Home

About Us

Clinical Social Workers

Diane E. Freedman, PhD

Kevin Lycke, PhD, LCSW-R

Jennifer Fazio, LMSW

Andrea Cuttler, LCSW-R

Trish Levine, LCSW

Erin Garti, LCSW

Nancy Todd, LCSW

Martha Perez, LCSW-R

Karen Muniz, LCSW-R

Areas of Specialization

Couples Counseling

Grief Counseling

LGBT Counseling

Reproductive Health

Insurance / Payment

Therapeutic Groups

Transgender Groups

Careers

Directions

Links & Resources

Contact Us

 

Stony Brook Medicine Administering First

LGBTQ+ Community Health Needs Assessment Survey on Long Island

In Conjunction with More Than 20 Partners

LGBTQ+ Survey page links:

  • Webpage URL in English: http://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/LGBTQ/survey
  • Webpage URL in Spanish: https://es.stonybrookmedicine.edu/LGBTQ/survey.
  • There are also corresponding QR codes


 

Stony Brook, New York, June 1, 2021— Stony Brook Medicine is administering the first LGBTQ+ community health needs assessment survey on Long Island. The LGBTQ+ Community Health Needs Assessment Survey is a landmark study seeking vital data that will shape the future of LGBTQ+ healthcare in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. It represents the collaborative efforts of Stony Brook Medicine, in partnership with more than 20 Long Island-based organizations and community leaders who, combined, reach all sectors of the LGBTQ+ community through advocacy programming and services.

 

The need for the LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Survey became clear as Stony Brook Medicine began planning with Stony Brook Southampton Hospital for the medical expansion and relocation of the Edie Windsor Healthcare Center, formerly known as the David E. Rogers, M.D. Center. The mission for the Edie Windsor Healthcare Center is to provide compassionate, world-class quality healthcare to the LGBTQ+ community in a culturally sensitive and safe environment. It will reopen this month as Long Island’s first comprehensive LGBTQ+ Health Center.

 

“There is scarce quantitative information available either nationally or regionally on the healthcare needs of LGBTQ+ persons,” said Margaret M. McGovern, MD, PhD, Knapp Professor of Pediatrics, Dean for Clinical Affairs and Vice President Health System Clinical Programs and Strategy at Stony Brook Medicine. “We engaged in a dialogue with regional healthcare providers and community-based organizations who acknowledged the significant gap in information and collaborated on survey development and administration.”

 

Stony Brook Southampton oversees the operations of the Edie Windsor Healthcare Center, the mission for which is to provide compassionate, world-class quality healthcare to the LGBTQ+ community in a culturally sensitive and safe environment.

 

“The goal of the survey is to provide members of Long Island’s LGBTQ+ community with an opportunity to state their healthcare needs so that Stony Brook Medicine and our partners can better support them and advocate on their behalf,” said Allison H. Eliscu, MD, Medical Director of the Adolescent LGBTQ+ Care Program at Stony Brook Medicine, and Principal Investigator of the study. “The information requested in the LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Survey is critical as healthcare providers, social service providers, government officials and public health staff move to expand service offerings and serve as effective advocates.”

 

“The LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Survey is online, anonymous and open to all LGBTQ+ adults age 18 years and older, including those questioning their identity, and who currently reside in either Nassau or Suffolk Counties,” said The Freedman Group of Clinical Social Workers, PLLC. “Eligible respondents also include college, university and technical school students on Long Island who are 18 years or older, regardless of their permanent address.” The survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete and the link will be available during “Pride Month,” through June 30. Respondents are encouraged to forward the survey link to eligible friends and colleagues.

 

“We need all of those adults who identify as LGBTQ+ adults and who reside or attend school in Nassau and Suffolk Counties to participate in the LGBTQ+ Health Needs Survey,” said Gregson Pigott, MD, MPH, Commissioner of Suffolk County’s Department of Health Services. “This survey will give voice to all the sectors of Long Island’s LGBTQ+ community about their healthcare experiences and challenges and help shape the future of LGBTQ+ services on Long Island.”

