Greenhope proposes the development of a women's residential substance abuse treatment program for 72 homeless ex-offenders, an estimated 28 of whom will have children residing with them in the program. The facility will be located on East 119th Street in East Harlem, Manhattan. Greenhope's program is designed to accommodate single women as well as women with their children. All of the residents will be homeless, in the process of transitioning from incarceration to independent living, or will have been referred to the program as an alternative to incarceration. In absence of this program their only residential alternatives are incarceration; the New York City shelter system; or inappropriate and/or unsafe domicile. The need for the proposed program is critical: Drug related offenses are the primary cause of the exponential growth of women involved in the criminal justice system. For the target population to successfully transition into permanent housing and become self-reliant, constructive members of their communities, extensive support services must be in place to address the underlying causes of their incarceration and substance abuse. Integrated into a three-phased substance abuse treatment program, is a comprehensive service program to assist the population in developing independent living skills.

Greenhope is well on the way to developing the project. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development has agreed to transfer a lot on East 119th Street. Greenhope has received 2.4 million in funding from HHAP (Homeless Housing Assistance Program) and 1 million from HUD (US Dept. Of Housing and Urban Development) for the 28 single-family units for 28 women with 28 children. In addition, Greenhope will receive funding from its licensing agency, OASAS, (The Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services) to fund 21 double units for 42 for single adults. After completion of the building, the operation of the program will be funded primarily through Greenhope's current OASAS license.

The project will consist of 21 double units for single women and 28 family units that will each house 1 women and 1 child. Twelve of the units for single women will be arranged into suites, each consisting of three double units and one bathroom. The remaining nine double units will be arranged in two suites of four and five double units each with two bathrooms. Twenty-four of the family units will be arranged into suites, each consisting of three family units and one bathroom. There will be one additional suite consisting of four family units. Two floors of the residence will be designated for the single women, three floors will be designated for women and children, and additional two floors and the basement will serve as program space. All floors will have a communal space and two staff offices for counseling, monitoring, and crisis intervention. A commercial kitchen, located in the basement, will serve three meals a day to all residents. The basement, first and seventh floors will house program staff and administrative offices, classrooms, a medical center and pharmacy, rooms for program activities and a nursery and day care center. A 1,125 square foot portion of the property will be designated solely for a community garden. The backyard, consisting of 2,250 square feet, will be used for children's activities and will also be open to the adult women for structured recreational activities.

Roughly 70% of Greenhope's clients have children and, in order to address their needs, the proposed project will include a range of services designed for parents and families. The women enrolled in the program will be at different custodial stages. For example, women referred to the program as an alternative to incarceration are often threatened with the loss of custody of their children and those who have been incarcerated will most likely not have custody upon release. When a child first comes to live with his or her mother at Greenhope, it may have been months or even years since they have lived together as a family unit. Through the proposed program, women will have a chance to live in a safe and supportive environment where they can learn to become responsible parents and develop more positive relationships with their children. Support structures will also be in place to assist single women as they start to pursue contact with their children and seek custody. The proposed residence will provide the structure and supervision necessary for the women to succeed in caring for and nurturing their children and staying drug-free and out of jail.

Another unique aspect of Greenhope's approach to serving female ex-offenders is a commitment to employing a staff that positively reflects the demographics of the population served. This aspect will be apparent in the new program, since the majority of the staff will be African American and Latina women. Through a comprehensive substance abuse treatment program, Greenhope will continue to assist its population in solving the root causes of their problems. By addressing their personal histories through individual, family and group counseling, the program will provide them with the necessary skills to live independent drug-free lives.

The supportive services provided at the program will include: substance abuse treatment; vocational/educational services; individual, group and family counseling; case management; permanent housing placement; parent development and foster care system educational workshops; domestic violence education and prevention and legal services. The program will provide an on-site nursery and day care services in order that the custodial mothers will be able to fully participate in the treatment program. Through Greenhope's extensive array of linkage agreements throughout the community, residents will have access to a variety of other services, including mental health services, primary care, HIV/AIDS counseling, vocational testing, and educational services, job training, and housing placement.

Vocational and educational services comprise an integral component of Greenhope's comprehensive treatment plan. The vocational and educational counselor will assess the clients early on in their program and a personalized program will be developed. The program will consist of educational and vocational skill building through classroom instruction, community service, internships and training programs. Through the vocational and educational program, illiteracy, unemployment and relapse recidivism will be reduced, preparing the women to live independently without the support of public subsidies.

Greenhope is a positive and active organization in the East Harlem community with a long history of developing strong relationships within the surrounding area. In developing the proposed program, Greenhope has held meetings with, and garnered letters of support from community residents, local religious leaders, social service providers, business and community leaders and elected officials.

All of the residents of the proposed Greenhope program will be referred by: the New York State Division of Parole; the Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives; the New York City shelter system; Court facilities; other service providers; other Greenhope programs; and self-referrals.