back with Leah Feldman,
CEO of Family Services and Marilyn Morales, the director of
(08:27):
behavioral Health. Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Vice president?
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Vice president? Excuse me forgive me? There you go, being
the important distinction, very important distinction, you know. Once again.
You know, I mean, as I've said to my listeners
so many times, our our off air conversations are just
as fascinating as our our our on air conversations. And
I think one of the things that I think Uncle
Mike and I would very much love to be able
(08:50):
to do with you, Leah, is is uh record an
extended podcast with Family Services, but where we have the
we're not in cumbered you know, by by by breaks
and so on and so forth, and really get into
these topics and then play that segment, you know, over
the course of a couple shows. So we're going to
work on that to be able to get you in
(09:11):
to comment on all of these things, because we're talking
about fascinating things. We're talking about, you know, the need
for what it is you're currently doing, the need to
be able to expand behavioral health support to young people,
particularly in this area, you know, and then talk a
little bit about some of the reasons that kids are
(09:32):
really having the kinds of problems that they're currently having.
You know, it's a very fascinating topic, and I'm so
happy that Family Services is doing the kinds of things
because I think one of the things that I think
you guys have done a phenomenal job with is being
able to offer these support services because how many times
have we spoken to people who, like, I don't know
what to do my child is displaying these kinds of
(09:54):
anxiety or depressive behaviors. There's no one to talk to,
you know. Certainly, the hospitals are not a place, you know,
I mean, for whatever reason, you know, those types of
services are not really as offered as much as they
should be in this area. That's where you guys step
up as a plate and do these kinds of things.
So talk to me more about these programs and the
reason that you're looking at being able to expand this
(10:15):
and how how do people access the services that you're
currently offering.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Yeah, sure, I mean, I'll let Marylyn talk a little
bit about how that to access our mental health clinics.
And I'll just mention we have eight centers so where
we provide mental health services across the Hudson Valley, So
we are in Poughkeepsie, Rine, Beeck, Beacon, Millbrook, Dover, Kingston, Ellenville,
and Highland. So not everyone knows that we have locations
(10:39):
in all of those sites, so you know, it's definitely accessible.
And you know, we are fortunate to work with two
counties who feel who are committed to providing mental health
services in rural locations, so you know, and support us
in keeping sites open in you know, areas outside of
you know, the cities like Poughkeepsie and Kings and so
(11:00):
both Ulster and Dutchess County support us in that. And
I will mention that one thing that we're doing this
year is expanding our provision of services in Northern Duchess.
So Northern Duchess County has a fabulous community that really
came together and advocated for increased services in their area
(11:20):
and we're happy to be able to meet some of
that need. In partnership with Duchess County, we are going
to be expanding our center, moving to a larger location
in Rhinebeck and being able to serve both adults and
children out of that area. So we're really looking forward
to that. That'll we're in the phase, so it's going
to take a while to build out and such. But
(11:42):
I'll let Maryland talk a little bit more about, you know,
how to get in touch with our behavioral services.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Sure, So I just want to make sure that we
know that the children's services will be coming to Kingston, Allenville,
and Poughkeepsie this summer, and the way that you will
be acting accessing us by then will be that we're
expanding to same day access, which means that previously you
(12:07):
would call you know, our centers and schedule an appointment,
and that appointment could be a ways out. You know,
I won't say it's eighteen months like you like Mail
had mentioned before, and sometimes it could be a couple
of weeks. And as we know people, you know, some
people with mental health issues really need service now and
(12:27):
they're experiencing them not in a month. So same day
access will make it so that you can walk into
our centers particular days when we're having same day access,
particular hours and be seen that day and get an
intake and start your services with a therapist and then
(12:48):
of course be referred to a provider if needed. So
we'll be having that for the children as well, and
likely you said, in the hopefully in the fall or
early when, will be expanding and growing our practice in Rhinebeck,
which is going to be beautiful with a nice new facility.
Well and you know, pretty perfect for families. You know,
(13:12):
that's one thing that we have mentioned that what this
opens is opportunity for families to get care not only
adults individually or children individually, but really be able to
help the family unit.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Well, you know, it's interesting you mentioned that because one
of the things that I've always been fascinated with is
when I run across people who are dealing with these
issues in their families, the level of exhaustion that they
feel in terms of trying to be able to just
try to solve this problem. Whether it's a child, or
(13:46):
whether it's a spouse, or whether it's a sibling or
a parent, it literally is exhausting. And you see the
fatigue on them, and you see the fact that they
need help to be able to deal with it because
in many respects they don't really understand, you know, the
scope of the suffering that the person. Sometimes you get angry,
(14:06):
you know, why can't you just snap out of it?
