Tara McDonald said she always knew she wanted a career where she could help people. After working as a social worker in the Hudson Valley and New York City, she is now tasked with helping a county of more than 170,000 residents.
“Find out which service supports you best, and sometimes it takes some time and patience. People need the ability to be able to have someone walk with them,” he said.
McDonald is acting commissioner of the revamped Ulster County Department of Mental Health.
Nearly 20 years ago, the department was absorbed into the county Health Department. But now, with mental health needs in high demand after two years of COVID, the county will once again make mental health a separate entity.
The department will act as a connector for residents to access mental health resources available to them.
what you need to know
- Mental health services in Ulster County will have their own department
- In Ulster County, opioid deaths increased more than 60% and suicides increased 25% from 2019 to 2020
- Officials said the new department will act as a connector, giving residents access to resources.
In Ulster County, opioid deaths increased more than 60% between 2019 and 2020, and suicides increased more than 25% during that same time. The troubling numbers show a need across New York, where opioid deaths are up 44% and suicides are down slightly by 4%.
McDonald said making mental health its own department will allow county resources to reach more people.
“We will have a better ability to be able to directly connect with residents seeking services within our behavioral health system,” he said. “That’s the hope, that’s the plan.”
The department is already up and running, but expansion is also in the works.
McDonald said the theme of growth is getting people to help right now.
“They’re being inundated with messages that say, ‘It’s okay to not be okay,’” he said. “And that’s great, but once I recognize that it’s okay to not be okay, what do I do with it? And that’s the thing.”
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