8 THE QUEENS COURIER • JANUARY 19, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM Medical marijuana co. to make house calls BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@qns.com @AngelaMatua Vireo Health of New York, a medical marijuana dispensary in Elmhurst, has been approved to launch a home delivery program. Th e dispensary, located at 89-55 Queens Blvd., opened in January 2016 and is one of only fi ve dispensaries in New York licensed to distribute medical marijuana. The medical marijuana “from our greenhouse to your front door” home delivery program was designed by security experts, pharmacists and physicians to serve home-bound patients with life-threatening and debilitating diseases, such as cancer and ALS. Th e program will be launched within 90 days and deliveries will initially be available in the fi ve boroughs, Westchester and Long Island. Vireo Health of New York also has locations in Albany and Binghamton. All deliveries will be handled by at least two Vireo employees and company-owned delivery vehicles will feature “cutting edge safety features” including GPS tracking devices, Vireo offi cials said. “Day in and day out, our goal at Vireo Health of New York is to provide the best possible care and service to our patients,” said Dr. Stephen Dahmer, Vireo Health’s chief medical offi cer. “Home delivery will not only help us to improve upon current services, but also expand our reach to those patients who are unable to travel. Our team is excited to provide this service to all of our existing patients, and to have the opportunity to meet new patients in other parts of the state.” Vireo Health of New York dispenses the marijuana in three forms: capsules filled with cannabis extract and coconut oil; a liquid form for those who have trouble swallowing; and a vapor form similar to electronic vaporizers. Prices for each form range by dose but can cost between less than $100 to more than $300. Delivery pricing has not been released but those interested in signing up can visit the company’s website, http://vireohealthny. com. Samuel Field Y in Little Neck helping Queens seniors with mental health issues BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI smonteverdi@qns.com/@ smont76 A local nonprofi t is piloting a new initiative to help Queens seniors thrive and be well. Th e Samuel Field Y in Little Neck is piloting a new proposal part of Th riveNYC — an action plan implemented by the city’s fi rst lady Chirlane McCray in 2015 — called the “Geriatric Mental Health Initiative,” which works to provide access to mental health services to older adults directly through their local senior centers. “We believe that one of the singular causes of diffi culties in quality of life and of health itself for seniors is unmet mental health needs,” said Jeri Mendelsohn, executive vice president and CEO of the Samuel Field Y. Seniors can now access mental health engagement, outreach and education groups, individual counseling and the services of a nurse practitioner and social worker at four satellite centers in Queens: the Selfh elp Benjamin Rosenthal Senior Center in Flushing, Rego Park Senior Center, Th eodora G. Jackson Adult Center in Jamaica and Sunnyside Community Services Senior Center. “We also work alongside senior center staff to be able to identify and prevent mental health challenges and problems,” Mendelsohn added. According to Mendelsohn, these services will expand to senior centers in Astoria and another location in Flushing next year. Th e program is an extension of the center’s already existing Community Advisory Program for the Elderly (CAPE) — an outpatient clinic providing services to adults over 60 and their families. “Th ese programs stem from CAPE,” Mendelsohn said. “We’ve added therapists and a nurse practitioner, so it’s an expansion of our geriatric mental health services.” Statistics on Th riveNYC report that at least one in fi ve adult New Yorkers are likely to experience a mental health disorder in any given year, and the incidence of depression is higher for seniors as compared to the general population. Additionally, in the United States, the suicide rate of adults 65 and older is roughly 50 percent higher than the general population. “We fi rmly believe that the incidences of suicide and severe mental illness are under-recorded in older adults; that it is, indeed, a crisis,” Mendelsohn said. For this reason, Mendelsohn felt it was crucial the center should become involved in the Th riveNYC initiative. “Th e best way for older adults to access these programs is to be involved within the senior center where we are located, or to be in touch with us directly,” Mendelsohn said. To learn more about the program, contact the Samuel Field Y at 718-224-0566. Services are also off ered within the home and transportation assistance is available. Medicaid, Medicare and some third party payments are accepted. “Nobody is denied treatment if they’re unable to pay,” Mendelsohn said. To learn more about the Th riveNYC initiative, visit https:// thrivenyc.cityofnewyork.us. Photo by Angela Matua/QNS A medical marijuana dispensary in Elmhurst will start making home deliveries. LOVE YOUR EYES COME IN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SPECIALS 2/23/17 2/23/17 2/23/17 2/23/17 2/23/17
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