Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc.

Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) is a nonprofit human-services organization founded in 1977 and headquartered in Old Bethpage, New York. It supports more than 5,500 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness and traumatic brain injury, primarily across Long Island. Its stated mission is to help people of all abilities reach their full potential and thrive in their communities, and its motto is "Reach High | Achieve More." FREE delivers a broad continuum of supports and services. These include housing; recovery services; transition to work and employment; day, community and family services; respite; crisis services; education and after-school support; primary and specialty health care; and advocacy. Its developmental disabilities services are organized around day habilitation, recreational and vocational programming, and community inclusion, with offerings such as performing and creative arts and community-based integrated day habilitation. Crisis services are a notable part of the organization. FREE operates mobile crisis services and in-home crisis respite for Long Island residents in non-certified settings, and it runs three crisis homes in Nassau and Suffolk counties providing overnight crisis and clinical assessment services for adolescents and adults. Trained crisis counselors respond 24/7. FREE also provides behavioral health services, including integrated outpatient behavioral health, and operates the Success Community Care Clinic, described as a free-standing entity open to the public. The organization presents itself as serving the traditionally underserved through initiatives, assistance programs and built-in support systems, and it actively recruits staff who are passionate about working with individuals of all abilities.

Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Old Bethpage, New York. From its origins it has grown into a regional nonprofit human-services organization supporting more than 5,500 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness and traumatic brain injury. Over the decades FREE has broadened its service model well beyond residential supports. Its developmental disabilities services, delivered in connection with the OPWDD system, now include day habilitation, recreational and vocational programming, performing and creative arts, and community-based integrated day habilitation. The organization also provides employment and transition-to-work services, day, community and family services, respite, education and after-school support, primary and specialty health care, and advocacy. FREE has built a significant crisis-services capability on Long Island. It operates mobile crisis services and in-home crisis respite for residents in non-certified settings, and it runs three crisis homes in Nassau and Suffolk counties that provide overnight crisis and clinical assessment services for adolescents and adults. Trained crisis counselors respond 24/7. In behavioral health, FREE provides integrated outpatient services and operates the Success Community Care Clinic, a free-standing entity open to the public. The organization describes its philosophy as rooted in the realization of human potential and its vision as "Together…Creating the right solution for any need," with core values of integrity, diversity, responsiveness, stewardship, interdependence, innovation and quality.

• 1977

  Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) is founded.

• FREE grows to support more than 5,500 individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental illness and traumatic brain injury.

• FREE operates three crisis homes in Nassau and Suffolk counties providing overnight crisis and clinical assessment services.

• FREE operates the Success Community Care Clinic, a free-standing entity open to the public.

A nonprofit human-services provider rooted in the realization of human potential, serving the traditionally underserved on Long Island with housing, recovery, employment, crisis and health services.

• Day Habilitation

  Assists individuals to acquire, retain and improve socialization and adaptive skills, including communication, travel and adult education.

• Performing and Creative Arts (Theater Day Habilitation)

  Focuses on theater arts skills including socialization, communication, singing, music, dance, production and backstage development.

• Community-Based Integrated Day Habilitation

  An alternative to center-based programs with volunteer, recreational and social experiences based on self-identified skill development.

• Mobile Crisis Services

  For Long Island residents in non-certified settings displaying challenging behaviors requiring immediate emergency response; counselors respond 24/7.

• In-Home Crisis Respite Services

  Trained staff visit homes of individuals receiving services to provide recreation and socialization opportunities.

• Overnight Crisis / Assessment Services

  Provided at three crisis homes in Nassau and Suffolk for adolescents and adults experiencing disruptive and maladaptive behavior and/or family crisis.

• Success Community Care Clinic

  A free-standing entity open to the public providing integrated outpatient behavioral health services.

1. 1Family Residences & Essential Enterprises | Empowering Livesfamilyres.org
2. 2About Us - Freefamilyres.org
3. 3Day Services - FREEfamilyres.org
4. 4Crisis Services - FREEfamilyres.org
5. 5Family Residences and Essential Enterpriseswikidata.org