Community Residence 11-40 31 st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106
Phone: (718) 726-5588 Fax: (718) 728-8882
Robert Jorlett, LCSW, Program Director
The Steinway Community Residence Program is a home to eight children and youth (six boys and two girls) between the ages of five and twelve who are seriously emotionally disturbed. The residents are referred from psychiatric hospitals and clinics and attend hospital-based day treatment programs and community-based, Specialized Instructional Environment (SIE) schools. The program is one of the few of its type in New York City operating as a co-ed facility.
The service needs for this group include structured daily living activities; the teaching of problem-solving skills; a behavior management system; and caring, consistent adult relationships. The children and youth of the Community Residence are prepared for independent living by being taught the necessary skills and developing the talents to do so.
With residents suffering from Schizophrenia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Psychotic Disorder, there are almost always ongoing issues which must be addressed. However, the level of tranquility in the house is quite remarkable considering these facts. There is warmth in the Community Residence that has led to its having an excellent reputation in the community. The success of the residence derives from training, hard-working staff and a strong sense of cooperation from children and their families. The children want to return home. They and the staff and care givers work hard to make it a reality.
We teach the children to take pride in their environment and to keep their immediate surroundings neat, clean and presentable to their neighborhood. The residents maintain their own garden, which is located outside the facility, and fertilize in the spring. They mulched and water in the summer and mulched in the winter. The children pick flowers for bouquets and tomatoes for the dinner salad. They extract juice from fresh fruits and vegetables and enjoy the backyard for barbeques and sit at picnic table to express their feelings to staff, do homework and play board games.
Socialization skills are an area that the children frequently need work in. We assist them in developing friendships and try to nurture those friendships.
