Residential Services Milestone
For 50 years, Federation of Organizations has provided vulnerable community members with the tools and supports they need to improve their health and lives while living as independently as possible. A key component is our Residential Programs, which help prevent homelessness while providing individuals with disabilities with person-centered support based on their needs.
Our Licensed Housing Program includes two CR/SRO (community residence/single-room occupancy) facilities – the Irving Berkowitz Residence (IBR) in Brentwood and Frank Padavan 6th St. Residence in Queens Village – with 50 beds apiece, along with two community residences, which accommodate 10 residents in Glen Cove and nine in Massapequa. The facilities have 24/7 staffing, and each individual’s person-centered plan features short-term and long-term goals.
“We assist clients with medication management and the development of living and coping skills, with the goal of giving clients the tools they need to live as independently and successfully as possible,” said Danielle Mann, Division Director of Licensed Residential Services. IBR also includes eight beds for individuals who are transitioning from hospitals to community housing.
When residents in Licensed Housing become more independent, they may move up to Federation’s Non-licensed Supportive Housing, which include 875 units of safe, affordable housing scattered throughout Nassau, Suffolk, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. Clients are served by case management teams, who check on their progress at least twice monthly. The case managers connect clients with internal Federation resources, from counseling and psychiatry services to life skills development, as well as community resources as needed to pursue their goals.
“Our staff is very committed and really know the clients they serve, which is very important to allowing us to help them help themselves,” said Alicia White, Associate Director of Non-licensed Supportive Housing.
Throughout the pandemic, “the way our residential teams pulled together and rose to support our clients was incredible to watch,” Ms. Mann said. “They remained on-site with such dedication and grace to ensure continuity of care did not change and that our clients were taken care of in the best way possible.”