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SPOP Welcomes City’s First Lady for a Visit March 9, 2015 E-Newsletter Service Program for Older People was honored to welcome New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray for a visit on March 2, 2015. Accompanied by Donna Corrado, Commissioner of the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA), and Caryn Resnick, Deputy Commissioner of DFTA, the First Lady toured SPOP and met with clients, staff and volunteers at the geriatric mental health clinic. The First Lady was briefed on the strategies that SPOP has used to increase access to mental health care, including home visits for frail seniors, partnerships with senior centers where individuals can receive treatment in a familiar setting that is close to home, bilingual counseling, and recovery-oriented services offered through the PROS program. Founded in 1972, SPOP was one of the first agencies entirely dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of older adults living in the community. It has grown from a neighborhood- based agency serving Holocaust survivors to a borough-wide resource for the healthcare community. SPOP works in partnership with hospitals, medical providers and social service agencies to identify and treat older adults, with a goal of improving quality of life and reducing hospitalizations and healthcare use. SPOP serves over 1,000 New Yorkers each year and is the region’s leading provider of long-term in-home geriatric mental health treatment. Donna Corrado, Commissioner, NYC Department for the Aging; First Lady Chirlane McCray; and Carolyn McCand- less, President, Service Program for Older People.
