Permanent Housing Placement
Every client receives permanent housing at the completion of her participation
in her designated treatment plan. Greenhope staff assists each client
in developing intermediary goals regarding attainment of transitional and
permanent housing as part of this treatment plan. This includes a money management
plan to result in the accumulation of sufficient funds to pay for first month’s
rent, a security deposit, and all necessary furnishings for the client and
when appropriate, their children.
Benefits Assistance
A full-time benefits specialist secures public assistance application
so that clients receive benefits quickly. The benefits specialist evaluates
clients’ eligibility for benefits within a week of their enrollment
in to the program. They meet with the benefits specialist as needed
in order to facilitate the entitlement process.
Transportation
Transportation is provided for clients without an income via metrocard.
Once financial stability is established via public assistance or employment,
clients are required to include transportation in their budgets. For
clients on public assistance, who are unable to meet all transportation
costs due to many appointments, the program will assist with these costs.
Self-help Programs
Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-A-Non self-help groups
are provided on-site and/or in the community. Clients may attend 12-step
meetings within the community 2-3x weekly during their free time, weekend
passes, and any time after day and evening program hours.
Urinalysis Testing
Random urinalysis screening is performed on-site weekly for all clients.
Psychotherapy
Greenhope’s on-site social worker along with community organizations
provide weekly individual and group psychotherapy. Psychotherapy allows
clients to evaluate, recognize and accept issues that affect their
recovery process. Therapy provides the client with a safe and comforting
arena
to explore issues (i.e. incest, rape, domestic violence and HIV/AIDS)
that the client may not want to disclose in a group setting.
Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric assessment, psychotropic medication management and psychiatric crisis
intervention services are provided on-site and via referral. Greenhope
has agreements with community organizations for the provision of psychiatric services.
Clients receive an initial psychiatric assessment and receive monthly follow-up
psychiatric sessions to monitor their mental health and psychotropic medication.
Greenhope's physician's assistant monitors the progress of the clients on a biweekly
basis.
Dual Diagnosis Workshop
This series of workshops is designed for women with disorders of substance
abuse and mental illness. The following areas are addressed: education and
awareness of psychiatric diagnosis, effective medication management, suicidal
ideation, and emotion regulation. Emotion regulation is used throughout the
workshop to assist clients in recognition, acceptance and appropriate expression
of feelings. It also teaches clients to utilize distress tolerance skills.
The on-site medical assistant, physician's assistant and consulting
physician conduct a medical history of all clients admitted for services.
Problem-focused physical examinations along with treatment plan and/or
follow-up services are provided. The client will also receive information,
instruction, and counseling on health maintenance, health promotion,
social problems, illness prevention and management, and use of medication.
The physician's assistant provides weekly on-site health education workshops.
Topics include: effective breast examination, tuberculosis, first aid,
pap smear, mammograms, etc.
Greenhope provides HIV/AIDS counseling and support services to all clients
affected or infected with the virus including on-site pre- and post-test counseling
and education. Several community organizations provide comprehensive HIV/AIDS
and STD education that includes basic HIV information, individual risk assessments,
risk reduction, negotiating skills, and other related topics.
Initiated in March 2006, the Greenhope CARES program is our newest HIV services
program. This program will be housed in its own facility at 2258 Third Avenue
as of March 15. It operates citywide and will offer treatment adherence, supportive
counseling, and family stabilization services to approximately 120 HIV-positive
women per year.
In 2005, Greenhope received funding from the Tiger Foundation to begin
the development of a Family Therapy Department. The goal of the program
is to provide family counseling to our clients and their families in order
to
aid in family reunification. This service is rendered to women whose children
are in kinship or foster care and are seeking to reestablish ties and
visitation rights with their children. Family services will also assist our
clients’ family
members to interact appropriately with their addicted daughter, mother
or sister.
A family therapist will provide 1) intake/assessment of clients
for
family services; 2) individual family counseling to clients and their
family members (as needed); 3) family counseling groups for the families
of our clients;
4) court advocacy, and 5) facilitation of parenting skills, domestic
violence and trauma (orientation and advanced) workshops. The program
also incorporates
a second family therapist who will work with clients in the 6 month
Aftercare Program.
Having a family therapist work with the clients and
families during aftercare will assist Greenhope in its ability to
continue to:
(1) address
special family needs during and provide advocacy and supportive services
during the actual reunification (returning of children to the home)
period;
(2) prevent
relapse, recidivism, and job loss during this vulnerable time of re-entry;
transitioning to independent living.
Greenhope is proud to announce that we recently received a $132,000
three-year grant from the U.S. Administration for Children, Youth and
Families for our new program, Mentoring Children of Incarcerated Women.
A full-time nutritionist provides nutritional counseling and education.
Thirty percent of our clientele is HIV positive and are not receiving
adequate nutritional education for their health and well-being. One
hundred percent of our clientele have poor eating habits and little
exposure to nutritional value and instruction. The nutritionist has
begun to train our clients in proper food preparation and the benefits
of healthy eating. Teaching clients to eat properly will also reduce
the food expenses of clients upon graduation. Their medical expenses
will also be reduced as a result of healthy living.
The Activities and Daily Living (ADL) Specialist coordinates recreation
and independent living skills activities. The ADL specialist meets with
all new clients, assisting them in becoming acclimated to the program.
The ADL Specialist ensures that new clients are outfitted with shampoo,
soap, deodorant, undergarments, and clothes, when necessary, from our
on-site boutique. The ADL Specialist also spends time assisting with
orientation to the program. The ADL Specialist facilitates three workshops:
Current Events, Activities and Daily Living Workshop, and Independent
Living Skills Group. This person coordinates and escorts clients to
outings, including concerts, plays, museum trips, the Zoo, etc.
A consultant provides literary and creative arts on a weekly basis. This
workshop utilizes drama and story telling to provide the clients with another
means to find their voice, walk in their power, and turn their past life experiences
into the strongest foundation needed to become empowered, independent, drug
free and productive members of their communities. Poetry writing, reading,
role-plays and video production are also a part this workshop and adds to the
clients positive self-expression for a healthy means of communication and positive
self-identity. This workshop helps the women become familiar with themselves,
authors and artists, and video production. The activities are provided on and
off-site.
The fitness program is designed to provide regular physical exercise to reduce
stress and health risks. The on-site exercise program increases energy, motivation,
and a sense of well-being. A certified group fitness consultant offers aerobics,
kickboxing, stretch and tone, step/bench as well as strengthening and toning
exercises. Clients are also able to attend community health and fitness centers.
Greenhope tracks clients’ progress in relapse prevention, sobriety,
vocational/educational status, job re-entry, removal from the welfare rolls,
family re-unification, and jail/prison recidivism. Greenhope will also be able
to more effectively work with Philliber Research Associates to analyze and
evaluate its program.
