Albany, NY - New York State is honoring Dawn Pascoe and Bryan Mentry, a team of mobile mental health professionals in Livingston County, with the 2020 ‘What’s Great in our State’ Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dawn Pascoe and Bryan Mentry have each served for 20 years as clinical social workers in the Office of Mental Health’s Mobile Mental Health program through Rochester Psychiatric Center. They meet with youth in crisis who have been referred from schools and doctor’s offices. Together, they give compassionate clinical care to youth and their families and collaborate with those families to find the most effective solutions. Their goal is to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations

Dawn and Bryan are certified trainers and provide this education to schools, agencies, and community groups. They are also members of the suicide prevention task force.

“Dawn and Bryan show us ‘What’s Great in Our State’ by being powerful advocates who ensure school-aged youth in Livingston County receive the benefits they need to have the best chance of recovery,” said New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. “This team of social workers shows us all how dedication and compassion can help improve outcomes for youth and their families. We thank Dawn and Bryan and all our honorees for their hard work and commitment to children’s mental health.”

Dawn and Bryan were presented with the award at the annual ‘What’s Great in our State 2020’ event on October 15^th held virtually via WebEx. The celebration recognizes the individuals and programs that are successfully advancing the cause of children’s mental health in New York State.

“Many Livingston County families have benefitted from Dawn and Bryan’s outreach and caring home visits when a child was in crisis,” says Diana Cannon, on behalf of Livingston County Youth SPOA. “Both Dawn and Brian are dedicated members of the Livingston County Youth SPOA Committee bringing years of experience and knowledge to the table. We are fortunate to have these two dedicated professionals committed to helping the children in our county. That is What’s Great in Livingston County, NY.”

What’s Great in Our State’

The ‘What’s Great in Our State’ event was first launched in 2010 and is typically held during Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, a national movement that raises awareness about the importance of children’s mental health. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was postponed and reorganized as a virtual celebration.

The event is sponsored by six New York State agencies and several children’s mental health advocacy organizations: The Office of Mental Health, the Council on Children and Families, the Department of Health, the State Education Department, the Office of Children and Family Services and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Early Care & Learning Council, Families Together in New York State, Inc., Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc., National Alliance on Mental Illness - New York State, New York State Network for Youth Success, Prevent Child Abuse New York, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc., and the Suicide Prevention Center of New York.