Gaby Perez leads Bronx youth mental health crisis team – Bronx Times

Mental health crises can be especially frightening when they involve young children, and in these situations, Bronx residents may not know that by calling VNS Health’s Children’s Mobile Crisis Team, program assistant Gaby Perez can provide a rapid response that will last long after the initial crisis has passed.

Perez, 33, is a Bronx native who lives in the Pelham Bay neighborhood and coordinates groups that travel throughout the Bronx to meet with kids who need urgent help after receiving referrals.

These types of mobile services are needed now more than ever, as mental health issues are increasingly affecting the very young, a study says. report A recent report by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, “The State of Mental Health in New Yorkers,” found that 15% of children ages 3 to 13 in families surveyed had received a mental health diagnosis, with Black, Latino, and white children more likely to be diagnosed than other racial groups, such as Asian and Pacific Islander.

The report also noted that the number of teens, defined as those between the ages of 13 and 17, reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 11% between 2011 and 2021. While not all of these young people will experience a crisis, this trend points in the wrong direction.

Because they serve the entire Bronx, “my team is constantly on the move,” Perez told the Bronx Times.

A crisis means different things to different people, Perez said: People call to report young people experiencing anxiety, depression, aggressive behavior, substance abuse, self-harm or suicidal thoughts, but sometimes it’s just a child with poor hygiene or who has stopped going to school.

Referrals come from school staff, social workers, city officials such as the Department of Child Services (ACS), parents, friends and relatives. Sometimes, the calls aren’t even clear if there’s an actual crisis. But whatever the trigger, Perez said, there’s usually a bigger problem going on.

When it comes to youth mental health, she said, “we know the signs” of problems that require rapid intervention.

Perez’s team works with youth up to age 20, after which VNS Health deploys an adult team. The youth team, made up of family advocates, licensed social workers and coordination staff like Perez, organizes the response, connects families to ongoing support services, helps develop safety plans as needed, and follows up with youth for several weeks after the emergency.

Perez said her team has been “very hands-on,” making sure young people are on time for service appointments and helping them reschedule if necessary.

Although Perez is not part of the street rescue team, he is trained and keeps an eye out for people in need, which helped save one person’s life in April.

That day, Perez was walking to work along East 153rd Street, an area she said is known for being home to heavy drug users, when she spotted a woman on the ground. At first, Perez said she had no idea what was going on, but when she said no one nearby noticed her, Perez realized it appeared to be a drug overdose.

She quickly administered two doses of Narcan, an overdose-reversing drug she carries with her at all times. After two doses, the woman remained unconscious. Pérez went to administer a third dose, and the woman finally began to wake up. When paramedics arrived, Pérez was told he’d saved the woman’s life.

Because of his training, Perez was “fully equipped and prepared” to administer Narcan in a hurry, something he recommends for everyone because you never know when you’ll come across someone in need of help.

Especially for New York’s youngest, “we are literally here for you,” Perez said.

The VNS Health Children’s Mobile Crisis Team can be reached at 988. For a list of behavioral health services available in the Bronx, VNS Health Website.

Contact Emily Swanson eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes.