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Margaretville Hospital, Margaretville, New York

Margaretville Hospital is recognized for an innovative mental health program for students that combines in-person psychotherapy and telepsychiatry in public schools at no cost to the students, their families, or the school district. 

 

Patients of Delaware County, New York, a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) for mental health, needed services for anxiety, depression, trauma, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Additionally, suicide rates were high with 19 percent of the county's population under the age of 18 and suicide identified as the third leading cause of death. Bringing telepsychiatry directly into schools provided direct access and eliminated the need for people to drive 100 miles or more for mental health care, which often resulted in complete discontinuation of care. 

Positive Outcomes

  • Grant funding and a new affiliation with Westchester Medical Center (WMC) Health Network helped improve access to mental health treatment, preventative services, wellness support, and promotion of healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Rate of missed or no-show appointments by patients is 14 percent.

Top Accomplishments

  • The in-school program now serves approximately 75 students per quarter in four school districts.
  • Patient satisfaction survey results show that 100% of respondents were "very satisfied" and "would recommend" the program to family and friends.
  • Services are provided regardless of patient's ability to pay.

"The hospital is proud to receive this honor for providing high-quality healthcare at no charge that is improving mental health and therefore the overall community’s health.” – Mark Pohar, Executive Director

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