We have an entire team of compassionate and highly skilled social workers at MSBI dedicated to working with victims of violence and abuse. They partner closely with our emergency department and do a great job of helping victims find the courage to speak up and giving them the support to heal. They regularly receive profoundly moving notes of gratitude from these patients. One patient recently said this about Merritt Stewart, LCSW:

“You never tried to sugarcoat my pain, and I always felt like you were in the trenches right alongside with me…Most importantly, I always felt like you had my back and you never once made any judgments.”

Click below to see photos of this team and our volunteers. 

They’ve also done an incredible job of building and supporting an exceptional community of advocates who provide support, counseling, information, and advocacy to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence in the ED after hours on weekdays and all day and night on weekends. Our victim services program recruits volunteers each fall and conducts a 40-hour Department of Health approved training that prepares each advocate for this vital work. These advocates are selfless members of our caring community and role models for us all.

Just this week, a brand new group of advocates completed their training and will begin counseling.

In 2018 alone, the volunteers worked with 97 survivors of sexual assault and 47 survivors of domestic violence at MSBI. Last year, the MSBI Victim Services social workers provided 1176 therapy sessions and helped with 128 instances of criminal justice advocacy. Their impact is unbelievable.

We are blessed to have these wonderful colleagues and advocates as members of our MSBI community.

In 2018 alone, the volunteers worked with 97 survivors of sexual assault and 47 survivors of domestic violence at MSBI. Last year, the MSBI Victim Services social workers provided 1176 therapy sessions and helped with 128 instances of criminal justice advocacy. Their impact is unbelievable.

We are blessed to have these wonderful colleagues and advocates as members of our MSBI community.

I want to celebrate our Greenwich Street ambulatory practice that will have its second anniversary in March. This practice has been a great addition to our network as they serve the professionals and families in the Financial District and lower Manhattan.

Over the last two years, they’ve gained recognition in the community as the place where professionals can go during their work day to quickly get primary care. Depending on the day of the week, patients can also see urology, gynecology, cardiology dermatology, and orthopedic specialists. Most of the patients are in the neighborhood and discover the practice through ZocDoc.

They’ve also been developing relationships with companies in the area like Goldman Sachs and looking for more opportunities to get referrals.   

We have a great team of doctors and medical assistants there. One of our front desk medical assistants, Angela Grissett, originally worked at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and has been at MSBI for more than 20 years.

I’m so thankful to have this stellar group working together to care for the downtown community.

Click below to see a few photos of our Greenwich Street team. 

I want to tell you about the incredible teamwork I’ve seen growing between our security and behavioral health teams.

Employees Know Best
Last year, we created a new model that includes 24/7 security guard supervision within our 8 Bernstein psychiatry unit. This suggestion came directly from behavioral health employees. This has proven to be a wonderful partnership.

Teamwork and Gratitude
On New Year’s Day, 8 Bernstein had a particularly challenging day. Team members recognized that this partnership with security was critical to staying safe that day. Many people praised the efforts of Officer Hakim Godette and patient care associate Calton McCollough that day. I was impressed by the gratitude the 8 Bernstein team expressed in a written letter to security, signed by everyone on that shift:

Our staff would like to recognize our colleagues from the Department of Security. Your officers have been consistently professional, vigilant, compassionate, and a real asset to our mission to maintain a safe milieu. We would like to specifically thank Officer Hakim Godette for his unrelenting support and dedication. He was an active participant, working in concert with our staff to help de-escalate multiple dangerous situations.

Taking the time to recognize our co-workers makes us stronger and better.

Some of the 8 Bernstein staff: Tainia Rivera, RN; Michele Kelley, RN; Carlton McCollough, PCA; Jung Soo Han, RN; Tasia Pinto, RN; and Lindsey Briggs.

Officer Hakim Godette with some of the 8 Bernstein team: Liz Metz, RN and nurse manager; Michele Kelley, RN; Charles Harrison, RN; Georgina-Andrea Irvine, RN.

New Careers
In addition, I recently learned that two security guards who used to rotate at this 8 Bernstein post fell in love with the team and the patients there and decided to become patient care associates. Kimberly Harris says, “People are people. Whether I’m in security or patient care, I treat our psychiatry patients like the wonderful humans they are.” She transitioned to a PCA role in CPEP after two years as a security guard. She was born at Beth Israel and had her children here.

Kimberly Harris, former security guard who is now a PCA in the CPEP.

Officer Joseph Robinson is also currently making the transition to become a PCA on 8 Bernstein.

We are lucky to have them.

2018 was an incredible year for us. I can’t thank you enough for taking care of our patients and each other every day despite facing many changes and challenges.

Please watch the video below and reflect on 2018 at MSBI and throughout our Downtown network.