“The work matters, access matters,” said Yvette Bairan, Chief Executive Officer of Astor Services.
Astor Services, an affiliated agency of Catholic Charities of New York, celebrated the grand opening of its new South Bronx Counseling & Crisis Services location at 1057 Southern Boulevard on October 22, marking an important step in expanding access to behavioral health care for children, adolescents and families.
The new location brings together several services, including a counseling center, a hub of the Trauma Recovery Center and an Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program. Together, these programs strengthen Astor’s continuum of care, offering support for young people and families experiencing a range of behavioral health challenges.
For Bairan, Chief Executive Officer of Astor Services, the opening represents more than the addition of a new location. As a Bronx native who attended middle school just two train stops away, she sees the center as an opportunity to bring essential services closer to the community.
“I actually went to middle school two train stops away,” Bairan shared during the celebration, reflecting on her personal connection to the neighborhood.
She emphasized the importance of ensuring that children, adolescents and families can access care in their own communities and in the languages they need. The South Bronx, she noted, is an area where additional services are needed, making the location an important opportunity to connect more residents with support.
“We have a niche. Our specialty, we provide services to children and young adolescents and families, and that’s our expertise,” Bairan said.
Choosing the right location was a deliberate process. Chief Program Officer, Dr. Todd Karlin, at Astor Services, described how agency leaders and clinical teams spent several months evaluating potential sites to find a space that reflected Astor’s mission and would provide a welcoming, supportive environment for the children and families it serves.
“There was a real fight for identifying a site that would really represent our mission, to be able to create a trauma-informed space in which the kids could be well served,” Todd said.
Connecting Children and Families With Comprehensive Services
The new center offers a range of services designed to meet different needs. Astor provides individual, group and family therapy for children, adolescents, transitional-age youth and caregivers, with same-day access to an initial intake appointment. The Trauma Recovery Center offers specialized, evidence-based support for people affected by violence and trauma, with services available in the center and throughout the community at no cost to eligible individuals. The Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program provides more intensive clinical care for young people who may be at risk of hospitalization or transitioning from a higher level of care.
The location also offers family support, medication management and comprehensive treatment, helping connect young people and their families with appropriate services as their needs change. These programs complement Astor’s existing prevention initiatives, school partnerships, day treatment and care management services across the Bronx.
Building on More Than 50 Years of Service in the Bronx
Bairan highlighted the importance of continuing to expand the agency’s reach and ensuring people can receive care close to home. Astor has served the Bronx for more than 50 years, building relationships with community organizations, schools, health care providers and government partners to support children and families.
The opening also drew local leaders who recognized Astor’s longstanding role in the borough. Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson praised the agency’s work supporting children and families, including its response to traumatic events such as fires and gun violence. She underscored the importance of culturally responsive, language-accessible and trauma-informed services that meet people where they are.
Community partnerships remain central to that work. By working alongside local organizations, schools and public agencies, Astor helps connect families with services and support beyond the walls of its centers.
The new South Bronx location builds on that commitment, bringing more comprehensive behavioral health services to a community where access is essential. For Astor Services, the opening marks another step in its ongoing mission to help children, adolescents and families find the care they need to heal, grow and thrive.
