Division of Mental Hygiene

Federation for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services

The Federation serves an advisory role to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, partnering with consumers, families and providers to improve the lives of New Yorkers with mental illnesses, chemical dependency, or mental retardation and developmental disabilities. The Federation works to influence policy, address systemic and consumer issues, identify unmet needs as part of the annual planning process, and participate in special projects or initiatives requested by DOHMH.

The Federation is comprised of committees at three levels, including 15 Borough Councils representing each of three disability areas in each borough; three Citywide Committees, one for each disability area; Special Populations Committees; and the Citywide Interdisciplinary Committee. Borough Council meetings are open to individuals working within the designated borough, including consumers, family members, providers, advocates, and other interested parties.

For more information on the Federation, please contact co-chairs Angela Cerrio; angelacerio@aol.com or Evelyn Blanck, ejblanck@msn.com.

If you would like to get involved in your community’s mental hygiene planning, see the lists below.

Mental Health Federation Consumer Advisory Board

Angela Cerio, Chair
Lester Cook
Melissa Edwards
Benny Elleby, Co-chair
Sara Goodman
Peter Harrison
Angela Hebner
Robert Mejias
Malika Mohamedi
Antonio Munoz, Secretary
Myung Park
Aracelis Rivera
Diane Roberts
Rachel Saloman, Co-chair
Stephanie Smith
Marvin Spieler
Alex Williams

CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY COUNCIL MEETINGS

Bronx CD
Luis Laboy
LLaboy@arguscommunity.org

Joanne Edwards
jedwards@women-in-need.org

Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at:
Lincoln Medical and Mental
Health Center 234
East 149th Street Conference
Room #4 Bronx, NY 10454

Brooklyn CD
Mike Buckley
mike.t.buckley@gmail.com

Eileen Cullen
Eileen.Cullen@nychhc.org

Meetings are held on the third Monday of every month 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM at:
Brooklyn Boro Hall -2nd FL
209 Joraleman Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Manhattan CD
Ting Fung May Lai 
May@hmhonline.org

Teri Friedman
tfriedman@svcmcny.org

Gloria Jackson
gloria.d.jackson@gmail.com

Meeting dates vary.  Please contact co-chairs for information.  Meetings are held at:
Employment Program for Recovering Alcoholics EPRA
261 West 35th St. 9th FL.
New York, N.Y. 10018

Queens CD
John McAteer
JRMC0607@aol.com

Beth Covelli   
bethcovelli@childcenterny.org

Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM at:
Borough Hall - 2nd Floor
120-55 Queens Boulevard
Kew Gardens, N.Y. 11424

Staten Island CD
Karel Angell
Karel.Angell@sihealthaction.org

Meeting dates vary.  Please contact co-chairs for information.  Meetings are held at:
Seamen's Society for Families & Children Service
50 Bay Street, 5th Fl.
Staten Island, New York 10301

MENTAL RETARDATION/DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES COUNCIL MEETINGS

Bronx MRDD
Thomas McAlvanah
tmcalvanah@lifespire.org

Nellie Velez
nelida.velez@lehman.cuny.edu

Meeting locations vary.  Please contact co-chairs for meeting information. 

Brooklyn MRDD
Lorenzo Brown
lbrown@hhcsny.org

Meeting locations vary.  Please contact chair for meeting information. 

Manhattan MRDD
James Malley 
jmalley@esperanzacenter.net

Marco Damani
Marco.Damiani@yai.org

Susan Williams
manhattanmothers@aol.com

Meeting locations vary.  Please contact co-chairs for meeting information. 

Queens MRDD
Ray DeNatale   
rdenatale@in-res.org

Meeting locations vary.  Please contact chair for meeting information. 

Staten Island MRDD
Elizabeth Fromkin
beth.fromkin@lfdsi.org

Meeting locations vary.  Please contact chair for meeting information.