HHC TO OFFER ANONYMOUS SCREENINGS AND REFERRALS AT 15 LOCATIONS ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9 -- NATIONAL DEPRESSION SCREENING DAY

Responding to the need to reach out to communities where depression and other mental health problems often go undiagnosed, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) will once again participate in National Depression Screening Day on October 9, 2003. HHC will serve as an official Public Outreach Facility for the day-long event, providing mental health education, screenings and referrals as needed, at 15 locations throughout the five boroughs. Last year, HHC recorded the highest attendance of any organization participating in National Depression Screening Day, seeing more than 3,000 people.

National Depression Screening Day, part of Mental Illness Awareness Week, will be held across the country, at more than 5,000 screening sites, including hospitals, mental health clinics, colleges and primary care offices. It is sponsored by the nonprofit organization, Screening for Mental Health, Inc. and is supported by such major organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Mental Health Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association. In 2002, more than 90,000 people throughout the United States attended National Depression Screening Day.

Each year, HHC provides health care to 1.3 million New Yorkers - nearly 500,000 of whom have no health insurance - at its 11 acute care public hospitals and more than 100 community health clinics throughout the five boroughs.

For information on specific "National Depression Screening Day" events, log on to www.nyc.gov/hhc or call 311. Events will be held at the following locations:

Manhattan

Bellevue Hospital Center, F Link, 9am - 3pm

HHC Central Office, 125 Worth Street, 10am - 3pm

Gouverneur Healthcare Services, Main Lobby, 10am-2pm
Primary Care Clinic Areas, 10am-2pm
Behavioral Health Services (third floor), 10am-2pm

Metropolitan Hospital Center, Second Avenue Lobby, 10am - 3pm
OPD Walk-In Clinic Rms 1M40, 1M41, 10am - 3pm

Bronx

Jacobi Medical Center, Building 1 - Main Lobby, 10am - 3pm
Ambulatory Care Pavilion (Building 5), 10am - 3pm

Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center, Main Lobby, 10am - 3pm
Primary Care Clinic Areas, 10am - 3pm

North Central Bronx Hospital, Main Lobby, 10am - 2pm

Brooklyn

Coney Island Hospital, Main Lobby Clinic Waiting Area (4N-39), 10am-2pm
Medical Services Conference Room (4N-98), 11am-12:30pm

Cumberland Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Fourth Floor Auditorium, 12pm
Primary Care Clinics Areas, 9:30am-4pm

East New York Diagnostic & Treatment Center, Main Lobby, 9am-12:30pm
Primary Care Clinic Areas, 11am-2pm

Elmhurst Hospital Center, H Building Lobby, 8:30am-5pm

Kings County Hospital Center, E Building Lobby, 10am - 4pm
Urgent Care Clinic Area (U Building), 10am - 4pm

Woodhull Medical & Mental Health Center, Medical Clinic Area (2B-321) Main Floor, 9am - 4:30pm
Women's Clinic Area (2C-120) Main Floor, 9am - 4:30pm

Queens

Queens Hospital Center, Main Lobby, 10am - 2pm

Queens Hospital Neighborhood Help Center, 114-02 Guy R. Brewer Blvd, 10am - 3pm