Home Times of Middle Country

A small taste of history: 1937 Centereach Bird’s Eye View

by TBR Staff - June 13, 2021

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Amongst the Middle Country Public Library’s many historical artifacts are a few that explain just how far the area has come from its pastoral roots. The picture and story below comes courtesy of a collaborative effort among the librarian staff.

This beautifully embroidered map was gifted to Middle Country Public Library, and is part of the Heritage Collection, the library’s local history archives.

It shows a detailed and unique view of Centereach as it stood in 1937. Oriented in a west to east view from top to bottom, we can see the landmarks and homesteads that residents would visit and pass by daily.

Near the top right of the image, we can see the New Village First Congregational Church prominently featured in white, just south of the Fairgrounds. It was such a major landmark that it needed no caption. The steeple, front door and footpath are skillfully embroidered in. Homes of many residents (Overton, Emery, Olsen, Ulrich, Duffield, Campbell, Moen, Scudder and Alvin Smith, Bertram, to name a few) are painstakingly labeled along with many prominent businesses.

William Tobin’s “Ontheway” Rest, located on the northwest corner of Middle Country Road and Stony Brook Road served as a gasoline station and featured a lunch stand that Mrs. Tobin ran on the adjoining property.

Other establishments depicted include the barbershop, the grocery store, Homeside Nursery, the lumber yard and Carl’s Tavern, along with the Wilkinson, Williams, Moller and Murray farms.

If you look closely, a hen and her chicks are carefully stitched in, foraging about the Wilkinson’s farmyard. The fire house, fair grounds, and schools (both the existing and proposed new school sites), the Parsonage and Parish Hall are all here.

Streets are not labeled, but we know that Middle Country Road runs from top to bottom down the center of the panel and we can see where paving is incomplete on the right margin (the north side of the map). The New Village Congregational Church which stands today on Middle Country Road just west of Elliot Avenue and residences such as the Henry house help us determine the location of other streets.

We know that the Henry homestead was located at the corner of Middle Country Road and North Washington Avenue. We can also see William Wortley’s gas station which was situated on the south side of Middle Country Road opposite Wood Road, where the barbershop stands embroidered with the traditional red and white pole.

For an entertaining treasure hunt, take a look to discover what other family names and landmarks you can find. More names and places can be found on this map than we could list here. Have fun!

Newfield comes from behind for the win

by Bill Landon - June 9, 2021

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Comsewogue’s Brendan Topper makes the play at first in a road game against Newfield June 5. Bill Landon photo

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Trailing Newfield 2-1 to open the 4th inning, Comsewogue loaded the bases when Christopher Valazquez laid off a pitch for the walk to plate Aaron Freidman to tie the score, but it was Dominic Schuch’s bat that spoke next for a base clearing inside the park grand slam homerun to jump out front for a 6-2 lead.

But Newfield chipped away at the deficit loading the bases in the bottom of the 4th inning plating a runner when the batter was hit by a pitch then Mike Madina drove in Stephen Lumme and Dylan Johnson. Newfield’s Joe Hackel scored on a passed ball in the bottom 6th inning to make it a one run game when Medina struck again with a 2 run rbi double to take a 10-9 lead to open the 7th inning.

Newfield’s defense prevailed to close out the one run victory.

With the win Newfield improves to 13-2 for the top spot in league III with 3 games left on their schedule while the loss drops Comsewogue to 7-8.

Post season play begins Tuesday June 15.

D. None of the Above: Close call on the highway could have been something much worse

by Daniel Dunaief - June 9, 2021

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By Daniel Dunaief

You don’t have to look hard to see them alongside the road. They aren’t even always on the sharpest curves or the steepest hills.

There, along the median or over there, by the right side of the road, are the homemade crucifixes, the flowers, the stuffed animals and the personal effects of people who never made it wherever they were going, their lives ending on or near asphalt as other vehicles collided with theirs.

My family recently took a road trip, where we easily could have become another statistic, and our family or friends could have just as easily been visiting the spot where it ended for one, two, three or all four of us.

I was driving during a recent weekend, excited by the open road and eager to remove the family from the neighborhood patterns that have defined our lives for well over a year.

My wife navigated, checked her email, exchanged texts with friends, and regularly asked if I wanted her to drive, if I needed a drink, or if I was hungry.

