Albany, NY – A Nassau County mental health professional – Regina Barros-Rivera -- has been honored at the New York State Office of Mental Health’s ‘What’s Great in our State 2017’. The annual event, held May 2 in Albany, celebrates the people and programs making a difference in the field of children’s mental health.

Regina Barros-Rivera has worked for the North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center for 28 years and oversees several programs at the non-profit mental health agency. She was recognized for her extraordinary commitment to children’s mental health issues and the special needs of first-generation Latino families.

“Regina Barros-Rivera has spent her career improving the way children’s mental health services are delivered. Her passion in serving the Latino/Latina community and the impact she has had on this community is truly remarkable,” said New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Marie T. Sullivan. “We thank Regina and each of our five honorees for their hard work and commitment to children's mental health.”

Regina founded the Guidance Center’s Latina Girls Project, showing her commitment to providing culturally-appropriate services to the Latino community. The program employs therapy along with monthly outings and activities to help Latina teens overcome depression, anxiety and cultural conflicts with their families. Regina also oversees the Intensive Support Program, which offers school-based intensive mental health services to students from all 56 Nassau County school districts.

“I am honored to be part of an organization that supports services to children and families in dire need and have limited access to comprehensive quality-of-care clinical services. Alone we cannot provide the much needed care for our children and families, but as part of a collaborative of caregivers and the community, we can take on challenges that will give our children and families emotional safety and stability,” says Regina Barros-Rivera, Associate Executive Director, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center.

To learn more about the programs offered by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, visit https://www.northshorechildguidance.org/.

‘What’s Great in Our State’

‘What’s Great in Our State’ is an annual event hosted by the New York State Office of Mental Health, the New York State Council on Children and Families, and a number of children’s mental health advocacy organizations in order to celebrate the individuals and programs that are successfully advancing the cause of children’s mental health in New York State. The event features a reading of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement proclaiming the week as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, a ceremony recognizing our honorees, and an art show featuring artwork created by children receiving services from New York State’s mental health system. This year’s event will also feature two keynote speakers and a moderated round-table discussion featuring the awardees.

The event coincides with Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, a national movement that seeks to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and to show that positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development from birth.

For more information on the partners involved with this year’s ‘What’s Great in Our State’ event, visit http://conta.cc/2ou2Cr2.