Westchester Reporter

The Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health recently hosted its annual Fall Forum at the Westchester County Center. The event, part of an ongoing effort to develop a Co-Occurring System of Care (COSOC), focused on the theme "Pathways Forward: Westchester County Co-Occurring System of Care: Innovating Prevention, Treatment, Recovery and System Transformation."

Over 430 attendees, including service providers, agency CEOs, hospitals, schools, community-based organizations (CBOs), state and local elected officials, and leaders from Mid-Hudson Counties gathered to learn about Westchester County's leadership in co-occurring systems of care. This model is being replicated across the United States. Key speakers included Dr. Chinzano Cunningham, Commissioner of the NYS Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), and Moira Tashjian, Executive Deputy Commissioner of the NYS Office of Mental Health.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer expressed gratitude for the gathering: “I want to thank our Department of Community Mental Health, under the leadership of Commissioner Michael Orth, for bringing us together today to share ideas to make our system of care even more inclusive. It is impressive to see over 400 people gather to learn from each other, discuss what is working and what needs improvement so that change can happen at all levels of government.”

Commissioner Michael Orth highlighted the impact made by DCMH and its partners: “The statistics are staggering. But the effort that DCMH has made with its partners in COSOC have been beyond life changing. I want to thank County Executive Latimer for his steadfast support... Our partnership with many groups that provide services... have pushed Westchester to the forefront... But we can always do more.”

In 2017, Westchester County established a COSOC committee comprising behavioral health providers, peers, county government representatives, health centers, schools and community organizations. The aim was to enhance co-occurring practices through prevention strategies such as harm reduction and evidence-based treatment.

Founder and President of the harris project Stephanie Marquesano shared her personal connection: “This event holds personal significance for me... His challenges with co-occurring disorders is what drives me... I am grateful... Their presence underscores the shared commitment... Together we’ve issued a powerful call to action..."

The forum featured multiple breakout sessions addressing various aspects related to co-occurring disorders.

According to data from national sources like NIDA and NSDUH over half those facing substance use issues also deal with mental health challenges while more than 20 million Americans live with co-occurring disorders.