Our Programs
The Suffolk
Community Council promotes and organizes a wide variety
of programs for Suffolk County residents and groups.
The following list of major programs and efforts is
a sampling of the work the Council is committed to perform.
Overview of Major Programs and
Efforts |
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Unity Project
Seeks to improve
the quality of life in Brentwood through community building,
education and by addressing issues related to immigration.
Read more about the Unity Project...
Network of Women
with Disabilities (NWD)
Increasing awareness
of and addressing issues faced by women with disabilities;
improving health care access for all people is the Network's
ultimate goal. Read more about NWD including
NEW information about the Guide to Hospital Diagnostic Tests...
Accessible Long
Island
Increasing accessibility
for all Long Islanders through the promotion and use of Universal
Design in all new and renovated homes and buildings.
Read more about Accessible Long Island...
Universal
Design Long Island
Universal Design
Long Island is a new initiative that grew out of Accessible
Long Island, designed to make Long Island housing more accommodating
of multigenerational family needs through barrier-less entries,
wider doorways, and other design formats. This
will be kicked off at the National Association of Remodelers
Institute (NARI) Trade Show on Monday, January 12, 2009. Read
more about Universal Design LI...
Clearinghouse for
Community Residences
The only project
of its kind, the Council maintains a database of State-licensed
community based housing in Suffolk County, to facilitate the
development of more special needs housing.
Read more about the Clearinghouse
program...
Mediation Project
for Consumers in Community Residences / Supported Housing
Units
Began in 1998/99
through the support of the Suffolk County Division of Community
Mental Health. The project is the first of its kind in NY
State. Provides mediation services for individuals who
reside in agency-sponsored mental health housing. Read
More about the Mediation Project...
Single Point of
Access (SPA)
Assists the County
in the review of applications for persons with mental illness
seeking to live in supervised housing in Suffolk County.
Directory of Community
Services
This is the only
printed directory of all human service agencies in Suffolk
County. The Directory has an alphabetic listing as well
as sections by towns and types of services. Read
more about the Directory...
Volunteer/Community
Service Registry
Working in partnership
with United Way of LI and the LI Volunteer Center, this project
lists volunteers and volunteer opportunities across the Island.
Visit the Volunteer website
at www.longislandvolunteercenter.org
Educational Seminars
The Council holds
periodic seminars and trainings on current and pertinent issues.
Check out our Calendar Page for the
latest seminars.
Look for upcoming
seminars on issues such as:
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Labor Law |
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Marketing for More Volunteers ~ Baby Boomers and
Others |
• |
Foundation Funding Trends ~ How to get your proposal
read |
• |
Human Resources ~ What are the new hot topics that
your agency should know? |
• |
Insurance Options ~ Covering your staff and the best
prices |
• |
Accounting Trends ~ Must know information for Non-Profits |
• |
Economic Trends ~ what are the indicators for the
Long Island economy? |
• |
Formalities and Legalities ~ what formal documents
are mandated and how can your agency be covered? |
• |
Managing Conflict for Employees and Managers |
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Other Services
Offered
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Our Calendar of Events for Health and Human Services,
a regularly updated listing of agency events and descriptions
Click
here for the Calendar of Events for Health & Human
Services... |
• |
Regular and timely email communication about crucial
issues |
• |
"Smart Contracting" working with Suffolk
County government to streamline the contracting process
and the distribution of funds. |
• |
Health Care Providers' Accessibility Check List -
allows a person to make a more informed decision about
their individual accessibility to medical facilities
and services. View
the Health Care Providers' Accessibility Checklist here... |
• |
Annual Legislative event that brings elected officials
and the human service community together |
• |
Timely County Budget information for agencies that
contract with the County to provide essential services.
Advocacy to streamline this process |
• |
Updated information and reports on critical issues
that affect Suffolk County’s most vulnerable |
• |
Legislative reports about and analysis of County
laws and new initiatives under consideration |
• |
Brainstorming and strategic planning |
• |
Information on helplines, agencies, assistance and
more |
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Select Program
Details
Accessible
Long Island
View
the Accessible Long Island Brochure here...
The
latest demographic data for Long Island tells us that almost
one third of our population is either a Senior or Baby Boomer,
and that over 250, 000 people self-identify as having a disability
and there are almost 200,000 veterans. That’s a huge
number of people who are affected by accessibility needs.
This number will rise significantly over the coming years
as the “baby boomer effect” expands the population
further towards the 65+ age group. This will create an increasing
number of Long Islanders who will want to "age in place."
This means that to ensure equal accessibility for all, our
physical infrastructure, particularly housing, will have to
change.
Accessible
Long Island is a new project working to increase accessibility
for all Long Islanders through the promotion and use of Universal
Design in all new and renovated buildings and homes.
Universal
design principles focus on equal use, making environments
accessible to everyone that uses them to the greatest extent
possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.
