NYU Medical Center Opens First Military Family Clinic in New York City

NYU Langone Medical Center Opens First Military Family Clinic in New York City for Returning Veterans and Their Families

Did you hear about the Military Family Clinic Supported by Generous Gift from Robin Hood

Back on Sept 19, the Department of Psychiatry announced the opening of the Military Family Clinic at NYU Langone Medical Center, the first clinic of its kind in New York City to provide important mental health and clinical services for both returning veterans and their supportive families.

Established in July with a generous $500,000 gift from Robin Hood, NYU Langone’s Military Family Clinic was created to fill the gap in mental health care for the 15,000 Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans and their families living in the New York City region. Located at One Park Avenue in Manhattan, the clinic hopes to serve approximately 300 families in its inaugural year, and will target families of economically-disadvantaged veterans to ensure those who are uninsured and under-insured have access to this care.

Caring for veterans as part of a family unit is crucial since the health of a veteran’s family is the most influential factor in his or her ability to return to a productive life following active duty. Significant data exists on the effects of military deployment on veterans and their families, which include increased rates of domestic violence, child maltreatment, increased rates of depression among military mothers for two weeks following their husbands’ deployment, and higher rates of substance abuse among veterans.

Despite these findings, individual mental health treatment for spouses, children, parents, or siblings of veterans is generally not available through the Veterans Administration (VA) healthcare system, and limited marital/couple therapy is offered. Additionally, many veterans are reluctant to participate in the VA healthcare system for fear of it having negative effects on their careers. According to a 2008 study by the VA, 41 percent of eligible veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have not enrolled in the VA due to a persistent concerns that government access to their medical history will damage their careers, which demonstrates the need for parallel, non-VA mental health services.

The Military Family Clinic will provide veterans and their families with the family-focused and compassionate treatment they require and deserve. In addition to Dr. Marmar, the clinic is led by Dara Cho, MD, director of the Military Family Clinic and clinical instructor of psychiatry, and Clare Henn-Haase, PsyD, assistant professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, who have extensive expertise in trauma and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The clinic’s leadership team is recognized world-wide for delivering excellence in clinical care to veterans and their families.

Healthcare professionals on staff include psychologists, child and adolescent psychologists, and social workers. The NYU Child Study Center supports this endeavor through professional oversight and training in providing family care. Conditions treated include anxiety, depression, panic, trauma, stress, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), grief, loss, and bereavement, and children’s behavioral problems or academic difficulties. A full list of services provided can be found on the clinic’s website at http://militaryfamilyclinic.med.nyu.edu/services.

The Department of Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center is one of the largest and best-known in the country. With nearly 1,000 faculty members, 81 residents and fellows, three faculty group practices, over 80 active grants and 25 clinical trials, 359 inpatient beds at Bellevue Hospital Center, and 22 beds on the inpatient unit of Tisch Hospital, the Department of Psychiatry delivers state-of-the-art psychiatric services and care, conducts neuroscience research, and trains outstanding clinicians.

To refer a patient or to make an appointment, please call 855-698-4677 or email militaryfamilyclinic@nyumc.org

About NYU Langone Medical Center
NYU Langone Medical Center, a world-class, patient-centered, integrated, academic medical center, is one of the nation’s premier centers for excellence in clinical care, biomedical research and medical education. Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of four hospitals – Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute care facility; the Hospital for Joint Diseases, one of only five hospitals in the nation dedicated to orthopaedics and rheumatology; Hassenfeld Pediatric Center, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of children’s health services; and the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the world’s first university-affiliated facility devoted entirely to rehabilitation medicine– plus NYU School of Medicine, which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history. The medical center’s tri-fold mission to serve, teach and discover is achieved 365 days a year through the seamless integration of a culture devoted to excellence in patient care, education and research. For more information, go to www.NYULMC.org.

About Robin Hood
Since 1988, Robin Hood has held steadfast to a single mission: fight poverty in New York City. We find, fund and create programs and schools that generate meaningful results for families in New York’s poorest neighborhoods. We work closely with more than 200 organizations to help them reach their full potential and perform rigorous assessments to ensure accountability. In addition, Robin Hood’s board of directors pays all administrative, fundraising and evaluation costs, so 100% of every donation goes directly to organizations helping New Yorkers in need