Harrison Youth Council Names New Executive Director

Young people are facing new challenges when it comes to addictive behaviors, and the Harrison Youth Council's new Executive Director Scott Altabet has ideas for how to help.

"HYC is an opportunity in the fact that it's a small agency with a big mission," Altabet said. "It's the type of challenge I like in my professional career. There's freedom to do exploring and expansion for a worthy cause."

Altabet, a social worker with clinical and private practice experience, says he hopes to create a stronger presence for HYC in the Harrison community while doing more to serve Harrison's diverse populations.

"The council functions very well in the mission of trying to help reduce substance abuse and alcohol abuse. It's a very worthy mission," said Altabet. "The council does a good job of interacting with other groups—parents, schools, police—that want to do the same thing."

"I think, though, that we'd like to see ourselves serving all the needs of the different communities that make up Harrison, and that can be a challenge," he explained.

HYC has been serving the community for more than three decades, but Altabet, a father of two teenage boys, says there are many new challenges facing today's youth.

He said he hopes to expand outreach efforts regarding dangerous and potentially addictive behaviors such as cyber gambling, and prescription drug abuse.

"According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, marijuana abuse and experimentation and prescription drug abuse are just about tied on a national level," he said. "Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem because it's very available. Research indicates that teens don't feel that it's dangerous; there's the idea that it's prescribed by a doctor so it's safe."

Altabet brings extensive experience in working with young people to his new position. He has served on the Village of Scarsdale's School Board Nominating Committee, the Advisory Council for Youth, the Board of Directors of the Scarsdale Teen Center, and the Scarsdale Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol.

On top of this volunteer experience, he's maintained a private practice in Westchester and the Bronx for the last 16 years and has also worked as a director at the Bronx Children’s Psychiatric Center. Altabet is currently working on his PhD at Columbia University.

He says that ultimately, combatting youth addiction is about helping kids realize their abilities.

"Teenagers need a message that's consistent and at the same time allows them to explore the freedom and ability to control their lives that they're looking for," said Altabet.

"Why would I go into this work given the challenges? It's about trying to help one person at a time to achieve their potential," he said. "Addictive behaviors can diminish people's ability to achieve everything they can."