Health Services Action Plan

The Department of Health Services (DHS) Action Plan

How DHS supports our Mission and Vision

Mission

To optimize and maintain Midshipmen physical and mental health in support for successful education and graduation of inspired leaders of exemplary character so they meet medical criteria required to serve the national security, marine transportation, and economic needs of the United States as licensed Merchant Marine Officers and Commissioned Officers in the Armed Forces.

Our Vision

• Maximize overall health and readiness of USMMA Midshipmen and future maritime, transportation industry and Armed Forces Reserve duty leaders
• Deliver quality patient care respectfully through excellent customer service and with a compassionate approach.
• Foster a healthy and safe environment that supports academic training initiatives, sea worthiness and all regimental activity.
• Ensure that the medical staff is optimally trained to support and enhance our mission.

How We Support Our Vision

• Maximizing overall health and readiness of USMMA Midshipmen and future maritime, transportation industry and Armed Forces Reserve duty leaders
  • Midshipmen may visit DHS during sick call with no appointment necessary or they may contact our services to make an appointment that fits their academic schedule. Medical Services can be reached by calling 516.726.5682, Dental services, 516.726.5674 and Counseling Services 516.726.5679. They can also confidentially email medical@USMMA.EDU
  • Before deployment for sea year training assignments, applying for U.S. Coast Guard/National Maritime Licensing as a Third Mate and applying for Commission in the Strategic Sealift Officer U.S. Naval Reserve program Midshipmen are assessed by NY State licensed clinicians for physical & mental health wellbeing using Department of Homeland Security/National Maritime Center/US Coast Guard and Department of Defense medical examination procedures
  • The Department of Health Services tracks all contact with Midshipmen using internal department tracking to ensure their health & safety and to make sure all Midshipmen receive the care they are entitled to.
  • DHS maintains a de-identified report of the types of patient encounters so that resources may be targeted to where they are most needed.

• Deliver quality patient care respectfully through excellent customer service and with a compassionate approach.
  • DHS follows strict standards for respect, honor and integrity and has a specific requirement to respond to all patient care complaints and to resolve them to the patient’s satisfaction.
  • DHS defines compassion as being able to identify, comprehend and empathize with a person’s concerns, discomfort, pain or suffering with a dedicated desire to assist them to wellness.

• Foster a healthy and safe environment that supports academic training initiatives, sea worthiness and all regimental activity.
  • All Midshipmen receive in person presentations from USMMA Professional Development & Career Services Staff, DHS Staff and various other interdisciplinary staff/faculty presenters. Topics discussed are the academic components of sea year, health/wellbeing, tips for managing stress, getting a better night’s sleep, time management skills, how to help a friend in need and many other guidelines for self-help.
  • A “Sea Year Manual” is printed for all Midshipmen during their sea year in person lectures. Midshipmen also have access to this manual via The Academy’s “Blackboard” online software, via use of their sea year jump drive and at Sea Year Handbook
  • Midshipmen departing for sea have 24/7 access virtually to Academy counseling resources at Midshipman Counseling & Personal Development (MCPD)
  • All Midshipmen at sea are provided with a Satellite Phone. The phone can be used to reach counseling resources, friends & family for needed support.
  • Midshipmen who enroll and maintain medical coverage in SHIP have access to “CareConnect”. CareConnect is an integrated behavioral health program offering students easy access to licensed behavioral health clinicians 24/7/365 days a year via their USMMA satellite telephone or personal cell phone. “Care Connect” provides direct access to a registered nurse within seconds for assistance in managing their health concerns. Midshipmen can download an app, “Wellfleet Student” which will provide the same connection capability if preferred over telephone use. Access to more information about SHIP and “Care Connect” are published at two USMMA websites, Midshipman Counseling & Personal Development (MCPD) and Health Services
  • The Department of Health Services (DHS) Consults weekly with Academics, Professional Development / Career Services (PDCS) & The Commandant via the USMMA Periodic Updates Licensing, Sea Duty Commissioning Committee (PULSC) - see publicly published Superintendent Instruction 2023-01)
  • KP Cares (see publicly published Superintendent Instruction 2018-10)  is  a resource providing support and care for Midshipmen at risk across academic, regimental and social aspects of Academy life. KP Cares serves as a central point of contact for a Midshipman in distress to determine what interventions may be required.

