50th Anniversary

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February 2, 2022

Celebrating 50 Years of Innovative Programs

[West Babylon] Federation of Organizations began in 1972 as a small group of parents advocating for better care for their loved ones struggling with mental illness. The West Babylon-based organization has since grown into a major health and human services agency providing a wide range of health and wellness services, senior and children’s services, housing, and support services for thousands of vulnerable community members in Long Island and New York City.

Throughout its 50 years, Federation’s mission has been the same: giving individuals the tools and support they need to improve their health, live independently, and achieve their dreams. Federation has fulfilled it mission by developing innovative, evidence-based, and cost-effective programs and services for individuals in recovery, those living with chronic medical conditions, adult home residents, the homeless, low-income seniors and at-risk children.

Federation continued to provide its essential services throughout the pandemic and even progressed with new programs over the last couple of years. New programs include the Home-BEST (Home Based Empowerment Support Team) program, which provides intensive counseling and crisis prevention services to support Nassau residents under age 21 diagnosed with serious emotional disturbances and/or who are at risk for hospitalization or out-of-home placement. Federation also expanded their Wyandanch Clinic as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), which has allowed Federation to provide more comprehensive and integrated care to the clients of the Suffolk County based mental health clinic.

Federation also recently achieved certification from OASAS (New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports) to open a new chemical dependency outpatient treatment program, which is now up and running in Copiague.

The agency has also continued to move forward with two major affordable housing developments including a 119-unit complex in Brooklyn, expected to be completed in September 2022; and a 118-unit complex in Far Rockaway with an expected completion date of July 2023.

Some of Federation’s long-running programs include the Foster Grandparent program, which provides low-income seniors a stipend to serve as volunteers in schools and daycare centers, assisting the teacher in providing educational and emotional support for at-risk children. There is also the Senior Companion program, which trains seniors to provide support and companionship to frail isolated older adults to help them maintain their independence in the community.

Federation would not be where it is today without its incredible team of about 600 employees. The team is the core of Federation and comprises a diverse group of dedicated people from many walks of life, with varying backgrounds and talents.

“Some people have been here for decades, while others are new to the team,” Barbara Faron, Chief Executive Officer for Federation. “What they all have in common is a desire to help people and a passion for the work we do. We would not have gotten through the challenges of the last two years without our amazing staff, who continued to show up for work, caring for the people we serve and helping us continue to carry out our mission to improve the lives of thousands of vulnerable community members.”

We look forward to celebrating our 50^th anniversary during a gala celebration on November 10, 2022 at Russo on the Bay; more details will be announced soon.

For more information about Federation of Organizations please visit www.fedoforg.org/50, or contact Melissa Rose, Vice President of Marketing Works, at melissa@marketingworkspr.com.

Federation Milestones

OASAS

Milestone: OASAS

Throughout our 50–year history, Federation of Organizations has created innovative, cost-effective programs to improve the lives and health of vulnerable populations. One of our newest is our OASAS (New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports) Certified Outpatient Treatment Program in Copiague, which we opened in January 2021.

Developed in response to the dire need for addiction services on Long Island, where the opioid crisis has claimed thousands of lives over the past decade, Federation’s OASAS Clinic providesevidence-based services to help adults, children and adolescents who are struggling with addiction to gain support and maintain sobriety.

These services include Group Therapy, Individual Therapy, Toxicology Testing, Psychiatric Evaluation and Medication Management, Medication Assisted Treatment, Family Therapy, Peer Services and Naloxone Training.

Our OASAS Clinic is one of many ways we fulfill our mission, which has remained the same since we opened our doors 50 years ago: to provide individuals with the tools and support they need to improve their health, live independently, and achieve their dreams.

For more information about our OASAS Clinic or our other programs, contact Federation.

CLINICAL MILESTONE

Milestone: CLINICAL

When we look back at our 50-year history, Federation of Organizations is very proud of our many accomplishments in our Clinical Services Division.

Federation has been providing clinical services on Long Island and in New York City for over 15 years. Our array of services include the Wyandanch Clinic and a satellite clinic in Patchogue, four Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Teams including one forensically focused FACT team, two Personalized Recovery Oriented Services Programs, and most recently, the addition of our OASAS Outpatient Addiction Clinic and our Opioid Overdose Prevention Program. The Clinical Services Division provided treatment and support to more than 1,400 individuals last year.

In 2020, Federation expanded our Wyandanch Clinic as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Expansion Grantee. With the goal of integrating care, Federation was able to hire additional staff including veterans’, children’s, vocational and community crisis specialists as well as a certified peer and added many services, including onsite care coordination, peer and vocational services. The additional staff and services, which are typically not found at a mental health center, have allowed Federation to provide more comprehensive care to our clients.

Federation was certified as an Opioid Overdose Prevention Provider by the New York State Department of Health in 2020. This designation has allowed us to provide Narcan training to staff, clients and community groups across Long Island and New York City. Soon afterward, Federation achieved certification to open our first OASAS (Outpatient Addiction Services and Supports) Clinic in Copiague, where we serve adults, children and adolescents who are struggling with addiction.

Over the years, we have developed four ACT Teams in Queens and Suffolk Counties, serving a total of 272 individuals at home and in the community, who have not been successful in traditional treatment approaches. Our ACT Teams are staffed with family, vocational and substance use specialists, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, nurses and peers who have helped reduce hospitalizations and otherwise improve the lives of clients.

Our two PROS Programs provide group therapy sessions to help individuals improve basic life skills, increase socialization and achieve vocational/educational goals. These robust programs served 202 individuals in Patchogue and 157 people in Copiague last year, and after switching to telehealth during the pandemic, returned to safely accommodate participants onsite in June 2021.

Our innovative Clinical Programs help us fulfill our mission, which for 50 years has been to give vulnerable members of our community the tools and support they need to improve their health, live independently, and achieve their goals.