New York State Honors Suffolk County’s Response Crisis Center with 2026 ‘What’s Great in Our State’ Award

The award recognizes organizations that advance children’s mental health during New York State’s Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Response Crisis Center, a Long Island nonprofit founded in the early 1970s, provides 24/7 crisis support to youth, young adults, and families across Suffolk, Rockland, and Putnam Counties. Its mission emphasizes unconditional acceptance and connecting individuals to lasting resources.

Dr. Ann Sullivan, Commissioner of the Office of Mental Health, praised the center for exceptional outreach to youth and crisis support, stating it embodies what’s great in New York State. The center handles approximately 15,000 calls and texts per month and answers 97% of them. No randomized controlled trial data on its outcomes are publicly available; existing evidence comes from operational metrics and observational cohort designs that track service utilization rather than causal effects.

The high answer rate suggests reliable access to immediate help, which correlates with reduced wait times for callers in distress. However, correlation does not prove that the center’s services cause improvements in mental health outcomes; further research, such as longitudinal cohort studies with sample sizes of several thousand participants, would be needed to assess impact. For readers, the takeaway is clear: if you or someone you know experiences a crisis, contacting Response Crisis Center offers a prompt, confidential connection to support.