• Ensuring that the medical staff is optimally trained to support and enhance our mission.
  • All Medical Providers, Counselors, Psychologists & Dental Providers on staff at DHS are licensed by NY State to provide care and listen without judgment while providing reassurance.
  • A network of providers for emergent or non-emergent referrals to higher levels of care offsite USMMA are well established and available for all Midshipmen
  • Midn receive care from highly recognized & credentialed providers under contract from Northwell Health-The largest health system in NY State. This care is provided under government contracting. The Director of Health Services is a federally employed position with oversight and responsibility for ensuring the contract terms are met adequately. In the event of any concerns about the care received, Midshipmen may present these concerns directly to the Health Services Director.

• Who can be contacted for emotional support, medical concerns, dental concerns and emergencies such as self-harm or suicide ideations
  • USMMA publishes a website available publicly and to all Midshipmen that provides names of mental health counselors, their hours and contact information at: Midshipman Counseling & Personal Development
  • There is a 24/7 emergency services contact number at USMMA, 516.726.5858. NY State Certified Midshipman Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) are on watch 24/7 to respond as peers to their fellow Midshipmen. The EMTs have direct access to The Department of Health Services key staff and are able to provide transportation to an offsite emergency support location for either mental health or physical health emergencies.
  • The USMMA Regiment of Midshipmen /Commandants Office have established a Midshipman Human Relations Officer Program (HRO). Midshipmen are able to reach out to the HROs for peer support. HROs meet with DHS counseling staff periodically to discuss their role and how to best support Midshipmen.
  • All EMTs and HROs are trained in the SafeTALK suicide awareness and as available Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) by the chaplain. Chaplains are certified trainers through LivingWorks and must maintain their credentials annually.

• Contacts at a glance:
  • • National 24 Hour Suicide Hotline, dial 9-8-8
    • New York State Mental Health Hotline 844-863-9314
    • Nassau County, NY Behavioral Health Helpline 516-227-8255
    • Emergency Medical Services 24 hours, 7 days weekly 516.726.5858
    • Students enrolled in the USMMA Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) can call CareConnect behavioral health clinicians 24/7/365 days a year via telephone. (888) 857-5462 or, download the app “Wellfleet Student”
    • DHS Medical, 516.726.5682
    • Counseling 516.726.5679
    • Chaplain 516.726.5709

Monica Parente, LCSW, ACSW

Monica Parente, LCSW-R, ACSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Professional Biography

Monica Parente is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 30 years of experience treating both adolescents and adults. She specializes in treating depression, stress management, anxiety and adjustment issues. She utilizes evidenced-based treatments, and has an eclectic and collaborative approach to psychotherapy.

Monica joined the Midshipman Counseling and Personal Development department as the primary Clinical Counselor who fills the on-site weekend coverage role.

Monica began her career at Winthrop University Hospital providing short-term crisis intervention and critical incident stress debriefing in the areas of domestic violence, substance use, child abuse and perinatal bereavement. She provided emotional support and critical incident debriefing to trauma victims and their families who lost a child to suicide or sudden death.

Before joining the Academy’s Counseling Service, Monica was the Coordinator of Northwell Health’ Professional’s Program. It provides physicians who have substance use issues long-term individual therapy, group therapy and psycho education. She handled all aspects of the program from outreach, to training and development. During Covid, Monica provided specialized treatments to front line workers, at Northwell, who were experiencing burnout, PTSD, compassion fatigue or other related mental health issues. A highlight of Monica’s professional career was when she was asked to be a panelist at Northwell Health’s very first Substance Use Summit in October 2022.

Additionally, Monica has spent the last 20 years researching, writing and presenting trainings on relevant topics to Long Island’s Catholic Health Systems’ hospitals as well as Northwell Health.  She has written and presented more than 45 trainings on Substance Use Disorders, Conflict Resolution, Workplace Stress, Harassment, Anger Management, Compassion Fatigue and Emotional Intelligence.

She received her Bachelor’s Degree from St. John’s University where she double-majored in Special Education and Elementary Education. Her Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work is from Adelphi University. Monica is Licensed and Accredited by the State of New York.

