Alicia M. Ferrer Mental Health Clinic

The Alicia M. Ferrer Mental Health Clinic (AMFMHC) was founded as the Get-Centered Counseling Center in a three room professional apartment on 207th Street in 1982. This free counseling service was certified by the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) as an outpatient clinic in 1986.

The clinic has grown steadily over the years to become the largest of its kind in Inwood: serving over 700 neighborhood residents annually with over 14,500 clinic visits. The Get-Centered Mental Health Clinic was renamed the Alicia M. Ferrer Mental Health Clinic in June 2014 in honor of the late Alicia M. Ferrer, LCSW – the clinic’s extraordinarily dedicated, and longest serving, Unit Director.

AMFMHC provides outpatient individual, group, and family psychotherapy therapy as well as psychopharmacological treatment to children (>5 years old), adolescents, and adults suffering from a broad range of emotional or psychological problems including depression, anxiety, adjustment issues, trauma, cultural alienation, and a host of other issues.

AMFMHC aims to foster mental health in our clients. Simultaneously, it also strives to alleviate the pain, and reduce the stigma attached to having a mental illness. Feelings of individual agency, internal locus of control, self- mastery, and self-esteem are nurtured and enhanced . In addition, the particular struggles attached to cultural alienation are empathically and effectively addressed.

AMFMHC is staffed by experienced, credentialed, and culturally competent clinicians in the disciplines of psychiatry, psychology, social work, and mental health counseling.

Medicaid, Medicare, and most managed care and major insurance plans are accepted, as well as a self- pay sliding fee scale. In addition, the NYS Office of Mental Health provides the clinic with an Uncompensated Care funding allocation on an annual basis which allows uninsured clients to be served.

The clinic operates Monday through Friday 8:00am to 9:30pm, and Saturday 9:00am to 4:00pm.