Behavioral Health Services
Behavioral Health is available to patients at our Ossining, Port Chester and Sleepy Hollow centers. We provide psychiatry, individual therapy, family therapy and play therapy for children. Patients who are interested in our therapy services should feel comfortable to speak to their primary care physician and ask for a referral to the Behavioral Health Department.
The Behavioral Health Department provides preventative screenings under the 4-Our-Children Program for all children ages 2-16 typically at the time of their “well-visit” appointments. Screening for and identifying social, emotional and behavioral concerns earlier can make a tremendous difference in preventing more serious mental health issues. When family concerns are dealt with in a preventative model, the outcomes can also positively impact family relationships and the academic experience for a child. The 4-Our-Children Program is a privately funded program.
The 4-Our-Children Program provides for the early identification of social and emotional difficulty in children between ages 2-16. Many times parents recognize that their child has a problem but they don’t know how or who to ask for help. This program provides a wide range of support for the children and their families.
- Screenings are often scheduled at the time of a routine well visit with the child’s doctor.
- Once a child is identified as requiring supportive services they will be referred to an Open Door therapist for a thorough psychosocial assessment and ongoing clinical treatment as appropriate.
- The program also offers a free educational support group focusing on a variety of topics that highlights parenting younger children, although parents of all age children are welcome. We have found that group members have a lot to offer each other.
- Women who are expecting for the first time and caregivers to younger children may also participate in the support groups.
- Families participating in this early identification program have access to our partner, “Family Ties of Westchester”, where they can participate in family support groups and parent skills training to build competencies and resilience in both parent and child.
The 4-Our Children Program creates a bridge between the physical care of the child and their mental health care. The child’s primary care provider and primary care giver are provided the results of the child’s screening through our electronic medical record. Our electronic record also makes this information available to all of our providers working with the family.
Literacy is another important focus at Open Door. Through the Reach Out and Read program, Pediatricians and Family Physicians distribute an age appropriate new book along with a demonstration of reading techniques at each well-child visit from 6 months to 5 years. Volunteers give out gently used books which have been donated and provide instructions on reading techniques to parents of children under the age of five in the waiting area. For more information, please click here Reach Out and Read.
