SBH Mental Health Division
Sandy Eller
With a dozen divisions in place to meet the many needs of the local community, it should come as no surprise that Sephardic Bikur Holim, more commonly known as SBH, has a dedicated mental health department to help those who are struggling with emotional wellness.
Founded in 1974 on foundations of altruism and responsibility, SBH rapidly expanded from its initial mission of visiting the sick when it became clear that patients who had been discharged from the hospital were often facing significant obstacles that couldn’t always be resolved by kind-hearted volunteers.
Evolving organically, SBH launched divisions to meet communal needs, focusing on areas including fertility, senior citizens, careers, food, clothing and more. While SBH initially began offering mental health care through its social services arm, the Mickey Kairey Mental Health Division was formed as a standalone unit to provide free treatment and referrals while also shattering the stigmas that left those in pain suffering in silence, fearful that seeking treatment could lead to repercussions.
Dr. David Sitt, co-chair of SBH’s Mental Health Division and an SBH board member, believes the fact that anyone reaching out to the Mental Health Division also has access to more than 150 other free programs offered by SBH at no charge is a game changer.
“Someone who comes in for therapy may have other needs, whether they are financial burdens, medical issues or needing help with a job search,” said Dr. Sitt. “What makes SBH stand out is that we have multiple divisions to treat the whole person and the whole family and if someone starts out in a different division and it turns out that they need mental health support, we are ready to receive them as well.”
The MHD’s counseling center employs over 30 clinicians, two psychiatric nurse practitioners and a psychiatrist who treats patients of all ages. The counseling center recently streamlined its intake process so that even patients with multiple issues can get the help they need with a single call.
A tenured professor at Baruch College, Dr. Sitt earned his PsyD from Yeshiva University, with a clinical specialty in adult ADHD, which has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, particularly through the pandemic. SBH saw its numbers skyrocketing during COVID, providing 20,000 counseling sessions to over 500 families in 2020.
“There was a very real uptick in mental health crises, whether it was anxiety, depression or substance abuse disorders,” said Dr. Sitt. “We are still feeling the impact of the destruction of the school and work environments.”
“Kids are really, really struggling,” added Dr. Susan Schmool, director of SBH’s Mental Health Resource, known as the MHR. “We are seeing a rise in bullying, more disruptive behavior and a lack of socials skills, boundaries and communication skills, all due to COVID.”
Dr. Schmool also has a prior history with SBH, having volunteered with its Medical Division and its Sephardic Educational Advocacy and Resources for Children program, known as SEARCH, 25 years ago. Inspired by her time at SBH, she decided to pursue a degree and earned a PhD in educational psychology, ultimately paving the way for her return to SBH last year to head up the MHR, a program that encompasses a referral line and offers preventive and educational programming to promote emotional wellness. This program gives Dr. Schmool the ability to keep her finger on the communal pulse, with offering targeted lectures, support groups and other services as particular needs arise.
“Sometimes I have clinicians telling me that they have several clients who would benefit from participating in a particular support group, or we could have a program about respect, going into community high schools to teach them about relationships,” said Dr. Schmool. “Our Courage to Heal program in schools raises awareness about sexual abuse and we do staff trainings and parent training as well.”
That willingness to continue broadening its scope of operations is what turned SBH into the multi-faceted entity that it is today, one that has prioritized excellence and compassion for close to 50 years. That same sense of responsibility and commitment are the underlying foundations of the Mental Health Division, which prides itself on being an all-in-one resource for emotional and mental wellness for children, adolescents, couples and families.
“We are excited to get the word out about what we have to offer,” said Dr. David Sitt. “SBH was founded on helping people in distress and we are proud to be carrying on that tradition in the Mental Health Division, treating the whole person in order to ensure their mental and emotional wellness.”
“We try to get people the help they need, whether it is relationship issues, depression, anxiety or trauma,” added Shlomo Lieberman, LCSW, director of SBH’s Mental Health Division. “Whatever the issue, we are here to treat people with the right care.”
Lieberman began working with SBH in 1991 as a social work student, returning again in 2000 after a two year stint in Israel. He left SBH in 2005 to open a private practice, rejoining the SBH family once again in 2021. As director of the MHD, ensuring that all of SBH’s many divisions are readily available to those seeking mental health treatment through either the counseling center or MHR has become Lieberman’s top priority.
“We want people to understand that it takes just one call to get the right treatment,” explained Lieberman. “We have concierge services to make sure that people are directed to the right divisions, so if someone calls us for a mental health issue we can work on the other pieces of the puzzle as well.”
MHD committee member Dr. Ayla Sitt co-chairs SBH’s Courage to Heal, which runs a confidential, anonymous hotline providing support to victims of domestic, sexual and emotional abuse as well as preventative training programs. A senior psychologist and dialectical behavior therapy specialist at NYCBT who specializes in peri and post-natal therapy, Dr. Ayla Sitt credited the counseling center’s administrative and clinical directors, Rhonda Chabbott, LMHC and Tziporah Langer, LCSW, for their joint efforts, which have impacted the community far and wide.
“They are role models for all, bringing dedication, skill and heart to SBH’s counseling center,” said Dr. Ayla Sitt. “Their efforts will help SBH continue providing top-level care for the community.”
Despite its growing size, SBH’s Mental Health Division remains an initiative whose heart and soul is the close-knit community, one that goes all out to take care of its own.
“While our division is staffed by incredible mental health professionals, what makes it extra unique is the dedication of our volunteers,” noted SBH president David J. Beyda. “Community leaders like Steven Balasiano, Ronnie Tawil and Rena Ashear dedicate so much of their time to ensuring that our Mental Health Division—and SBH as a whole—can support the growing needs of our community.”
SBH Mental Health can be reached at 718-787-1300, mentalhealth@sbhonline.org, or by visiting sbhonline.org/mental-health-referral. All calls and emails are strictly confidential.
Sandy Eller is a freelance writer who writes for websites, newspapers, magazines and private clients.
