STRONG
Newcomer Behavioral Health Program
NY School-Based Health Foundation is pleased to start the second year of programming with funding granted by the New York Community Trust to support School-Based Health Centers in serving newcomer students in the downstate region.
The program provides training and site-specific coaching for social workers, counselors, psychologists, and other student-support roles in the use of an evidence-informed modality known as STRONG (Supporting Transition Resilience in Newcomer Groups). STRONG is a school-based intervention that focuses on building resilience and connection for immigrants and refugee students as they navigate adversity and trauma caused by migration and resettlement.
We are actively looking for providers to join us in our 2025-2026 program. It kicks off with a two-day training in September 2025 and is followed by ongoing support and check-ins until March 2026.
We are having a webinar on June 3rd, 2025 to share details about the STRONG program at NYSBHF and answer agency or provider questions. Register for the webinar here.
A video about STRONG and additional information is available here.
In our first grant year (2024-2025), we trained 43 providers in September 2024 and reached more than 120 newcomer students by April 2025 - with more to come in the summer! Providers attended 8 coaching sessions with experienced STRONG trainers and clinicians and got personalized support for their agencies from our STRONG Program Manager and Subject Matter Expert.
Be a part of the new cohort in September 2025 to help us reach more students, expand your clinical toolkit, and join a growing community of supportive and caring providers!
Program Staff
Program Manager
Sarah Miles, LMSW, MDes
Sarah is a social worker and designer with experience across the health, mental health, and community services fields — with a special focus on care for youth and their families. She now consults with professionals across New York, Michigan, and Illinois to design and implement programs in health and social services, using community-centered approaches to reimagine how care is provided in our society.
Sarah started her career in grassroots program development in international and local contexts, helping implement programs with communities across various health and social topics. She then moved to New York to attend Columbia University’s School of Social Work and specialized in mental health programs for youth and families. After years as a case manager, therapist, and school mental health consultant and trainer, she decided to focus on building stronger health systems and studied design at the University of Michigan focused on trauma-informed and community-based approaches to program design. Since 2020 she has consulted with government, nonprofit, and technology sectors, finding new ways to address some of the most urgent needs within our communities. She currently also works with the University of Michigan to inform health research and policy.
Subject Matter Expert
Scott Bloom, LCSW-R
Scott Bloom, LCSW, will be advising the STRONG program and providing training and technical assistance as our subject matter expert. Our NYC members know Scott as the founding Director of School Mental Health Services for the New York City Department of Education where he served for 15 years, facilitating partnerships with non-profit organizations and implementing mental health initiatives in over 1,800 city schools. Currently, Scott serves as the Director of Special Projects and Initiatives at the New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center (NYPCC).
Mr. Bloom has spent his 34-year career at the intersection of mental health, communities, and schools working to improve access to social-emotional services and resources by integrating these programs, creating opportunities for children and youth to overcome emotional and behavioral barriers to academic achievement. In addition, Scott lends his expertise by serving on advisory boards for cities, state, and
national mental health initiatives around the
country.