Family House

Mailing Address:
PO Box 3516
Kingston, NY 12402

(845) 338-5953

FAMILY HOUSE AT A GLANCE

Family House helps the youth we serve rediscover their value as a person, develop independent living skills, and connect with a caring community as a pathway towards becoming future leaders.

We believe that all young people are future leaders. Family House is committed to providing youth (under 18 years old) who have left home with emergency shelter in a welcoming, positive learning atmosphere as we work with them to determine the best next steps concerning their situation. The program strives to create a trauma-informed environment by implementing a variety of positive youth development practices.  All residents are encouraged to learn and demonstrate the program’s seven Core Values, created from Family’s core. These values shape all program expectations and rules. They are helpful steps towards the residents accomplishing their future goals.  

FAMILY HOUSE SEVEN CORE VALUES

(1) UNITY – To be non-judgmental and understand the concept of teamwork and helping each other.
(2) DIGNITY – To exemplify that you are unique, important, with valuable skills and talents.
(3) RESPECT – To treat others with kindness and as you would like to be treated.
(4) INTEGRITY – To be trustworthy and honest and do the right thing even when nobody is watching.
(5) GRATITUDE – To be thankful and show appreciation for one’s accomplishments as well as for others.
(6) RESPONSIBILITY – To show that you are independent by exemplifying good decision-making skills.
(7) ACCOUNTABILITY – To understand that you are responsible for your actions (positive and negative).

Family House residents are expected to comply with a Daily Schedule which helps to delineate some of their responsibilities. The program has implemented a new Level System which is intended to measure each young person’s performance. During this time, they are encouraged to demonstrate responsible decision making. As an example, the youth could use their influence and leadership skills to form healthy relationships and positively support new residents. Overall, during a young person’s stay the resident will be expected to work towards their education, develop independent living skills/complete household chores, maintain appointments (which include family/guardian meetings), and participate in a diverse set of activities and groups. Some of the more recent themes of educational/motivational workshops may include:

• Self-Care & Decision Making
• Job Readiness
• Healthy Relationships
• Financial Literacy
• Creative Writing & Arts
• Nutrition
• Emotional Management & Conflict Resolution
• Culinary Skills 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Staff: 11 full-time/4 part-time

Program Director: Kielawan Ahmed

Program Hours: Access to the shelter is available 24 hours a day.

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS: Emergency shelter for up to 14 runaway and homeless youth, ages 12 – 17, for an initial stay of up to 30 days. Since every youth’s situation must be seen on a case-by-case basis, the Program Director, in consultation with the Youth Bureau Director, may extend a young person’s stay if necessary. By regulation, parental consent is not required for the first 30 day stay. Previously, the program was granted two waivers by the NYS OCFS from licensing requirements, allowing the program to serve one 18-year-old at a time for up to one week in the first-floor bedroom, and to serve a parenting youth and his/her infant/toddler. The ages of youth served, and waivers have changed as a result of new regulations on both New York State and Federal levels. As to 18-year-olds, while our Darmstadt Shelter does provide ongoing safe shelter and support services to 18-year-olds and older, there have been occasions when a particularly vulnerable youth turns 18 while at Family House. If the program is able to identify a permanent housing placement for that youth within the next week after turning 18, we have previously been allowed shelter at Family House. We are applying for a waiver to continue to be allowed to provide this service in instances where the makeup of the current residents safely allows.

ANCILLARY SERVICES: Individual, family, and group counseling for all clients; life skills training; access and advocacy for educational, medical, legal, mental health and substance abuse services; services for youth involved in the juvenile justice/Family Court systems; and aftercare services.