The Baltic Navigator

Baltic Navigator: August 2024

Baltic Street Wellness Solutions is delighted to bring you the inaugural edition of our bi-monthly newsletter!

In the ever-changing landscape of the mental health field, our nonprofit organization remains at the forefront of high–quality person-centered support. Our peer-led programs continue to expand, broadening our reach to hundreds of individuals embarking on their wellness and recovery journeys. 

The Baltic Navigator is tailored to the many New Yorkers we serve, as well as our outstanding community partners who share our mission of providing unwavering advocacy and holistic support to eliminate barriers to mental health and social care. Each newsletter edition will showcase program announcements and events around our agency. We will also weigh in on any changes and developments that take place regarding pay equity and equitable retirement options for peer support workers who are so crucial to the mental health field. 

We’ll proudly spotlight the dedicated staff of Baltic Street Wellness Solutions who are at the heart of our mission to transform lives and increase health equity for underserved communities across New York City. The lived experiences of our staff and program participants inspire us every day, and we hope to inspire YOU with their stories of resilience, empowerment, and hope!

A Message from Our CEO   

Dear Friends,

Since taking the helm of Baltic Street Wellness Solutions in July 2020, it has been my mission to grow our agency and transform the delivery of mental health services in New York City. As the State’s largest peer run organization, Baltic Street Wellness Solutions impacts the lives of the city’s most vulnerable residents, including New Yorkers who are in recovery or who are navigating a mental health diagnosis.

Through the outstanding work of our peer support specialists, our program participants have achieved successful outcomes, and many continue to thrive. The empathy, compassion, and support exhibited by our incredible teams are fueled by personal insights that are crucial to the wellness and recovery of our community members. By sharing their lived experiences, peer support specialists let others know that they are not alone in their journey. 

In order for us to continue the important work that we do, we must ensure that our peer workforce has every opportunity to thrive – that means providing financial security so that all peers have the ability to retire with dignity. Establishing equal pay and equitable retirement options will help to attract peer support specialists to the nonprofit mental health field and help to retain the extraordinary teams we already have. 

As someone who started at our Baltic Bazaar back in 2002, I immediately saw first-hand the impact of peer-led services and the life-changing outcomes that are possible. Peer support specialists help people obtain housing, employment, and education while providing hope and encouragement to light their path. Their contributions to the peer community are invaluable. 

With proper financial support, peer support workers can continue to flourish, just like our community members are. I stand with the Alliance (formerly known as NYAPRS) in calling for the creation of a New York State pension system for nonprofit human service workers. Together, let us build the economic security peers need so they can continue to break down barriers to care, erase stigma, and transform lives. 

Sincerely,

Taina Laing

CEO

Baltic Street Wellness Solutions

Program Spotlight: Baltic Street Launches INSET  

For individuals facing complex mental health challenges, Baltic Street Wellness Solutions’ new INSET program provides a lifeline.

Made possible by a New York State Office of Mental Health grant that our agency received in September 2023, INSET (Intensive & Sustained Engagement Team) provides comprehensive, personalized support to guide individuals toward recovery and resilience, including those with severe mental health diagnoses who are struggling to navigate the mental health system and receive access to treatment. INSET serves individuals who are either court-mandated, justice-impaired, transitioning from hospitalization and/or have a history of substance use. 

“INSET is essential because it provides a consistent and dedicated approach to addressing complex issues,” says Angel Jones, INSET Program Director. “Our purpose is to offer early intervention, improve access to services, reduce hospitalizations, enhance community integration and increase safety, thereby fostering a safe and healthy community. We connect individuals with enhanced and intensive support, and our goal is to engage as many people as possible who need our services.” 

Program implementation moved rapidly. After receiving the grant, Baltic Street Wellness Solutions secured a location for INSET in Brooklyn (882 3rd Avenue, 10th floor), and began recruiting team members. INSET’s dedicated team includes Certified Peer Specialists, who use their expertise and skills to help participants realize their goal of sustainability and who are reachable 24/7. A Family Liaison helps participants navigate legal, childcare, and other matters, while a Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Social Worker serve as connection points for medication management and psychiatric care services.

“The INSET team focuses on building strong relationships and trust with individuals, which is essential for effective support and intervention,” Jones explains. “By being consistently available 24/7 and deeply involved, team members offer personalized and continuous care, making it more likely that individuals will stay engaged and make meaningful progress. This approach also allows for better identification of needs and quicker adaptation to changing circumstances, ensuring that the support remains relevant and impactful. Our team is all about commitment, connection and making a real difference in people’s lives through sustained effort.”

Charles Benson, INSET Program Manager, adds, “People are afraid of the systems that are in place because they are built with outdated practices with a one-size-fits-all model,” he says. “Our INSET program understands the needs of the community as we are the community. With our lived experience and knowledge of the systems, we will utilize our gifts, talents, certifications,and resources to give back to our community.”

Around the Agency 

It was a busy June for Baltic Street Wellness Solutions, as we raised awareness about our programs across the community and on the air! And of course, we made time for some staff bonding and summer fun!

Baltic Street Wellness Solutions staff and families gathered together in Cunningham Park in Queens to attend our agency’s 2nd Annual Family Day Picnic. Great food, fun giveaways, and lots of socializing made it a day to remember, as our hard-working team enjoyed some much-needed downtime. Thanks to all who attended! 

Our CEO Taina Laing and Deputy Director of Programs Mark Clarke appeared on The Nonprofit Voice Radio Show where they discussed the work of Baltic Street Wellness Solutions to eliminate barriers to care, and the importance of increased financial security for peer support professionals. They also previewed the agency’s 2nd Annual Symposium, taking place on November 6!