You know? I mean one of the things that I
just when I sent Jesse, Sir Ruby an article that
was written a number of months ago, not actually a
number of years ago, by a Wall Street Journal columnist
named David Brooks.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Yeah, we read that.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
It's a phenomenal article. And he talked to and the
article was basically about his best friend committing suicide, and
he talked about his approach to that. You know, why
can't you just snap out of this? You know, you're
a talented physician. Why can't you just snap out of it?
And he related that the guy said to his wife,
(14:43):
I can't snap out of it? Right.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
It was a great perspective when I read it, it.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Was a tremendous perspective. And that's certainly something. Do you
guys offer services? I know Nammy is an organization that
provides help for families who are dealing with this, But
does family services have a component of being able, as
you said, being able to expand mental health services to families?
Is that a component too in terms of this is
(15:07):
how you need to deal with this or this is
the things that you should be dealing with.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Sure, absolutely, it's it's it's a collateral visit would be
considered a collateral visit your you're a person that is
involved in the primary patient's care. So we would also
provide support.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
So important, family, so important, so important, and you.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Know, on the occasions where we may have a case
of someone committing suicidal or even attempting, we always offer support.
So the person that you know was close to that individual.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
And sometimes, like s as I said, even in reading
that David Brooks article, you know, he was just looking
at at at how his friend was presenting. You know,
he didn't understand that his friend had no choice in
terms of presenting this way. He didn't want to present
this way. How many times do you have some who's
sort of like, I can't get out of bed. Why
(16:02):
can't you get out of bed? I can't get out
of bed, you know, and so you really need to
almost take a step back and look at it from
that perspective and then say, let me deal with that
as opposed to as opposed to trying to be able
to put my perceptions on how I think you should
be behaving. It's a very important distinction Let's take another
quick break and we'll be right back to continue. That's
fascinating conversation. I want to talk to you about your
(16:24):
Report to the Community that's coming up on Thursday, March twentieth,
twenty twenty five, and your keynote speaker. We'll be right
back and talk about that where with Leah Feldman and
Marilyn Morales from Family Services. We'll be right back, folks.
We are back with CEO Lea Feldman from Family Services
and the vice president of Behavioral Health, Marilyn Morales. Leah
(16:46):
talked to us about Family Services Report to the Community
that is scheduled for Thursday, March twentieth, twenty twenty five,
from eleven thirty to one thirty at the Grand View
in Poughkeepsie. You're featuring a keynote speaker named Katherine Martinko.
Let's talk about her, but let's talk more importantly about
(17:07):
your Report to the community first.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
So each year we do a report to the community
where we spend some time reporting on Family Services impact
from the year prior, from twenty twenty four and our
future vision and we every year have a very inspiring
and thought provoking keynote speaker to help engage people in
(17:31):
the work that we do and people learn right to
learn something new. So this year our event is on
March twentieth at the Grand View at eleven thirty. Tickets
are available at Family Services ny dot org. That's Family
Services ny dot org. And it's going to be a
nice buffet lunch and you will have the opportunity to
(17:53):
hear from a nationally renowned author by the name of
Catherine Martinko. Catherine wrote the book Childhood Unplugged. She's also
a speaker on behalf of the Anxious Generation. The Anxious Generation,
if you have not read that book, is another fabulous
book about essentially about the generation of kids growing up
(18:16):
overly saturated with digital technology and what that has done
to childhood, how that has changed childhood and an importantly
impacted youth mental health in a in not a positive way.
And so what she talks about is when we put
(18:40):
cell phones in the hands of children, we essentially remove
opportunities from them. So, for example, a kid who may
pick up his uncle's guitar and realize he learns he's
a musician, or pick up a paintbrush and realize he's
an artist, or pick up a microphone and starts to sing,
or go outside with dad and build something, or.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Read a book, yeah, you know, and be mesmerized by words.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Right, So children are losing these opportunities to find their
passions in life. And then the other big piece is
they're also losing the opportunity opportunities to develop confidence and
self esteem in life. So for example, as a kid,
I'm sure you ed went outside, climbed a tree, fell down,
(19:28):
hurt yourself, got back up, climb the tree again. That's
how you learned self confidence.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
If I ripped a pair of pants doing it, my
mother was really annoyed at me.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
For exactly, But that's how you learn self confidence. Without
those opportunities, how are youth learning self confidence? And it
is self confidence that helps kids build the resilience that
you need to have positive mental health throughout your life.
