Meeting the Challenge
Care for the Homeless Annual Report 2009
Mission Care for the Homeless responds to the devastating effects of homelessness in New York City both by ensuring a wide array of high-quality support services to homeless children, women, and men and by helping to improve the policies and programs affecting them. Care for the Homeless places at the core of our work the ultimate goal of eliminating homelessness within our city and country.
Commitment Care for the Homeless is committed to responding to and ending homelessness through:
A full range of medical and social services for homeless individuals and families provided without regard to ability to pay
Health education and outreach
Working for policies that ensure homeless individuals and at-risk adults and children receive health care, emergency and transitional housing, and other benefits that prevent future homelessness
Providing shelter, safety and support for mentally ill and medically frail homeless women at Susan’s Place, our 200-bed shelter in the Bronx
History Care for the Homeless (CFH) was established in 1985 under the auspices of the United Hospital Fund as part of the national Health Care for the Homeless Program demonstration project. It was incorporated as an independent nonprofit agency in 1992. In 2004, CFH and the Jerome Avenue Care for the Homeless Housing Development Fund Corporation signed a long-term contract with the New York City Department of Homeless services to build and operate Susan’s Place, a 200-bed transitional residence with an onsite medical and dental clinic for medically frail and or mentally ill homeless women. Susan’s Place opened in 2008.
Letter from the Leadership
Board Chair Harry M. Rosen, Ph.D. and Executive Director Bobby Watts
This year an epidemic of homelessness struck New York City. As the economy fell into recession, people lost jobs, health insurance, homes, and savings. More homeless families than ever before entered the shelter system. Other homeless citizens were sleeping in subways and on park benches. The daily struggle of our clients to exist despite daunting odds is why you are reading this report today. We are a society that values better economic opportunities and personal wellness for all.
Front Cover: Tiffany with sons Xadde, Tajai and Dante, CFH Clinic, Briarwood Family Residence, Queens (now in independent housing)
Care for the Homeless has been hard at work for nearly twenty-five years to ensure that homeless men, women, and children can get the health care and other services that will keep them healthy and better prepared for the day when they have homes. Our dedicated heath care providers, health educators, and case managers are giving homeless New
Yorkers the hope that comes when one gets the medical treatment, health care information, and other services needed to keep healthy and give support, security, and confidence. In 2009, Care for the Homeless celebrated an important achievement. Eight clinics in Queens and Brooklyn that had been operated by our dedicated long-time partners were officially transferred to CFH’s operations. These eight clinics join our flagship NYS-licensed medical clinic at Susan’s Place that opened in 2008. This consolidation of services puts CFH on firmer ground financially as we can now obtain better reimbursement from Medicaid for our services. We have more flexibility to move staff from site to site across boroughs to deliver care for our transient homeless client population. We also began to bring program evaluation to
the agency. The overall purpose of the program evaluation program is to improve our services and demonstrate the effectives of our services to funders in order to secure more support for our work. Our policy efforts in partnership with other health care providers continue to build a broad movement that works to ensure that no homeless person will be denied the health care and other services they need. The financial crisis that faced us in 2008 has not abated, and neither has CFH’s courage and resolve. Our 2009 Annual Report is a testament to the enduring spirit of our clients who live in the state of “homelessness”. The successes reported on the next few pages would not have been possible without the generosity of our many friends, donors, and partners who value our mission. Thank you for your compassion and support that encourages all of us daily in our work.
Harry M. Rosen, Ph.D. Chair, Board of Directors
G. Robert Watts Executive Director
2009 Highlights In 2009, CFH’s health care teams traveled to 36 sites in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx to deliver medical care to 10,211 homeless men, women, and children (8,546 adults and 1,665 children). This year CFH expanded its services and added eight medical clinics (formerly operated by our medical partners) to the agency. Services we offer include primary health care, oral health care, and health education services as well as a full range of social services including mental health evaluation and treatment, adherence services, substance abuse and alcohol counseling, and intensive case management.
Michael Gilhooly (ctr.), Program Coordinator with members of CFH’s Consumer Advisory Board
The homeless people we serve frequently fall victim to contagious, chronic, and debilitating illnesses, HIV is an acute example of this fact. Our experienced health care teams provide HIV pre-and post-test counseling, HIV testing, including rapid testing, and HIV primary care. Care for the Homeless’ commitment to consumer participation is demonstrated by a standing HIV Advisory Council (HAC) to ensure that our clients with HIV/AIDS who have experienced homelessness have a voice. In 2009, M*A*C* AIDS Fund helped to support a peer-based HIV Treatment Adherence project .
