By Katherine Cook, President and CEO of BHSN
New York recently earned the distinction of being ranked No. 1 in the nation for mental health care, according to Mental Health America’s 2024–2025 State of Mental Health in America report. This recognition is more than just a point of pride. It’s a powerful validation of the work that behavioral health organizations across the state, including ours at Behavioral Health Services North, have committed to every day, expanding access, improving outcomes, and building a stronger, healthier future for all New Yorkers.
This milestone reflects not just policy and funding, but people — our dedicated staff, our community partners and the individuals and families we serve. At BHSN, we’re proud to play a vital role in advancing mental health equity across the North Country and beyond, especially as part of a state that has become a national model for compassionate, comprehensive care.
Over the past five years, BHSN has worked diligently to expand the reach and impact of behavioral health services in northern New York in order to become one of the leading voices in mental health care with tangible results.
As one of just 35 organizations statewide selected to implement the federal Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model, we’ve dramatically increased access to care.
Since launching our first CCBHC in Morrisonville in 2020, the number of individuals served has grown by over 312%, from 1,702 to over 7,000, in 2025. This year alone, our CCBHCs have delivered nearly 200,000 services, including 24/7 crisis care, rapid access to treatment and targeted support for veterans and underserved populations. These aren’t just numbers, they represent lives stabilized, crises averted and individuals on the path to recovery.
For our children and youth, BHSN’s school-based mental health programs are making an equally powerful impact. During the 2024–2025 school year, we delivered 3,188 interventions, a 33% increase over the previous year. The result? A remarkable 95% of students were able to return to class the same day. Just 0.63% required a higher level of care.
These outcomes speak volumes about how early, on-site support can transform school environments and set young people up for success, not only academically, but emotionally.
To further fill critical service gaps, BHSN opened adult and children’s crisis residences in Plattsburgh — six-bed facilities offering short-term, home-like environments to support stabilization and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations. In less than a year, these programs have already served over 70 individuals. Each day spent in these residences is a day of safety, dignity and healing.
Of course, health and wellness can’t be separated from housing. That’s why BHSN has invested in supportive housing, developing 80 affordable units, including 40 with on-site services through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative. These homes offer more than shelter, they offer stability, independence and a foundation for lasting recovery.
Beyond clinical care, we remain deeply committed to community engagement, raising awareness, reducing stigma and promoting resilience. Through public education campaigns, domestic violence prevention work and wellness events, we aim to make mental health part of everyday conversation.
At BHSN, we believe every individual deserves access to the care they need close to home delivered with compassion and respect. We are honored to serve the communities of Northern New York and to contribute to a statewide system that leads the nation in mental health care.
Now is the time to build on this momentum. Let’s continue investing in innovative models, expanding equitable access and lifting up the voices of those with lived experience.
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