Our son was napping behind me, his head tilted back and to the left. Our daughter was immersed in virtual interactions with her friends, head down, a Mona Lisa smile plastered on her face.

With my peripheral vision, I traced the flow of the taller and shorter trees that passed by, the familiarity of the Texas, Indiana, Ohio and California license plates on nearby cars and trucks, and the click, click, click of the road that churned beneath our wheels.

Up ahead, the driver of one of the thousands of SUVs that dot the American landscape hit his brakes. My wife instantly saw it and closed her eyes. Unlike me, she typically hits her brakes as soon as she sees the red lights at the back of the car in front of her.

I immediately take my foot off the accelerator, where it hovers over the brake. As we rapidly approached the car in front of us, I applied the brake with some force, coming to an almost complete stop just feet before reaching the bumper.

I exhaled in relief, while immediately hitting the hazards. I wanted the cars behind me to know I wasn’t merely touching my brakes, but that I, and all the other cars around me, were stopping.

For a moment, I chatted with my wife. I have no idea what she or I was saying, when I noticed a truck coming towards at an incredible rate of speed.

“Hold on! This isn’t good!” I shouted, waking my son and drawing my daughter away from her phone.

I reflexively tapped my accelerator and drove my car directly towards the nearly stopped SUV on my right side. The truck, meanwhile, dove into the thin shoulder.

As it flew by, the truck somehow missed us completely. The car next to me honked in frustration, as the driver, who must have moved to her right, glared. I wanted to tell her that a truck might have crushed our family if the driver and I hadn’t each made last second adjustments.

Her lane kept moving, and she likely didn’t give my sudden maneuver another thought. With my hands in a vice grip on the wheel and my breathing rapid, I stared at the truck in front of me. I wasn’t sure whether I would have liked to punch or hug the driver, who didn’t notice me slowing down, see my hazard lights or leave himself enough room to stop. At the same time, though, he — and it could have been a woman, because I never saw the driver — turned onto the small shoulder, finding just enough space to squeeze past me without destroying my car, my family or my life.

For the next several minutes, I struggled to drive, as the image of the speeding truck with nowhere to go in my rear view mirror replayed itself in my head.

“Are you okay? Do you need me to drive?” my wife asked anxiously.

My family and I were okay. We weren’t a part of a sad story that ended on an American highway. Skid marks left on the road weren’t a marker for the final seconds of our lives.

We are grateful for the combination of factors that turned a close call into a near miss. Perhaps this happened for a reason beyond giving us more opportunities to extend the journeys of our lives. Perhaps one of the purposes is to provide a warning to everyone else to remain vigilant, to brake early and to stay sharp and focused on the roads.

Between You and Me: Ever heard of a white tick? Please read on

by Leah Dunaief - June 9, 2021

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By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Here we go again. I have had another encounter with a tick, but this time, to make the story more interesting, the villain is a white tick. At least it can appear white when it is engorged with blood. My blood. Just the thought of it is enough to make one’s skin crawl, right?

Well, it’s tick season particularly now, and you don’t have to go into the woods to find them. They can be in the beautiful lawn at your house or in the bushes that you brush against when you take out the garbage. Unless you are wearing long pants that are tucked into your socks and a long sleeve shirt and hat, you could be a victim. More likely, your dog could appear to a tick as a delicious steak on four legs, and if bitten, the dog can inadvertently carry the tick into your home. I think the white tick found me as I was sitting on the cement edge of a pool and wearing just shorts and a short sleeve shirt in the recent 90-degree weather. (Chicken that I am, I found the water still too cold to jump in.)

We all know that ticks can carry Lyme disease. But there are other diseases that could potentially be transmitted through their bite. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is another, and despite its geographical designation, this malady can occur throughout the United States and yes, even on Long Island. A local internist I know tells me he has seen several cases in the course of his practice.

RSMF, as it is sometimes referred to, is a bacterial disease that typically begins with a fever and fierce headache. A few days later a rash develops, made up of small spots usually starting on the wrists and ankles. Other symptoms may include muscle pains and vomiting.

To my surprise, when I had routine blood work done for an annual check-up a couple of years ago, I discovered that I had indeed had RSMF from that previous tick bite but with no symptoms.

