Our Mission
Families On The Move of New York City, Inc. (FOTM) is a citywide family-run organization that advocates for the rights and full participation to all children and families who have experienced or are experiencing learning, behavioral, emotional, mental wellness, and/or substance use challenges with the goal to promote health and wellness across the Health and Behavioral Health Systems. To meet the unique individualized needs of families and youth we serve, the mission of FOTM is accomplished by working in collaboration with our non-for-profit community partners.
SERVING FAMILIES FROM THE BRONX, BROOKLYN, QUEENS, MANHATTAN, AND STATEN ISLAND
Vision
All families of children and youth who have emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges will always get the help and support from FOTM working together with our community partners to meet their unique individualized needs using a person-centered approach in service delivery.
Goals
Core Values
In May 2002 a group of family members of children who have emotional, behavioral, and or mental health challenges, with multiple system involvement, got together during a breakout session at a Families Together of New York State Conference in Albany, NY. The purpose of the meeting was to fill a gap identified by families. That gap identified was the need for families to have their voice and concerns about service delivery represented in the city as well as Albany.
The group met for several months initially recruiting supporters from the Mental Health Association of NYC, Inc. (MHA), the Office of Mental Health (OMH), the Department Of Mental Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the Jewish Board of Family and Children Services (JBFCS), and current and past presidents from other family run organizations in Arizona and Washington, DC, since the foundation was established in the mental health system.
In a period of three years, the group had supporters discussing ways that family voices could become unified to represent families of children with special needs across the city. Working together the group developed a strategic plan taking into consideration the positives and negatives that would confront the developmental process of starting a family run organization. A group of 19 family members working diligently, over a weekend, developed the name, mission statement, goals, objectives and work plan for the organization culminating with the organization obtaining 501 (c) 3 status in October 2005.
Euphemia Strauchn-Adams – Chief Executive Officer
Arif Holmes – Human Resources/Operations Director
Bernadine Meeks - Outreach & Program Consultant
Brieann Gopielal - Peer Youth Advocate
Carmen Cruz – Case Management Peer Family Advocate
Cassidy Castro – Peer Youth Advocate Coordinator
Jonathan Rodriguez – Program Coordinator
Joseph Spicer - Program Coordinator
Kiely Colon - Peer Family Advocate
Natasha Moore – Program Director
Navneet Kaur - Peer Youth Advocate
Nicole Ramirez-Escobar - Peer Youth Advocate
Nirvana Bhagwandin - Peer Youth Advocate
Ralph Burgos – IT Director Consultant
Ravi Ramaswamy – CFO Consultant
Rokiea Munson – Administrative Coordinator
Sandra Staggers – Outreach & Training Coordinator
Shasmecka Hyles - Peer Youth Advocate
Simone Richards – Training Manager
Steven Troia - Program Coordinator
Tina Gibbs – Associate Director/Compliance Officer
Vidya Ramaswamy – Accounting Manager
Wanda Greene – Chair
Kathy Gardini – Vice Chair
Episcopal Health Services, Inc. (EHS)
Deborah Miller – Treasurer
Michele King - Secretary
Stapleton Union American Methodist Episcopal Church
Anita Appel
Susan Thaler
Bernadine Meeks
Emanuel Bloomfield-Jones
RueZalia Watkins