 

To date, the LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Survey Partnership includes:

Gina Caggiano, owner, BTW Bar & Grill, Oceanside

Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk (EOC)

Edie Windsor Healthcare Center

Entertainer and advocate Jeff Livingston (stage name Annie Manildoo)

Family & Children’s Association (FCA)

The Freedman Group of Clinical Social Workers, PLLC

OLA of Eastern Long Island

Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic

Long Island Crisis Center – PFY

Stony Brook Medicine

Stony Brook Medicine AIDS Center      

Stony Brook Medicine LGBTQ* Committee

Stony Brook Southampton Hospital      

Stony Brook University Department of Pediatrics

Stony Brook University Director of Planning & Staff Development/Office of Student Affairs

Stony Brook University LGBTQ* Services Team

Stony Brook University School of Health Technology and Management

Stony Brook University – stakeholders in the student body

Suffolk County Department of Health

Suffolk County Legislator – Robert Calarco, Presiding Officer

Suffolk County Office of Minority Health

Sun River Health

Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk (VIBS)

Women’s Diversity Network

Nassau and Suffolk community members

Who Can Take the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Survey? - English 

LGBTQ+ Community Health Needs Survey Partner Site

Shape the future of healthcare for LGBTQ+ people on Long IslandIt's here! The LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Survey went live on June 1! It has the potential to be a landmark study.

We are depending on you and all the partners to promote the survey and ensure your constituents of the survey’s value, efficacy and anonymity. Success depends on your support. 

To help make it easy for you, we've created this Communication Toolkit with many elements to help promote the survey in a consistently branded and messaged way. Feel free to adapt materials as noted below. 

Communication Toolkit

Any elements that are hyperlinked (shown in color and underlined), simply place your cursor over the copy, right click on it, and then select 'download linked file'. The file will go to your downloads folder, and you can then use the file in your efforts. 

  • Survey - Links to the main survey webpage, which includes information about this effort, a link to the survey, FAQs and links to a PDF of the flyers. The page is available in English and Spanish. QR codes that lead to each of these pages are also available for your use. 
    • Webpage URL in English: www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/LGBTQ/survey or by scanning this QR code  
    • Webpage URL in Spanish: www.es.stonybrookmedicine.edu/LGBTQ/survey or by scanning this QR code 
  • Press Release Templates - see area within the release where you can insert the date, your organization's name, quote, etc.
    • Press Release in English
    • Press Release in Spanish
  • Email Announcements - messaging for you to send out via email 
    • Email Announcement in English
    • Email Announcement in Spanish
  • Flyer Templates - PDFs to use as handouts, for posting or attaching to emails, or, save as JPGs to embed in an email with hyperlink to the survey webpage
    • Customizable flyers:
      • Instructions on how to add your name or logo into the PDF to create final PDF or JPG file
      • Flyer PDF in English (with ability to customize with your organization's name or logo)
      • Flyer PDF in Spanish (with ability to customize with your organization's name or logo)
    • Non-Customizable flyers/image files:
      • Flyer PDF in English (no customization)
      • Flyer JPG in English (no customization)
      • Flyer PDF in Spanish (no customization)
      • Flyer JPG in Spanish (no customization)
  • Videos - Five videos have been created and we welcome you to use them in your communication efforts.  
    • All of the videos can be found here and can be embedded on your website, placed into newsletters and/or shared on your social channels via this link
    • If you prefer to download the videos and feature them natively, use the files below:
      • Why You Should Take the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Survey - English
      • Take the LGBTQ+ Survey Now - English 
      • Take the LGBTQ+ Survey Now - English (vertical for social media stories)
      • Take the LGBTQ + Survey Now and Make Your Voice Heard - English
      • Take the LGBTQ + Survey Now and Make Your Voice Heard - English (vertical for social media stories)
      • Who Can Take the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Survey? - English 
      • Lograr Que Su Voz Se Oiga - Espanol 
      • Lograr Que Su Voz Se Oiga - Espanol (vertical for social media stories)
  • Social Media Copy - We've created social media copy to incorporate into your communication efforts. Please feel free to either use exactly as is or modify as you see fit. This copy can simply serve as a jumping off point for you to craft posts that will speak directly to your respective social media audiences.
    • Social Media Copy in English
    • Social Media Copy in Spanish 
  • Schedule - recommendations on when to follow-up and post reminders to encourage participation
    • Schedule and timeline

 

If you have any questions or difficulty with any of the tools in this toolkit, please send an email to Barbarajo.Howard@stonybrookmedicine.edu and Jennifer.Jamilkowski@stonybrookmedicine.edu and in the subject note: LGBTQ+ toolkit question. 

Thank you!

Stony Brook Medicine LGBTQ Health Survey

LGBTQ+ Survey landing page links:

  • Webpage URL in English: http://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/LGBTQ/survey
  • Webpage URL in Spanish: https://es.stonybrookmedicine.edu/LGBTQ/survey.
 
