Transitional Shelter Program

Our Transitional Shelter Program provides housing and services for over 70 families in Brooklyn and 10 families in New Rochelle. These clients have found themselves homeless due to a variety of life circumstances – loss of a job, lack of education, family disruption, trauma or mental illness.

Regardless of the circumstance, our staff works to create a physically and emotionally safe and supportive environment where residents can successfully face the challenges of stabilizing ones life. Our social services team works closely with each family to address concrete issues including making sure they’re connected to a primary care physician, securing a stable source of income and appropriate childcare. They help clients develop emotional management skills, strategies for making healthy choices in relationships, and finding opportunities for positive parent-child interactions. If there is a need for mental health services, our staff provides immediate support and makes referrals to mental health providers as indicated.

Transitional Shelter residents stay in our facilities on average six to eight months during which our Housing Specialist assists in searching for and obtaining safe and affordable housing. Our Aftercare Services follow-up with families for at least one year after leaving Providence House, allowing them to benefit from continuity as they adjust to independent living as well as early intervention should obstacles arise.

Permanent Supportive Housing

Providence House provides 87 units of mixed-community housing that are a combination of Permanent Supportive Units and Affordable Housing Units.

Our Permanent Supportive Housing is made up of four facilities employing a congregate housing model in Brooklyn, NY. These units are for families and single adults who have histories of chronic homelessness, serious mental illness (SMI) and/or Substance Use Disorder (SUD). As we recognize that many of our clients come to our residences with histories of trauma, Providence House utilizes a trauma-informed approach which allows us to provide a safe, supportive environment for our residents to heal. We offer practical and essential life skills training in order to progress independence and achieve daily goals. Through our case management and clinical services, we assist individuals and families in developing coping skills to help manage behaviors, family reunification and a host of other services. Additionally, we connect our residents to a myriad of services within the community that include, but are not limited to, psychiatric services, therapy, and substance abuse treatment programs. The goal of our supportive housing program is to meet the varying needs of our residents while providing with the tools and training to become self-sufficient.

Our Affordable Housing units are studio and two-bedroom apartments available to members of the community that meet the low income housing requirements. These residents are able to utilize the services of the staff, should they need.

Women’s Justice Program

The Women’s Justice Program has been committed to serving women involved in the criminal justice system since its foundation in 1979 and continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of our clients. Today the program operates three residences in Brooklyn serving two different populations in congregate style facilities.

The Prospect-Lefferts Gardens residence provides housing and supportive services for 16 women experiencing homelessness who would otherwise be held at Rikers Island while awaiting trial, most staying between nine - twelve months.

Our two Bed-Stuy residences serve 27 women who were recently released from Rikers Island, providing a safe, empowering environment for families to reconnect.

Our trauma-informed, gender-responsive staff is available onsite 24-hours a day, ensuring access to substance abuse or mental health treatment, life skills training, household budgeting and financial management, and any parole, probation, or court-mandated services. Once permanent housing is secured, Aftercare services are provided through regular phone contact or in-home visits to assist with the adjustment to independent housing.

The Sanctuary Model of Trauma-informed care at Providence House

All of our programs employ the Sanctuary Model to weave our core values into our expanding work and growing team. The model actively involves each and every staff member and resident in creating and sustaining a supportive, therapeutic, trauma-informed environment.

All staff are trained in the effects of trauma. Residents and staff practice recognizing the ways in which trauma affects us in our daily interactions and how sometimes additional layers of trauma come into our lives. Every community member is encouraged to view their interactions, experiences, and decisions through the S.E.L.F. framework (Safety, Emotional management, Loss, Future), which allows all of us to productively navigate trauma and remain positively focused on plans and goals.

SAFETY: Creating a space where you are physical, psychologically, socially, and morally safe
Emotion Management: Recognizing and handling feelings in non-harmful ways
Loss: Acknowledging and grieving past losses or traumas so that you don’t get stuck in the past
Future: Reestablishing the capacity for choice and engaging in new behaviors rather than repeating old patterns

In addition to individual education and practices, the Sanctuary Model provides a framework for creating a trauma-informed organizational culture that supports all community members. Staff and residents learn about and practice seven commitments (Nonviolence, Emotional Intelligence, Social Learning, Democracy, Open Communication, Social Responsibility, and Growth & Change). All staff and residents develop a Safety Plan and Self Care Plan to assist them with preventing negative emotions from overwhelming them.

Safety Plans help people remember things they can do to manage their feelings and behaviors so they don’t become overwhelmed or out of control in the moment.
Self-Care Plans are things we can do all the time to keep ourselves cared for and in a good emotional space.

Trauma-informed care is as essential to our mission as safe and dignified shelters and residences. The Sanctuary Model allows us to go beyond a simple exchange between “client” and “service provider” and create an emotionally safe space and supportive community.

It is our hope that while residents are with us they will increase their emotional management skills, confront and process the losses they’ve experienced, and move confidently ahead with greater of confidence and purpose.

IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE WITH HOUSING:

Families must go to the Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing Center:

151 East 151st Street, Bronx, NY 10451

718-503-6400.

PATH is open 24 hours per day, including weekends and holidays.

Single adult women must go to the singles intake center at:

HELP Women’s Shelter: 116 Williams Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207

Franklin Shelter: 1122 Franklin Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10456

Single adult men must apply at :

30th Street Intake Center: 400-430 E 30th Street, New York, NY 10016