Statement from CEO Amy Dorin to the Behavioral Health Field on the Killing of George Floyd

This is a critical moment in the life of our city and country as we grapple with the fears and anxieties of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic and emotional hardship it has wrought and now the expression of anger and pain over racism and police violence in the wake of the brutal killing of George Floyd. Sadly, these events have exposed the systemic racial inequality that persists in our communities, from the disproportionate number of African-Americans and people of color dying from COVID-19 to the police brutality that has ignited protests throughout the country. 

As mental health professionals, our skills and resources have never been needed more than they are now. As human beings, our capacity for compassion, support and understanding has never been more tested. It’s a time when people—our clients, our staffs, our co-workers— need to be “heard.” We are uniquely skilled at listening to the powerful emotions that people are experiencing. We can provide a safe, receptive environment that not only allows for them to vent but may also spark constructive, albeit difficult, conversations. In doing this, I believe we can help transform this moment of collective pain and anger into an opportunity leading to innovative solutions and new approaches in mental health, and perhaps, in some way, even help to ease racial tensions.

It begins by acknowledging the myriad emotions that these events provoke and providing the space for people we serve and work with to feel heard. The Coalition, in all of our training programs and advocacy works to ensure and promote social justice and racial equality. Together, as a community serving New York’s incredibly diverse populations, we must place these issues at the center of all we do.