Programs & Services

NCS provides housing and supportive services to homeless and formerly homeless single adults and to youth, ages 18-25, who are aging out of foster care or are homeless. Our core expertise is in serving the most difficult to engage and house New Yorkers—men and women who have been homeless for long periods of time and who face complex challenges, such as mental illness and chemical addiction, that make it difficult for them to seek out or receive support. In addition to providing housing, NCS has a dedicated and caring staff that assists individuals in their journey to independent living through counseling and treatment, educational and vocational training, job placement and financial education. NCS's 30 years of experience and its progressive research agenda help to better understand the root causes of homelessness, improve service delivery and advance our mission to prevent and ultimately end homelessness.

Housing

NCS Residence
a long-term, supportive housing facility, which is home to 65 formerly homeless New Yorkers

Louis Nine House
supportive housing for 46 young adults who are homeless or aging out of foster care

New Vistas and Transitions
transitional housing programs for up to 20 chronically homeless men and women who have both mental illness and chemical dependency

NCS Seasonal Shelters
Seasonal shelters housed at St. Mary's Church and Church of the Ascension.

Programs

Chance for Change
a state-licensed chemical dependency treatment program designed to serve homeless men and women

OPTIONS
a vocational, educational and job-training program that helps over 100 people each year

Emporium Online
a 16-week job-training program focused on building skills in technology, administrative services and customer service. In addition to computer and employment workshops, participants receive on-the-job training through operating an Amazon zShop selling donated new and gently used CDs, DVDs, books and videotapes.

NCS Research Program
seeks to identify the characteristics of chronically homeless adults to continually improve engagement strategies for serving this population

NCS Residence

The NCS Residence, a long-term, supportive housing facility on East 81st Street in Manhattan, houses 65 formerly homeless men and women, the majority of whom are mentally ill and have been chronically homeless.

A 24-hour onsite staff provides a full range of services and programs to enhance and support residents’ independent living. Services include case management, psychiatric counseling, money management, vocational and educational training, meals and recreational activities.

In 2006, NCS completed a substantial renovation of the Residence. In addition to the refurbishment of the entire building, the renovation added a seventh-floor activity room and adjoining rooftop garden, as well as a lower-level tenant lounge, training kitchen and dining area. For information on the NCS Residence, please contact Roe Piccoli at rpiccoli@ncsinc.org or call (917) 677-4460.

Louis Nine House

Louis Nine House, with 46 studio apartments for young adults who are homeless or aging out of foster care, recently opened in the Bronx. Louis Nine House provides affordable housing and an integrated continuum of support services designed to help young adults, aged 18-25, achieve stability, maintain sobriety, and work towards the self-sufficiency needed to obtain and sustain permanent housing and independent lives. For information about Louis Nine House or referrals for housing, please contact Jeffrey S. Grunberg at jgrunberg@ncsinc.org or call (917) 477-2470.

New Vistas and Transitions

Six shared transitional apartments housing up to 20 chronically homeless men and women at a time. These individuals have histories of substance abuse and mental illness, which are challenges to maintaining employment and independent living. The programs provide a combination of a structured living environment, case management, psychiatric services, vocational education and job training, which enable participants to achieve stability and practice the skills needed to live independently. During their nine to twelve months in the program, each individual engages in cognitive behavioral therapy designed for individuals dually diagnosed with mental illness and chemical dependency. New Vistas and Transitions are highly structured programs for men and women, designed to support them in their journey to stable, independent living. For information on New Vistas and Transitions apartments, please contact Frederick Bryant at fbryant@ncsinc.org or call (718) 402-3760.

NCS Seasonal Shelters

In January 2012, NCS was able to open two seasonal shelters with funding from the New York Community Trust. These shelters, staffed by NCS, are at St. Mary’s Church on W. 126th Street and the Church of the Ascension on W. 108th Street. NCS is collaborating with several agencies on this project. The Manhattan Outreach Consortium-Goddard Riverside Community Center (MOC) is referring guests and providing case management and housing referrals for those who are chronically homeless. The Westside Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing (WSFSSH) is providing meals for Ascension guests at Valley Lodge, their nearby residential program. They will also be a conduit for homeless guests who are referred by Upper West Side-W. Harlem churches, and will offer case management and housing referrals to Ascension guests who are 50 years and older with medical and/or mental health issues. Mainchance Drop-In Center will offer case management and housing referrals to those who do not qualify for the MOC or Valley Lodge programs. They will also be providing the beds, linen, and laundry service.

For more information regarding this shelter, please contact Deborah Ellis at
(212) 537-5170 or dellis@ncsinc.org.

Chance for Change

Located in Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, NCS’s state-licensed Outpatient Services provide alcohol and drug education, individual and group sessions and psychiatric services to chronically homeless men and women who struggle with chemical dependency. The program serves 15-20 participants daily, referred through NCS programs or neighborhood partners. For information and referrals, contact Robert Yancey at ryancey@ncsinc.org or call (917) 677-0723.

OPTIONS

NCS’s vocational, educational and job-training program is available to all NCS clients as well as members of the East Side Homeless Network. OPTIONS is designed to meet the needs of individuals with histories of substance abuse, mental illness or both. The program focuses on developing participants’ economic and educational opportunities leading to employability and increased self-sufficiency. A variety of pre-employment and educational support is available, such as literacy tutoring, GED preparation, computer classes, resume-writing workshops, individual and group vocational counseling, work experience through paid internships, and job placement.

OPTIONS’ ability to help clients is enhanced by a part-time Education Coordinator who provides in-depth educational assessments of NCS program participants. Her work has helped identify learning disabilities and the coping mechanisms clients use to mask them. The Coordinator works with clients’ counselors to develop and implement individualized education plans that help them overcome barriers to employment.

In fiscal year 2008, OPTIONS provided training to 172 homeless and formerly homeless individuals, 59 of whom secured permanent employment, while 68 remained in the OPTIONS program and 45 went on to further educational and vocational training. NCS takes great pride in its job placement and retention rates—a tremendous success when working with chronically homeless individuals, who face extensive barriers to employment. For information on OPTIONS educational and vocational training programs, please contact Rebecca Marriott at rmarriott@ncsinc.org or call (917) 477-2210.

Emporium Online

Emporium Online is a 16-week on-the-job training program, through which homeless and formerly homeless men and women operate an online virtual store selling new and gently used donated items such as CDs, DVDs, video games, software and books.

Participants spend half of each day in computer instruction and employment workshops and the balance running the online store. Participants receive stipends, as well as valuable experience gaining skills in technology, administration and customer service. Emporium Online has a 94% completion rate with 81% vocational placement.

There are currently over 1,500 CDs, books, DVDs and videos on sale at the Amazon Shop that is called Support4Homeless. Browsing is encouraged.

Emporium Online is always in need of additional CDs, DVDs, books, videos, computer games and electronic equipment. If you would like to donate new or gently used goods to support this project, please contact Rebecca Marriott, rmarriott@ncsinc.org or (917) 477-2210.

Research

Along with direct service programming, NCS has a well integrated research agenda to study the characteristics of chronically homeless adults through clinical trials and assessment studies. Each strategy and program developed at NCS draws from research to ensure that programs are tailored to the distinct needs of our service population. We continue to better understand the needs of chronically homeless adults and remain committed to applying newfound knowledge to strengthening models of service. In addition, NCS shares its research findings with colleagues in New York City and nationally to advance knowledge in the field. In 2005, NCS published its first research study in the journal Comprehensive Psychiatry. The findings of NCS's second study were published in 2008 in the Journal of Personality Disorders. Click here to read the first article. Click here to read the second article.