Re: http://www.vice.com/read/how-mentally-ill-hasidic-women-slip-though-cracks-in-the-system

Dear Ms. Conti,

As my Psychology practice is based in the Orthodox Borough Park community, I read your article with much interest.

Your central point is sadly correct: there are unlicensed and untrained therapists serving a vulnerable population. You effectively tell the tragic story of two individuals from their own perspective. Reporting on an entire community, however, requires a different approach, especially when approaching it as an outsider unfamiliar with the community and its cultural practices. I would like to take specific issue with some false presumptions embedded in the article. This includes not only the presumption of the lack of professional intervention available and utilized by the Eitzah organization, but also in regard to the more general enhanced appreciation that has developed over the past decade or two within the broader Chassidic community.

Although not Chassidic myself, I have worked within the Borough Park community for the past 11 years--5 of those years as Consulting Psychologist for Eitzah/Toshiah. Eitzah began as a phone line for educators to answer common educational and parenting concerns raised by parents. When they realized (back in 2005) that many of these concerns were of a mental health nature, they raised the funds to hire outside professionals to train, assist, and refer those in the community to the appropriate professionals. I consulted for them while on faculty at the NYU Child Study Center and arranged for trainings as well as consultations with colleagues from NYU. Dr. Stuart Chesner has trained and supervised their wonderful coaching program for years and Dr. Joseph Ciccone has been employed as a Psychiatric consultant for as long as they had the funds to do so.

With regard to your portrayal of the broader Chassidic community, I wish that the article would have incorporated views from professionals who service the community as well as responsible community leaders. Observers of the community recognize the rapidly growing trend of utilizing services of trained licensed mental health professionals. Borough Park is serviced by four full-sized mental health clinical including Ohel, JBFCS, Pesach Tikvah (Door of hope), and Maimonides Medical Center. There are also scores of licensed private practitioners from all disciplines who service the Chassidic Borough Park community.

I am sure that several have fallen through the cracks and I am also aware that there will always be disgruntled individuals, but from my vantage point Eitzah and the broader community have made great strides in their appreciation and utilization of licensed mental health professionals. 

I would like to touch on one last point regarding the general tone as well as the assertions made within the article. Sadly, in addition to the "yellow journalism" aspects discussed above, the overall tone as well as content may very well reflect cultural ignorance and insensitivity. While the Chassidic community is clearly not for everyone, the portrayal of its adherents are largely incorrect. The majority lead meaningful and fulfilling lives and are quite happy with their cultural, which is based on family values, tradition, and respect.

Respectfully,

Charles Chaim Neuhoff, Ph.D.