Options for Community Living Inc
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Options for Community Living, Inc. is committed to assisting Long Islanders in need to develop their fullest potential for independent living. Options addresses homelessness and housing instability through supportive housing and housing assistance programs. Through case management and care coordination services, Options addresses health needs of under served populations by connecting clients to health care providers, financial resources, advocacy services, social supports, and community resources. Our programs are designed to serve adults recovering from serious mental illness and people with debilitating chronic health conditions many of whom have histories of homelessness and housing instability.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Housing & Housing Related Services For Adults Recovering from Mental Illness
Options provides a variety of housing opportunities for Long Island residents with serious mental illness. Our employees assist residents to develop independent living skills and are available 24 hours a day. Placement is based on the individual’s ability and need for services. Referrals are received through the Single Point of Access (631) 231-3562. Agency fees are covered by Medicaid, Social Security, Public Assistance Grants, or they may be paid privately.
Supportive Housing is long-term, affordable housing where up to three adults share a home. Options case managers periodically visit tenants to support recovery. More than 100 residential properties scattered across Nassau and Suffolk Counties are utilized. Many units are handicapped accessible. Emergency assistance is available to all tenants 24 hours a day.
Community Residences are licensed by the NYS Office of Mental Health and are transitional in nature. Options has two types of community residences to help people develop more independent living skills: Congregate Treatment and Apartment Treatment. Several units are designated for adults with critical medical needs in addition to their diagnosis of mental illness.
The Mobile Residential Support Team (MRST) provides an enhanced level of support for tenants in NYS Office of Mental Health supportive housing. A team member is available 7 days a week to provide in-home support services to help residents progress towards personal recovery. After six months of service, resident progress is formally evaluated to determine the need for continued service or lessened support.
Housing & Housing Related Services For People with Disabilities or those Living With HIV/AIDS
Options owns and manages more than 60 units of supportive housing for individuals and families. Supportive housing is available to Nassau and Suffolk County residents with a low income who are also homeless or inappropriately housed. Tenants pay an affordable rent based on income. Once in stable housing, tenants can focus on improving their health, raising healthy children, and achieving their goals. Options employees are available to coordinate health care needs, support housing stability and monitor home safety and maintenance.
Homeless Housing Assistance
Options provides opportunities for financial assistance to individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Applicants must meet eligibility criteria to qualify.
• First month’s rent
• Security deposits
• Broker fees
• Rapid Rehousing
• Utilities
• Rent Subsidies
• Housing retention services
**Financial assistance and services are limited by grant awards.
Health Home Care Coordination
Options provides comprehensive care management for adults and children (ages birth – 21) with multiple chronic illnesses, serious mental illness, or HIV/AIDS. Services are provided in partnership with Long Island area Health Homes and are paid for by Medicaid.
Care coordinators help adults and children to improve health by arranging:
• Health care services (visits to a doctor, therapist, nutritionist, pharmacist, and more)
• Participation in mental health treatment and substance use disorder services
• Linkage to community groups and resources including family support services
• Housing assessment and referral
• Entitlement activation and maintenance
• School advocacy, pediatric health, and specialty services for children
Supportive Services for People Living with HIV/AIDS
Options provides case management, health education, and supportive services focused on people living with HIV or AIDS who are uninsured or underinsured and have either fallen out of care or are sporadically engaged in HIV care and treatment. Options case managers and peer workers actively address the multiple needs of the individual and help to remove the barriers that prevent retention in care and treatment.
Home and Community Based Services (HCBS)
Personalized HCB services are designed to help many adult Medicaid beneficiaries recovering from mental illness and/or substance use disorder improve their health and achieve goals. Services are flexible and collaborative to address the person’s specific goals and empower them to succeed. Options provides the following services:
• Pre-vocational employment
• Family Support and Training
• Psychosocial Rehabilitation
• Habilitation
• Education support
• Peer Support
Where we work
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, People with diseases and illnesses, People with disabilities
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
All Programs: data is considered unduplicated although there are clients that receive services from more than one program.
Number of clients who report general satisfaction with their services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, People with diseases and illnesses, People with disabilities
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Numbers are percentages from an annual client satisfaction survey. Responses indicate agreement with the statement "I would recommend Options to others as a good place to live and/or receive services"
Services provided by the organization help clients obtain their goals.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Numbers represent percentages from the annual client satisfaction survey, and indicate agreement/strong agreement with the statement "The services I receive at Options are helping me reach my goals."
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Options for Community Living, Inc. strives to achieve the following goals:
• Increase access to housing for vulnerable and under served Long Islanders
• Increase and improve independent living skills for vulnerable and under served Long Islanders
• Maximize housing stability for vulnerable and under served Long Islanders
• Improve physical health, mental health, and wellness for vulnerable and under served Long Islanders through access to health care services and resources.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Strategic Plan establishes goals and priorities and includes the input of person served, staff and other stakeholders. The strategic planning process includes the following considerations: expectations of the persons served and additional stakeholders; the environment including opportunities, needs, threats; strengths and weakness; the organization’s capabilities; service area needs; demographics of the service area; the organization’s relationships with external stakeholders; the regulatory and legislative environments; and the use of technology to support efficient and effective operations.