Nathalie Richardson, (left) Director, with Aida and Robert Bennett, Assistant Director (right) outside Susan’s Place
Care for the Homeless also provides shelter for homeless mentally ill and medically frail women at Susan’s Place, our 200-bed transitional shelter with an onsite medical and dental clinic in the Bronx. Susan’s Place gives women a safe and supportive environment and the health care and social services that will help keep them housed after we place them in permanent housing.
Denise Jones, Senior Case Manager (left) with Glenda, Susan’s Place
CFH health care teams are adept in the delivery of services from site to site. A Health Educator in the Diabetes Management Program in partnership with the Cornell University Cooperative Extension taught a cooking and nutrition program at Susan’s Place. Six clients graduated from the eight week course. One graduate, who has battled substance abuse issues, cried and said she had never completed anything in her life. Another graduate who typically uses a wheelchair walked to receive her certificate. The cooking class gave residents, many of whom suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, information on how they can live a healthier life. This kind of daily living skill is an important tool that will help the women once they are living independently. Antoinette and Lashell, CFH’s pediatric Mental Health Program at Briarwood Family Residence, Queens
Lesley Moody, CFH Health Educator, talks to clients about cooking and nutrition, Susan’s Place
CFH’s Pediatric Mental Health (PMH) Program is our attempt to break the cycle of homelessness that persists in families. Homelessness imposes strain and trauma that can last over a lifetime. CFH’s PMH Program operates at family shelters and offers behavioral health care to children and adolescents at a stage in life when mental health treatment can make a vital impact. CFH’s Diabetes Management Program (funded by the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation) serves homeless seniors at two shelters in Manhattan and gives us the opportunity to demonstrate that there are effective ways to improve the health outcomes of our homeless clients. The program is driven by the patients who advertise the service to others in the two shelters. “Diabetes Day” is now almost a household name at the two shelters.
Care for the Homeless’ full-time Director of Policy and Government Relations works with his peers in coalitions to give a voice to the homeless men, women and children we serve. Our collaborative policy efforts aim to address the issues at the heart of today’s homelessness crisis such as housing and the need for quality health care. Miosoti Morel, CFH Medical Assistant and Cornell, CFH’s Diabetes Management Program at George Daly House in Manhattan
Financial and Program Highlights Summary of Visits
Primary Care and Dental Visits: 21,315
Health Education Visits: 4,496 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Visits: 4,578 HIV Intensive Case Management and Treatment Adherence Visits: 5,005
Partners in Care Patricia (left) with Tajlia Horry, CFH Medical Case Manager at George Daly House
Breakdown of Expenses Program Services: 87% Other Than Program Services: 13%
Fundraising 2% Policy and Advocacy 1%
Management and General 11%
In September 2009, eight clinic sites in Brooklyn and Queens previously operated by our dedicated long-time partners, New York Hospital Queens and The Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center, were transferred to CFH’s medical operations. Our heath care services in Manhattan and the Bronx are provided in partnership with The Institute for Family Health and the Montefiore Medical Center /Family Health Center.
REVENUE Health Services 41%
Public Grants and Contracts Medicaid Reimbursement Private Grants and Donations Interest and Dividends
Residential Services 45%
TOTAL REVENUE
$12,171,222 $1,126,295 $446,082 $539 $13,744,138
EXPENSES Program Services (Health and Residential Services, Policy and Advocacy) Other Than Program Services (Management and General and Fundraising) TOTAL EXPENSES Excess of Revenue Over Expenses
$11,864,179 $1,704,395 $13,568,574 $175,564
CFH in the Community
Joy Favuzza-Taylor, FNP and Yvonne, Susan’s Place Medical Clinic
Vanessa Marrow, Susan’s Place Senior Housing Specialist (left) takes clients (l-r) Gloria, Minerva and Mary to view prospective apartments in the handicapped-accessible van provided by a grant from the Frank E. Clark Charitable Trust
“When we say that our children are our future, we must have a road that can help them see that a full life has so much to offer them. Our younger generation who are not affected can remain that way only through prevention and education.”
