CDLH 2017 Spring Gala Journal

Growing Stronger Toge t her

Growing Stronger Toge t her

Vilma E. Matos, LCSW-R

Victor F. Politi, MD, FACP, FACEP

President Latino Immigrant Consultant

President/CEO Nuhealth System, NUMC

Ms. Matos is a graduate of the State University at Stony Brook School of Social Welfare where she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work. In 2001, she received her New York State Bilingual School Social Worker certification and went on to complete an additional sixty graduate credits beyond her Master’s in the areas of youth development and interventions. She began her social work career in 1983 at Pilgrim Psychiatric Center where she advocated for and spearheaded the first licensed outpatient and inpatient bilingual bicultural programs for the Hispanic mentally ill. La Casita Hispanic Day Treatment Program was the first of its kind in the New York State Office of Mental Health and it continues to provide services thirty years after its inception. She received numerous awards and commendations for this accomplishment. While working as a bilingual school social worker at the Huntington School District from 1997 to 2015, she initiated programs for Latino students. She developed a Newcomer Support Group, Latina Girls Group and workshops to address the social and emotional needs of Latino immigrant students and their families. She developed a curriculum with unique group activities and to help her in this endeavor, she designed a unique board game to be played with immigrant youth. The students find “My Journey to the United States – Mis Pasos a los Estados Unidos Board Game©” a fun way to open up and discuss sensitive topics. After retiring from the Huntington School District in 2015, Ms. Matos began a new career as a professional presenter and Latino immigrant consultant to schools, mental health clinics, community agencies and conferences. In June 2016, she presented as a panelist at the National Association of Social Workers, (NASW), annual conference at Washington, D.C. on conducting Newcomer Support Groups. She is also an entrepreneur promoting and selling her game on www. ELLGames.com. She works part-time as a clinical therapist at South Shore Guidance Clinic and at the Syosset School District where she was specifically hired to help address the needs of recently arrived Latino immigrant students and their families. Ms. Matos serves as the second Vice President and Chair of the scholarship and membership committees of the National Association of Puerto Rican and Hispanic Social Workers (NAPRHSW). She is also a committee member of the Suffolk County Association of Mental Health and Wellness and Adelphi University Task Force on addressing the needs of Latino parents and their children in the Brentwood School District. She has been the recipient of numerous awards over her career to include most recently, “Social Worker of the Year” from NYS Chapter of NASW Suffolk Division (April 2015) and the “The Elizabeth Guanill Memorial Award” from Suffolk County Human Rights Commission (May 2015). Ms. Matos was born in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, and raised on Long Island. She is the proud parent of two sons, Orlando and William Matos.

Victor F. Politi, M.D., FACP, FACEP, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the NuHealth System (also called the Nassau Health Care Corporation), a teaching facility and public safety net provider which operates the Nassau University Medical Center, the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility, five LI Federally Qualified Family Health Centers and a school based clinic. In his capacity as NuHealth’s leader, Dr. Politi will oversee a healthcare delivery system with 3500 employees and a budget of $567M. The NuHealth System has a mission of providing quality care to Nassau’s most vulnerable populations. Prior to becoming NuHealth’s President/CEO, Dr. Politi was the Acting Nassau County Police Commissioner and Deputy County Executive of Public Safety under County Executive Hon. Edward P. Mangano. In that capacity, Dr. Politi oversaw the Nassau County Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, Probation Department, Sheriff ’s Office, Department of Corrections, Fire Marshal’s Office, Traffic Parking Violations Bureau, Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Nassau County Department of Health. These departments had a combined budget of almost $1 billion and a workforce of 5000 employees. As Deputy County Executive for Public Safety, Dr. Politi had overall direct report of those various commissioners and department heads and was involved in negotiations with the unions for current and future contracts. He reported directly to the County Executive and worked closely with the Legislature and NIFA. Dr. Politi’s expertise in clinical, budgetary and labor relations is a unique combination of corporate management and public sector leadership which have prepared him well for the challenges and opportunities ahead in this new era of health care delivery. Dr. Politi is a physician who trained at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and the Medical Center at Princeton New Jersey. He received his undergraduate degree from St. Johns University in Healthcare and Urban Health. Dr Politi has served as an emergency department attending physician, director and chairman, as well as President of the medical staff at St. Johns Queens Hospital in Elmhurst, N.Y. and chairman of the divisional executive committee and central executive board of the Caritas Hospital System. Afterward, he served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Cornerstone Treatment Facilities Network, a privately owned OASAS Certified hospital system, specializing in addiction medicine. Dr. Politi completed an additional residency in Occupational and Environmental Medicine at UMDNJ-RWJ Medical School and is also board eligible in Addiction Medicine by the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Politi recently served as a Police Surgeon for the Nassau County Police Department. In addition, Dr. Politi is an active “Class A” interior firefighter in his local community volunteer fire department. He serves as medical director for various fire departments and volunteer ambulance corps. Dr. Politi is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American College of Emergency Medicine, and a member of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and the American Board of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Dr. Politi also serves on the Regional Emergency Medical Service Council for New York City as well as Nassau County. Dr. Politi completed medical school while working as a police officer for the New York City Police Department, rising to the rank of Lieutenant in the Emergency Service Unit.

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