Asymptomatic versions do indeed occur, and I was one such example. Now I have again been bitten, and the question is whether I could get the disease again, if the tick carried RSMF, or if I have antibodies sufficient enough to make me immune. Then again, I cannot be sure that this recent tick did not carry Lyme disease or some other microbial agent of infection.

What to do?

It never helps to have a medical problem on a weekend. I apparently was bitten on Saturday afternoon and found the tick behind my right knee on awakening Sunday morning. My hand was drawn to it because of a severe itch. At first, because it was small and white, we thought it was a skin tab that had spontaneously appeared. But upon pulling, it came off and began crawling away. Since I had experience with a tick bite before, I knew to capture the tick in a plastic sandwich baggie and save for the physician to send for testing.

As the day progressed, I could feel a tiny lump where I had been bitten, and the area around the lump became red and warm, with the same intense itch that had originally drawn my attention. By Tuesday, I had an appointment with my physician, and I had more than only the tick to show him. The red area had increased from the size of a silver dollar to that of my palm. I am now taking doxycycline, the antibiotic of choice, as well as an antihistamine for what is probably an allergic reaction.

I share this with you as a cautionary tale to urge you to check yourselves daily for ticks that might have targeted you as a good meal. And further, don’t just assume a tick on you will be black and therefore readily spotted. Take heed from my experience. They can also be white.

New school mask guidelines cause confusion

by Julianne Mosher - June 9, 2021

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mask 6, kimberly brown — Photo by Kimberly Brown

By Julianne Mosher & Kimberly Brown

Parents, students and school districts had a confusing week with mask mandates for kids pre-K through 12 needing clarification from the governor.

On Friday, June 4, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said an announcement was coming to drop in-school mask mandates for children. But shortly after, the state Department of Health’s announcement didn’t align with what he said.

Health officials said they had not yet received an OK from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and on Monday, Cuomo announced the CDC would not be changing guidance for wearing masks, therefore they are still required inside schools.

According to Cuomo, school districts can lift the requirement that students must wear masks outdoors. The state’s guidance on mask use indoors remains in place, but school districts may choose to no longer require masks outdoors, for example during recess. This change aligns with guidance relating to summer camps, where even unvaccinated campers are not required to wear masks outdoors.

“Children wear masks in school inside, and when they’re outside of the school building in recess, etc., it’s hot, they’re running around, but they’re outside, there is no mandate for masks outside. We’ll leave that up to the local school districts,” Cuomo said Monday.

This came just days after rallies were hosted across Long Island, demanding that the governor “unmask our kids.”

Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY1) and upset parents gathered Wednesday, June 2, outside the H. Lee Dennison building in Hauppauge to demand a mask-free environment for children in schools and camps.

“This is the right decision for children across New York, who have sacrificed so much throughout the pandemic and suffered emotionally, physically and mentally from lockdowns and remote learning,” Zeldin said at the rally.

The week before, May 26, Andrew Giuliani (R) — another contender for Cuomo’s seat in 2022 and son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) — stopped by the same spot to show his support for the same cause.

These rallies were put together by parents and advocacy groups who hoped to influence Cuomo’s decision to lift the mandate.

“It’s a parent’s right to take care of their children the best way they feel fit,” said Mike Hathaway from Long Island Loud Majority, a conservative organization. “Not the government, not for political pull, and not for control.”

Moms for Liberty, an advocacy group from Suffolk County that focuses on unifying America while educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights, has been working to get the mask mandate lifted in New York.

A member of the group, Barbara Abboud, said her children, among many others, have been suffering in school, whether that be academic, mental or physical.

“Everyone here today knows what’s at stake,” she said. “It’s more than just unmasking our children, it’s about getting our basic freedoms back.”

Zeldin also discussed his animosity with the prior COVID-19 restrictions, where businesses were forced to close at earlier hours to prevent the spread of the virus.

“There was a time when they said you couldn’t go to the gym after 10 [p.m.] because, apparently, that spreads COVID,” Zeldin said. “However, if you go at 8:30 with a whole group of people, that would mitigate the spread.”

Cuomo said virtually all restrictions can be lifted once 70% of New Yorkers aged 18 and older have received the first dose of the vaccine.