Harry Rosen, Ph.D., CFH Board Chair takes the gold at the New Hope 5K Run/ Walk for Healthy Communities
Socorro Muniz, CFH Medical Assistant and Benny Rodriguez, CFH Mental Health Intensive Case Manager, CFH Clinic, Briarwood Family Residence
Wilson, CFH HIV Advisory Council Member
CFH Supporters 2009
Your tax-deductible donation to Care for the Homeless in the suggested amounts below will cover the costs of the following items and services:
Care for the Homeless is grateful for the generous support we received in 2009 from the following individuals, institutions and government agencies: Government Supporters
The Glickenhaus Foundation Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Lydia's Ladies NYC Department of Health Greater New York Hospital and Mental Hygiene/ Association Ventures, Inc. Public Health Solutions Greater Twin Cities United Way NYC Department of Homeless Healthcare Pharmacy Services Services (DHS) Helen Hoffritz Charitable Trust Interstate Foods, Inc. Office of the Manhattan Borough Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President Jane and Donald Seymour Kelley U.S. Department of Health and Fund - The New York Community Human Services Trust HRSA, Bureau of Primary Care, Loeb & Troper LLP Section 330 Healthcare for the The McGraw Hill CompaniesHomeless Community Partnership HRSA, HIV/AIDS Bureau, Ryan MDG Design & Construction, LLC White Part C Montefiore Medical Center MSY Construction Corporation New Hope Lutheran Church Corporate, Foundation of Jamaica, NY and Institutional Supporters PGA Mechanical Contractors Premier, Inc. Ambassador Food Services Corp. Rite Aid Foundation Apatow Family Foundation Larry & Jane Scheinfeld Foundation The Frank J. Antun Foundation - Jewish Communal Fund Assurant Foundation Saint Peter's Lutheran ChurchLily Auchincloss Foundation Benevolence Society Bendiner & Schlesinger, Inc. Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Tuscaron Lutheran Women's Retreat United Way of NYC Gladys Brooks Foundation van Ameringen Foundation C. Patrick & Pamela Carroll Fund WELCA Common Cents - Penny Harvest Westside Foods, Inc. Consolidated Environmental, Inc. Frank Crystal & Co. Individuals ($1,000 and above) Cushman & Wakefield The Dammann Fund, Inc. Carmine & Kathleen Asparro Emblem Health Donald & Karen Ashkenase The Fan Fox and Arthur H. Barnes Leslie R. Samuels Foundation Jeanne M. Broussard Florman Tannen LLC
Robert E. Buckholz, Jr., Esq. Sarah D. Caldwell David & Susie Florman Barry and Alison Goodman Deborah L. Jacques Barbara E. Knecht Paul & Toby Koren Jim Mutton & Indira Disla Francis B. Olsen, D.D.S. Lee H. Perlman, FACHE & Linda S. Riefberg Harry M. Rosen, Ph.D. Linda E. Scott John Andrew Smith Susan Waltman & Tom Barry G. Robert & Deatra Watts Beth C. Weitzman, Ph.D. & Mitchell Rubin, M.D. Joel & Svetlana Weitzman Michael L. Ziegler, Esq.
Individuals ($999-$500) C. Douglas Ades Karla Austen Louise Bergstresser Arthur Chang & Allison Thrush Robert & Donna Clemmens Stephen & Eileen Cohen Fred Davie Frank DeLeonardis Joy Favuzza-Taylor, F.N.P. Aria Finger David & Shirley Ginzberg Robert & Amy Heller Chris & Judy Huber Steven & Susan Jacobson Paul Burstyn & Family: In Memory of Phyllis Karno
Jamie & Howard Klein Robert & Louise Kleinberg James Knickman, Ph.D. Josh Kuriloff Frank J. Oswald Debra Raskin & Michael Young Larry & Elaine Rothenberg John & Monica Sganga Dana E. Sherwin, FACHE Craig & Brenda Simonian Bruce & Fredda Vladeck James F. Woods & Charles J. Horkan
Individuals ($499-$250) Anne Elizabeth Fontaine Jack & Betty Fontaine Jacob Daniel Kanofsky, MD Harriet Kaufman Judith & Jerry Lerman Denis & Jaye Lynch Sue Meyers Lawrence Rothbart Ellen Schall Marty & Jane Schwartz Marvin Tagaban Derek van Straaten Betty Wong
A special thank you goes to our many generous donors that are too numerous to list here.
