From Hospital to Home

Developed by the Nassau County Department of Mental Health as a part of toward a community-based system of care for children and adolescents, our program is an integral part of the Emergency Psychiatric System of Nassau County.  

Our purpose is to ensure shorter and fewer psychiatric hospital stays through collaborative discharge planning with hospital staff, patients and families. When a child is discharged, ongoing contact with the family can be provided to link them to essential community resources.

The philosophy of our program is to maintain hospital stabilization by the organization and utilization of appropriate community resources.  Our goal is to access these services to achieve long-term symptom management or recovery.

Eligibility:  Nassau County residents under age 18 who are hospitalized for a psychiatric disability and whose family is willing to participate in the program.

Cost:  There is no fee for the Children's Hospital Discharge Program.  Our program is funded by the New York State Office of Mental Health and operates under the auspices of the Nassau County Department of Mental Health, Mental retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

Our Goals:

• To perform crisis assessment, individualized planning and family needs assessment.
• To maintain hospital stabilization by organizing and using appropriate community mental health resources.
• To shorten hospital stays through transition to appropriate community supports.
• To help families access services that encourages long-term symptom management and recovery. 
• To avoid re-hospitalization or other overly restrictive placements by providing consultations to hospital staff to ensure adequate discharge planning.
• To provide linkages to appropriate community mental health resources.
• To facilitate a smooth transition from hospital to home.

How We Accomplish Our Goals

Referrals are accepted from any source, including parents, hospital staff and other professionals involved with a young person being discharged from a hospital. 

Our Coordinator screens all referrals and performs an intake interview to gather a patient's psychiatric history, current symptoms, medication status and treatment history as well as rationale for discharge facilitation services.

Discharge plans are developed through the collaboration of our Coordinator, the hospital, mental health professionals and families.

Using a client-centered approach, our Coordinator addresses any barriers to service through advocacy, education and service linkage.
 
When necessary, our Coordinator provides follow-up services for the child and his or her family after hospital discharge. The maximum length of follow-up services is 30 days, with a disposition plan implemented at that time.

Administrative Offices

250 Fulton Avenue
Suite 210
Hempstead, NY 11550
Phone: 516-485-4300, ext. 130
Fax: 516-485-4486
Program Coordinator:  Sheri-Ann Best, CSW
E-mail:  sbest@mhanc.org