NEW YORK STATE ANNOUNCES $6 MILLION TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY WELLNESS CENTER IN THE BRONX
Funding Awarded to StartCare to Operate 17,000-Square-Foot Facility as a Wellness and Community Resource Center
Wellness Center to Offer a Diverse Array of Activities, Programs and Services to Address Social Drivers of Health in the Greater Bronx Community
The New York State Office of Mental Health today announced that $6 million has been awarded to establish a community wellness center on the campus of the Bronx Psychiatric Center. The funding was awarded to StartCare to operate the two-story, 17,000-square-foot facility to serve as a wellness and community resource center providing connection to holistic services for the greater Bronx community.
“Fostering positive connections, togetherness and healthy wellness activities within a community can have a tremendous impact on mental well-being,” Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “Under the stewardship of StartCare, we envision the Bronx Community Wellness Center as a hub that will promote holistic physical and mental wellness throughout the surrounding neighborhoods. This award reflects Governor Kathy Hochul’s continued effort to broaden access to mental health support and wellness in our communities statewide.
OMH is providing StartCare with $1 million in start-up funding and $1 million annually over five years to operate the wellness center as a resource for the Bronx community. The New York City-based behavioral health care provider operates seven locations throughout the five boroughs and is expected to open the wellness center early next year.
Located in Building 5 on the Bronx Psychiatric campus, the center is adjacent to an MTA bus stop and located nearby a dense residential area. Originally known as the Bronx Ginsberg Clinic, the facility was overhauled in 2019 and now offers office space, a computer room, training rooms, a commercial kitchen with center island for teaching space, a full-service health suite, and a large greenhouse.
The wellness center will promote mental and physical wellness and foster interpersonal connections aimed at bringing together individuals from widely varying backgrounds –something that will help reduce the stigma often associated with seeking support for stressors that negatively affect mental health and wellness. As designed, the facility is aimed at fostering positive relationships and coalitions with community providers, businesses, and organizations; facilitating and supporting peer leadership roles; and practicing person-centered wellness models.
OMH conducted extensive discussions and visioning workshops to determine the best uses for the resulting center. From these discussions, the agency developed a list of guiding principles to provide direction for future activities at the wellness center, including empowering the Bronx community and being inclusive; being adaptable and flexible, providing on- and off-site programing; having a holistic approach to health with offerings that meet the needs of Bronx residents; and leveraging the strength and expertise of existing integrative wellness practitioners and organizations.
StartCare Chief Executive Officer Jonnel C. Doris said, “We are grateful to Governor Hochul and the New York State Office of Mental Health for making this transformative investment in community-based care. This new investment for our neighbors in the Bronx reflects our nearly 60-year history, our deep roots in New York, and our longstanding commitment to advancing health equity in communities that have too often been overlooked. Under StartCare's stewardship, this center will serve as a stigma-free hub focused on individual and community mental health, wellness, healing, and connection. It represents a transformative example of our continued commitment to creating a welcoming, culturally responsive space where New Yorkers can build hope and resilience, strengthen community ties, and access whole-person, integrative supports.”
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