Community Collaborators

Baltic Street AEH

Baltic Street AEH, Inc. is committed to providing compassionate, person-centered services to those with mental health lived experience. We work to support individuals from all walks of life as they navigate their personal journey. We approach our role with cultural humility and mindfulness of oppressive systems, and we use our experience of surviving and thriving to help others attain their visions of wellness.

Contact: Amy Ortiz
aortiz@balticstreet.org
347-986-0643

Center for Practice Innovations

In a rapidly changing healthcare environment,
the Center for Practice Innovations delivers
a wide array of training to increase the
competencies of the New York State
behavioral health workforce and
implementation supports to ensure
the successful application of that training
within agencies and organizations.

Contact: cpihelp@nyspi.columbia.edu

The Coalition for Behavioral Health

The mission of The Coalition for Behavioral Health
is to uphold the importance and maintain a focus
on behavioral health through the provision of advocacy
and training to Coalition member agencies and
stakeholders in behavioral health and by breaking
down the silos that exist in our system. Founded in 1972,
The Coalition works to strengthen the sector and ensure
the provision of the highest quality behavioral health
services to New Yorkers.

Contact: training@coalitionny.org

Families Together in New York State

Families Together in New York State is a family-run
organization that represents families of children
with social, emotional, behavioral and cross-systems
challenges. Our goal is to ensure that ALL children
and youth have the support they need in order to succeed.

Contact: Robbie Lettieri or Joanna Ahlatis
YPACredential@ftnys.org

Hands Across Long Island

HALI is a peer community providing the
opportunity for mental health recovery
through collaborative, creative efforts.

Contact: Melissa Wettengel
mwettengel@hali88.org
631-234-1925

Howie the Harp Advocacy Center

Howie The Harp  Advocacy Center (HTH), a program of
Community Access Inc, is a peer run program that supports
and trains people in mental health recovery for employment.
Opened since 1995 and based out of Harlem NYC, HTH strives
to provide the best quality employment preparation that supports
people to choose, get and keep the job of their choice.

Contact: Laura Rhymer
lfafoutis@communityaccess.org

Instutute for the Development of Human Arts

The Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA) is a
community of mental health workers, clinicians, psychiatrists,
current and prior users of mental health services, advocates,
artists, and survivors of trauma and adversity, who are interested
in exploring the link between personal and societal transformation.
Our mission is to create opportunities for critical dialogue,
mutual support, and advanced education and training for those
within and outside the field.

Contact: Jessie Roth
jessie@idha-nyc.org

LaGuardia Community College

LaGuardia Community College’s mission is to
educate and graduate one of the most diverse
student populations in the country to become
critical thinkers and socially responsible citizens
who help to shape a rapidly evolving society.

Contact: Ben Jurney
bj2368@columbia.edu
917-747-5433

New York Association of
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services

NYAPRS is a change agent dedicated to improving
services, public policies and social conditions
for people with mental health, substance use
and trauma-related challenges, by promoting
health, wellness and recovery, with full
community inclusion, so that all may achieve
maximum potential in communities of choice.

Contact: Len Statham
lens@nyaprs.org
585-490-3979

New York Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene

The NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene’s Office of Consumer
Affairs responds to the needs of three distinct disability areas: mental health, developmental disabilities and chemical dependency. We ensure
that the voices of those with lived experience are heard and integrated at
all levels of the Health Department’s policies and programming.

Contact: Carlton Whitmore
oca@health.nyc.gov
347-396-7194

Recovery Options Made Easy

To achieve complete social equality for
individuals with mental illness by providing
supported housing and other services so that
individuals may live with dignity and have
choices in the community.

716-532-5508