As 2020 comes to a close, Sybil Newell, Executive Director at RISE Housing and Support Services, would like to take a moment to express RISE Administration’s gratitude for the strides the agency has made in 2020 despite the challenges this year presented and to share the exciting opportunities that 2021 will bring to RISE. These opportunities include the expansion of the RISE Care Management Program and the development of three new RISE Programs.
“We are grateful that we were able to effectively and efficiently continue conduct business despite the uncertainty Covid-19 caused.”
First and foremost, Sybil and the RISE Administration would like to again express heartfelt gratitude toward the staff and residents for the efforts made to keep everyone healthy and safe through the Covid-19 pandemic. Sybil shares, “we’re grateful that we were able to effectively and efficiently continue conduct business – often in innovative and new ways – despite the uncertainty Covid-19 caused.”
The expansion of Youth Care Management into the surrounding counties of Warren, Washington, Hamilton and Schenectady was a major accomplishment for the RISE Care Management program. This allows RISE Care Managers to provide seamless services to children and youth whose families happen to move between school districts and between counties. Sybil says, “thank you to all who were involved in this project for their drive, innovation, and efforts that made this idea into a reality.”
“The Homeless Court is innovative in that it intends to address the underlying causes of homelessness.”
RISE has also been invited to participate in Saratoga County’s new Homeless Court. In response to concerns of City Court officials and City Police, the Homeless Court aims to stop the revolving door of homeless individuals being convicted, released back to the streets, and re-offending. “The Homeless Court is innovative in that it intends to address the underlying causes of homelessness which lead to individuals re-offending,” Sybil explains. The Homeless Court Coordinators are RISE employees who will assist individuals experiencing homelessness to overcome and resolve the barriers preventing them from obtaining housing.
There are three new programs that RISE is continuing to develop this coming year including a 30-unit supportive housing program, a 20-bed community based residential substance use rehabilitation program, and a new crisis residence. Sybil shares, “each of these projects is moving forward, and we’re excited to get them up and running to fill some service gaps in the community.”
The 30 unit supported housing apartment program will be a part of a larger 60-unit project named Dominic Hollow. In addition to the 30 supported housing apartments, 30 additional apartments will be designated as affordable housing for the general community. The supported housing units will offer the support of staff including counselors, transportation, a nurse and peer support. Sybil shares, “the supported housing beds will go a long way towards meeting the needs of individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders who might otherwise be homelessness.”
“The crisis residence will provide a much-needed service to the region.”
The community based residential rehabilitation program is a project RISE is developing in conjunction with the NYS Office of Addiction Supports and Services (OASAS). It will be located directly behind RISE’s Hedgerow House Program in Ballston Spa. The new program will serve as an intermediate step between inpatient substance use treatment and community reintegration programs like Hedgerow House. Sybil explains, “it will be more structured than Hedgerow House as it will be staffed by nurses and licensed mental health and substance abuse treatment providers.” The program will offer oversight and support through on-site treatment programming, and like all RISE programs, be person-centered and tailored to meet the individual’s needs.
The crisis residence will utilize a building in Saratoga Springs that previously housed the Kaydeross Program. RISE has received funding through the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) to remodel the building to suit the new crisis house model. The crisis residence will provide a much-needed service to the region by offering an alternative to inpatient admission for individuals who need intensive support and care for mental health issues, but who don’t meet the criteria for hospitalization. Sybil explains, “it will provide shelter, structure, supervision, and support in order to deter a crisis and/or avoid unnecessary hospitalization.”
Sybil and the RISE Administration again thank all residents and the staff for remaining steadfast through the unprecedented events of this past year and look towards 2021 with hope for a brighter future.