ICL

04/25/2025

Meet Jenn and Lucas! 💙This baby boy has a mom who loves him more than she ever thought she could love anyone. After all, life hasn’t been easy for her.

Jenn spent her childhood in foster care and residential treatment programs, without the support of a family. At 18, she found her first true home with ICL, at Livonia Avenue Residence for youth ages 18–26.

More than a decade later, Jennifer is thriving in her own apartment, raising her son with the love and support she always wanted, and is ready to get back in the workforce and give back by being a peer counselor to young people who have aged out of foster care.

ICL creates opportunities for people to build families in safe, supportive homes. Can we count on you to help create more homes like Jennifer’s? Join us at the 2025 Gala to support our mission of helping people get better: https://iclinc.org/support-us/2025-icl-gala/

04/23/2025

Technology is reshaping mental health care for children and families by making it more accessible, personalized, and proactive. Read ICL's Clinical and Training Support Specialist Amy Witek’s article in Behavioral Health News on how digital tools are driving change.

https://behavioralhealthnews.org/leveraging-technology-to-enhance-mental-health-services-for-children-and-families/

04/22/2025

The East New York Health HUB recently hosted a Personalized Recovery Oriented Services (PROS) Resource and Job Fair, bringing together community partners to share job openings, trainings, and other resources with ICL clients.

Clients had the chance to meet with multiple vendors to talk about resumes, employment options, and skill-building opportunities.

Thank you to Ready, Willing & Able from the The Doe Fund, BVSJ Veterans Service Organization, Workforce1, Grace Institute, Apex Technical School, and GoodTemps!

04/17/2025

Last week was National Public Health Week, and the East New York Health HUB marked the occasion by hosting a Public Health Resource Fair.

The fair featured vendors and community partners that offered services in mental health, healthcare, housing, transportation, and wellness.

Rosita Marinez, ICL's senior vice president of supported housing, said “By hosting resource fairs at the HUB, ICL is reinforcing its commitment to meeting people where they are--literally and figuratively--and addressing the unique needs of the East New York Community through collaboration, outreach, and holistic care.”

The resource fair also featured a sound meditation session for ICL employees and constituents. A meditation participant said, “The meditation session was a beautiful reminder that healing comes in many forms--not just medicine, but also through mindfulness and community.”

04/11/2025

Join us for our next webinar in the Whole Health Learning Collaborative series. Michael R. Cummings, MD, and Janell Van Cleve, MSEd, CAS, will present on the topic, “A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Polypharmacy Crisis in People with Developmental Disabilities.”

To secure your spot, scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/WHLCICL

04/10/2025

The Community Wellness Event at the East New York Health HUB was a huge success!

From dancing and delicious food to wellness services and community resources, the event brought people together to celebrate health and healing. Attendees enjoyed relaxing sound baths, soothing massages, and informative sessions on wellness, while our incredible partners shared valuable services and support.

Good Shepherd Services New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center (NYPCC) Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation CAMBA

04/09/2025

ICL celebrated the renovation of Lawton Street Residence. For over 30 years, Lawton has provided a home for adults with serious mental illness and a history
of homelessness. Now, with a newly renovated kitchen, upgraded units, and refreshed living spaces, it’s ready to continue its vital mission.

As former resident Charlene Cunningham said, "This place will help you if you need it or want it."

04/08/2025

It’s National Public Health Week and ICL’s East New York Health HUB is celebrating with a Public Health Fair-Health For All!

Come join at 2581 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn on Thursday April 10, from 1-4 p.m. as we bring together community organizations, health care professionals, and local resources to support health and wellness for all.

04/07/2025

March was a month of celebration, empowerment, and inspiration at ICL in honor of Women’s History Month. 💜✨ From painting sessions and movie screenings to a powerful panel discussion, events across ICL celebrated the impact and contributions of women throughout the organization.

04/04/2025

We were honored to welcome The Office of The Bronx Borough President to our Crotona residence for a lovely visit! ✨

BP Gibson, thank you for your partnership and commitment to ensuring Bronx residents have access to safe, stable housing and the support they need to thrive.

04/01/2025

ICL’s Housing Divisional Meeting brought together partners and colleagues for a meaningful discussion on housing and support services. Anderson Torres, Ph.D., RAIN Total Care, Inc. President and CEO, and his team shared insights on their essential programs for older adults, including Meals on Wheels, home health aide services and senior centers.