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Strictly Business: Back to Business heads to Middle Country Public Library June 8

by TBR Staff - June 5, 2021

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StrictlyBusiness (C) Miranda Gatewood-0541 — Strictly Business. Photo by Miranda Gatewood

Business people know the power of networking; the power of connecting face-to-face with potential clients, partners, and mentors. While the Miller Center at the Middle Country Public Library has been offering virtual networking for the business community since the pandemic began, nothing beats connecting face to face. Which is why they are excited to be hosting Strictly Business: Back to Business outdoors and in person on Tuesday, June 8.

Strictly Business. Photo by Miranda Gatewood

Sal DiVincenzo of the Miller Business Center acknowledges the struggles of the local small business community. “Networking is the lifeblood of small businesses. The opportunity to personally interact with potential customers is something every salesperson knows is fundamental to building business and relationships. The pandemic literally put barriers between customers and businesses.”

The Director of the library, Sophia Serlis-McPhillips continued this sentiment. “The mission of the library’s Miller Business Center has always been to promote economic development on Long Island. This mission has been continuing virtually for more than a year. We are happy to bring business owners and professionals together again at the in-person Strictly Business.”

An initiative of the Middle Country Library Foundation and held in partnership with the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce and the Brookhaven Chambers of Commerce Coalition (BCCC), Strictly Business is a vehicle to promote economic development and encourage chamber of commerce participation in Brookhaven and the surrounding areas.

“More than ten years ago the BCCC wanted to give back more to the small businesses they represented in the Town of Brookhaven. With this initiative, they collaborated with the Miller Business Center to create Strictly Business. Over time this annual event has grown with more vendors and networking opportunities for our business partners,” says Barbara Ransome, BCCC President.

Participants missed having this opportunity last year and response to the announcement of an in-person event has been overwhelmingly positive. Many of the businesses that signed up to exhibit in 2020 were eager to be a part of the event and there is even a waitlist to exhibit.

Lenore Paprocky, president of the Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce noted, “I know a lot of business owners are excited about meeting in person.” She continued that they are looking most forward to “re-connecting and networking with other local businesses and the community.”

Attendees to this free event will have the opportunity to meet and network with 50 exhibitors made up of a wide-array of local businesses and entrepreneurs. While primarily a business-to-business networking opportunity, the community is encouraged to attend and shop local as a way to support the small business community. There will be photo ops throughout the day and a chance to win a raffle prize.

“The BCCC is grateful to support the Miller Center, that acts as an essential resource for our most important commodity … small businesses,” said Ransome.

Discover local businesses at the Strictly Business: Back to Business event at the Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd, Centereach on June 8 (rain date June 15) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For further information, call 631-585-9393

Participating exhibitors:

Venture Sponsor

Flushing Bank

Entrepreneur Sponsor

Synergy Wealth Strategies

Mentor Sponsor

Pure Mammography

Partner Sponsors

Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP

Holiday Inn Express – Stony Brook

SafeGuard Print & Promo

Media Sponsor

Times Beacon Record News Media

Anchor Business Group, LLC

Bay Harbour Insurance Agency

BESTech Education

Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Co.

Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce Coalition

Burner Law Group, P.C.

CardHop Inc.

Caring People Home Health Care

CBMS Consulting Services

Central Staff Services

Conference Associates Inc.

Emics Elder Care

Greater Middle Country Chamber of Commerce

Independent Business Women’s Circle

Insight Healing and Wellness

Integrity Expediting

iRUN…

Island Federal

LeTip Port Jefferson

LI Tech Advisors

Lisa Albinowski, Realtor, Coldwell Banker

Manantial Cleaning Services, Inc.

Miller Business Center

Moxxie

My Mom Knows Best, Inc.

North Isle Wellness Center of Hope

OB Davis Funeral Home

Peconic Landing

People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union

Pete Marcano – New York Life

ProSysCon Computers

Rocket Juiced Studio

Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce

Soundview Pregnancy Services

Stay Clean Long Island

Suffolk County Women’s Business Enterprise Coalition

Synack Technology Services, Inc.

TAB – The Alternative Board

The Bristal Assisted Living

Three Village Chamber of Commerce

Times Beacon Record News Media

Parents surprise Newfield theater cast with car parade

by TBR Staff - June 4, 2021

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MCCSD Addams Family Car Parade Image 3 — Cast members from the Newfield High School production of ‘The Addams Family.’ Photo from MCCSD

By Kimberly Brown

To celebrate the kickoff of Newfield High School’s live stream production of “The Addams Family,” parents and teachers surprised the cast and crew with a car parade.

