Dear Friends

  The Riverdale Mental Health Association’s mission is to provide a broad range of high quality community-based behavioral health services to residents of the Bronx and surrounding communities. RMHA provides an outpatient clinic for treatment of the full range of emotional and psychiatric problems to all age groups, a completely confidential outpatient service for adolescents and adults whose problems relate to substance abuse, an outpatient psychiatric day program for adults with serious or chronic problems who may require long term treatment and multiple services, as well as an early childhood program, an on-site school mental health consultation, residential and employment services and innovative services for the elderly.  RMHA continues to bring hope and renewed quality to the lives of children, families, adults and the elderly who are in need of mental health services. 

 We could not do this alone.  I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to all who contribute so much to our success.  There are many individuals to thank for what RMHA is able to accomplish each year: an extraordinary, hard working Board of Directors whose contributions of time and resources support each undertaking; the dedicated professional staff under the very able leadership of Medical Director Matthew Gudis, M.D.; the support staff and our public officials – Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell and State Senator Eric Schneiderman – whose continuous support is invaluable to the RMHA community.  A very special THANK YOU! for your generosity.  Your support enables us to provide these valuable services to people in need and, in too many instances, to those who cannot afford them.

 Of particular note this past year, guided by the distinctive leadership of our Executive Director Robert Brewster and Deputy Executive Director Donna Demetri Friedman, services to our clients have been streamlined (thus reducing our waiting list); a new major contract to provide mental health screening to as many as 2,500 middle and high school students in their schools has been awarded to RMHA and additional space has been acquired to house our ever-expanding services.   

We also take pride in the fact that the New York State Office of Mental Health has issued a Re-certification for our Clinic Treatment, Continuing Day Treatment and Community Residence Programs.  The New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services has re-certified our Chemical Dependency Program. 

The strategic planning process we engaged in two years ago continues to move us forward and guides our work.  We encourage your continued support of the Riverdale Mental Health Association.  We look forward to our continued service to the community.

Sandra E Lerner

President