Serious Mental Illness - NYC Health

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Serious Mental Illness

Serious mental illness is one or more mental, behavioral or emotional conditions that significantly impairs a person’s ability to function in daily life. It often includes the following conditions:

Schizophrenia

Mood disorders, such as bipolar and major depressive

Anxiety disorders

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Symptoms can vary widely among people who are diagnosed with serious mental illness, so treatment and care options may depend on each person’s experiences.

Common Symptoms

Symptoms of serious mental illness often first appear in early adulthood, but they can be difficult to identify.

Common signs of serious mental illness include:

Psychosis (difficulty separating reality from fantasy)

Isolation

Distrust of people who are seen as hostile

Poor performance at work or school, possibly due to distraction from paranoia or internal voices

Inability to maintain personal hygiene or take care of their living space

These symptoms can cause people with severe mental illness to have problems in many areas of their life, including their relationships, housing, education and employment.

Care Options

If you or someone you know is seeking care for a serious mental illness, consider one of the options below. For help connecting to care, talk to your health care provider or contact 988.

There are a wide variety of services available to support people with serious mental illness. Care options include:

Outpatient treatment: Includes therapy and medication provided by a licensed professional.

Inpatient treatment: Accessed through emergency departments where a psychiatric evaluation may lead to admission.

Psychosocial Rehabilitation: Improves a person's ability to function in daily life through counseling, skill building and psychoeducational interventions.

Peer Support: Get help from people with personal experience using mental health services, with a focus on coping with symptoms and finding community resources.

Find Peer Services

Housing Services: There are various programs to help people with serious mental illness stay in their community. Supportive housing services can provide affordable, permanent and independent housing that promotes health through case management.

Care Coordination: A coordinated care approach can connect patients with outpatient treatment, rehabilitation and housing. It can also help them find ways. Ask your provider about a referral to the Health Department's Single Point of Access program.

Crisis Services: For urgent situations that are not life-threatening, 988 can connect you to rapid response services that can help deescalate and resolve a crisis.

Emergency Services: For life-threatening situations, call 911.

Clubhouses

Clubhouses offer free support to New Yorkers who have serious mental health conditions regardless of their insurance, immigration, or housing status, or criminal justice involvement history. Clubhouse members take part in activities that help the Clubhouse run. Clubhouse benefits include:

Help getting benefits

Health, legal, education, and job services (available in person, by phone, or videoconference)

Productive and recreational activities with peers

Healthy meals and snacks

To learn more or become a member, call 988 or visit nyc.gov/988, or call or visit one of the locations below.

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Bronx

Fountain House Bronx

564 Walton Ave.

Bronx, NY 10451

718-742-9884

Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and New Jersey: Lantern House

512 Southern Blvd.

Bronx, NY 10455

718-993-1078

Venture House, Inc.

2477 Webster Ave.

Bronx, NY 10458

646-214-8164

Brooklyn

Brooklyn Community Services: Greater Heights Clubhouse

980 Halsey St.

Brooklyn, NY 11207

718-235-5780

Services for the Underserved: Brooklyn Clubhouse

1125 Fulton St.

2nd Floor

Brooklyn, NY 11238

347-226-9015

Venture House Inc.

885 Rogers Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11226

929-551-2130

Manhattan

Fountain House Midtown

425 W. 47th St.

New York, NY 10036

212-582-0340

New York Disaster Interfaith Services: Elements House

48 Henry St.

New York, NY 10002

929-227-6881

Queens

Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and New Jersey: Citiview Connections

33-24A Northern Blvd.

Long Island City, NY 11101

718-361-7030

Venture House, Inc.

150-10 Hillside Ave.

Jamaica, NY 11432

718-658-7201

Staten Island

Venture House, Inc.

1442 Castleton Ave.

Staten Island, NY 10302

718-658-7821

Clubhouses for People Who Have Serious Mental Health Conditions (PDF)

More Information

Care, Community, Action: A Mental Health Plan for NYC
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Emergency and Crisis Services

Mobile Crisis Teams

NYC Supportive Transition and Recovery Team (NYC START)