After a successful pilot program last semester, a joint initiative of Mount Saint Mary College and the Newburgh Ministry once again gave Nursing students hands-on experience in educating real-world clients on mental health issues.
Linda Kelly, associate professor of Nursing, is spearheading the program on the Mount’s side. Over the summer, four of Kelly’s students – Nadya Ebi of White Plains, N.Y.; Lisa Gordon of Fishkill, N.Y.; Janairy Montalvo of Yonkers, N.Y.; and Stephanie Saintil of Florida, N.Y.– took part in a pilot clinical experience at the Newburgh Ministry.
The ministry, located at 9 Johnston Street in the City of Newburgh, is a community agency that provides services to unhoused individuals from the Newburgh and Orange County area.
During the course of the seven-week summer program, the four students spoke with a group of unhoused clients of the Newburgh Ministry and learned about the problems and challenges they face in relation to their mental health.
With these concerns in mind, the students researched local resources that would aid their clients. The students also taught health promotion and prevention strategies and worked with clients on how they plan to move forward and regain a sense of independence, health, and stability.
“Understanding what it truly means to be homeless, to have a mental health or substance use disorder, and to see and hear the stories of those who live these lives – these experiences cannot be understood or communicated to the fullest extent in a classroom setting,” said Kelly.
Plans are underway to continue the program in the coming semesters.