If
we begin now, Long Islanders can make sustainable changes
that will shape the future of accessible communities and promote
nondiscriminatory access for all people. We believe
that Universal Design can have a major impact on the quality
of life of future generations!
Watch
for updates on this exciting new project!
May 2009
- Our Accessible Long Island
project has been working hard with all the Nassau and Suffolk
County towns to pass incentive-based Universal Design legislation.
We are most pleased that on May 27, 2009 the Town of
Islip was the 4th Town to pass this legislation. The other
Towns are Southampton, Riverhead and Huntington. Please
click the links below to view the legislation.
Click
here to view the Huntington Legislation...
Click
here to view the Islip Legislation...
Click
here to view the Riverhead Legislation...
Click
here to view the Southampton Legislation...
Suffolk Community Council’s staff members visited
the IDEA Center at the University of Buffalo. The IDEA Center
is dedicated to improving the usability and safety of the
built environment for all people throughout their life spans.
The Center provides resources and technical expertise in architecture,
product design, graphic design, web site design, facilities
management and the social and behavioral sciences. The Center
is also regarded as the national center of competence for
Universal Design.
Click
here to visit the Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental
Access - www.ap.buffalo.edu/idea/Home
If you would
like to learn more about Universal Design, please visit
these external links:
The
Center for Universal Design - www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/index.htm
Adaptive
Environments - www.adaptiveenvironments.org
Center
for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access - www.ap.buffalo.edu/idea/Home
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Universal
Design Long Island
Universal Design
is a national home-ownership trend emphasizing how homes can
accommodate multiple generations in comfort, safety, ease
of use and sustainability. The Suffolk County Federal Credit
Union, a major Long Island lender is offering a new line of
credit to finance Universal Design remodeling projects, this
is the first such credit product in the United States.
Regional adaptation
of Universal Design:
- Strengthens families, neighborhoods & community institutions
- Preserves tax bases
- Lowers nursing-home institutionalizations
- Reduces serious home injuries (especially among children
& teens)
- Aids environment
Click
here to find out more at the Universal Design LI website at
www.udli.org
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Network
of Women with Disabilities
View
the NWD Brochure here...
The Network of Women
with Disabilities (NWD) began in 2006 when a group of diverse
women brought their concerns about health care access to the
Suffolk Community Council. NWD is committed to increasing
access to health care for people with disabilities; an issue
that has been overlooked far too long. This is not a
small change - Suffolk County alone has approximately 166,038
people over the age of 5 years with disabilities who are affected
by the issue of health care accessibility.
The Network of
Women with Disabilities mission is to increase accessibility
to health care for people with disabilities through advocacy
and education. The Network meets regularly to address gaps
in health care services to all people with disabilities.
The goals for the Network are - Access to information:
providing accessible information on health care, insurance,
and wellness to the community in a variety of formats.
Private practice physicians: advocating for
change in accessing private practice physicians through changes
in office practices and procedures. Medical Schools
and Hospitals: partnering with medical schools and
hospitals to advocate for the development of educational programs
that include awareness and training for those who provide
care to people with disabilities. Medical Equipment:
working to increase the accessibility of appropriate medical
equipment for people with disabilities in hospitals and clinics.
Dental Care: expanding access to dental care
through advocacy and education of the dental community.
**NEW
UPDATE** In 2010 The Network is proud to announce
the completion of their Guide to Hospital Diagnostic
Tests. Members of the Network visited every one of
the 12 hospitals in Suffolk County to asses the capacity of
the hospital to perform medical tests on people with disabilities.
This report rates the aptitude of each hospital to provide
diagnostic tests to people with various disabilities.
Click here for the on-line report, a hard copy
will be available in September.
In 2008 we developed
a series of four questionnaires that are check-lists of the
key questions to ask when making a medical appointment. The
four types cover a range of special needs arising from:
• View the
Limited Mobility Questionnaire Here...
• View the Blind/Limited
Vision Questionnaire Here...
• View the
Deaf/Hard of Hearing Questionnaire Here...
• View the
Cognitive/Learning /Psychiatric Disability Questionnaire Here...
In 2007 the Network
created a Check
List of Medical Offices to
help them provide accurate information when a person with
a disability calls as to the accessibility of that office.
We will be expanding distribution of this checklist in 2008
and seek to partner with other organizations to create medical
information in accessible formats for persons with disabilities.
Our goal is to help provide information to people with disabilities
so they can make informed decisions about their health care.
To become
involved please call the Council office, 631-434-9277.
Pictured above are
some of the NWD Committee Members
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Directory
of Community Services
The SCC Directory is
widely acclaimed and used by social workers, emergency workers,
other agencies and individuals for referral information.
The Directory is the one place to look for services, along
with addresses, telephone numbers, hotline numbers, and program
descriptions. No longer will you have to search through endless
lists to find what you want and need. The slightly revised
format, as per our members' suggestions, will guide you through
the wide range of services available throughout the County.
