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CPI is pleased to announce that Liza Watkins, LMSW has been appointed Associate Director of OnTrackNY, effective July 8.
OnTrackNY is an innovative treatment program for adolescents and young adults who have recently experienced first episodes of psychosis. OnTrackNY helps people achieve their goals such as succeeding in school, getting a job, and building relationships. The program will serve individuals who have nonaffective psychoses, who are age 16 to 30 and who are within one year of the onset of psychotic symptoms.
Four demonstration sites are now involved: Kings County Hospital Center, North Shore Long Island Jewish Hospital, Mental Health Association of Westchester, and the Washington Heights Community Service Center (at the New York State Psychiatric Institute). OnTrackNY will go on to provide support and technical assistance to other agencies that are interested in implementing this model.
To learn more about OnTrackNY, please click here:
http://www.practiceinnovations.org/CPIInitiatives/OnTrackNY/tabid/202/Default.aspx
Liza Watkins comes to CPI after almost four years working at the Research Foundations for Mental Hygiene, where she was the Co-Director of the ACT Transition Project. The ACT Transition Project was a New York State Office of Mental Health quality improvement project to design, implement and test a model supporting successful transitions from ACT to less intensive services for clients moving on in recovery. Previously, she worked in the community mental health setting, providing supportive housing and mental health services to people living with HIV/AIDS and conducting research in the primary care and hospital settings.
Ms. Watkins' leadership at OnTrackNY will build on her expertise in implementing and evaluating recovery-oriented interventions designed to enhance continuity of care and engagement across systems, and improve quality of life and outcomes for persons engaged in mental health services and their families.
Liza notes that "I'm thrilled to support the implementation of this early intervention service for young people experiencing a first episode of psychosis. OnTrackNY offers a unique opportunity to transform the experience of entering care and ensure that young people continue to advance goals related to their school, work and social life while learning to manage their illness."
Please join us in welcoming Liza to CPI and the OnTrackNY initiative.
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