Troy Boyle, chief operating officer, welcomed new housing staff, and Rosita Marinez, senior vice president of supported housing, delivered inspiring remarks in honor of Women’s History Month and Social Work Month.

03/31/2025

"The reforms being considered by lawmakers in Albany will help more people access these life-saving services. There is no time to waste; we must act now."

In a new op-ed for Empire Report NY, our Chief Operating Officer Troy Boyle outlines how Governor Hochul's unprecedented investments in mental health services can make impactful change in New York. Learn more:

New York's front page for political news. Latest NY politics news, reports, and columnists

03/28/2025

Last Wednesday, ICL hosted its Community Advisory Board (CAB) meeting at our residence apartment in Downtown Brooklyn with special guest speaker Shams "Da Homeless Hero" DaBaron.

Shams talked to both ICL clients and employees regarding his personal struggle with homelessness. He said, “I know what it means to feel invisible, unheard, and discarded. Rising up isn’t just about standing on your feet—it’s about recognizing that you have the right to stand.”

He told the audience about how he became the unhoused advocate he is today and how he got the nickname "Da Homeless Hero", “I needed a name because when you complain against the system, you get retaliated against. I have a history in hip-hop—someone said to me, ‘You should call yourself a hero’—and that’s how I found the name. So, the hero aspect of this is not Shams, the hero is all of us.”

03/27/2025

Please join us on Wednesday, May 14, from 6-9 p.m. at The Pierre New York, 2 East 61st St., for ICL's 2025 Welcome Home gala.

We invite you to celebrate our partners who help ICL provide a welcoming, safe, and supportive place to call home for New Yorkers struggling with mental health challenges, substance use, and significant trauma. The festivities will feature a cocktail reception, dinner, auction, and a heartfelt program.

Learn more and purchase tickets, tables, and sponsorships: https://iclinc.org/support-us/2025-icl-gala/

03/26/2025

🌟 Happy Social Work Month! This month, we celebrate and honor the incredible social workers who are at the heart of everything we do. Their dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment help us provide the best possible care to the individuals and communities we serve.

[Photo: ICL social workers pose in our East New York Health HUB, which provides comprehensive, integrated services that meet the community's full range of primary health and behavioral health needs.]

03/20/2025

A new feature from Crain's New York Business highlights the incredible impact of STEPS (Step-down Treatment Ensures Personal Success), our signature pilot program that is proving real solutions exist for New Yorkers facing chronic homelessness and mental health challenges.

This innovative approach helps individuals transition from intensive street outreach to more independent, community-based care. In just one year, the results speak for themselves:

- 100% of participants maintained housing
- 98% adhered to their prescribed medication
- Nearly all avoided arrest, incarceration, and hospitalization

At ICL, we’re leading the way in transforming behavioral health care, and the success of STEPS makes it clear that this model works. With thousands still in need, expanding programs like this is critical.

We’re proud to see this important work recognized—read more in Crain’s: https://www.crainsnewyork.com/health-pulse/steps-mental-health-pilot-moves-homeless-residents-stable-services

03/12/2025

We’re thrilled to share ICL's 2024 Annual Report!

Last year, ICL made a lasting impact on the lives of New Yorkers facing behavioral health challenges. From the launch of the innovative Step-down Treatment Ensures Personal Success (STEPS) program, which helps individuals transition to greater independence, to plans for redeveloping the Emerson-Davis Family Center, our work continues to grow in increasingly meaningful ways.

The impact is clear: Over 10,000 New Yorkers reached, with 81 percent reporting improved quality of life and 88 percent of participants setting their own treatment goals.

Thank you to everyone who supports ICL’s mission of helping New Yorkers achieve their full potential through dedicated, person-centered care. Meet some of the incredible individuals whose lives have been transformed and learn more about our important work:https://iclprd.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2024-ICL-report-v5.pdf

03/11/2025

Join us for our next webinar in the Whole Health Learning Collaborative series. Jennifer Havens, MD, Arnold Simon Professor and Chair of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine will present on the topic, “Realizing the Potential of Children’s Mental Health Services in the 21st Century.”

To secure your spot, scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/WHLCICL