Community News

Abbott House in Irvington: A Cause Close to Home

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April 4, 2022

Within our rivertown communities there are many charitable organizations that aim to benefit various segments of the population. They feed the disadvantaged, assist those with special needs, including refugees, further education and play for children, protect persons from abuse, provide services and companionship for seniors and protect our ecosystem.

Recognizing the many and varied accomplishments rendered by these organizations for our communities, The Hudson Independent is now providing this special section in which each describes what they do and whom they help.

Since 1963, Abbott House has stood as a shining beacon of hope atop the hills of North Broadway in the Village of Irvington; a welcoming place where everyone belongs, and transformational change is possible.

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Throughout its 59-year history, this community-based agency has quietly carried on the life-changing work of supporting foster children, at-risk families, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and those who struggle to heal from trauma and live full and meaningful lives. Many of these individuals are neighbors who live right here in our surrounding communities.

Last year alone, Abbott House provided critical care and services to more than 4,000 people in the New York Metropolitan and Hudson Valley area. Their services are designed to promote healing while encouraging self-direction and independence.

Abbott House has a diverse Board of 17 and a dedicated staff of more than 500, including social workers, case planners, direct support professionals, medical and clinical staff, childcare workers, and other essential employees, who work hard to ensure everyone entrusted to their care feels a sense of belonging rooted in home and community.

An extension of the Abbott House team includes foster parents, who offer children a safe, stable, loving environment at a time in their lives when it is easy to feel lost and unloved.

In 2021 Abbott House was granted a three-year CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accreditation, highlighting the agency’s standards of excellence – and their philosophy to provide person-centered, trauma-informed care that promotes the dignity and empowerment of all individuals. A wide range of programs support this vision.

Programs and Services for Children and Families include: Family Foster Care, Therapeutic Foster Care, Education & Career Advocacy and Support, Foster Parent Recruitment & Training, Transitional Resources for Children (TRC) Article 31 Mental Health Clinic, Community Schools, Fair Futures, Preventative Services, Group Homes, Health Homes, Adoption, Child and Family Treatment and Support Services (CFTSS), and Home and Community Based Services.

Services for People with Developmental Disabilities include: Individual Residential Alternative Homes (IRAs), Day Habilitation (site based & Without Walls), Supported Employment (SEMP), Community Prevocational, Community Habilitation, and Respite.

To learn about these programs and services, please visit www.abbotthouse.net.

Many individuals safely put their heads on a pillow each night because of Abbott House. This includes unaccompanied minors who call the Irvington building their temporary home and school, as well as more than 100 adults with developmental disabilities who rely on residential programs and houses located throughout Westchester, Rockland, and the Bronx. These environments provide home-like atmospheres with round-the-clock support from highly trained, compassionate staff. Abbott House also operates two community-based Day Habilitation programs, including one on Irvington’s campus.

Abbott House actively recruits, trains, and supports families who open their hearts and homes to children and adolescents. The rising number of children in foster care means there is an even greater need for families that can provide stable homes. A loving environment could be the monumental difference that shapes the outcome of a child’s life.

The adage “it takes a village” takes on a special meaning at Abbott House. Many friends and neighbors are passionate volunteers who help organize art therapy, mindful meditation, gardening, and other enriching experiences. They also offer financial support and resources to bridge the gap between government funding and the growing needs of those in care. Others come to the aid of children by becoming foster parents. There are so many ways to be part of the team at Abbott House!

Visit www.abbotthouse.net to learn more about becoming a donor or volunteer – and if you have ever thought about becoming a foster parent, Abbott House invites you to consider completing an inquiry form: https://www.abbotthouse.net/how-you-help/foster-parent-inquiry-form.html .

Abbott House reminds us that we all have the power – and opportunity – to make promising futures a reality right here in our own backyards.

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