So now what we're seeing is as kids are younger
(19:57):
and younger being diagnosed with anxiety. And the other thing
I'd like to say about anxiety is on cell phones,
kids are exposed to a litany of of violence.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Right.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
They're exposed to the news and just other graphic and
gruesome images that kids should not be in taking into
their psychees. Right, it creates toxic stress in their bodies
and that impacts their health outcomes most mental health and
physical heality.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Right. And again, Catherine Morkinko, your keynote speaker. The book
that you just reference is Childhood Unplugged, Practical advice to
get kids off screens and find balance.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Yes, and important to know Catherine is not anti technology.
She has three kids of her own and she is
but she gives useful and helpful tips. You know, just
like if you told your doctor you were going to
the gym seven hours a day or four hours a day,
they'd say too much right, hour day. Well, the same
thing with cell phones four or five six hours a day,
(21:02):
too much modification, right, And how we can make that
happen incredible, just incredible.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
So Leah, just to interject, I've been to the last
two report to the communities and I found them fascinating.
Anybody who's listens to us talk about family services all
the time, you need to go to this event because
you will find so much more out about family services.
It's a well run program. You highlight everything, like you
(21:28):
said you've done for the past year. What you have
coming up this year is great. But one of the
things that you're just talking about with this keynote speaker
and child development. One of the things that always scared
me as a parent was that there was a point where,
you know, they get to that age of ten to
fourteen years old. I kept thinking to myself, my god,
(21:51):
what is my child going to do if something happens
to me.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
We've got to get that child resilient enough.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
And I know it sounds crazy at that age, but
you've got to start getting them in a position where
in this world today, things happen all the time. And
I was always scared to death what if something happened
to me? Wasn't my child gonna do?
Speaker 3 (22:09):
You know?
Speaker 1 (22:09):
I mean, obviously there's other family members around, but I
felt like it was my responsibility to make sure that
child was ready, in some shape or form to move
on and be able to go.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
On without doubt.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
And I think to your point, Lea, is there's a
false sense with the cell phones and the internet and
all that that's not where you want your child to
be learning how to be resilient and how to move
on at all. So I think it's I'm looking forward
to this. I look forward to it every year ed
and I will be there and I'm looking forward to
hear the keynote speaker.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
Thanks Uncle Mike. I'm really looking forward to too. This
is something I feel really strongly about. And you know,
there is a push in New York State to remove
cell phones from schools too, and I think that's going
to happen. And you know, we got to be prepared.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
And it's based on, you know, childhood development. In order
to have proper childhood development, you have to have the.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Experience for it, no question.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Let's have different experiences.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
Now, let's let's just pause for half a second. Let's
just take a quick break up to the nine o'clock hour. Well,
we'll be right back, folks, with Leah Feldman and Maryland
Morales from Family Services. Stick around. We're right back, folks,
and we are rejoined by Leah Feldman, CEO of Family
Services and Maryland Morales, vice president of Behavioral Health. Over
(23:24):
it at Family Services. Now, you're anticipating having the Behavioral
Health division up and running. It's it's up and running now,
but expanding it for adults, but expanding it to children.
You expecting your your You're anticipating that being.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
In the summer at the three locations.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
And those three locations again are King.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
And then Ryan will be later in the year because
we're building out a new site.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Very nice, very very nice. How do people end up
accessing your services? How do people who are listening to
us saying wow, I never knew that these services are
right here in our own Dutchess County and our own
Poughkeepsie location. How do people get in contact with Family Services?
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Well, I can give you the number eight four five
for eight six twenty seven O three. Give it again
eight four five for eight six twenty seven O three,
And I encourage folks to go onto the website where
there's information about all our programs for family services. It's
not just behavior health. We have community programs, other youth programs.
(24:31):
So I encourage folks to go onto that at www
dot Family Services and why dot.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Org Family Services ny dot org is your is your
current website? And of course again information about family services
report to the community is on that website and that
event is taking place. It's it's a month from today.
Oh wow, it's amazing.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
Ash we a lot to do.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
It's it's a month, Leah. You get out of here
and get back to work. It's a month from today,
March twentieth, twenty twenty five, from eleven thirty to one
thirty pm, buffet luncheon at the Grand View, which is
at one seventy six Ranaldi Boulevard, but keep seeing New York.
Tickets are fifty dollars. How many reports to the community
have you guys put together and done so under your tenure? Leah?
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Oh, well, under my tenure. This is the third one.
But we've been doing this event for many years. It's
one of our staples and well attended, usually over three
hundred people.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
And I wanted to mention something when you're talking about websites,
so you may if you have driven across any of
the three bridges in the mid Hudson Valley and over
the past several months, you may have noticed we have
a billboard up and it's very simple. It says Hello,
check on a friend. And essentially this is part of
(25:55):
our what we're calling our pass it On campaign where
we're putting up Messa in the community that just really
just encourages people to check on each other and check
on each other's mental health. So you know, it just
says hello, check on a friend. Today and we're asking
people to pass it on. And there's a website up there.