During June, we celebrated PRIDE throughout the month. Our amazing LGBTQIA+ Pride Committee headed to Long Island on June 22 to participate in Pride Day, presented by our community partner, Federation of Organizations. David Jusino, Chair of our PRIDE Committee, and Mark Clarke, Deputy Director of Programs, were on hand to distribute educational materials about our person-centered programs, which strive to ensure an inclusive environment and a safe, welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ communities and all New Yorkers who seek support. We also launched a special line of PRIDE merchandise and collectibles in our online store. From colorful phone cases and mouse pads to eye-catching shorts and drinking glasses, our array of products let you display your PRIDE and support all year long! 

Baltic Street Hosted “The Wellness Room” Pop-Up at the NYC Peer Conference

Peer specialists from across the region experienced our Resource and Wellness Center’s outstanding programs firsthand when they stopped by our Wellness Room Pop-Up at the New York City Conference of Working Peer Specialists, held July 25 at the NYU Kimmel Center.

Throughout the day-long conference, peer specialists and other event attendees visited the space to relax, recharge and engage in some of the many wellness activities provided at the Baltic Street Resource and Wellness Center, including a “Crochet-a-Long,” a “Poetry Discovery” workshop and an “Art and Healing Loneliness” exercise.

“The Conference Committee/Board expressed a need to grant wellness options for individuals who may become overwhelmed at the conference or may just need to reset,” said Christopher Rogers, Conference Board Member and Program Director of Baltic Street’s Adult Home Initiative. “Who better to answer the call of the premier NYC working peer conference than the most forward-thinking peer-run, holistic-based Resource and Wellness Center in the industry?”

The wellness activities were led by our excellent facilitator Caitlin Haughney, with support from peer support specialists Lorna Vilabrera and Melissa Miccio. The day’s first activity was the Crochet-a-Long, one of the Resource and Wellness Center’s most attended activities, and which attracts crochet artists at all levels. Sean Brennan, Resource and Wellness Center Program Manager, noted, “People are very passionate about Crochet-a-Long. It’s an excellent form of relaxation.”

The Poetry Discovery workshop introduced participants to different poetry styles, structure and processes and encouraged attendees to create and share their own themed creative works. During the Art and Healing Loneliness session, “Caitlin, our artist-in-residence, led participants through a wonderful watercolor activity that helped to create meaningful dialog about loneliness and how it impacts them,” Brennan explained. He added, “Our Resource and Wellness Center team, currently led by Program Director Laurie Vite, was super-excited to be in front of our fellow peers, doing the work we love to do and sharing our impactful programming with conference participants. The Wellness Room provided excellent exposure into what we do and the services that we provide to the public.” 

Currently, the Community Resource and Wellness Center is offering programming over Zoom and at satellite locations as it undergoes renovations. The Center is scheduled to reopen soon. “We are very much looking forward to reopening and throwing a wonderful welcome back party to introduce people to the new space,” Brennan said. Details coming soon!

Employee Spotlight: Program Manager Zeinab El-Etr Honored for Her Extraordinary Career at Baltic Street

On July 18, Baltic Street Wellness Solutions celebrated Zeinab El-Etr’s twenty years of outstanding service, as she embarked on her retirement.

El-Etr, or “Zena” as she is affectionately known, joined Baltic Street in 2004 as a part-time peer specialist. She was later named Division Director of Self-Help and Peer Advocacy Programs in Brooklyn before transitioning to Program Manager in her later years at the agency.

Before calling Baltic Street home, Zena worked as a Head Nurse in Saudi Arabia, and then became a journalist so she could reach people on a wider scale. After emigrating to the United States, Zena moved into the mental health field bringing lived experience that impacted numerous program participants at Baltic Street. While offering personal insights of navigating her family member’s mental health diagnosis, Zena was able to bring a different level of awareness. “Having a mental health diagnosis can affect anyone. With the appropriate knowledge and resources, recovery is possible,” Zena said.

In her two decades at the agency, Zena enjoyed touching many lives and working with such an exceptional team. The fact that “every day is different,” was one of her most favorite aspects of the job. She also praised Baltic Street for the diversity of its staff and program participants. “The relationships and connections that you have – there is nothing like it,” Zena said.

Zena made a difference for so many vulnerable New Yorkers – from assisting a young mother and her child with finding safe housing, to helping someone return to school or to find a new job. “You see the change in everybody’s lives right in front of your eyes,” Zena explained.

So what’s next for our longtime Baltic Street Program Manager? With an array of experience under her belt (including working as a translator for the New York State Unified Court System and as a certified life coach), Zena is looking forward to spending more time with her children in her retirement. She also plans to volunteer and to write a book.

During her retirement celebration, Zena’s Baltic Street colleagues presented her with an iPad to help her embark on her writing journey. We are certain that she will motivate and inspire her readers, just like she inspired all of us at Baltic Street.

All the best in your retirement, Zena! Thank you for your amazing dedication and commitment. We will miss you!

Save the Date!

Join us on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at BRIC Media House in Brooklyn (647 Fulton Street) for our 2nd Annual Baltic Street Symposium!

This inspiring event will bring together advocates, thought leaders, and community leaders for insightful discussions about building connections to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Baltic Street Wellness Solutions’ team of experts will examine the power of community to address loneliness and ease mental health struggles, as many New Yorkers continue to adjust to life in a post-pandemic world. 

To register and purchase tickets, click here.  

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