 

STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT

During this challenging time of intense social upheavals and uncertainty, the Freedman Group, formerly known as the Freedman Center, would like to reaffirm our ongoing commitment to the emotional, psychological, and social wellness of our community. From the onset, our mission includes a focus and dedication to social justice, the dignity and respect of EVERYONE. We firmly stand against racial discrimination and ALL other forms of prejudice and bigotry. We have always been, and will remain, an inclusive safe haven for clients - regardless of age, race, ethnicity, country/culture of origin, socio-economic background, genders and non-conforming gender identity, sexual orientations, physical/mental/ intellectual challenges, political party/affiliation, religious/non-religious beliefs and perspectives. 

 

As a group practice and as individual clinicians, we walk in solidarity with those who are facing injustice perpetuated by individuals, groups, and institutions in our society. The Freedman Group remains faithful to the causes of proactively challenging ALL forms of discrimination and social injustice. Once again, we find ourselves living in a time with inevitable social conflict.  However, without conflict there is no change and it is clear that change is needed and long overdue. With our mission in head and heart, we will continue to support our clients with mindfulness of purpose and intent – providing optimal mental health services and working tirelessly towards positive societal transformation and social justice. 

 

“If one of us falls victim to injustice and we do not speak out, we all fall.”   

~ Torron-Lee Dewar                    

Proud supporter Of the Stony Brook Hospital Food Train: In response to the overwhelming support from the community for food donations, Stony Brook University Hospital has launched a Meal Train. This system makes donating food to the frontline workers and all medical staff safe, easy and efficient. We have donanted 50 meals to the vital frontline workers at at Stony brook Hospital. Please join us:In response to the overwhelming support from the community for food donations, Stony Brook University Hospital has launched a Meal Train. This system makes donating food to the frontline workers and all medical staff safe, easy and efficient: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/yo2e1k

To our valued clients,

The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) is on all our minds and in the news. The physical office of The Freedman Group of Clinical Social Workers, PLLC, is open for those clients and clinicians that might want to resume in-person services. In addition, we will continue to offer the option to our clients to utilize Telehealth services.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that most of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted once 70 percent of New Yorkers aged 18 or older have received the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccination series. State's New York Forward industry-specific guidelines — including capacity restrictions, social distancing, cleaning and disinfection, health screening, and contact information for tracing — will become optional for retail, food services, offices, gyms and fitness centers, amusement and family entertainment, hair salons, barbershops, and personal care services, among other commercial settings. Large-scale event venues, pre-K to 12 schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes, and healthcare settings must continue to follow the State's guidelines until more New Yorkers are vaccinated.

Unvaccinated individuals will still be responsible for maintaining proper social distancing of six feet and wearing a mask per federal CDC guidance. Consistent with the State's implementation of the recent CDC guidance, masks will still be required for unvaccinated individuals. Large-scale event venues, Pre-K to 12 schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes, and health care settings will be exempt from the restriction lift. In those settings, New York State's existing COVID-19 health protocols will remain in effect.

"The lifting of our COVID restrictions is a sign of how hard New Yorkers have worked to contain the spread of the virus and protect their communities," Governor Cuomo said. "With numbers trending at record lows, it is clear that the vaccine is effective and that it is an invaluable tool against the virus. However, while we have come so far, it is still imperative that those who have not received the vaccine do so, so that they may enjoy the State's reimagined reopening to the fullest extent possible."

The Freedman Group of Clinical Social Workers, PLLC, will keep the following practices in place for your and the staff's safety.

You must arrive wearing a mask; we will take your temperature with a contactless thermometer and not serve coffee. Please feel free t bring a cup of coffee.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

The Management
Important Links and Resources
Please click here for important resources and updates. 

The Freedman Group of Clinical Social Workers, PLLC was founded in 1994 by Diane E. Freedman, PhD, LCSW-R. We are a group of like-minded independent clinical social workers serving the mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of Long Islanders under the umbrella of The Freedman Goup of Clinical Social Worker, PLLC, which is a group of licensed social workers that have a client centered, strength perspective approach, with an empathetic  presence that creates a safe space for individuals, couples, groups, and families.
We are proud to announce the following clinicians have chosen the Freedman Center as there place to practice and better serve the community. 
Please see the clinicians tab to get to know our gifted clinical social workers. Marha Perez, LCSW-R, Karin Muniz, LCSW-R

We accept most insurance programs and offer an affordable sliding scale for those that do not have insurance, in an effort to provide services where each and every person feels safe, comfortable, and welcome.

Individual, Couples & Group Counseling
Training & Consulting


Lake Grove Office
2233 Nesconset Highway, Suite 104, Lake Grove, NY 11755 
Telephone (631) 737-5559  /  Fax (631) 737-0001
 
 
© 2020 The Freedman Goup of Clinical Social Worker, PLLC

Web Hosting powered by Network Solutions®