It's right to mentalhealth dot org. That's you know, right,
(26:18):
our I g h T. You know, like this is
your right, it's your right to have positive mental health.
So our igh T the number two mental health dot org.
That's a website that brings you to a platform that
has a litany of all of our services listed so
for quick access.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Good.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
So check that out.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Yeah, I'm sorry, Mike, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
So Leah before we we can't let you go. How
are we doing with the run? The run coming up?
What's going on?
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Oh? So we are choosing a date. So our date
is not solidified yet, and once we have that date,
you're going to be the first to know, Uncle Mike,
so you can make this the biggest one yet for
those of you who don't know. In the past two years,
we have run over one hundred miles and raised over
(27:09):
one hundred thousand dollars for family services for you. So
we will be doing that again this fall, and we
encourage everyone to be part of it.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
When she says weit, she means her nice it's Leah. Yeah,
Uncle Mike and I are not running but we will
try to be there to cheer you in, cheer you on.
Thank you Leah Feldman, Thank you Marilyn Morales from Family Services.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
We'd love it if you tuned in to Hudson Valley
This Morning with Ed Kowalski from six to nine am
Monday through Friday on fourteen fifty thirteen seventy AM or
ninety eight five FM WKIP
Hudson Valley This Morning with Ed Kowalski is the new
voice in the Hudson Valley.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hi, this is Ed.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
I am so grateful for the support you've already given us.
We are creating a platform that gives you, our listeners
a voice. Together, we can build the best local community
talk program in the Hudson Valley. I am so happy
(00:33):
to be joined again in the studios by CEO Leah
Feldman of Family Services, an organization that the more I
get to know them, and the more I get to
work with them, and the more I get to be
able to highlight their stories. I'm just so impressed with
what Family Services is currently doing. And she is joined
(00:54):
by Marilyn Morales. Leah, can you just introduce Marylyn to
our listeners and talk a little bit about what she does,
and we'll talk about what Family Services is doing this month?
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Yes? Absolutely, Good morning everyone, Good morning Hudson Valley. Happy
to be back. It's been a few months since I
been beer. Yeah, and I hope I just also hope
everyone's doing okay. This is it's a rough time of
year that yeah, and the cold and the winter. We
haven't had a winter like this in a while and
everyone I talk to is feeling it and their mental
(01:23):
health is feeling it. So I just want to say
to everyone out there, sunny days are coming. Hold in there,
you know, do what you got to do to bring
some sunshine into your life. But we're going to get
through this. And I'm really pleased this morning to have
our vice president for behavioral health at Family Services in
Maryland here. You know, Marylyn has been with Family Services
almost two years and we're a little over a year,
(01:44):
right and she came to us with lots of experience
in this field and we've just been so thankful to
have her her expertise, and you know, having her as
part of our team has really allowed us to take
our behavioral health services to the next level. And we'll
be talking more about that, but we're doing a lot
of enhancing and expanding of our mental health services, which
(02:05):
is really what's needed right now in the world and
in the Hudson Valley. So really pleased to have Marylyn here.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
We welcome, Thank you, welcome. Tell us what behavioral health
means in the context of what you are offering for
Family Services.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Sure, well, we provide services for adults at the moment
or behavior health, really treating mental illness. We have clinicians
who provide therapy, and we have providers who provide medical evaluations,
psychological evaluation, evaluations, provide medication when needed. And I'm mostly excited.
(02:44):
I can't even wait to announce it. But I do
want to talk about the fact that we're expanding on
services to children.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Oh my gosh, I am so happy to hear this.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
It's really something that is needed, not only in New York,
but in the nation.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
You know, it's funny, you know, I don't know if
you were listening. Last week we ended up having because
I like going to the Dutchess County legislators meetings. You know,
I met a woman by the name of Genie Agnolette
who the way that the legislative meetings work is at
(03:17):
the end of the official business, any members of the
public can come up and express, you know, whatever is
on their mind. And and Genie came up and in
the three minutes that were allotted to her, you know,
she spoke a little bit about the issue of pediatric
psychiatry and the issues of of how how big of
(03:41):
a of a gap we have in this particular area,
in that area, in that in you know, in that
uh you know, for that type of service. And she
talked about very very frankly. She talked about, you know
that she is the mother of two daughters who have
some some issues, you know, and and and she spoke
a little bit about what that meant for her in
(04:02):
terms of her husband, in terms of trying to find
the correct providers. And both of her daughters now are
doing well, one is and they're both in college. I
was going to tell you where they were about he
figured out, I'm not going to do that. But they're
doing very very well. But I immediately after she gave
that her speech or I ran up to her, I said, Genie,
(04:25):
I've got to have you on the show. And we
had her in last week to talk about this particular issue,
and she said, yeah, it's a huge, huge problem. So
I'm glad we're talking about this.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
And when we at Family Services made the decision to
expand we made the decision last year and our services
will be starting this summer. Is that we The first
thing that happened was I heard from a mother who
had a five year old and she was looking for
a psychiatric evaluation for him. He was exhibiting some signs
of anxiety, and there was an eighteen month waiting list
(04:58):
for him to be evaluated. And you know, in eighteen months,
you know, this is going to be a six and
a half year old. And she was saying, you know,
her fear was that it would be too late by then.
