LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending North Shore Child and Family Guidance
Center on its 61st Annual Meeting, and paying tribute to the 2014 hono-
rees

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that the
quality and character of life in the communities across New York State
are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those organiza-
tions and individuals that are devoted to the welfare of the community
and its citizenry; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center on its 61st Annual Meeting
to be celebrated on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, and to pay tribute to the
2014 honorees; and
WHEREAS, The North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center celebrates
60 years of service to the Long Island community; and
WHEREAS, In 1953, The North Shore Child and Family Guidance Associ-
ation was officially incorporated as the result of a grassroots movement
of parents seeking to fill the gap in mental health services for chil-
dren; in 1956, it opened in Great Neck as the first independent communi-
ty-supported mental health clinic in Nassau County, and six months
later, the Center moved to a larger facility in Manhasset, New York; and
WHEREAS, Other clinics opened in Port Washington and Roslyn, and in
1984, the name of the organization was changed to North Shore Child and
Family Guidance Center; and
WHEREAS, Five years later, North Shore Child and Family Guidance
Center was awarded a chemical dependency license, and began to offer
outpatient services for youths in New Cassel; the program later became
the first in New York State to be awarded an Outpatient Chemical Depend-
ency for Youth License; and
WHEREAS, In 1996, the Intensive Support Program, a school-based mental
health partnership with Nassau BOCES, initiated the only service of its
kind in New York State; and
WHEREAS, After the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade
Center, North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center was selected as a
FEMA-funded Project Liberty agency, providing mental health care for
traumatized and bereaved children and families; their work was featured
on a primetime television documentary; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, The Lucille and Martin E. Kantor Bereavement & Trau-
ma Center opened on the North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center's
main campus in Roslyn Heights, housing the Schnurmacher Family Bereave-
ment and Trauma Program; and
WHEREAS, Six years later, this worthy organization formed research
partnerships with the New York University Child Study Center, the New
York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, and the New York
State Office of Mental Health; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center offered
its first service in Suffolk County, a partnership with the Wyandanch
School District, to provide crisis counseling for children at risk; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, after Hurricane Sandy, North Shore Child and
Family Guidance Center was selected as a FEMA-funded Project Hope agen-
cy, providing crisis counseling for devastated families throughout
Nassau County; and
WHEREAS, The North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center continues to
respond to record numbers of emergency calls, and recently, the Fay J.
Lindner Triage and Emergency Services Program was named; and

WHEREAS, This year's honorees include: Paul Vitale, Vice President and
former Treasurer, NSC & FGC, recipient of the Distinguished Service
Award; Karen A. Ellis, Executive Director, Nassau BOCES Department of
Special Education, recipient of the Distinguished Partner Award; Dr.
Carmine J. Scerra, Assistant Director, Nassau BOCES Department of
Special Education, recipient of the Distinguished Partner Award; Dr.
James R. Dolan, Jr., Director of the Nassau County Office of Mental
Health, Chemical Dependency and Developmental Disabilities Services,
recipient of the Public Service Award; Debbie Kassimir, Staff Award; and
Paul Tripodi, Staff Award; and
WHEREAS, In addition, the following individuals will be recognized for
their 25 years of outstanding service to the North Shore Child and Fami-
ly Guidance Center: Tyrone Anthony, Regina Barros, Pat Byrnes, Lee
Holtzman, Anne Moraski, and Dr. Nellie Taylor-Walthrust; and
WHEREAS, Individuals and organizations devoted to improving the quali-
ty of life for others, enabling them to build lives of dignity and self-
worth are deserving of the highest praise and recognition; now, there-
fore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center on its 61st Annual
Meeting, and paying tribute to the 2014 honorees; and it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center, and the afore-
mentioned honorees.