Our mission: Empowering teens & young adults to pursue their life goals

OnTrackNY is a network of Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) teams across New York State that supports the well-being of teens and young adults impacted by unexpected changes in their thinking and perceptions. OnTrackNY teams aim to empower participants to make meaning of their experiences and pursue their goals for school, work, and relationships. 

Equity, inclusion, rapid access, and self-determination are at the core of everything we do.
 

Our origin

The New York State Office of Mental Health launched OnTrackNY in 2013 as a result of a large-scale research initiative funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE). The RAISE initiative demonstrated that rapid access to specialized, early intervention, in the form of CSC, makes a dramatic difference in young people’s lives and their ability to recover when compared to standard community-based mental health treatment. It also showed the feasibility of offering CSC services in real-word, community settings.

As a result, OnTrackNY was designed to provide specialized intervention services and reduce barriers to rapid engagement in care. Our participants show high rates of participation in treatment, experience a reduction in symptoms, and are more likely to achieve school and career goals. Our goal is to make our services available to every young person in New York who needs them.