And this was a person who yeah, wow, And this
was an individual who was well resourced in life, you know,
(05:19):
had good insurance and still couldn't find the services. So
it really started my wheels turning in our conversations about yeah,
what you know not you know, just the sort of
lack of access. But then also if you look nationally,
the rates of anxiety and depression and suicide among young
people has skyrocketed, and there's lots of you know, reasons
(05:42):
or ideas of why that's happening, one of which we're
going to be focused on in our report to the
community coming up on March twentieth.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
When about that. Yeah, but and.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
So I Family Services, When we see and hear things
like this, we really position ourselves to do what we
have to do to meet the need. And I'm really
excited that we have a team of committed professionals who
are like let's do this right, because it's not easy. Right,
It's not easy to expand a surface provision. But everyone's
on board to say this is what's needed in our community.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Let's do it. Yesterday, I don't know if you were
listening to the show yesterday, but on Wednesdays, we have
a sort of a standing appointment with a gentleman by
the name of doctor Sal g and Johnny and forgive me,
I'm terrible with last names, but he is the one
of the founders of an organization called Healthy Men, Inc.
(06:33):
And we were talking. He's a pharmacologist by trade. He's
not an MD, but I spoke to him because coincidentally,
last week I was talking to someone who's an associate
of mine. He's an attorney as well, and he came
up through the foster care system, and he spoke about
the fact that from the ages of like fourteen to seventeen,
(06:55):
while he was in the foster care system, he described
himself as a zombie because he was basically over medicated
without having the coordination of care in terms of and
I spoke to doctor sal about that, and that's certainly
something that I think you guys are seeing. You're seeing
the misuse of pharmaceuticals, the misdiagnosis you're seeing without that
(07:16):
kind of coordination of care from a therapeutic perspective, from
a pharmacological perspective. This individual described himself as a zombie,
and that was something that I really wanted to talk
to sal about. And it certainly is something that you
guys have seen as well.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
I mean, I can't tell you that you know, there
are some I guess schools of thought that you know
feel that way that you know, children may be over
medicated and there you know, there's a focus on that.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I guess the point that I was making is that
is that I'm not trust me, I am not questioning
the medication issues. I'm just questioning the fact that it's
not just the end all be all. It's got to
be done in a full approach if you will.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Absolutely proper therapy, correct involvement of care verse right. And
you know you mentioned foster care. I mean maybe that
there was a lack of that, you know, maybe they
might have been a no, no, no.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
I know, I get it, but it just but it's
an interesting contrast. I'll tell you what. Let's take a
quick break and we will be rejoined after this quick
break with Leah Feldman and Marilyn Morales from Family Services
to continue this conversation. We are back with Leah Feldman,
CEO of Family Services and Marilyn Morales, the director of
(08:27):
behavioral Health. Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Vice president?
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Vice president? Excuse me forgive me? There you go, being
the important distinction, very important distinction, you know. Once again.
You know, I mean, as I've said to my listeners
so many times, our our off air conversations are just
as fascinating as our our our on air conversations. And
I think one of the things that I think Uncle
Mike and I would very much love to be able
(08:50):
to do with you, Leah, is is uh record an
extended podcast with Family Services, but where we have the
we're not in cumbered you know, by by by breaks
and so on and so forth, and really get into
these topics and then play that segment, you know, over
the course of a couple shows. So we're going to
work on that to be able to get you in
(09:11):
to comment on all of these things, because we're talking
about fascinating things. We're talking about, you know, the need
for what it is you're currently doing, the need to
be able to expand behavioral health support to young people,
particularly in this area, you know, and then talk a
little bit about some of the reasons that kids are
(09:32):
really having the kinds of problems that they're currently having.
You know, it's a very fascinating topic, and I'm so
happy that Family Services is doing the kinds of things
because I think one of the things that I think
you guys have done a phenomenal job with is being
able to offer these support services because how many times
have we spoken to people who, like, I don't know
what to do my child is displaying these kinds of
(09:54):
anxiety or depressive behaviors. There's no one to talk to,
you know. Certainly, the hospitals are not a place, you know,
I mean, for whatever reason, you know, those types of
services are not really as offered as much as they
should be in this area. That's where you guys step
up as a plate and do these kinds of things.
