Steven A. Cohen Military Family Center at New York University Langone

Two decades of major combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan heightened awareness of the invisible injuries of war, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, substance misuse, and traumatic brain injury. Recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan further exacerbated these challenges. Public and private partners have mobilized to meet veterans’ mental health needs. The federal government recently implemented the PACT Act—the largest benefits expansion in the history of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—alongside a policy ensuring that every veteran can access VA or private care during acute suicidal crises. In 2024, NYHealth awarded the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Center (MFC) at New York University Langone a grant to provide high-quality, free, culturally competent mental health care to veterans statewide. 

Under this grant, MFC will build on its decade-plus expansion throughout New York to serve veterans currently on its waitlist and to those in under-resourced, hard-to-reach areas. MFC will conduct intake evaluations and suicide risk screenings, deliver mental health care to approximately 240 veterans, and connect clients with local VA and community providers to complement their treatment. Additionally, MFC will expand its training programs for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral psychology fellows to provide culturally competent care.