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for Friedrich, and a colleague there who served on the SPTS board of directors connected The Bellmore-Merrick Cen- Stacy to the organization. “They tral High School District wel- suggested we check out one of comed teens and educators from their fundraisers,” she recount27 school districts across the ed. “It really spoke to me — it county to the second Nassau helped me make meaning of County Youth Wellness Summit what I was going through.” on March 29. The attendees took Her entire family is now part in panels and workshops involved with the organization, and listened to presentations Brief said. “We had been volungiven by educators teering and working and mental health with SPTS in Jersey, professionals. and we saw the The summit, impact it was having which took place at there,” she said. “I the Brookside School said, ‘Our communiin Merrick, was hostty could have this, ed by the New Jer- SuSAN TElloNE and we could do it sey-based Society for Clinical director, too.’” the Prevention of Brief helped Society for the Teen Suicide and assemble a commitfunded by Friedrich Prevention of Teen tee of mental health Air Conditioning. professionals, educaSuicide Stacy Brief, 24 of tors and local school Bellmore, a 2016 district administrag raduate of Wellington C. tors to create a wellness summit Mepham High School, is a on Long Island. The first one licensed social worker and a took place at Brookside in 2019, therapist at the North Shore but due to the coronavirus panFamily and Guidance Center in demic, the event took a two-year Roslyn. She also serves as Long hiatus. Island coordinator for the SociFour students and two staff ety for the Prevention of Teen members from each participatSuicide. Brief told the Herald ing district attended this year’s that she went through a difficult summit, which was meant solely time in high school, struggling for high school sophomores and with anxiety and depression. juniors. It began with a “Strings Her father, John Brief, works Continued on page 4
By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Courtesy Carmela Gomez
Flood insurance rates could increase in Bellmore, Merrick Households in Bellmore and Merrick could see increased flood insurance premiums on policies that renew after April 1, due to the National Flood Insurance Program’s new system for setting prices. The new rating methodology, called Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action, ensures “flood insurance rates are actuarily sound, equitable, easier to understand and better reflect an individual property’s flood risk,” according to a release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. For new pol-
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Brookside School hosts countywide wellness summit
Anthony Gomez, with his mom, Carmela, at the Chop Your Locks For Charity event, which is hosted annually by Wellington C. Mepham High School. Gomez had his head shaved in honor of his friend Dylan Murphy, who died of pediatric cancer when they were in seventh grade. Story, Page 3.
jvallone@liherald.com
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APRIl 7 - 13, 2022
Choppin’ locks and raising funds
By JoRDAN VAlloNE
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icies, this rating system has already been used since last Oct. 1. Risk Rating 2.0 compares rate changes with the legacy rating system that has been in place since the 1970s. “The comparison data debunks a huge myth held by many critics of the new methodology that under the old system, flood insurance rates were not subject to regular annual increases,” David Maurstad, senior executive of the National Flood Insurance Program, said in a FEMA news release. “The truth is rates have gone up every year for all policyholders and will continue to do so if no action is taken. Continued on page 14
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