By Erin L.W. Zacholl
There is a special glimmer when you realize that you are in the presence of someone who didn’t necessarily find the right course in life but were simply placed on it. Perhaps by serendipity or fate, Stephanie Montgomery was led to a small path at an early age. She recognized its direction, worked hard, persevered over tough times and forged a mighty highway out of its humble start.
Stephanie is the Administrative Director of Behavioral Health at Syracuse Community Health. Her SCH career began almost 30 years ago when she served as the receptionist for the Counseling Addiction and Psychological Services (or CAPS) department of SCH. Every promotion she has earned since serving as receptionist was created for her. She has truly pioneered her own career while making opportunities for others to follow. “I firmly believe that all of us must stay focused and use what we have in front of us as an advantage, nota hurdle,” Stephanie speaks these words with a laser focus.
At an early age, she found herself the victim of domestic violence and used this experience as a building block, not a crushing boulder. “Syracuse Community Health was my safe place,” Stephanie recalls with accomplishment. “I used this period of my life to propel myself. I kept pulling myself up and that experience helps me with much of what we do in Behavioral Health.” Stephanie continued, “It’s not always easy, but we all must recognize our own strengths and stay committed. Keeping my word is so important; to the people I serve and to myself.”
Stephanie feels that is both her responsibility and honor to especially reach areas of our general population that are often misheard and misunderstood. “As a biracial woman, I understand what it’s like to feel connected to more than one place, but not necessarily feel grounded in either,” she speaks from the heart, “I am proud to help other biracial women, as well as others in our community who are most vulnerable. We all need to recognize our value and belonging, and SCH is such a wonderful platform for this purpose,” her words are spoken with a smile. “There is so much here to offer our community.”
Through her own journey at SCH, Stephanie attests that her years at SCH have seen, much change, yet much has also stayed the same. “While the stigma of mental health has alleviated over time, I would love to see it gone,” Stephanie reflects, “it’s still a roadblock.” When Stephanie speaks, her words are annunciated from such a place of solid experience, ,“When someone is diagnosed with cancer, there is no judgment when the patient needs help and treatment. Society needs to treat people facing addiction and mental illness the same as they would treat someone with a terminal disease.” She believes that the department title Behavioral Health helps integrate all the services the SCH offers while hopefully helping to eliminate the stigma associated with the “addiction” portion of CAPS. “The majority of addiction patients are navigating a deeper illness,” Stephanie says, “often, overdosing is a result of self-medicating for an underlying condition.” Through her decades at SCH, Stephanie has seen the, addiction crisis evolve from crack cocaine toward opioids. “It’s eye-opening when you look around,” she says, “mental health and the opioid addiction have exploded; waiting lists are long, but hope exists.”
Stephanie’s department at SCH offers a personalized approach to care and treatment. Their individualized method of care is respectful, educational and focuses on a person-centered journey. “We treat the whole person,” Stephanie explains the approach to SCH’s services. “It’s important to respect each person’s perspective by listening to them and by supporting improvements in their mind, body and spiritual well-being.” She also stresses the importance of seeing someone in person. “Since COVID, there is such a shortage of mental health providers, social workers, marriage-family and crisis therapists.” Additionally, the pandemic found many providers with their own issues and unable to provide services to others. Since COVID, New York State has also started telehealth, services, to include mental health. While this helps broaden the possibilities for more people to seek help, Stephanie cautions that “many professionals went into private practice with the convenience of telehealth, even though providers really do need to see people in person (at least sometimes).”
The Behavioral Health Department at SCH is small and intimate, but large in the services offered and the accreditations of their team. “It’s important that our community understands all that is offered here,” Stephanie proudly states. “W are a unique behavioral health department with a team that specializes in Medication Assistance Treatment Services, Out-patient Addiction Services (inclusive of impaired driver assessments) as well as Individual and Family Therapy.” Stephanie says that she loves watching the transformation in people that are seeking help and pursuing help, “I was brought up here and to be able to work in such a place that is so patient focused and understanding about the populations we serve is a tremendous feeling.”
At SCH, Stephanie Montgomery makes every day intentional. “Did I do my best today?” she asks herself nightly. “I have gone through seasons of my careers at SCH and each one found me right where I needed to be,” reflecting on her years. “I feel so blessed to be part of this humbly wonderful team.” Stephanie is often asked how she balances her work and professional lives. In addition to her gratitude for the environment at SCH, she always replies, “My simple answer is Faith, Family and a good support system; no matter how large or small that system may be.”