So talk to me more about these programs and the
reason that you're looking at being able to expand this
(10:15):
and how how do people access the services that you're
currently offering.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Yeah, sure, I mean, I'll let Marylyn talk a little
bit about how that to access our mental health clinics.
And I'll just mention we have eight centers so where
we provide mental health services across the Hudson Valley, So
we are in Poughkeepsie, Rine, Beeck, Beacon, Millbrook, Dover, Kingston, Ellenville,
and Highland. So not everyone knows that we have locations
(10:39):
in all of those sites, so you know, it's definitely accessible.
And you know, we are fortunate to work with two
counties who feel who are committed to providing mental health
services in rural locations, so you know, and support us
in keeping sites open in you know, areas outside of
you know, the cities like Poughkeepsie and Kings and so
(11:00):
both Ulster and Dutchess County support us in that. And
I will mention that one thing that we're doing this
year is expanding our provision of services in Northern Duchess.
So Northern Duchess County has a fabulous community that really
came together and advocated for increased services in their area
(11:20):
and we're happy to be able to meet some of
that need. In partnership with Duchess County, we are going
to be expanding our center, moving to a larger location
in Rhinebeck and being able to serve both adults and
children out of that area. So we're really looking forward
to that. That'll we're in the phase, so it's going
to take a while to build out and such. But
(11:42):
I'll let Maryland talk a little bit more about, you know,
how to get in touch with our behavioral services.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Sure, So I just want to make sure that we
know that the children's services will be coming to Kingston, Allenville,
and Poughkeepsie this summer, and the way that you will
be acting accessing us by then will be that we're
expanding to same day access, which means that previously you
(12:07):
would call you know, our centers and schedule an appointment,
and that appointment could be a ways out. You know,
I won't say it's eighteen months like you like Mail
had mentioned before, and sometimes it could be a couple
of weeks. And as we know people, you know, some
people with mental health issues really need service now and
(12:27):
they're experiencing them not in a month. So same day
access will make it so that you can walk into
our centers particular days when we're having same day access,
particular hours and be seen that day and get an
intake and start your services with a therapist and then
(12:48):
of course be referred to a provider if needed. So
we'll be having that for the children as well, and
likely you said, in the hopefully in the fall or
early when, will be expanding and growing our practice in Rhinebeck,
which is going to be beautiful with a nice new facility.
Well and you know, pretty perfect for families. You know,
(13:12):
that's one thing that we have mentioned that what this
opens is opportunity for families to get care not only
adults individually or children individually, but really be able to
help the family unit.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Well, you know, it's interesting you mentioned that because one
of the things that I've always been fascinated with is
when I run across people who are dealing with these
issues in their families, the level of exhaustion that they
feel in terms of trying to be able to just
try to solve this problem. Whether it's a child, or
(13:46):
whether it's a spouse, or whether it's a sibling or
a parent, it literally is exhausting. And you see the
fatigue on them, and you see the fact that they
need help to be able to deal with it because
in many respects they don't really understand, you know, the
scope of the suffering that the person. Sometimes you get angry,
(14:06):
you know, why can't you just snap out of it?
You know? I mean one of the things that I
just when I sent Jesse, Sir Ruby an article that
was written a number of months ago, not actually a
number of years ago, by a Wall Street Journal columnist
named David Brooks.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Yeah, we read that.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
It's a phenomenal article. And he talked to and the
article was basically about his best friend committing suicide, and
he talked about his approach to that. You know, why
can't you just snap out of this? You know, you're
a talented physician. Why can't you just snap out of it?
And he related that the guy said to his wife,
(14:43):
I can't snap out of it? Right.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
It was a great perspective when I read it, it.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Was a tremendous perspective. And that's certainly something. Do you
guys offer services? I know Nammy is an organization that
provides help for families who are dealing with this, But
does family services have a component of being able, as
you said, being able to expand mental health services to families?
Is that a component too in terms of this is
(15:07):
how you need to deal with this or this is
the things that you should be dealing with.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Sure, absolutely, it's it's it's a collateral visit would be
considered a collateral visit your you're a person that is
involved in the primary patient's care. So we would also
provide support.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
So important, family, so important, so important, and you.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Know, on the occasions where we may have a case
of someone committing suicidal or even attempting, we always offer support.