To find information
for assistance and referral at your fingertips, you can order
your copy of the Directory of Community Services.
Download
the Directory of Community Services Order Form Here...
Click
here to view the Updates to the Directory of Community Services...
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Clearinghouse
for Community Residences
“Many
of our mentally disabled can benefit from life in the community,
working or being educated among us, and developing their skills
and living up to their full potential. That is the philosophy
behind the Padavan Site Selection Law, which sets up the procedure
by which community residences, or group homes can be established
in New York State.”
(Senator Frank
Padavan, New York State Senate)
Clearinghouse is
a project of the Suffolk Community Council, created in 1981
in response to the Padavan Site Selection Law. It operates
with full cooperation with New York State 0ffice of Mental
Health (OMH), Office of Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities
(OMRDD) and the Suffolk County Division of Community Mental
Health Services.
The purpose of the
Clearinghouse Project is to facilitate informed and coordinated
planning for new community based residences in Suffolk County.
This goal is accomplished through a step-by-step process.
The Clearinghouse staff work in cooperation with OMH, OMRDD
and local housing agencies to share information that can insure
selection of the best possible locations. A comprehensive
site information database is maintained by the Council on
all community residences as well as a listing of prospective
sites under consideration for development by any of those
sponsoring agencies or entities.
Clearinghouse assists
agencies and government representatives involved in the site
development process. Housing agencies developing new homes
or sites are required to contact Suffolk Community Council
for assistance with this step in the planning process.
Clearinghouse can
help:
- Locate prospective
sites.
- Avoid over-saturation of facilities and neighborhoods.
- Reduce time delays involved in the establishment of homes
Computerized, comprehensive,
up-to-date information on the locations of existing and planned
residential facilities is available through Clearinghouse.
Nine broad categories
are included: Large Institutions, Adult Homes, Nursing Homes,
Health Related Facilities (HRF), Skilled Nursing Facilities
(SNF), Department of Social Services (DSS) Institutions, Group
Homes, Supervised Community Residences (CR), Individual Residential
Alternatives (IRA), Substance Abuse Residential Treatment
Centers, and Family Care Homes (FC). Information is also collected
on the locations of other relevant programs such as large
foster homes, general hospitals, etc.
Through the Clearinghouse
system, information on specific areas and sites is available
to other service providers. All requests for this service
must be made in writing; they may be faxed to 631-434-9311.
Click
here for the Clearinghouse Site Evaluation Request Form
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The Mediation
Project for Consumers in
Community Residences and Supported Housing Units
The Mediation Project is a collaborative
effort between the Suffolk County Division of
Community Mental Hygiene and the Suffolk Community Council |
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The project includes Suffolk County Consumers
who are living in housing licensed and/or sponsored
by OMH such as:
• community residences; and
• supported housing units |
The project does not include consumers of
• adult homes
• emergency housing
• section “8” housing
• room and board situations
• private residences |
THE PROCESS:
There are two steps to start the mediation process:
Step I
In Step I the Consumer calls Janet Allen at Suffolk Community
Council at 434-9277 ext. 2114 to request the Mediation
Services. He/she will be asked to describe the
situation.
Step II
In Step II the Housing Agency grievance procedure must be
followed before mediation can take place. The Council can
assist in this procedure.
STEP I PRE-MEDIATION
1. If the Consumer
has a grievance he or she must place it in writing addressed
to the appropriate party. If the Consumer needs help in writing
the letter call the Mediation Project at the Council at (631)
434-9277. The agencies have agreed to reply in writing to
the grievance within two weeks.
2. If the Agency does not reply in two weeks the Consumer
should call Suffolk Community Council at (631) 434-9277 to
inform them that they have not received a response. The Council
will then follow-up with the Agency.
3. If the Consumer goes through the Agency grievance procedure
and is not satisfied with the outcome—and the dispute
involves a housing issue—a formal Mediation hearing
will be scheduled.
STEP II REQUESTING MEDIATION
1. The Consumer
can request mediation services simply by calling Janet Allen
at Suffolk Community Council at (631) 434-9277.
2. The Consumer may have an advocate, parent or guardian call
on his or her behalf.
3. Once the Consumer calls Suffolk Community Council, the
request is reviewed to make sure the agency grievance procedure
was completed. If the grievance procedure was not followed
the consumer will be assisted in this process. Basic information
regarding the Consumer and agency involved is documented including:
• Names
• Phone numbers
• Addresses
• A brief description of the conflict.
4. The Suffolk Community Council will call the Housing Agency
to inform them of the consumer’s complaint. At this
point a meeting may take place between the Consumer and the
housing agency. The Consumer can bring an advocate or anyone
he/she chooses to the meeting.
5. If the Housing
Agency and the Consumer cannot come to an agreement then Suffolk
Community Council can refer the request to the EAC’s
Community Mediation Center.
Please Note: Mediation
is an alternative to going to court but does not exclude it.
Consumers can still seek further legal action if they are
not satisfied.
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