Program areas at CHI
Suffolk county department of social services, nassau county department of social services, orange county department of social services, dutchess county department of social services, and nyc department of homeless services through the suffolk county department of social services, chi operated 2 congregate supervised family residences (sfrs), which are ny state tier ii certified, 10 congregate supervised singles residence (sess), one which is certified tier i by nys, and 2 supervised adult shelters, with a concentrated population on adult families. Sfrs and sess have staff available 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Through on-site case management and referrals to Community services, the homeless persons are assisted in becoming personally and economically self-sufficient. The search for permanent Housing is the primary goal for all shelter residents and chi promotes and assists them with the Housing search. Parents, single individuals, and children are provided with a safe home and access to educational, vocational, employment and other Community services based upon the goals they set for themselves. This also includes referrals to resources for those with mental illnesses, histories of substance abuse, physical disabilities, and other specialized needs. Chi has implemented a tutoring initiative for parents working towards a ged as well as homework tutoring for children. With consistent intensive case management and supervision by highly qualified social workers and other staff, shelter residents are helped to secure permanent Housing or other appropriate residence if they are determined to have special needs. Parents are counseled and children are encouraged to attend school and complete homework. At the family shelter locations, childcare and recreation are provided to support the children and their families. Summer camps and field trip opportunities enhance the recreational experience. Workshops are frequently provided offering guidance in areas such as nutrition, budgeting, and parenting. The services provided during the shelter stay are designed to assist participants with finding and retaining appropriate permanent Housing. Chi also operates smaller but similar services in dutchess, orange, and nassau counties: 1 emergency family shelter in both orange and dutchess county, 1 emergency Housing shelter for single men in both orange and dutchess county, 1 emergency short term shelter for single men on parole in dutchess county, 1 mixed use facility (combined transitional and permanent Housing) in orange county, and 1 single male emergency Housing shelter in nassau county. A second single male emergency Housing shelter in nassau county was transitioned from families to a single male population in 2020. 802 people including 175 families and 210 singles were assisted by chi social service programs in dutchess, orange, and nassau counties. Dutchess county served: 291 individuals, composed of 80 singles and 74 families vanderbilt: 74 families, 211 people - 20 moved to permanent Housing rose st.: 41 men - 7 moved to permanent Housing north hamilton: 39 men - 11 moved to permanent Housing orange countyserved: 308 people, 130 individuals and 73 families 44 grand: 130 men - 36 moved to permanent Housing 9w: 67 families, 159 people - 17 moved to permanent Housing port jervis: 6 families, 19 people - 3 moved to permanent Housing nassau county served: 203 individuals including 28 families jerusalem ave: 143 single males, 3 singles moved to permanent Housing cornell st.: served 28 families, 60 people - 10 moved to permanent Housing chi entered into new contracts with the city of new york department of homeless services to provide emergency Housing services for homeless individuals and families with children in new york city. In april 2022, chi took over 2 facilities in brooklyn, super 8 and red lion, that serve a total of 284 single men across both sites. These facilities are staffed 24/7 plus contracted security, including social service teams to provide case management, rehousing assistance, connections with health services community-based organizations recreational activities, and independent living and other skills development workshops. Chi provides 3 meals a day, transportation assistance, and funds for personal laundry. Moving residents into permanent Housing is chi's primary objective and all services are designed to facilitate Housing searches and moves.in october 2022, chi opened one of nyc's first sanctuary shelters for migrant families with children. This site, located in midtown manhattan, is a 17- floor hotel with 159 units. Resident census ranges from 135-150 families consisting of 425-500 individuals. This site is staffed 24/7 plus contracted security, including a social service team to provide case management, benefits advocacy, connections with health services and community-based organizations, recreational activities, and independent living and other skills development workshops such as english language acquisition, health and hygiene, navigating the nyc public transportation system. The site is staffed with paralegals to provide legal support to residents with their asylum claims and immigration issues. The site is also staffed with translators as most residents speak spanish only; and a liaison from the department of education to assist school-age children with enrollment, transportation and other education-related needs as they arise. Chi provides 3 meals a day, transportation assistance, and laundry services for personal items.
