Help Human Development Services of Westchester

Human Development Services of Westchester

Mamaroneck, New York

Cause Description:
Human Development Services of Westchester is the dynamic organization, which was formed after the 1999 merge of Futura House (founded 1968) and Human Development Services of Port Chester (founded 1978). Both organizations provided housing and support services to individuals with mental illness. The mission of Human Development Services of Westchester, Inc. (HDSW): HDSW is a social service organization providing quality psychiatric, rehabilitative, residential, and community stabilization services in Westchester County. HDSW is dedicated to empowering the individuals and families we serve to achieve self-sufficiency. HDSW serves its clients and the community through a unique combination of inter-related programs. The mission is accomplished through the provision of housing, vocational services, case management, community support and mental health rehabilitation service. HDSW presently serves over 1600 individuals and families throughout Westchester, many who are recovering from episodes of serious mental illness and are preparing to live independently and others struggling to maintain their housing. Many clients are low-income and all are from various ethnic and racial backgrounds. HDSW works within a continuum of care in Westchester County allying itself with homeless shelters, psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation programs, transitional housing programs and day treatment programs. HDSW provides what has been identified to be the most urgent need in a continuum of care - permanent housing and support services. HDSW is the largest provider of residential care and case management services for those recovering from psychiatric illnesses within Westchester County. HDSW serves the community through inter-related programs. The Intensive/Supportive Case Management Program assists individuals recovering from psychiatric illnesses to access and coordinate needed treatment and recovery services, enrich their support system, prevent crises, and meet emergency service needs. The Permanent Supported Housing program serves adults recovering from a mental illness in client-chosen apartments. Our Supported Housing Family Program serves families, where the parent is recovering from mental illness. Residents of our Supported Housing Program have maintained a housing stability rate over 93% the last 10 years, one of the highest outcomes published in the field. 96% of the families headed by a person with mental illness that we have helped to move from shelters into their own apartments, have remained housed. Not one family has returned to the shelter system. In the Residential Program, HDSW assists mentally-ill individuals in group homes and apartments to return to a more independent lifestyle. WestCAREs is a mobile collaboration among HDSW, St. Vincent’s Hospital, and The Sharing Community. WestCAREs offers comprehensive community support, integrating psychiatric treatment, housing, case management, social and vocational services to persons who are homeless and living with serious mental illness. HOPE House is a psychosocial clubhouse, where people recovering from mental illness are encouraged to return to the mainstream by taking advantage of the many opportunities to pursue employment and education offered at the clubhouse. HOPE House is located in Port Chester, and is open six days per week, drawing members from across Westchester County. HDSW is also the designated Neighborhood Preservation Company (NPC) for the Village of Port Chester, with the goal of increasing and preserving affordable housing for village residents. The NPC is also a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, offering a wide variety of housing and housing related support services in English and Spanish to renters and homeowners in Port Chesters and surrounding communities.

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