Emerson-Davis: An Innovative Model of Family Supportive Housing 

Too many parents in New York City are separated from their children because of a mental health challenge. Parents with a serious mental health diagnosis are 26 times more likely to have their children removed from their home than those without a psychiatric diagnosis. This devastating reality particularly affects communities of color, whose children are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system.

For families to reunify and remain stable, housing that is flexible to meet the needs of children and parents is crucial. That’s why, in 1999, ICL created the Emerson-Davis Family Center—a unique supportive housing model in Brooklyn for parents with mental health challenges who have been or are at risk of being separated from their children. Since 2008, three-quarters of families who have lived at Emerson-Davis have remained unified.

We need to do more to help families stay together or successfully reunite when separated by the child welfare system. Reunification leads to better outcomes for children, including higher rates of educational attainment and employment compared to children who have spent prolonged time in foster care.

Despite the success of Emerson-Davis, it is the only program of its kind in the city—and the building is in desperate need of repairs. It has served hundreds of families for the past 25 years and shows significant wear and tear. A gut renovation is needed to restore the building, which requires capital support from the New York City Council. We urge the city to invest in Emerson-Davis Family Center—and programs like it—to ensure we can continue to support families in the decades to come. 

ICL’s Advocacy Impact: Improving Rapid Reunification

Last summer, ICL released a policy paper, Barriers to Reunification, which found that parents in the single-adult shelter system and their children in foster care who are eligible to reunify have no direct path to appropriate housing, delaying families’ reunification.

In the year since the paper was published, city agencies have taken important steps to mitigate the harm done to children separated from their families, thanks in part to our policy paper’s recommendations and advocacy efforts. The Department of Social Services and the Administration for Children's Services recently made it easier for adults in the shelter system to reunite with their children in foster care. They have improved coordination among agencies and changed the housing voucher process so parents in single-adult shelters can qualify for a larger apartment to reunite with their children.

We applaud the city for taking these initial steps. Recognizing the inherent value of keeping families together and investing in targeted interventions lays the groundwork for brighter futures.

Click here to learn more about how you can support programs like Emerson-Davis and help People Get Better With Us!

Institute for Community Living — People Get Better With Us

It is ICL's mission to help New Yorkers with behavioral health challenges live healthy lives by providing comprehensive housing, health care, and recovery services. We take a trauma-informed approach—meeting the people we serve wherever they are, working together to support them in achieving their goals.

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Please take a moment to help people get better with us. Your gift will immediately help those with the greatest need. To discuss your gift or learn more about your giving options, please email Development@iclinc.net or call 212-385-3030, x 10004.