Chi has two nys omh funded supported Housing programs in westchester county. The referrals come from the westchester county department of Community mental health in conjunction with the local continuum of care. All referrals are disabled and homeless or in Housing need. The supportive Housing is permanent rental Housing with onsite staff to provide case management. In 2022, the modern served a total of 23 people in 22 beds. One person moved two another program and two people died. This new construction building and omh program opened in 2017 in mt vernon, ny.the mayfair, located in white plains was opened in 2021 and housed a total of 24 people in 20 units. Four people left the program, two went to long term medical facility, and two moved to other locations.
In westchester county, chi's emergency Housing apartment program (ehap) provides scattered-site temporary Housing in traditional apartments. The ehap program was modified and put up for rfp in 2017 for specific catchment areas of the four local westchester county department of social services (dss) offices; peekskill, white plains, yonkers, and mt. Vernon. Chi sought and was awarded five one-year renewable ehap contracts for the mt. Vernon and new rochelle catchment area. Due to covid, the contract was extended one year through 12/21/2022 to provide up to 90 emergency Housing units (ehus) located in Community rental buildings in the two school districts. Dss's case management unit does the full family holistic case management to work with the families in the ehap regarding their needs (academic, vocational, mental health, treatment, etc.). Chi ehap staff are Housing specialists who focus specifically on assisting families to secure permanent Housing. They assess the family's Housing needs and budget, teach family members how to maintain the units, to self-advocate with the building superintendent, and provide critical skills needed as they seek permanent Housing. They call and advocate for the clients with landlords, do role-playing with families for Housing interviews, assist in obtaining necessary documents to obtain Housing and moves, meet with landlords, and conduct Housing quality standard reviews of ehus and permanent Housing units. A chi maintenance technician fulfills unit maintenance repair requests, cleans, and prepares units for re-occupancy, sets up furniture, assesses building needs, and coordinates with service staff. A chi operations director orders furniture, manages the maintenance technician, and collaborates with property owners. Ehap program in 2021: 74 families and 213 people housed in the chi ehap 65% of those who moved out went to permanent housingo 17 - moved out to Housing, average los 954 dayso 9 - returned to shelter, average los 923 days 6 -move ins, all in last quarter of 2021 the total average length of stay was 998. Ehap program in 2022: 69 families and 186 people housed in the chi ehap 39 families moved out to housing.o 36 moved out with ehv voucher assistance 1 family returned to a shelter 1 passed away in the hospital due to long term medical concerns 18 families entered the chi ehap the total average length of stay was 607 daysrental supplement program (rsp)in 2022, wcdss award chi the new rental supplement program (rsp)to provide up to 100 rental supplements to individuals and families, both with and without children, residing in westchester county, ny who are experiencing homelessness or are facing imminent loss of Housing, regardless of immigrations status. Eligibility for chi's rental supplement program will be limited to those individuals making no more than 30% mfi for the first 3 months of program operation and will expand to those individuals making no more than 50% mfi. In 2022, two households started receiving a rental subsidy.
Chi operates other smaller programs to help low to moderate income individuals and families. For many years chi has offered a variety of services for homeowners. Chi helps both first-time homebuyers and current homeowners facing delinquency & foreclosure. Foreclosure clients benefitted from a short-term financial assistance program chi offered, funded by westchester county. Additionally, chi offered a westchester county-funded financial literacy training program; chi held sessions aimed at current shelter residents.performance statistics in 2022 - homeownership & foreclosure prevention counseling served 1748 people - provided homebuyer counseling to 296 individuals - provided the e-home online course to 285 individuals - provided orientations to 1510 people - enabled the purchase of 15 homes with down payment and rehabilitation assistance grants - enabled the purchase of 215 homes through education, counseling, and grant assistance - provided foreclosure prevention counseling to152 households & secured 9 loan modifications - provided financial literacy training to 36 individuals