OUR GOAL
To end homelessness on Long Island through partnerships, policy, education, and direct assistance to those most in need.
We are the lead entity addressing homelessness on Long Island, including the development of local strategies and policies and data tracking of all persons experiencing homelessness.
We Envision a Community Where...
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The experience of homelessness on Long Island is rare and short-term with quick access to resources that ensure long-term housing stability and can meet individual's unique needs
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People are treated with dignity and respect and are not judged, mistreated or criminalized for having nowhere to live
What Makes Us Different?
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Commitment to person-centered approaches and meeting people where they are at (i.e., physically, emotionally, and with empathy).
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The intentional inclusion of people with lived experience throughout our team and involved in local decision-making.
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LICH offers a wide range of services, from meeting people’s immediate needs to ongoing supports, focused on the long-term goal of finding safe and stable housing.
Where are We?
LICH is housed at the Amityville Community Resource Center (ACRC), centrally located on Long Island, serving people experiencing homelessness and Veterans in both counties. ACRC is accessible to public transportation and has a direct stop on the public bus route (Suffolk Bus 10), and the building is handicap accessible.
What is Our Approach?
Evidence-Based Practice
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Meeting people where they are at
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Using person-centered approaches and active listening
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Assertive engagement and motivational interviewing
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Targeting outreach to people and communities least likely to be connected to resources, and least likely to exit homelessness on their own
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Connecting people to permanent housing that uses a “housing first” approach
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Providing transportation to remove the barrier of having access to medical care and necessary medical/disability documentation, getting to housing intakes, and other events that directly lead to housing placement
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Prioritization of scarce housing resources for those that are homeless longest, disabled, and most vulnerable
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"By-Name List" tracking of all people living on the street to create individualized outreach and housing plans