The show will premiere on Saturday, June 5.

Rain didn’t stop people from surprising Newfield High School students last Saturday with a car parade.
Photo from MCCSD

Parents instructed the students who performed in the play to dress up in their costumes so they could take press release pictures. Little to their knowledge, what seemed to be an endless line of cars decorated with balloons, posters and pinatas waited outside.

“They thought it was strictly for publicity and had no idea there was going to be a parade like that,” said parent Sean Austin.

The production team brought a speaker, where music from the show played. Cast and crew members showcased one of their dances while the car parade circled the bus loop.

“Everyone’s really happy the play is finished,” Austin said. “I know it was a little bit of a weird process with the filming, since they had to perform scenes out of order, but in a way, it was good because if they messed up on a part so they could easily go back and redo it.”

Students and parents paid homage to chorus and theater arts director Joan Meichner, who was faced with the challenging task of putting together the production while still adhering to the changing COVID-19 guidelines and regulations.

Cast members from the Newfield High School production of ‘The Addams Family.’
Photo from MCCSD

“From the time the show was cast, to the time we were in production and filming, the COVID guidelines and regulations had changed several times,” Meichner said. “The students in the show handled all of these changes with unparalleled grace, excellence and enthusiasm.”

Despite the obstacles, giving the students a production they are proud to be a part of is the only goal Meichner hoped to achieve.

“I am certain that we accomplished that, and the growing excitement as we eagerly await our premiere is inspiring,” Meichner said.

Leg. Caracappa reminds residents to be prepared for hurricane season

by Press Release - June 4, 2021

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The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, and will end on November 30. Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa would like to encourage residents to be prepared. “Most of this past year’s focus has been on the Coronavirus pandemic, but we must still remember that the hurricane season is upon us. It is important to be aware and prepared,” stated Legislator Caracappa. “Let’s all be prepared for the worst, and hope for the best.”

The following tips are provided by ready.gov/hurricanes. Please visit the site below for a comprehensive list of suggestions for before, during, and after a hurricane or tropical storm: https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes#before

Know your Hurricane Risk

Hurricanes are not just a coastal problem. Find out how rain, wind, water, even tornadoes could happen far inland from where a hurricane or tropical storm makes landfall. Start preparing now.

Make an Emergency Plan

Make sure everyone in your household knows and understands your hurricane plan. In your hurricane plans include the office, kids’ daycare, and anywhere you frequent. Ensure your business has a continuity plan to continue operating when disaster strikes.

Discuss the latest Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it may affect your hurricane planning.

Know your Evacuation Zone

You may have to evacuate quickly due to a hurricane if you live in an evacuation zone. Learn your evacuation routes, practice with household, pets, and identify where you will stay.

Follow the instructions from local emergency managers, who work closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies and partners. They will provide the latest recommendations based on the threat to your community and appropriate safety measures.

Recognize Warnings and Alerts

Have several ways to receive alerts. Download the FEMA app and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. Sign up for community alerts in your area and be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA)- which requires no-sign up.

Those with Disabilities

If you or anyone in your household is an individual with a disability identify if you may need additional help during an emergency.

Review Important Documents

Make sure your insurance policies and personal documents like ID are up to date. Make copies and keep them in a secure password protected digital space.

Strengthen your Home

De-clutter drains and gutters, bring in outside furniture; consider hurricane shutters.

Get Tech Ready

Keep your cell phone charged when you know a hurricane is in the forecast and purchase backup charging devices to power electronics.

Help your Neighborhood

Check with neighbors, senior adults, or those who may need additional help securing hurricane plans to see how you can be of assistance to others

Gather Supplies

Have enough supplies for your household, include medication, disinfectant supplies, masks, and pet supplies in your go bag or car trunk. After a hurricane, you may not have access to these supplies for days or even weeks.

Remember that not everyone can afford to respond by stocking up on necessities. For those who can afford it, making essential purchases and slowly building up supplies in advance will allow for longer time periods between shopping trips. This helps to protect those who are unable to procure essentials beforehand and must shop more frequently. Only take the items you and your family may need so that others who rely on these products can also access them.

Have a great summer, and stay safe!

Port Jeff Station American Legion keeps busy

by Julianne Mosher - June 4, 2021

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american legion, bruce miller — Photo from Bruce Miller

The local American Legion chapter has a lot going on this month.

