People can and do recover from the impact of psychiatric impairments, disability, and trauma. Our two Centers for Recovery and Wellness – Pollack Center in Ronkonkoma and Synergy Center in Riverhead – offer services based upon national evidence-based rehabilitation research. Using individual and classroom-based modalities, our well-trained staff engages each participant to identify their own overall recovery goals and the specific barriers that have obstructed his/her path to a happy, healthy, and productive life. These Centers operate under the Personalized Recovery-Oriented Services (PROS) licenses from the New York State Office of Mental Health.
Locations:
Ronkonkoma Pollack Center
939 Johnson Avenue
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
(631) 471-7242 x1324
Contact: Jean Forrest – jforrest@mhaw.org
Riverhead Synergy Center
1380 Roanoke Avenue, 1st Floor
Riverhead, NY 11901
(631) 369-0022 x 1213
Contact: Julie Wisher – jwisher@mhaw.org
“As a single mother of a son with multiple disabilities, life was difficult and I found myself isolating and sleeping all day. My therapist recommended I go to MHAW. It wasn’t easy at first because I had a lot of anger issues, but after two years I started talking to members and staff, slowly opened up, and began working one-on-one with a counselor. I now come five days a week and am working on becoming a peer specialist, having completed three courses online with plans to soon enroll into the Peer Specialist Training program. I volunteer at the front desk, the kitchen, and the food pantry and enjoy life now.” ~ Ruth
Our centers assist participants to achieve goals of work, education, social connection, housing, community involvement, and health; overcoming the impact of psychiatric illness and disability that have obstructed these personal goals is a primary focus Such barriers often include learning impairments, substance abuse, physical and health challenges, poverty, homelessness, or family distress. Our Centers actively employ creative and expressive arts, symptom management strategies, adventure-based activities, peer support strategies, and cognitive remediation techniques– are all integral to helping people challenge personal barriers and rebuild their lives in recovery.
Eligibility and Fees – To be eligible for assistance, a person must:
Be 18 years of age or older
Have a designated mental illness diagnosis
Have a functional disability due to the severity and duration of the mental illness.
Medicaid covers the costs of PROS-licensed program participation. Medicare, SSAs Ticket to Work, and sliding-scale fees also help to cover program and service fees where applicable.
Recovery Oriented Services – Through individually tailored services and activities with our well trained rehabilitation and recovery team, participants can build or re-build personal readiness and skills needed to attain their own vocational, educational, health and social goals. Our services are designed and organized from evidence of successful and emerging best practices in the rehabilitation field.
Mental Health Clinic Services – Our PROS Programs also offer the option of clinical care along with rehabilitation services. Our PROS clinic component works with members to prevent relapse, optimize personal management of disability, and monitor health and wellness, relating to their overall recovery goals.
Evening Social Activities Program – We are definitely not “all business and no play.” We offer a variety of activities and services to help participants build lifestyles that include leisure and fun. Planned activities occur at our Centers and other points of interest across Long Island.
Senior Services – Seniors in recovery often experience unique needs, and we offer specific programs for them. Services address retirement planning, family support and education, co-occurring medical issues and employment, barriers to independent living, as well as volunteer opportunities.
Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment – Emanating from national evidence-based practices, this treatment helps people meet the challenges of dual recovery to build healthy, substance-free lifestyles.
Intensive Relapse Prevention – This program track is for people transitioning from inpatient or partial hospital stays, or who are struggling with the relapse of acute symptoms. The track is tailored to assist people to recover from the impact of illness and resume preferred roles and personal direction.
Family Education – Our Family Education program provides information, guidance, and support to the families and/or significant others of participants in our psychiatric rehabilitation programs. This strengthens one’s ability to assist in the participant’s recovery. These services include, but are not limited to, education about mental illness and its treatment, information on community resources, guidance on how to manage or cope with difficult behaviors, emotional support and counseling, crisis planning, and problem solving skills training.
Drop In Center – Open every Friday evening at our Synergy Center for Recovery and Wellness in Riverhead, we welcome individuals living with mental illness.
We have helped hundreds of people to return to work and school in order to jump-start or resume their careers. Through a range of a range of services offered to help people in recovery, we assist participants to overcome the impact of illness and disability that may have previously obstructed their career path.
Fees: Medicaid covers the costs of PROS program participation. Medicare, SSAs Ticket to Work, and sliding-scale fees also help to offset program fees as applicable.
To Advocate. To Educate. To Empower. Together. 
