The Rural Outreach Center’s executive director and founder Dr. Frank Cerny joined other leaders and changemakers from across New York State for the Mother Cabrini Mental Health Summit on Oct. 22 in New York City. Dr. Cerny was featured on the panel Invisible Infrastructure: The Vital Role of Community-Based Organizations, where he and other panelists discussed the systemic challenges that community-based organizations face as they address the complex needs of individuals experiencing mental health disorders.
The ROC was proud to be one of the organizations recognized at the Mother Cabrini Mental Health Summit for its role in addressing the holistic needs of New Yorkers. In describing the Summit, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation says, “New York State stands at a critical crossroads in confronting the intertwined crises of serious mental illness, substance use disorder and homelessness. The Summit convened leaders across health, housing, justice, philanthropy, community advocacy and faith-based organizations in a dialogue that aimed to break down systemic barriers and spark cross-sector solutions centered on dignity, recovery and housing stability.”
Dr. Cerny said, “It’s not about mental health in isolation. It’s about well-being that also includes social needs such as housing and food security.” He emphasized that, “Charity does not provide dignity. The ROC Empowerment Model honors each person’s dignity by empowering them to transform their lives.”…