So the person that you know was close to that individual.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
And sometimes, like s as I said, even in reading
that David Brooks article, you know, he was just looking
at at at how his friend was presenting. You know,
he didn't understand that his friend had no choice in
terms of presenting this way. He didn't want to present
this way. How many times do you have some who's
sort of like, I can't get out of bed. Why
(16:02):
can't you get out of bed? I can't get out
of bed, you know, and so you really need to
almost take a step back and look at it from
that perspective and then say, let me deal with that
as opposed to as opposed to trying to be able
to put my perceptions on how I think you should
be behaving. It's a very important distinction Let's take another
quick break and we'll be right back to continue. That's
fascinating conversation. I want to talk to you about your
(16:24):
Report to the Community that's coming up on Thursday, March twentieth,
twenty twenty five, and your keynote speaker. We'll be right
back and talk about that where with Leah Feldman and
Marilyn Morales from Family Services. We'll be right back, folks.
We are back with CEO Lea Feldman from Family Services
and the vice president of Behavioral Health, Marilyn Morales. Leah
(16:46):
talked to us about Family Services Report to the Community
that is scheduled for Thursday, March twentieth, twenty twenty five,
from eleven thirty to one thirty at the Grand View
in Poughkeepsie. You're featuring a keynote speaker named Katherine Martinko.
Let's talk about her, but let's talk more importantly about
(17:07):
your Report to the community first.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
So each year we do a report to the community
where we spend some time reporting on Family Services impact
from the year prior, from twenty twenty four and our
future vision and we every year have a very inspiring
and thought provoking keynote speaker to help engage people in
(17:31):
the work that we do and people learn right to
learn something new. So this year our event is on
March twentieth at the Grand View at eleven thirty. Tickets
are available at Family Services ny dot org. That's Family
Services ny dot org. And it's going to be a
nice buffet lunch and you will have the opportunity to
(17:53):
hear from a nationally renowned author by the name of
Catherine Martinko. Catherine wrote the book Childhood Unplugged. She's also
a speaker on behalf of the Anxious Generation. The Anxious Generation,
if you have not read that book, is another fabulous
book about essentially about the generation of kids growing up
(18:16):
overly saturated with digital technology and what that has done
to childhood, how that has changed childhood and an importantly
impacted youth mental health in a in not a positive way.
And so what she talks about is when we put
(18:40):
cell phones in the hands of children, we essentially remove
opportunities from them. So, for example, a kid who may
pick up his uncle's guitar and realize he learns he's
a musician, or pick up a paintbrush and realize he's
an artist, or pick up a microphone and starts to sing,
or go outside with dad and build something, or.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Read a book, yeah, you know, and be mesmerized by words.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Right, So children are losing these opportunities to find their
passions in life. And then the other big piece is
they're also losing the opportunity opportunities to develop confidence and
self esteem in life. So for example, as a kid,
I'm sure you ed went outside, climbed a tree, fell down,
(19:28):
hurt yourself, got back up, climb the tree again. That's
how you learned self confidence.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
If I ripped a pair of pants doing it, my
mother was really annoyed at me.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
For exactly, But that's how you learn self confidence. Without
those opportunities, how are youth learning self confidence? And it
is self confidence that helps kids build the resilience that
you need to have positive mental health throughout your life.
So now what we're seeing is as kids are younger
(19:57):
and younger being diagnosed with anxiety. And the other thing
I'd like to say about anxiety is on cell phones,
kids are exposed to a litany of of violence.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Right.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
They're exposed to the news and just other graphic and
gruesome images that kids should not be in taking into
their psychees. Right, it creates toxic stress in their bodies
and that impacts their health outcomes most mental health and
physical heality.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Right. And again, Catherine Morkinko, your keynote speaker. The book
that you just reference is Childhood Unplugged, Practical advice to
get kids off screens and find balance.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Yes, and important to know Catherine is not anti technology.
She has three kids of her own and she is
but she gives useful and helpful tips. You know, just
like if you told your doctor you were going to
the gym seven hours a day or four hours a day,
they'd say too much right, hour day. Well, the same
thing with cell phones four or five six hours a day,
(21:02):
too much modification, right, And how we can make that
happen incredible, just incredible.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
So Leah, just to interject, I've been to the last
two report to the communities and I found them fascinating.
Anybody who's listens to us talk about family services all
the time, you need to go to this event because
you will find so much more out about family services.
It's a well run program. You highlight everything, like you
(21:28):
said you've done for the past year. What you have
coming up this year is great. But one of the
things that you're just talking about with this keynote speaker
and child development. One of the things that always scared
me as a parent was that there was a point where,
you know, they get to that age of ten to
fourteen years old. I kept thinking to myself, my god,
(21:51):
what is my child going to do if something happens
to me.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
We've got to get that child resilient enough.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
And I know it sounds crazy at that age, but
you've got to start getting them in a position where
in this world today, things happen all the time. And
I was always scared to death what if something happened
to me? Wasn't my child gonna do?
