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Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow... Families On The Move
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
Promoting Mental Health Among Families
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
- Provide up-to-date information about “state of the art care” and evidenced based practices to families and youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges.
- Provide advocacy and support that is individualized, person centered, and trauma informed, for families and youth to ensure that they receive the best possible care.
- Though our community partnerships, access to a full range of quality services are increased and creates change in the Health and Behavioral Systems that serve them.
- Advocate for NYC families and youth in public forums for comprehensive community based, culturally competent, family driven and child centered services.
Core Values
- Family and youth are informed of their right to choose services and providers that meet their unique individualized needs through a person-centered approach in services provided.
- All goals for families are developed by the families and youth.
- Our members respect and honor difference.
- We use our experience as family members to create more responsive systems of care for families, children and youth.
- True partnerships are built between families, youth, and providers through shared power.
- There is strength in unity.
History
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.
- October 2003 – 13th annual family support conference – kick off for the brainchild/birth of Families On the Move. Family members met with Ginny Wood, the grandmother of the family support movement, in a small room to discuss ways that the family voices could become unified representing families of children with special needs across the city.
- It was at this meeting that a strategic plan was developed that considered both the positives and negatives that would confront the developmental process of starting the organization.
- October 2004 – 19 family members came together as a planning committee at a work retreat at Mohonk. The name, mission, goals, objectives and work plan were developed and we were on our way. Funding for the development of Families On The Move was made possible by the NYC System of Care Grant.
- June 2005 –Received the Employment Identification Number (EIN).
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.
- January 2007 Planning ensued and a funding source was identified. The initial funding for the organization was made possible through the DOHMH, NYC System of Care, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant though MHA. This funding allowed Families On The Move of New York City, Inc. to open its first office.
- Since then, FOTM has received several discretionary fund grants to provide parenting classes, contracts to provide Technical Assistance, supervision for community residence program advocates, develop trainings on engaging families of children /youth in residential placement, and currently has a direct multiple year contract with the State Office of Mental Health.
Meet Our Team
Euphemia Strauchn-Adams – Chief Executive Officer
Abraham Garcia - Peer Family Advocate
Arif Holmes – Human Resources/Operations Director
Bernadine Meeks - Outreach & Program Consultant
Brieann Gopielal - Peer Youth Advocate
Carlton Banks - Program Coordinator
Carmen Cruz – Case Management Peer Family Advocate
Cassidy Castro – Peer Youth Advocate Coordinator
Honesty Woods - Peer Youth Advocate
Jonathan Rodriguez – Program Coordinator
Joseph Spicer - Program Coordinator
Kiely Colon - Program Coordinator
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
Ruffy Tavarez Pena - Peer Youth Advocate
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
Our Board
Executive Board
Wanda Greene – Chair
Kathy Gardini – Vice Chair
Episcopal Health Services, Inc. (EHS)
Deborah Miller – Treasurer
Michele King - Secretary
Stapleton Union American Methodist Episcopal Church
Board Advisors
Anita Appel
Susan Thaler
Bernadine Meeks
Emanuel Bloomfield-Jones
Board Members
RueZalia Watkins