The Wilson Ritch Post No. 432, founded in 1919, is asking Suffolk County veterans in the Port Jefferson and Port Jefferson Station area to join in their comradeship and dedication to their country’s heritage, history and constitution.

Earlier this week on Memorial Day, the members payed homage to fallen comrades at the Crowley Park in Port Jefferson Station and Port Jefferson’s Harborfront Park. The event was followed by a dedication of land to the post from the Prechtl family, and a raffle that has earned $1,000 for two scholarships of graduating Comsewogue seniors.

On Saturday, June 5, they will be hosting The Legion’s Convention of 46 county posts. Elected officials from the village, town and county are expected to speak.

Mental health walk-in help at the local pharmacy

by Julianne Mosher - June 3, 2021

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People might soon be able to grab their prescriptions, a bag of potato chips and pick up soap as they head into a new therapy service at their local CVS.

The nation’s pharmacy retail giant has started a new service at several of their stores across the U.S. — offering both walk-in and scheduled sessions for mental health treatment. These appointments are available beyond typical daytime hours, including nights and weekends.

According to a spokesperson with CVS Health, the company began adding licensed clinical social workers trained in cognitive behavioral therapy to 13 locations in the Houston, Philadelphia and Tampa metro areas in January of this year.

These providers will offer mental health assessments, referrals and personalized counseling either in person or via telehealth through MinuteClinics inside CVS HealthHUB store locations.

The spokesperson said the company is planning on expanding to 34 locations this spring.

“We anticipate expanding mental health services into additional markets in the coming months,” the representative said in an email. “We expect to have more detailed information soon.”

Rite Aid and Walmart have started similar programs, too.

Dr. Adam Gonzalez.
Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

And although MinuteClinics and the like are not available in New York state yet, Dr. Adam Gonzalez, director of behavioral health and founding director of the Mind-Body Clinical Research Center at the Stony Brook Renaissance School of Medicine, said this could potentially be a good day if such facilities were to come close to home.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many challenges and disruptions to our way of life,” he said. “We have seen an increase in depression, anxiety, increased stress overall and grief responses. Recent mental health data from the CDC also highlights an increase in mental health problems, especially among young adults, and importantly, unmet mental health needs.”

According to Gonzalez, a recent CDC report indicates that during August 2020 through this February “the percentage of adults with recent symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder increased from 36.4% to 41.5%, and the percentage of those reporting an unmet mental health care need increased from 9.2% to 11.7%. Increases were largest among adults aged 18–29 years and those with less than a high school education.”

“There is a great need for mental health awareness and treatment at this time,” Gonzalez added. “A silver lining of the pandemic has been the expansion and use of telehealth as a platform for treatment, allowing patients to participate in mental health treatment from the comfort of their home. However, a limiting factor for accessing care is the availability of providers.”

He said throughout the pandemic, SBU’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health saw a great increase in the need for mental health care — so large, it developed a call center.

“Throughout the pandemic we have consistently been receiving over 7,000 calls per month,” the director said. “Evaluating our outpatient data for the three months before the pandemic and the current last three months, there has been a 50% increase in number of visits scheduled for outpatient mental health services. Of note, the number of visits scheduled is limited by the number of providers available to provide services.”

With the need for mental health providers continuing to grow, Gonzalez said additional services — like the ones at the CVS pharmacy chain — could be helpful.

“I think having services available at CVS could help with normalizing mental health treatment and increasing access to care,” he said. “The more mental health service options available to the community, the better. One consideration is the type and quality of care to be delivered. Although it is important to increase access, we also want to make sure that the quality of care being delivered is high.”

But if and when the retailers open up shop on Long Island, Stony Brook Medicine is working on finding ways to reduce feelings of hopelessness and distress.

“We are actively working on investigating various methods of delivering care to help with increasing access to treatment and addressing the mental health needs of the community,” Gonzalez said.

These methods include expanding group-based services, utilizing a collaborative care model that involves working closely with primary care physicians and behavioral health care managers for medication management, and utilizing skills-based single-session interventions.

“We have been working with Dr. Jessica Schleider in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University to implement and study a problem-solving single-session intervention,” he added. “Initial data indicates that these sessions help with improving agency — motivation for change — and reduce feelings of hopelessness and distress.”

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