A ribbon-cutting in Mount Kisco celebrated the expansion of the pediatric behavioral services at Northwell Health as it partners with local schools and provides outpatient practice for children aged 5 to 21.

According to CDC, the suicide rate among school-age children has more than doubled since 2000.

Uma Sharma, 17, is a senior at Horace Greeley High School, and shared why she continues to advocate for mental health and support the new site.

"I saw a lot of my peers struggling with mental health and there was never really a resource that they could turn to that was close."

Northwell Health's new site provides care and guidance to both students and children that are in need of therapy, medication or parental support.

Many schools have already enrolled in the Northwell School Mental Health Partnership.

The Northwell School Mental Health Partnership is now open and ongoing in Westchester, Putnam and surrounding counties, as well as its separate outpatient practices in Mount Kisco.