The following article was written by Linda Embry, Director of Mental Services at Union Settlement Association, a settlement house dedicated to strengthening the lives of underserved families of the East Harlem community through innovative programs in education, health, job training, senior services, youth development, childcare, counseling and economic development.

One in 12 adults in East Harlem suffers from serious psychological distress: this is twice the rate for Manhattan overall, according to a 2006 report by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).   Studies indicate that individuals with serious mental illness die 20 to 25 years sooner than the general population.

Exposure to community, family or interpersonal violence can cause serious mental health problems.  Children, even very young children who witness or experience violence can develop psychological distress and mental health problems.  Families sometimes do not realize that children can be affected by what they see and hear, as well as what happens to them.  

There are effective treatments for people with serious mental illness and for people with distressing but less serious mental health problems.   There are effective treatments for adults and children, even very young children who have experienced trauma. 

Some individuals do not get the treatment that is available.  This can be because they do not recognize that they have a mental health problem.  For others it is because they are ashamed to admit that they need the help of a therapist of counselor and they are worried what others will think of them if they seek help. 

When a friend or loved one has diabetes, heart disease or cancer we encourage them to get professional help.  When someone we care about has a mental health problem it can be more difficult to talk about and to know what to do.  To get help for someone who is suffering from a mental health problem we must first identify that there is a problem.

According to DOHMH some common symptoms of mental illnesses include:

•    Confused thinking
•    Long-lasting sadness or irritability
•    Extreme highs or lows in mood
•    Social withdrawal
•    Changes in eating or sleeping habits
•    Feelings of anger or hostility
•    Difficulties with attention/concentration
•    Delusions or hallucination
•    Increasing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
•    Denial of obvious problems
•    Many unexplained physical problems
•    Abuse of drugs and/alcohol
•    Suicidal thoughts and in severe cases, even suicide attempts

For Children (or adults) the effects of exposure to trauma can lead to:

•    Intentional self- injury
•    Substance abuse
•    Peer problems
•    School problems
•    Fear
•    Depression
•    Anger
•    Frequent mood changes
•    Difficulty tolerating negative feelings
•    Feeling  numb (1)

Once someone has identified a mental health problem the next step is finding treatment.  LIFENET; 1-800-LIFENET (1-800-543-3638; 1-877-AYUDESE en Español; 1-800-543-3638 for Asian-speaking populations) is a toll-free confidential help line that provides referrals for mental health and substance abuse treatment. 

Union Settlement Association provides a broad range of programs to the East Harlem Community including mental health services. 

At our Johnson Counseling Center we provide outpatient mental health services for children, adolescents, adults and older adults.  Our mission is to support and promote the mental health and emotional well-being of the community.  We provide services for most mental health problems including help with depression, anxiety, relational difficulties, effects of trauma, school and behavioral problems. 

We offer specialized treatment for children who have experienced trauma.   For children under 5 years old we work with the child together with their caretaker to help heal the effects of trauma.  Older children and teenagers receive individual treatment and there are services for the child and caretaker.   We provide both intensive and supportive case management services for children and their families, along with counseling for behavioral, social and emotional difficulties.  Our services for adults include individual, couples, family and group treatment.  We have a specialized mental health program for clients living with HIV/ AIDS.

Founded in 1895, Union Settlement Association is the oldest and largest social service agency in East Harlem.  Our programs create opportunity by offering a comprehensive array of programs designed to help underserved residents improve their skills and build better lives for themselves and their families.  Union Settlement serves more than 13,000 low-income residents annually through effective early childhood, youth, adult education, seniors and mental health programs.  In addition, we bring public health resources, home care services, job training, arts programs and community development support to East Harlem.  A large local employer with programs operating in 15 sites, Union Settlement is an important contributor to the economic vitality of East Harlem.

For more information about Union Settlement Association visit our web site at www.unionsettlement.org.

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(1) Cohen J.A., Mannarino, A.P.  and Deblinger, E. (2006) Treating Trauma and Traumatic Grief in Children and Adolescents. New York: The Guilford Press.