Helping extraordinary people live ordinary lives
Throughout Brooklyn and Queens, in eight homes, 59 adolescents and adults with physical and developmental disabilities are getting the support they need to live more independent lives.
The mission of our Residential program: We make every effort to ensure that our children and adults are integrated into everyday life. All of our consumers are encouraged to pursue their own interests and care for their own needs. They develop relationships within the community and through support systems outside their homes.
Most important are the bonds formed within our homes. Our consumers are a family to each other. Their Birch home is the place where they live and learn and grow together.
Day Habilitation Program: Our Day Habilitation Program provides habilitative services to individuals with mild to moderate mental retardation. Day Habilitation services are consumer-centered, and vary depending upon the individual's needs, preferences and interests. We offer a range of opportunities designed to help consumers develop personal, social and vocational skills needed to lead productive and independent lives. Our consumers volunteer to work in a variety of community sites including offices, schools, food pantries and grocery stores. In these settings consumers provide clerical, maintenance, childcare and catering services. In return, they learn the value of engaging in meaningful and productive activities that give them a sense of independence and value.
In Home Residential Habilitation and In-Home Respite: We offer In-Home Residential Habilitation and In-Home Respite services to consumers and families in their homes, including assistance with Activities of Daily Living (grooming, cooking, cleaning, etc.) travel training and recreational activities. All our services are based upon the needs, preferences and interests of the consumers and their families.
Medicaid Service Coordination (MSC): Medicaid Service Coordination is a Medicaid State Plan that assists individuals with developmental disabilities in gaining access to the services and supports necessary to meet their needs. Qualified service coordinators use a person-centered approach to develop, implement and maintain an Individualized Service Plan (ISP) for each consumer. The MSC program promotes the concepts of choice, support and consumer satisfaction, and is designed to help our participants achieve their vocational, recreational or social goals.
Residential Programs: Our homes provide 24-hour supervised residential care for children, adolescents and adults with autism, mental retardation, physical impairments and other developmental disabilities. We focus on helping consumers develop their activities of daily living, communication and socialization skills, and support independence and individuality by promoting self-respect and community integration. Birch is a place where our consumers live, learn and grow together as a family.
For more information about our community services, please contact:
Dr. Felicia Robinson-Fiorillo, Director of Community Services, 212-616-1814.
