Northwell Health announced it has entered into affiliation agreements with Central Nassau Guidance & Counseling Services and Family Service League to expand access to quality behavioral health services for Long Island residents.

Demand for behavioral health across all demographic segments and issues keeps growing both locally and nationwide. Northwell, New York State’s largest health care provider, operates two specialty behavioral health hospitals — South Oaks Hospital in Amityville and Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, Queens — and offers many inpatient and outpatient care options across the greater New York region. The new affiliation agreements will allow Northwell, CN Guidance and FSL to advance their common goal of creating a stronger, deeper network of care for people in the communities they serve.

This collaboration will result in smoother referral processes for area residents between these specialized community-based organizations and Northwell facilities. Both CN Guidance and FSL are implementing 24-hour crisis stabilization centers, with FSL’s open now and CN Guidance’s opening in 2025. In addition, patients already being seen by CN Guidance and FSL professionals can be referred for more coordinated, complex care through Northwell’s extensive roster of health services. These complementary relationships will expand access to care in service to the diverse behavioral health needs across Nassau and Suffolk counties.

“Northwell has worked closely and productively with CN Guidance and FSL for many years and we understand the enormously positive impact they make in our communities,” Michael Scarpelli, executive director of South Oaks and Zucker Hillside hospitals, said. “These affiliation agreements will foster even greater collaboration and strategic partnership to help more Long Islanders get the high-quality behavioral health care they need when they need it.”

“The need for behavioral health care on Long Island is enormous, with many people unable to access the right services at the right time,” John Young, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and senior vice president and chair for Behavioral Health Services at Northwell, said. “Working together, Northwell, CN Guidance and FSL will now be able to better meet the escalating needs of our communities for mental health care and treatment for substance use disorders.”

Huntington-based Family Service League, established in 1926, serves more than 50,000 people each year — from children to seniors as well as the underserved and homeless — through 60 mental health programs at 20 locations.

“Family Service League looks forward to continuing to work closely with Northwell Health to improve access to holistic care, further our integrated service delivery models and improve quality outcomes,” Karen Boorshtein, president and CEO of FSL, said. “All of which strengthens the client’s experience and will have a positive impact on our community.”

Hicksville-based CN Guidance is a nonprofit serving all of Long Island and focused on providing mental health and substance use help. With more than 34,000 patient encounters in 2023 alone, CN Guidance delivers high-quality, person-centered care through more than 60 programs, including specialized programs for veterans, youth, older adults and those with residential care needs.

“This partnership will significantly enhance our ability to provide comprehensive, high-quality care to the most vulnerable members of our community,”  CN Guidance CEO Jeffrey Friedman said. “By leveraging Northwell’s resources and expertise, we can expand our services, further reduce wait times, and improve overall patient experience and outcomes. Together we are committed to fostering a healthier, more resilient community.”

Northwell plans to create a Virtual Navigation Hub to help connect patients with the most appropriate and timely care, harnessing the power of the affiliations with CN Guidance and FSL professionals.

These agreements are particularly timely in that September is National Recovery Month as well as Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month. If you or a loved one are having emotional distress or thoughts of suicide, call 988 to connect with a lifeline specialist for support.

For more information or to book an appointment, call (888) 321-DOCS or go to Northwell.edu/behavioral-health.