NYS recognizes Clinton County for dedication to children's mental health
PLATTSBURGH — New York State honored the Clinton County System of Care with the 2025 What's Great in our State System of Care Award, recognizing the coordinated network that are family-driven, youth-guided, community-based and culturally/linguistically responsive.
Members of Clinton County's System of Care — Healing, Empowerment, Advocacy, and Transforming Trauma or HEARTT — were presented award the award in Albany and recognized for taking a holistic approach and for establishing meaningful partnerships to improve youth mental health.
'The Clinton County System of Care team demonstrates 'What's Great in Our State' by breaking down silos, coordinating services, and enhancing communication across our systems to ensure our youth get the care they need,' Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. 'This team has been able to garner resources within the community, increase meaningful partnerships, and address barriers to care. We thank this System of CARE for its dedication and commitment to children's mental health.'
HEARTT has focused on creating cross-system supports, facilitating youth voice and providing resources and education to the community, officials said. Cross system supports are embedded in the coordinator's position, which also oversees the substance use prevention coalition, thereby providing a holistic view of what youth and families require to succeed.
The system has collected data from multiple youth and adults pertaining to awareness of services, access to services, and suggested improvement through 11 focus groups, multiple community events and surveys.
To educate and disseminate information, HEARTT developed a fully encompassing resource directory that is posted on the county website and distributed throughout the community.
'This recognition is a testament to Clinton County's dedication, collaboration and unwavering commitment of our community in building a system that truly supports children and families,' Clinton County Department of Social Services Commissioner Christine Peters said. 'By working together across agencies, organizations and through breaking down interagency barriers, we have implemented a framework that truly serves the community and established lasting change to empower those that we serve.
'We often say that our resources may be sparse, but our relationships are the strength of our community, and it is through this strength that we supported the belief that when we invest in our relationships and collaboration, we strengthen the future of our community.'
Established in 2010, What's Great in Our State recognizes individuals and programs that are successfully advancing the cause of children's mental health in New York State and is celebrated annually during Children's Mental Health Awareness Week.
The day-long conference in Albany features a ceremony recognizing honorees, in-person and virtual workshops, and an art show featuring artwork created by children receiving services from New York State's mental health system.
The event is sponsored by the state Office of Mental Health, Department of Health, Department of Education, Office of Children and Family Services and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports.
In addition, several children's mental health advocacy organizations sponsor the event, including the Council on Children and Families, the Early Care & Learning Council, Families Together in New York State, Inc., Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc., National Alliance on Mental Illness — New York State, New York State Network for Youth Success, Prevent Child Abuse New York, and the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc.
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