NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Enhances Behavioral Health Services for Long-Term Care Residents
Coler opened a dedicated activity space for residents with behavioral challenges, who may not otherwise engage in therapeutic activities, and it expanded from two to eight Mental Health Assistants to support its behavioral health units
90% of Coler residents have a behavioral health diagnosis
Only 8% of Coler residents receive antipsychotic medications, far below the national average of 14% of nursing home residents receiving antipsychotic medications
Jun 02, 2026
NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler CEO Nataliya Yakovleva and Chief of Psychiatry Dr. Ravindra Amin
celebrate their team of Mental Health Assistants and the contributions to resident care.
New York, NY — Today, the NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler skilled nursing facility announced two initiatives to serve residents with a behavioral health concern: the opening of a dedicated activity space for residents with behavioral challenges, and the expansion of its Mental Health Assistants program to support their growth and social rehabilitation. Today’s announcement builds on years of investment to serve long-term care residents with serious mental illness at Coler, where 90% of residents have a behavioral health diagnosis. Expanding full-time behavioral health staff and engaging in nonpharmaceutical approaches have allowed Coler to achieve a markedly low rate of antipsychotic medications among residents: only 8% of Coler residents receive antipsychotic medications, far below the national average of 14% of nursing home residents receiving antipsychotic medications.
The new activity room creates a space for residents with behavioral health concerns, who often choose to not attend the general therapeutic recreation events and activities in a group setting. The new space allows these residents to safely participate in group activities like interactive games, arts and crafts, group therapy, and trivia to promote engagement and mental stimulation needed to improve social behaviors. It offers a welcoming environment that is calming and familiar, maintaining strong safety standards to protect residents and the staff who support them.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler CEO Nataliya Yakovleva and Chief Medical Officer Melissa L. Martin during the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the dedicated behavioral health resident activity space.
“The opening of this dedicated behavioral health activity room reflects Coler’s continued commitment to advancing person-centered, trauma-informed, and compassionate care for residents with serious mental illness,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Chief Executive Officer Nataliya Yakovleva, LNHA, LMSW. “We are proud to invest in creating safe environments for engagement and expanding our behavioral health workforce to promote healing and enhance the quality of life for our residents.”
“Today’s announcement reflects our deep commitment to supporting New Yorkers living with behavioral health challenges,” said NYC Health + Hospitals System Chief of Behavioral Health Omar Fattal, MD, MPH. “These initiatives help ensure our most vulnerable residents have greater access to therapeutic activities, as well as expand our frontline behavioral health staff to support a safer, more healing-centered environment where all residents can thrive.”
Coler also expanded its pilot program integrating Mental Health Assistants into its care model. MHAs are non-clinicians who support the psychiatric care team managing daily living activities while de-escalating distress behaviors, monitoring behavior, and supporting therapeutic care plans. In the coming months, MHAs will also offer a mobile library, supervised resident gym access, and participation in the Fresh Air program, whereby residents experience the outdoors, take long walks, socialize, enjoy snacks and personal choice of music. Launched as a pilot program in 2023 with two MHAs, the program has now grown to eight MHAs. The MHA program has contributed to reducing psychiatric hospitalizations, unnecessary antipsychotic medications and the need for 1-to-1 supervision, while increasing overall quality of life for residents. MHAs also support frontline staff by reducing the stress for those who are not as familiar with behavioral health populations.
To prepare for the position, MHAs participate in four 4-hour training courses on specialized care for residents experiencing cognitive, emotional, or behavioral challenges, which may include Schizophrenia and Dementia related to Alzheimer’s or Traumatic Brain Injury. Trainings are designed and facilitated by Leading Age New York, and funded in part by the NYS Department of Health’s Advanced Training Initiative (ATI) grant.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Chief of Psychiatry Dr. Ravindra Amin addresses the Mental Health Assistants and the interdisciplinary care teams in the new behavioral health activity space.
“Our team’s mission is to help Coler increase capacity to care for people with behavior health conditions by assisting, supporting and guiding the frontline teams, in addition to providing direct patient care to achieve the best clinical outcomes,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Chief of Psychiatry Ravindra N. Amin, MD.
“Coler is a unique place that provides a home to many people who may otherwise have nowhere else to go. It is my honor to work alongside the talented Behavioral Health Team that make it possible to provide compassionate, quality care for these individuals. The new Activity Room is a wonderful addition to the many ways in which Coler supports the needs of our residents,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Chief Medical Officer Melissa L. Martin, MD, MPH, CMD.
“Today’s ribbon cutting marks the expansion of a variety of therapeutic interventions for individuals and groups in a dedicated space,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Associate Director of Mental Health Services Janelle Hartman, LCSW-R, M.Div. “We are excited to have this designated space to help grow our resident programming, particularly benefiting those with behavioral challenges. Our Mental Health Assistants will continue to support these residents through crisis intervention and positive diversions.”
“Showing empathy is one of the most powerful tools I use to demonstrate compassion and kindness to residents. Effective listening and communication also make a significant difference in their lives, allowing us to gain their trust and respect,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Mental Health Assistant Beatrice Edmund, CNA. “When I walk on the units in the morning, my residents line up waiting to be escorted outside for fresh air; this activity promotes their independence and helps alleviate feelings of anxiety and despair.”
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CONTACT: Rafael Dominguez, 646-694-4910, rafael.dominguez@nychhc.org
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler
NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler is an 815-bed skilled nursing facility located in Roosevelt Island, providing comprehensive skilled nursing, medical and rehabilitative care for more than 70 years. Coler is committed to serving New York City and the surrounding communities, while setting an example as a leader in memory care programming and rehabilitation. Rated as a “2026 Best Nursing Home” by Newsweek, with a ranking of 10th best in New York State and received a rating of “High-Performing” in Long-Term Care by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Nursing Homes 2026. The facility earned a Five-Star CMS rating which designates them among the top 10 percent of skilled nursing facilities in the country. The facility also ranks in the top 1st quintile in the New York State Department of Health Nursing Home Quality Pool. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/coler.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.