January 2021 – Saint Dominic’s Family Services (SDFS) was recently awarded a conditional contract for the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI). The conditional award is intended to provide services and operating funding in support of 40 permanent supportive housing units. SDFS will renovate/purchase residential property in Rockland County for forty low-income clients and forty ESSHI clients. The ESSHI population will consist of 25 homeless/at risk clients with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and 15 Homeless youth ages 18-24.
SDFS has provided permanent Supportive Housing for SMI in Rockland County NY since 1994. The Agency is one of two Rockland based Agencies to be awarded and currently has 50 scattered supported housing beds.
“New York State is a national leader in the development and ongoing support of housing for families and individuals living with mental illness and other special needs. Supportive housing has been shown to provide stability, safety and the opportunity for individuals and families to live in their own homes and communities as they make their way on the road to recovery”. (Governor Andrew Coumo, 2021, News section, para. 7)
