On November 22, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office announced that PCDC CEO Louise Cohen is one of 15 appointees to the Community Services Board (CSB). The CSB is responsible for advising the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on the City’s mental health and substance use treatment services. Ms. Cohen brings to the Board more than 25 years of experience in primary care, public health, program operations, and community health needs assessment.
The CSB has an important role in advising on the public health approach to mental illness and substance use as the City works to implement its mental health roadmap called ThriveNYC. This plan consists of 54 targeted initiatives to implement a holistic approach to mental health in New York City, and aims to “not only reduce the toll of mental illness, but also promote mental health and protect New Yorkers’ resiliency, self-esteem, family strength, and joy.”
Said Mayor Bill de Blasio in the press release: “Today we’re taking another step forward in our efforts to destigmatizing mental illness and ensuring that best practices are put in place to help our fellow New Yorkers. The board, which now consists of professionals whose collective experience span the private, non-profit and public sectors, is well-equipped to support ThriveNYC and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in delivering services that will benefit our New Yorkers who are most in need. I look forward to working with the Board.”