Brookhaven Apartments
Supportive Housing for Victims of Domestic Violence

Staff learned early on that the families emerging from our shelters needed safe, affordable housing with support services to break the cycle of violence and homelessness. In 1988-89, Grace Smith House developed post-shelter housing, opening 15 supportive apartments known as Brookhaven. Three of the apartments are transitional housing.

With Brookhaven came the expansion of the Follow-up Program to include three staff members and an apartment manager. All families living at Brookhaven take part in the Follow-up Program. The adults agree to come to tenant’s meetings, support groups, and to set monthly goals with individual counselors.

The issues most often worked on among tenants are safety, learning about the effects of domestic violence, cooperation, support, diversity issues, non-violent conflict solving, parenting, drug and alcohol issues, and new relationships.  

Follow-up Program: The families leaving Grace Smith House Shelters or residing in Brookhaven Apartments often need continued advocacy and support. We have found that the families have a better chance of finding housing and, even more important, staying in the same housing for a longer period if the families remain actively involved in the Follow-up Program.

The components of the Follow-Up Program have been developed from the experiences and needs of battered women and are designed to assist each individual and family progress toward nonviolence, self-sufficiency, and permanency in housing. Services include individual counseling, court advocacy, advocacy and referrals within the community, support groups, and children’s groups.

The Follow-up Program also runs a clothing and food closet and receives donations of household items for the families.

Special Programs: With the help of individual and community groups, the Follow-up Program has been able to offer a variety of activities and events for the families in the program such as summer outings, picnics, holiday celebrations, pot luck dinners, children’s reading groups, teachings in mediation skills, nutrition, relaxation, housekeeping, Playback Theatre, etc. All of these help families feel like part of the community and help them network with others. Most of these efforts have been based on volunteer help.

Community Education: Staff and veteran clients of the agency are involved in educating the community about domestic violence and the services available. This is done by speaking to community groups, interviews in newspapers/magazines, speaking at or conducting workshops, sending letters to the editor, speaking at legislative hearings, being part of various committees, speaking up at rallies, lobbying in Albany at budget time and sending speakers to classrooms in high schools and colleges in the area.

Non-Traditional Services: Grace Smith House has responded to the needs of our growing Latina community by employing a full time bilingual Latina Outreach Worker who coordinates follow-up services for Latina families affected by domestic violence.