NewYork Presbyterian’s Westchester Behavioral Health Center Celebrates 125 Years in White Plains

NewYork-Presbyterian celebrated 125 years of providing comprehensive, compassionate behavioral health care and unveiled a new name for its leading academic psychiatric center: NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health Center.

“For 125 years, NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health Center has been an incredible resource for patients and families seeking comprehensive, compassionate care for mental health needs,” said Dr. Laura Forese, executive vice president and chief operating officer of NewYork-Presbyterian. “We honor this legacy as we continue our innovative and pioneering work in psychiatry today. Our new name reflects our commitment to providing patient-centered behavioral healthcare, support, and services for our patients.”

Hundreds of hospital staff, supporters and elected officials came together to celebrate. Mental illnesses affect millions of people in the U.S. — 1 in 5 American adults experiences mental illness in a given year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

John Ravitz, Vice President and COO of The Business Council of Westchester who attended the event, congratulated NewYork Presbyterian on the milestone.

“NewYork Presbyterian has been providing outstanding care in Westchester since 1894. We are very fortunate to have one of the leading healthcare institutions in the nation here and to continue to provide the best and most compassionate care to our residents,’’ said Ravitz.

Since opening its doors in White Plains, New York, in 1894, the newly named NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health Center has been at the forefront of the movement known as moral treatment, with Weill Cornell Medicine psychiatrists providing patient-centered care in facilities specifically designed to offer the tranquility and activities required for mental health healing. The movement also focused on treating patients with dignity, compassion, and respect. Today, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s psychiatry specialty is ranked among the top five in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.

“We are deeply proud to be a part of NewYork-Presbyterian’s long history of excellence in psychiatric care and putting patients’ needs first,” said Dr. Philip Wilner, senior vice president and chief operating officer of NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health Center and a professor of clinical psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine. “We are so pleased to celebrate this milestone anniversary and our commitment to clinical excellence, an outstanding patient experience, translational research, and educational innovation.”

For more than a century, NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health Center has provided care for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults from all backgrounds by offering services across the continuum of behavioral healthcare through inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient programs. Programs include the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, a state-of-the-art facility serving children, adults, and families dealing with autism spectrum disorders; the Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry, offering specialized care for depression and mood disorders in older adults; and the Center for Eating Disorders, designed to help individuals with eating disorders work toward recovery in a comfortable and supportive environment.