Alliance for Rights and Recovery’s Cultural Competence Committee
As we recognize Women’s History Month, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery’s Cultural Competence Committee joins the New York State Office of Mental Health in honoring the leadership, resilience, and lasting impact of women across our communities and within the mental health field.
Women have long been at the forefront of social change, community leadership, and caregiving roles that help sustain families and communities. At the same time, the many responsibilities women carry, often across work, family, and community life, can place significant strain on mental and physical health. This year’s theme, “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” highlights the critical role women play in building more equitable and inclusive systems while also reminding us of the importance of supporting women’s well-being.
The Alliance’s Cultural Competence Committee encourages ongoing efforts to reduce stigma, address disparities in mental health services, and ensure women have access to the supports they need to care for themselves and their communities. As the article notes, prioritizing mental health is essential not only for individual well-being but also for the long-term sustainability of our families, workplaces, and communities.
We also join in recognizing the women who continue to shape mental health policy and services across New York, including the leaders at the Office of Mental Health who are working to improve services and access statewide. Their dedication and leadership help move us closer to a system that reflects the values of equity, recovery, and inclusion.
During Women’s History Month, the Alliance celebrates the countless women, providers, advocates, peers, family members, and community leaders, whose work continues to strengthen mental health services and build a more just and compassionate system for all New Yorkers.
The New York State Office of Mental Health recognizes March as Women’s History Month. This is an opportunity to acknowledge the significant achievements, resilience, and determination of women from the past, present and future who overcome the odds stacked against them in a male-dominated society. Despite such adversity, women have profoundly shaped the political, social, economic, environmental, scientific, and artistic landscape of this country. “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future” is the 2026 theme set forth by the National Women’s History Alliance. This theme amplifies the work women have done to reimagine and rebuild systems that ensure generational sustainability and recognizes the influential women who are creating an inclusive future that dismantles barriers and is rooted in, equity, justice, and accessibility for all.
History has demonstrated that women’s leadership is the foundation of sustaining communities. Women serve as leaders, innovators, caregivers, partners, educators, pioneers, and more. Carrying this weight of serving multiple roles in society comes at a cost to every woman’s mental and physical well-being, which often doesn’t get the attention it needs. This brings to mind a message everyone receives on airplanes: to always put your own oxygen mask on before helping others with theirs. Mental health care is a metaphorical oxygen mask and a vital component of sustainable practices. This Women’s History Month, we encourage all women to nourish and care for themselves in ways that support better mental health outcomes throughout their lives. In doing so, women create sustainable futures for themselves, families, and communities. We encourage you to check out the resources below to help ongoing efforts to destigmatize and reduce disparities in mental health care for women.
OMH celebrates, uplifts, and honors the women who help lead the agency as change-makers for mental health care. The dedication, expertise, and lived experiences of these women are essential to building more sustainable futures for all New Yorkers. Please join us in acknowledging Jessica Benosky, Madelyn Degler, and Suzanne Stoute.
Highlights
Jessica Benosky was born in North Carolina and raised in New York. She earned her master’s degree in psychology from Adelphi University. Prior to joining the State in 2014, she served as a Student Conduct Administrator, where she worked closely with students to promote accountability, safety, and community standards. Jessica currently works in the Bureau of Employee Relations as a Labor Relations Specialist.
Jessica is a dedicated wife and mother of two daughters and an active leader within her school community. She is involved with the PTSA and serves as an Academic Stakeholder, Book Fair Chairperson, and Fundraiser Chair. She also volunteers her time assisting with youth soccer coaching.
Throughout her career, Jessica has been deeply committed to raising awareness about sexual assault and advocating for prevention and education. She has presented numerous workshops and has been invited to speak at national conferences, as well as colleges and universities across the country, helping to advance conversations around safety, awareness, and support.
Women’s History is more than a reflection, it’s about recognizing the lasting impact women have made in shaping organizations, pushing boundaries, redefining what leadership looks like, and the impact women bring to every level of an organization. Women’s History highlights the lasting influence of women who have come before us, women of now, and women of the future who have and will continue to open doors, expand opportunities, and continue to lead, innovate, and drive meaningful change.
Madelyn Degler (she/her) joined the Office of Mental Health as an Equal Opportunity Specialist 1 in 2025. Maddey works in the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and takes pride in supporting OMH employees by processing Reasonable Accommodation requests across the agency. Additionally, Madelyn is a Membership Engagement liaison for the Office of Mental Health’s LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource group. If you’re ever interested in learning more about the group, please feel free to reach out at madelyn.degler@omh.ny.gov.
Madelyn was raised in Columbia County and NYC before settling into the Capital Region. Maddey received her master’s degree from Russell Sage College in School Counseling and began immediately working in local schools. Maddey found working with students and families deeply enriching, but she craved a role where she could advocate for inclusive community health on a larger scale. Maddey packed up her feminist, multicultural, and trauma-informed counseling skills and brought it to work at OMH.
Women’s History Month is a time of reflection for Maddey, and she would like to express deep gratitude for the women who came before, the women who will come after us, and the women of today for their continued strength and authenticity.
Suzanne Stoute, MHS, is a passionate mental health advocate, leader, and community builder dedicated to advancing equitable access to mental health services—particularly within communities of color and the Caribbean diaspora. Born in Trinidad and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she has long been committed to addressing the barriers to mental health care experienced by many in underserved communities. She serves as Director of Chelton Loft, a psychosocial clubhouse operating within the international Clubhouse Model, which promotes recovery-oriented, community-based mental health services. In this role, she leads program development, strategic partnerships, and advocacy efforts that strengthen peer-driven supports and promote meaningful community integration for individuals living with serious mental illness.
With a professional foundation in psychosocial rehabilitation, Suzanne understands that access alone is not enough—services must also be culturally responsive, affirming, and rooted in the lived realities of the communities they serve. Her advocacy challenges systems to move beyond surface-level inclusion toward meaningful equity. She recognizes that true access to care requires more than service provision; it requires trust, representation, and sustained community engagement.
Suzanne currently serves as Chairperson of the Advisory Committee for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA), which advises the Office of Mental Health on policies and initiatives designed to reduce disparities in quality, access, and treatment outcomes among marginalized populations across New York State.
Since September 2023, Suzanne has also served as a Segment Host and Segment Producer for the Global Soca Weekend Morning Show on the TeamSoca Online Radio Station. In this role, she researches, writes, develops, and hosts a Mental Health Awareness Tips series, integrating culturally relevant wellness education into a global Caribbean platform. She also collaborates on featured artist segments, bridging conversations between music, culture, and mental health advocacy. By engaging artists, communities, and cultural platforms, she helps normalize conversations about mental health within Caribbean and Caribbean-American communities, where stigma has historically limited access to care.
For Suzanne, Women’s History Month is a celebration of the resilience, leadership, and transformative impact of women who challenge systems and create pathways for equity. She believes meaningful change occurs when policy, culture, and community engagement align—and remains committed to advancing a mental health system that reflects equity, representation, and opportunity for all New Yorkers.
Resources
Mental Health Resources for Women
- Celebrate Women’s History Month by Prioritizing Your Mental Health – A resource from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
- Women and Mental Health – A resource from the National Institute of Mental Health.
- Maternal Mental Health Resources – Project TEACH
- Podcasts:
Women’s History
- Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future – Information on the 2026 Women’s History Month theme.
- Women’s History: NWHA Magazine – A virtual magazine centered around this year’s theme from the National Women’s History Alliance.
- National Women’s History Museum – Women’s History Month – An overview of Women’s History Month.
- Women Mental Health Heroes of American History – An introduction to historical mental health changemakers.