Creating a ‘one-stop’ shop for services

A new initiative by Nassau County has led to the creation of a local group dedicated to making sure people get services they need.

The group meets once a month and is being coordinated by the Peninsula Counseling Center. Valley Stream was one of 10 communities in Nassau identified to take part in the No Wrong Door program, because there is a higher concentration of people utilizing county services.

The group held its third meeting last Friday morning. Regular members include representatives from the Peninsula Counseling Center, school districts, local outreach centers and houses of worship. The group is known as the Valley Stream Interagency Council.

Herb Ruben, director of the Peninsula Counseling Center, said the mission of the Valley Stream Interagency Council will be to create a “one-stop” place where individuals can turn to for help in relation to health and human services. “The goal is primarily to address the unmet needs of families in Valley Stream,” he said, “to assure that families know what resources are available to them.”

Marian Brown, chairwoman of District 24’s Committee on Special Education, said she has already learned of some resources available in Nassau County she did not previously know about. “So far, if I’ve helped one family, then it was worth it,” she said.

Brown said she hopes the creation of the Valley Stream Interagency Council will help cut through the red tape for people. She said the school districts can be a valuable partner because a lot of adults are familiar with the schools and feel comfortable turning there for help.

Director of Guidance Jill Vogel has been representing the Valley Stream Central High School District. She said she will share the knowledge she gains with the district’s guidance counselors, psychologists and social workers — the people students and parents often turn to for assistance.

“We can know where to send people for help,” she said. “We don’t want families falling between the cracks.”

Vogel said the creation of the Interagency Council has already formed some new relationships between leaders of the Valley Stream community. An equally strong relationship is needed with Nassau County, she explained, because that is where many of the key health and human services are provided.

Ruben noted that 2,000 people a day visit the county’s social services office in Uniondale.

Sandi Victor, a member of the Peninsula Counseling Center’s Board of Directors, said that although some of these services are not offered locally, many don’t mind having to travel a little ways. “A lot of people do not want to come to a place that’s around the corner from their house,” she said. “They don’t want their friends and neighbors to know that they have a problem so they prefer to go to the next town. That’s not unusual.”

A former director of urban renewal for the Town of Hempstead, Victor said those who especially want to keep their needs a secret are those who are middle class and have never required the assistance before.

The goal of the Interagency Council will not be to offer these services, but rather tell people how to get the help. Although the group is still new and feeling it’s way, Ruben said, he sees a lot of potential.

Ruben hopes that many other sectors of the community, including those from businesses and service groups, become part of the monthly discussion. “We hope to get many other organizations involved in this process,” he said. “All kinds of new partnerships are possible. And that can only be helpful for the families and citizens of Valley Stream.”

Although the program is an initiative of County Executive Tom Suozzi, Ruben said he does not expect it to be in jeopardy when Suozzi leaves office next month. “The concept itself, I think we agree, is a very important concept,” Ruben said. “I see our existence not being affected seriously by that.”

The next meeting will be held on Jan. 8. For more information, call the Peninsula Counseling Center at (516) 569-6600.