Be sure to identify them and at what facility they work.

Name:
Facility: Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Center Jamaica Branch
Given number to call
Dianne Martori
QUESTIONS FOR CATHOLIC HEALTHCARE REVIEW
1. How long have you been working at this institution? What is your position at
this institution?
3 years. Clinical director of Jamaica
2. Do you identify as Roman Catholic? If yes, how do you practice your faith (go
to church, pray before meals)
-no
a. If no, do you identify with any other religion/ spiritual beliefs? How do
you practice?
-

Spiritual belief

Helps her in terms of stress management high paced and

stressfull environment. Manage stress and stay grounded
3. In general, how do you think this institution exemplifies its Roman Catholic
Identity?
Part of our mission to serve those who are most in need all programs
are designed for people are in need, whether its mental health
services. Assist those who assisted
4. Are there any procedures/ qualities that you have observed in this facility that
can be traced back to Roman Catholic beliefs/ tradition? If yes, what are they?
Probably like the holidays. Given off for things like immaculate
conception. Holy Thursday. In day to day work. Not usually
given off for other holidays.
5. If you have worked in a non-sectarian healthcare facility before, how does it
compare to working in a Roman Catholic healthcare facility?
a. Worked for st. Christopher oteley family fairly similar- more
awareness about catholic holidays, whats going on in the
church
What does a healthcare institution mean when it says it is a Roman Catholic one?

Personally, it means that there is the backing of the catholic church

and also that within church theres a lot of assistance and a wide network
of places that offer assistance. Sometimes get referrals from church, easy
to refer to them.
How does a Roman Catholic healthcare institution sustain its Roman Catholic
identity without the visible presence / reminders of the women religious historically
present throughout the healthcare facility?

We still have members of the clergy who work CEO is a monk

senior. Many preists and members of clergy who still, higher up, carries on
the catholic mission. Reminds about the holidays, church, fosters relation
Dianna
718-704-5488
Diane.martori@ccbq.org
-visible presence not really

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens translates the Gospel of
Jesus Christ into action by affirming the dignity and value of every person,
especially the most vulnerable members of our diverse society. Catholic Charities
develops effective responses to human need and joins with all people of good will in
advocating for a social order which promotes justice and embraces human
development
This is the mission statement of the Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Center,
which was showcased on the front desk of the Jamaica Branch, and to which the
Interviewee mentioned a few times when asked about the relationship between the
Church and the health center.
The Second interviewee took place over the phone, although I went to the site prior
to the phone interview twice in hopes for an in-person one. Although the center was
small, people working at the facility were very busy. Diane Martoli, the clinical
director of the Health Center, whom I interviewed, described the Health center as
being around the clock place. She had been working as the director at the Jamaica
branch for 3 years. She identifies herself as a Roman Catholic, who does not
currently practice going to church. When asked about how she personally uses her
faith for her work, she explained how she uses her spiritual belief to manage with
her stress management that comes with her high paced and stressful
environment. She also mentioned how her personal belief keeps her grounded

when working. She mentioned the above mission statement of the Catholic Charities
when asked about how she thinks the Health Center exemplifies its Roman Catholic
identity. She explained that part of their mission is to serve those who are most in
need, whether its specifically mental health services or other. She explained how
the Catholic belief shines through their work due to the fact that they help everyone
one who needs assistance. To her, what a healthcare institution means when it
identifies as a Roman Catholic institution, is that there is a backing of the Catholic
Church in the institution. She explained how the church provides a lot of assistance
to the Healthcare center, and also provides a wide network of places that also offer
assistance. Also, the Church uses these healthcare facilities to refer to the
members of their churches who need help. She says how a lot of the patients that
have visited the facility were referred to by their Church.
Diane Martoli had worked at a non-sectarian healthcare facility before. When
she compared the two facilities, she said that they were very similar, but the
Catholic healthcare facility observed the Catholic Holidays, and were more in tune
to what is going on in the Church. When I asked about how the health institution
specifically had any procedures or observations that trace back to Roman Catholic
beliefs or traditions, the only thing she mentioned was that they observe and are
given off on Catholic Holidays, but mentioned that specifically on a day-to-day
basis, there was not a special procedure.
When I was visiting their small center, there did not seem to be any religious church
members working there. When I asked her about the lack of presence of religious
members such as nuns and other clergy in todays society, vs. how it has been
before, she did describe the scenario that was given to us in the introduction to this
paperthere were still some members of the clergy who work in the institution of
Catholic Charities as a whole. Unlike the description of the declining leadership
roles, the members of the clergy at this institution seemed to have very high up
positions and leadership roles. The CEO of Catholic Charities, a monk senior, and
other members with high up positions, she said, lead the way to carry out the
Catholic mission, and reinforce the workers to be aware about things such as
Catholic holidays, and fostering the institutions relationship with the Church.