Speaker 3 (22:09):
You know?
Speaker 1 (22:09):
I mean, obviously there's other family members around, but I
felt like it was my responsibility to make sure that
child was ready, in some shape or form to move
on and be able to go.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
On without doubt.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
And I think to your point, Lea, is there's a
false sense with the cell phones and the internet and
all that that's not where you want your child to
be learning how to be resilient and how to move
on at all. So I think it's I'm looking forward
to this. I look forward to it every year ed
and I will be there and I'm looking forward to
hear the keynote speaker.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
Thanks Uncle Mike. I'm really looking forward to too. This
is something I feel really strongly about. And you know,
there is a push in New York State to remove
cell phones from schools too, and I think that's going
to happen. And you know, we got to be prepared.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
And it's based on, you know, childhood development. In order
to have proper childhood development, you have to have the.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Experience for it, no question.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Let's have different experiences.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
Now, let's let's just pause for half a second. Let's
just take a quick break up to the nine o'clock hour. Well,
we'll be right back, folks, with Leah Feldman and Maryland
Morales from Family Services. Stick around. We're right back, folks,
and we are rejoined by Leah Feldman, CEO of Family
Services and Maryland Morales, vice president of Behavioral Health. Over
(23:24):
it at Family Services. Now, you're anticipating having the Behavioral
Health division up and running. It's it's up and running now,
but expanding it for adults, but expanding it to children.
You expecting your your You're anticipating that being.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
In the summer at the three locations.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
And those three locations again are King.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
And then Ryan will be later in the year because
we're building out a new site.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Very nice, very very nice. How do people end up
accessing your services? How do people who are listening to
us saying wow, I never knew that these services are
right here in our own Dutchess County and our own
Poughkeepsie location. How do people get in contact with Family Services?
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Well, I can give you the number eight four five
for eight six twenty seven O three. Give it again
eight four five for eight six twenty seven O three,
And I encourage folks to go onto the website where
there's information about all our programs for family services. It's
not just behavior health. We have community programs, other youth programs.
(24:31):
So I encourage folks to go onto that at www
dot Family Services and why dot.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Org Family Services ny dot org is your is your
current website? And of course again information about family services
report to the community is on that website and that
event is taking place. It's it's a month from today.
Oh wow, it's amazing.
Speaker 4 (24:59):
Ash we a lot to do.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
It's it's a month, Leah. You get out of here
and get back to work. It's a month from today,
March twentieth, twenty twenty five, from eleven thirty to one
thirty pm, buffet luncheon at the Grand View, which is
at one seventy six Ranaldi Boulevard, but keep seeing New York.
Tickets are fifty dollars. How many reports to the community
have you guys put together and done so under your tenure? Leah?
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Oh, well, under my tenure. This is the third one.
But we've been doing this event for many years. It's
one of our staples and well attended, usually over three
hundred people.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
And I wanted to mention something when you're talking about websites,
so you may if you have driven across any of
the three bridges in the mid Hudson Valley and over
the past several months, you may have noticed we have
a billboard up and it's very simple. It says Hello,
check on a friend. And essentially this is part of
(25:55):
our what we're calling our pass it On campaign where
we're putting up Messa in the community that just really
just encourages people to check on each other and check
on each other's mental health. So you know, it just
says hello, check on a friend. Today and we're asking
people to pass it on. And there's a website up there.
It's right to mentalhealth dot org. That's you know, right,
(26:18):
our I g h T. You know, like this is
your right, it's your right to have positive mental health.
So our igh T the number two mental health dot org.
That's a website that brings you to a platform that
has a litany of all of our services listed so
for quick access.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Good.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
So check that out.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Yeah, I'm sorry, Mike, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
So Leah before we we can't let you go. How
are we doing with the run? The run coming up?
What's going on?
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Oh? So we are choosing a date. So our date
is not solidified yet, and once we have that date,
you're going to be the first to know, Uncle Mike,
so you can make this the biggest one yet for
those of you who don't know. In the past two years,
we have run over one hundred miles and raised over
(27:09):
one hundred thousand dollars for family services for you. So
we will be doing that again this fall, and we
encourage everyone to be part of it.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
When she says weit, she means her nice it's Leah. Yeah,
Uncle Mike and I are not running but we will
try to be there to cheer you in, cheer you on.
Thank you Leah Feldman, Thank you Marilyn Morales from Family Services.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
We'd love it if you tuned in to Hudson Valley
This Morning with Ed Kowalski from six to nine am
Monday through Friday on fourteen fifty thirteen seventy AM or
ninety eight five FM WKIP
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