The Board of Directors, staff, and leadership are fully committed to promoting housing permanency, health, safety, and welfare among Long Islanders in need.
Housing is one of the best-researched social determinants of health. The likelihood of having frequent and severe mental or physical illnesses is higher among individuals experiencing homelessness, and families who forgo healthy food or medicine to pay high housing costs may experience poor health outcomes as a result (huduser.gov.)
Options has consistently prioritized supportive housing development as part of strategic planning and growth. Over the last few years, the addition of mental health supportive housing beds and significant contracts providing rent subsidies and rapid rehousing programs provide housing solutions for homeless Long Islanders. “Housing First” strategy has been adopted across multiple programs to ensure few barriers preventing homeless individuals and families from obtaining housing. With stable housing, access to healthcare and services, residents can access vocational programs, seek employment, or volunteer work and go back to school. All these efforts can positively influence income and improve economic status. Once in supportive housing, people tend to stay in housing.
Options is fully engaged with the needs of the region through active membership in coalitions and work groups where Directors lead on boards and committees. These include: Long Island Coalition for the Homeless, the Continuum of Care (COC), Suffolk County Mental Health Subcommittee, Association of Community Living Agencies (ACL) and United Way of Long Island (UWLI). These and other strategic alliances further our priorities and help inform decision making.
Options is distinguished through accreditation and commendation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, CARF, since 2000 recognizing a commitment to quality services centered on enhancing the lives of persons served.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Options has a well-trained staff of more than 200 full and part-time employees and five volunteers.
A wide variety of in-person and online training opportunities are available to assist all staff in understanding topics including cultural competence, enhancing helping skills, health and wellness, and ways to improve service delivery. New employees receive extensive training upon hire prior to working with clients including CPR and First Aid, Blood Borne Pathogens, Health and Safety, Fire Safety, Sexual Harassment, Confidentiality and Ethics, and an agency orientation. All staff attends in-service training six times annually to cover key topics. External training opportunities are offered as appropriate.
Options’ Chief Executive Officer is a licensed social worker with a Master’s in Health Administration and has more than 20 years of executive-level experience within the health care industry. The management team averages over 10 years of service with the agency. Members bring valuable experience and most hold graduate degrees. To ensure quality and effectiveness, a Chief Operations Officer oversees physical site and record audits, conducts annual satisfaction surveys, and ensures compliance with regulations. A computer network helps to maintain client databases, automated billing, and program follow-up.
With twelve professional and community members, Options’ Board of Directors has overall responsibility for management of the agency. The directors offer expertise in the fields of quality control, information systems, hospital management, law, financial management, counseling, and insurance. Directors have provided continuity of leadership in governing the agency. Options’ Board President served as a director for over 10 years.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Options for Community Living, Inc. has a 40-year history of providing housing and supportive services for people recovering from serious mental illness, HIV/AIDS, and chronic illnesses, many with extensive histories of homelessness. Options continues to increase capacity, enhance services, and introduce new programs based on community need.
In 2020 Options served 2,376 Long Islanders:
• 731 were provided long term supportive housing with 97% either retaining housing or moving to more independent living.
• 82 people received financial assistance to access or retain housing
• 1628 adults and children were provided health care coordination services with an average 95% linked to care
• 233 adults received community based mental health support services
• 240 received Ryan White funded case management, education, or insurance enrollment services
2014 – 2019: As a 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to responsible and efficient operations, 88% of all funds raised directly support the individuals and families served. In the last five years, Options has increased service to Long Islanders by 52%. New contracts and initiatives have resulted in an increase in revenue of 45%.
Programs and Services introduced in 2018 to present:
• Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) to support individuals with a major mental illness and/or substance use disorder who are in a Medicaid managed care plan. These personalized, goal-oriented services are offered in the home or community rather than at institutions or other isolated settings.
• NYS Department of Health long term rent subsidies for homeless individuals with chronic illnesses and high needs
• Rapid Rehousing rent subsidies for homeless individuals and families
• Supportive housing rent subsidies for homeless individual and families recovering from mental illness
• NYS Department of Health Ryan White insurance enrollment services for people living with HIV/AIDS
Options’ Mental Health Supportive Housing, Case Management and Care Coordination programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). CARF is an independent, nonprofit organization focused on advancing the quality of services among health and human service providers. The agency has been accredited since 2000. Options was chosen as the 2018 Stony Brook University Career Center Diversity Partner of the Year. Additionally, Options was recognized as a “Top Long Island Workplace” by Newsday and as a “Best Place to Work” by Long Island Business News in 2019. An anonymous survey of Options employees was utilized to determine awardees.
Options is currently working with a building developer to develop a 65-unit supportive housing apartment building in Hempstead, NY.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Options for Community Living Inc
Board of directorsas of 09/15/2023
John DeBiase
Jody Burke
Beverly-Jane Aniano
Sagamore Childrens Psychiatric Center
Tamika S. Mendoza
Judy L. Simoncic, Esq.
Forchelli Deegan Terrana LLP
Balvidar S. Sareen
Long Island Select Healthcare
Tara Labriola
Bethpage Federal Credit Union
Rich Fabietti
Retired
Lisa Tomasulo
Investor's Bank
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data