$25=
Teeth cleaning for one homeless child client
$50=
Prenatal vitamins for one pregnant homeless client
$100=
A one-month supply of insulin for one homeless diabetic client
$200=
Ultrasound for one homeless client
$500=
A one-year prescription for therapy treatment of blood pressure and heart disorders for one homeless client
$1,000=
Personal care kits including toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, comb, shampoo and washcloth for 120 homeless clients
$2,500= HIV Rapid tests for 134 homeless clients
$5,000= Dental care for uninsured client needing extensive dental work
In-Kind Donations Croton-Harmon Senior High School Circle Pink Girl Scout Troops 40079 and 40753 Lauren LH Jones Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church Solomon Schecter School of Manhattan Ruby Valdez, IMClone Systems, Inc. Paul Weinschenk Photography
Bobby Watts, CFH Executive Director (left) and Linda Riefberg, CFH Board Member (right), Comedy Cares for the Homeless 2009
Jim Mutton, CFH Board Secretary, Comedy Cares for the Homeless 2009
Members of the CFH Benefit Committee, and comics, Paula Poundstone (ctr.), Jeff Kreisler and Kevin Meany (right, top & bottom rows) Comedy Cares for the Homeless 2009
Class Act Sponsors Montefiore Medical Center (left to right), Deborah Barrow, NP, ANP, Arthur Marsh, Randi Kohn, Imogene Evans, Greg Burke, Hal Strelnick, M.D., and Jorge Rodriguez, Comedy Cares for the Homeless 2009
Carmine Asparro, CFH Board Vice-Chair, Comedy Cares for the Homeless 2009
CFH in Action
Mercedes (left) with Dr. Ernst Ducena, Susan’s Place Medical Clinic
Susan Quinn-Torpey, FNP with Nina and her son, King, CFH Clinic, Briarwood Family Residence
Nancy and Dr. Nikki Neretin, CFH Clinic, George Daly House
G. Robert Watts Executive Director Board of Directors Harry M. Rosen, Ph.D. Chair Carmine Asparro Vice Chair Jim Mutton Secretary Linda E. Scott Treasurer
“New Hope Lutheran Church has made CFH a beneficiary of its 5K Race for Healthy Communities because we share a vision of health and well-being for those in need. Through its partnerships with medical and community-based organizations, CFH fills a critical gap in providing resources that homeless persons would otherwise not have access to. Jamaica and other similar communities throughout New York City have benefitted greatly from CFH's commitment to ending homelessness and its invaluable direct services.” Michael Harvin, Chairperson, Young Professionals Ministry New Hope Lutheran Church of Jamaica, NY
Donna Clemmens, Ph.D., R.N.
Have you moved recently?
Aria Finger
Changed your email address?
David Florman
Please email your new contact info to: info@cfhnyc.org
Joseph H. Holland
to ensure you receive the latest updates on our accomplishments, services and policy work, events and newsletters!
Barbara E. Knecht Toby Koren, R.N.
Visit us on the web: www.careforthehomeless.org
Francis B. Olsen, D.D.S. Linda S. Riefberg
Care for the Homeless’ 2009 Annual Report was produced by:
Dana E. Sherwin, FACHE Derek van Straaten
Candyce Mason ● Editor Corinne Rhodes ● Graphic Designer Harvey Wang ● Photographer
James F. Woods
Emeritus Lee H. Perlman, FACHE Beth C. Weitzman, Ph.D.
Harry Rosen, Ph.D., CFH Board Chair (2nd from left) and Jackie Mize-Baker, Chair, St. Peters’ Lutheran Church Benevolence Committee (2nd from right), with Theresa (left) and Michael Harvin (right) and Emma Porter (ctr.) of the Young Professionals Ministry, New Hope Lutheran Church
Thank you to Heather J. Janik, DHS
Back Cover: Patience, CFH Clinic at Briarwood Family Residence, Queens
Care for the Homeless 12 West 21st Street, 8th Floor New York, NY 10010-6902 Visit our website: www.careforthehomeless.org
C F H Fa s t Fa c t s :
2009 Revenue: 13,744,138 Administrative Expenses: 11% Number of Program Sites: 36 Number of People Served: 10,220 Service Delivery Areas: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens Client Services: . Primary Healthcare . Oral Health . Health Education . Social Services . Mental Health Evaluation & Treatment . Treatment Adherence Services . Substance Abuse Counseling . Intensive Case Management . Shelter
Rebuilding lives one at a time through Health Care Services, Social Services, Health Education, Shelter, Policy & Advocacy Care for the Homeless is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt not-for-profit corporation