Senator Brooks Advocates for Mental Health Following Funding Award for Long Island Crisis Center

Senator John Brooks (SD-8) was proud to present a funding award of $10,000 to the Long Island Crisis Center (LICC) to support their community education programs throughout Long Island. LICC’s Building Healthy Lives Through Education Program delivers workshops, both virtually and on-site in schools, that encompass a variety of topics that address emerging mental health problems and emotional issues threatening young people today and also presents solutions to challenging behaviors for classroom teachers in academic settings.

Founded in 1971, the LICC provides 24/7 free and confidential counseling to Long Islanders of all ages who are in need of mental health support. Under the direction of Executive Director Theresa Buhse and Assistant Director Katie Stoll, the organization offers an extensive 6-month long training program for potential counselors that is regarded as the standard for crisis intervention centers nationwide.

Currently staffed with 63 full-time workers who attend to six hotlines, counselors provide immediate crisis counseling and suicide prevention, along with providing callers with referrals for resources to receive ongoing support as they navigate through such a critical time in their lives. In addition to providing support through their hotlines, LICC also offers a variety of other services including a suicide outreach program, confidential online counseling through ChatLive Long Island (www.chatlive.li), confidential HIV education through The H-line, and its Pride for Youth (PFY) program that provides counseling and support to LGBTQ youth and young adults.

Senator Brooks said, “Access to quality mental health services is essential and should be available to everyone in this country. As we have seen with the effects of the recent Covid-19 lockdowns – along with the all-too-familiar bouts of burnout that are commonplace or the emotional toll we face from national and global crises such as gun violence or the war in Ukraine – seeking out mental health assistance has become even more vital as we navigate our day-to-day lives. This is why I am so grateful for the work being carried out by the Long Island Crisis Center and am thrilled I was able to provide them with well-deserved funds to continue the important work they do for our Long Island community. As their comforting moniker aptly encourages us all, ‘It’s OK to ask for help’.”

If you, or someone you know, is in need of help, please contact LICC at one of the following Hotlines (24 hours a day/7 days per week):

To volunteer or learn more about LICC’s work, please visit: www.longislandcrisiscenter.org.