Midshipman Counseling & Personal Development

Frequently Asked Questions

Counseling Services Confidentiality

Counseling Services Confidentiality

Midshipman Counseling and Personal Development maintains the highest standards of
confidentiality. Information will not be released to others without your written permission, with
few exceptions (e.g., threats to harm self or others). If a situation warrants sharing of
information, MCPD will try to fully discuss it with you before taking any action, if possible
under the circumstances.

Health Services Confidentiality

Health Services Confidentiality

The Department of Health Services observes strict rules of confidentiality and follows federal and state
privacy rules which govern personal health information. Patient charts are securely maintained,
and no patient health information is released to third parties without a signed authorization, or as
otherwise required or allowed by law. All DHS team members are trained in the practice of
handling confidential medical information.
 

After Hours Care

After Hours Support

1. Call campus EMS at x5858 from any Academy phone or 516.726.5858.
If there is a Behavioral Health Emergency after hours, USMMA EMS has a
behavioral response protocol. This gives Midshipman the opportunity to be
transported to the hospital by a Northwell Ambulance instead of the USMMA EMS
Team.

2. National 24-hour Suicide Hotline call 988.

3. Northwell Adult Behavioral Health Crisis Walk in Clinic M-F, 0900-1500.
https://www.northwell.edu/behavioral-health/programs-services/adult-behavioralhealth-
crisis-center

4. National Alliance on Mental Illness Emergency phone numbers for Queens, Nassau,
Suffolk and New York State: https://namiqn.org/crisis-info/

5. Midshipmen who enroll and maintain medical coverage in The Student Health
Insurance Plan (SHIP) sponsored by USMMA have access to “CareConnect”.
CareConnect is an integrated behavioral health program offering students easy access
to licensed behavioral health clinicians 24/7/365 days a year via telephone. Connect
to a registered nurse within seconds at (888) 857-5462 for assistance in managing
your health on your terms. You can also download the app “Wellfleet Student”. When
connecting you may be asked to provide:
• Policy number or school name
• Nature of your call and/or emergency
• Current location
• Contact phone number and email address
• Secondary point of contact
• Date of birth

Tips for Helping a Friend

Tips for Helping a Friend

It is sometimes hard to know how to help a friend who is going through a tough time. Here are
some simple tips to supporting a friend in need:

1. Ask if they are okay. Sometimes just asking that question can help someone start talking
about what is going on in their lives.

2. Listening. Hear what your friend is saying, let them share their thoughts and feelings.
3. Ask if there is anything you can do to support them. Sometimes people are not
comfortable asking for help.

4. Plan a self-care activity together such as going for a run, watching a movie or a meal
together. Find something to do together and/or with your friend group.

5. Encourage them to find support with someone they trust like their mentor, professor,
family member and/or fellow Midshipman.

MCPD is a good resource to recommend to friends you feel may benefit!

Tips to Improve Time Management Skills

Tips to Improve Time Management Skills

Understanding how you spend your time and what things get in the way of productivity is the
first step to time management. Here are 3 tips to increase productivity:

1. To Do List: Prioritize your tasks such as by timeline, when items are due.

2. Calendar: Put your prioritized items in a calendar, with an estimate of the amount of
time you think the task will take. Be honest with your time-frames and put breaks in.

3. Distractors: Know your distractors and minimize them. Turn off your phone for a
defined period of time so you are less likely to scroll social media, and watch you-tube
videos. Try not to play that video game or chat with your friend when you have set aside
time to focus on a task.

MCPD is a good resource for additional strategies to improve time management skills!

Tips for Better Sleep

Tips for Better Sleep

Maintaining healthy sleep habits is essential to physical and mental well-being. Here are 3 tips to
enhance sleep:

1. Bedtime Routine: Making sure your room is quiet, dark and at a comfortable
temperature and shutting down devices can improve the quality of your sleep and has a
wide-range of benefits.

2. Caffeine Substitutes: Most herbal teas are caffeine-free but their aromas may still be
energizing. Reducing caffeine intake can help you fall asleep faster and increase sleep
intensity. Look at the time you are ingesting caffeine; some people can have caffeine
right before bed and it will not be an issue, while others need a cut-off time. Track your
use to help determine when you need to stop caffeine.

3. Napping: Napping can be restorative for those who need to catch up on sleep. To get the
full benefits of napping, the best nap length is 20 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes.
Napping earlier in the day can limit its effect on nighttime sleep quality.

MCPD is a good resource for additional strategies to promote healthy sleep habits!