Press Release
November 18, 2009
Glen Cove InterAgency Council November Meeting
The Glen Cove InterAgency Council held its monthly membership meeting on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club. Melissa Tierney, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club and Howard Riesel, Coordinator of Adolescent Services Unit Division of Community Psychiatry & Substance Abuse Services at Glen Cove Hospital were this month’s featured guest speakers. The theme of this meeting was youth outreach, with each of these organizations explaining the many ways that they coordinate and collaborate with other agencies throughout Glen Cove to offer comprehensive services to the young men and women they serve.
Melissa Tierney has served as Executive Director of the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club for the past year and a half. She has been a proud member of the Boys & Girls Clubs since she was eight years old and demonstrates a solid commitment to the goals and mission of the organization. The Boys & Girls Club strives to provide a caring environment to inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive and responsible citizens. Under Ms. Tierney’s leadership, the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club has done an outstanding job of reaching out to youth of all ages, developing new programs and opportunities so that all children can develop a sense of belonging, usefulness, influence and confidence.
Following Ms. Tierney’s presentation, Howard Riesel, Coordinator of Adolescent Services, Division of Community Psychiatry & Substance Abuse Services at Glen Cove Hospital explained how our community is taking action to respond to the growing use of drugs and alcohol among young people. Community house conducts outreach through its four main programs: the Adolescent Services Unit, specializing in the treatment of young people and their families; the Continuing Day Treatment Program, addressing patients with significant psychiatric issues; the Outpatient Recovery Center, focusing on adults; and the Women and Children’s Program, addressing women and the needs of their families. The comprehensive programs offered through this division of the hospital encompass several types of individual and group therapy, according to the needs of particular patients. The goal is to offer patients a more holistic treatment. Community House is a longtime member of the IAC and has developed strong relationships with other social service agencies and educational institutions both in Glen Cove and throughout Nassau County.
In his presentation to the IAC, Howard Riesel stressed the importance of awareness, distributing literature on the growing problem of both heroin abuse as well as the prevalence of over the counter medication abuse by young people. He urged all of the community leaders present at the meeting to deliver the message to those that they serve.
The InterAgency Council, which has met regularly to identify and address the changing needs of the community, is particularly interested in contributing to collaborative efforts as a means of helping the youth of our community and their families.