Greenwich United Way Hosts Conversation About Youth Mental Health at Foundation House
In its partnership with Greenwich Hospital, GUW is leading the charge to address the town’s youth mental health crisis.
GREENWICH, Conn., MARCH 30, 2023 – The Greenwich United Way (GUW) presented “A Conversation About Youth Mental Health” at the Foundation House Tuesday evening to raise awareness about local resources to help address the youth mental health crisis in Greenwich. Led by moderator Demetra Ganias, founder of Ganias Media Lab, the panel discussion featured Dr. Amir Garakani, Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health at Greenwich Hospital; Dr. Joshua Hrabosky, program director of Outpatient Behavioral Health; Dr. Toni Jones, superintendent of Greenwich Public Schools; Clarena McBeth, licensed professional counselor; and Debra Hess, Greenwich United Way board member and advocate for youth mental health care.
The GUW recently partnered with Greenwich Hospital to launch a new Adolescent Behavioral Health Outpatient Program and is committed to raising $1.6 million to support the build-out and operation of the facility. The GUW’s ongoing program campaign is a critically necessary component for the community’s first behavioral health program designed for young people ages 12 to 18. The new facility will be located at 500 W. Putnam Avenue, co-located with Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital Pediatric Specialty Center in Greenwich.
Introducing the evening’s session, Greenwich United Way CEO David Rabin reiterated the town’s need for accessible mental health resources.
“In our most recent needs assessment research among the subcategories of physical and mental health, respondents placed the highest importance on the need for counseling and identified it as the service area with the largest gap between need and adequate service provision,” said Rabin. “Here we are today, continuing our mission to raise awareness and support for an issue that affects almost everyone one way or another.”
“Without the backing of the Greenwich United Way and our supporters, this facility simply will not get built in our community,” said Rabin. “Greenwich is in desperate need of accessible mental health care for its young people and we are proud to lead the charge with Greenwich Hospital in building this essential program.”
To contribute to GUW’s campaign to build the Adolescent Behavioral Health Outpatient Program or learn more, call 203-869-2221.
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About Greenwich United Way
The Greenwich United Way (GUW) shares a name with approximately 1,200 other similar organizations across the nation, although the Greenwich, Connecticut division is a privately incorporated, locally governed, nonprofit agency. As a volunteer-driven organization, the Greenwich United Way exists to help identify and address the health, educational and self-sufficiency needs specific to its local community and to create and affect meaningful, lasting solutions. Through various fundraising efforts and on-going research, the organization is able to directly grant the funds necessary to accomplish this goal. The Greenwich United Way also invests in and conducts collaborative efforts to address broad-based community needs with partnering nonprofit agencies. For more information, visit https://greenwichunitedway.org, or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.