Huntington Family Centers, Inc.
405 Gifford Street
Syracuse, NY 13204-3290
(315) 476-3157 // FAX (315) 476-3860


SERVICES OFFERED

Program Goal:

The primary long-term outcome for the Pre School Program is that children and families have access to quality and affordable early childhood opportunities preparing them for success. Huntington’s Pre-K Program promotes school success by providing positive role models and social experience geared toward the development of character, strong values and healthy relationships. Integral components for either program are building self esteem, promoting non violent behavior and learning to appreciate diversity among people of different cultures, race, ethnic groups, religions, genders, abilities, age, size or economic class. 

Program Description:

The overall approach of Huntington’s Pre-K program is to reach the long term outcomes of educational and age appropriate experiences.  Lessons, access to books, field trips and guest speakers for children 18 months to 5 years old help prepare our children for success as they enter kindergarten. 

Huntington’s Pre-School program uses weekly themes as guidelines for lessons taught.  Art projects, field trips and books read to the class will incorporate these themes. There is a reading area used daily by children. General academic skills such as counting and learning colors are presented on  a daily basis. The children have access to many different kinds of toys and games such as legos, bristle blocs, string beads as well as materials developed by teachers. Each day children engage in free play, lessons, reading, large muscle activities and snack.

Parent involvement is very important to the Pre-School Program. Parents are encouraged to participate as classroom volunteers, help on field trips and attend parent teacher conferences. 

Who is served:

Children 18 months to 3 years old who reside on the West side of Syracuse.

Children 4 and 5 years old who reside in the City of Syracuse.
 

The after-school program for teens provides truancy prevention, tutoring, drop-in, and field trips from 2:30 PM until 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.  Additional teen hours are available three evenings from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM.   Structured activities, guest speakers, field trips, and cultural enrichment programming are offered during the program.  Home visits, school visits, and family outreach are provided during the hours that the youth are in school.

Street Reach
Reaching out to youth that are at risk because they have dropped out of school, have truancyproblems, substance abuse problems, or are engaging in delinquent behavior is the activity provided by this service. Outreach staff build relationships with youth by meeting them on their own turf, often making connections on neighborhood street corners. This intensive outreach effort often provides crisis intervention, conflict resolution, education, referrals and advocacy.

Who is served?

Youth that reside on the Westside of Syracuse.
 

Program Goal:

The primary long-term goal of the Counseling Services at Huntington Family Center is to reduce the incidents of child abuse and neglect in our Central New York community.   It is further anticipated that a reduction in abusive behavior today will result in changes in family violence cycles thus leading to a reduction in child abuse in the future.  We provide families with a full range of social work services such as case management, individual, family, and group counseling, crisis intervention, outreach, and advocacy.  The goals of the Counseling Services are preventing the placement of children in foster care, achieving earlier return of children who are already in care, and reducing the risk of child abuse and neglect in the home.

Program Descriptions:
Family Counseling
In Family Counseling, much of the counseling is focused on the specific factors that place the child at risk of abuse or maltreatment.  These counseling sessions are held at a minimum of two times per month approximately and can take place either at Huntington Family Center or at the consumer’s home.

Court Related Youth Prevention Counseling (CRYPS)
Court Related Youth Services counselors focus sessions on the specific risk factors that place the child at risk of being abused or maltreated.  Many times the child has already been the victim of some type of child maltreatment.  If this is the case, then much of the intervention will focus on processing these incidents thus helping the child to express his or her needs and feelings in an appropriate manner.  These sessions occur at a minimum of two times per month and can take place at the child’s home, at Huntington, or at the child’s school.

Huntington’s Unifies Guidance and Supervision (HUGS)
Parents who are referred to the HUGS program begin their supervised visitation at Huntington.  Prior to the visit, there is one-half hour of counseling with the parents that takes place to prepare them for the visit.  The parent(s) then have a one hour supervised visit with their child in one of Huntington’s visiting areas.  These areas are set up to replicate a home-like setting for the family.  A HUGS counselor supervises the entire visit through a one-way mirror.  The audio from the visit is transmitted to the counselor in the observation room.  After the visit, there is another one-half hour counseling session with the parents.

Huntington Adolescent Safe Option Treatment Program (HASOTP)
The Huntington Adolescent Safe Options Treatment Program (HASOTP) provides therapeutic counseling on an outpatient basis to children, adolescents, parents, adult care givers (including foster care parents) and family members.  The counseling services address sexually acting out behaviors exhibited by the children and adolescents. Youth and families work together towards lowering the risk to sexually reoffend.  Parents are educated to change family dynamics that may have contributed towards the acting out behavior. HASOTP puts emphasis on group therapy with youth, having them attend groups more often than individual sessions.  HASOTP incorporates families by assigning a separate therapist to work primarily with the parents and family of the youth. The goal is for the youth to complete the program with an understanding of their high risk situations, warning signs, and safety detours to avoid sexually acting out.
 

Lucy’s House operates Monday through Friday from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM.  Parents experiencing stress can call Huntington any time after 5:00 to speak with a counselor regarding the crisis situation. The counselor will then make arrangements with the consumer to come into Huntington for further respite.  Transportation and child-care is provided for the family.  Short term crisis counseling as well as referrals to other community agencies are provided each evening.  At the end of the session, the family is transported home.  This component is offered on an as needed basis. 

Who is served:

Families that reside in Onondaga County

(HASOTP is able to provide this specialized service to adjacent counties through special contracts.)
 

Primary Goals:

The goal for Assistance with Basis Needs is that families and individuals will meet their need for nutritional food and adequate clothing that will allow them to live to their highest degree of independence. Assistance with food and clothing is done individually to protect consumer confidentiality and treats each person with dignity. Families and individuals who need assistance with basic needs have many pressures in their lives, and knowing that Huntington is there and help is available encourages consumers to use the services.

Program Descriptions:
Food Pantry
Families needing assistance with food can come to Huntington Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM.  After registering for food assistance, the Assistance worker will provide the family with enough food for three meals for three days.  The assistance worker can also provide education and referral services to the consumer.

Trading Post
Families that need clothing can come to Huntington on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between the hours of 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM. The Assistance worker will take the consumer to the clothing area to choose what is needed for the family. Clothing is provided free to families.

Who is served:

Families and individuals in Onondaga County.
 

Primary Goal:

The primary long term goal of Elderly Services is to reduce isolation and loneliness through outreach, linkages and support services to citizens 60 years and older. Services are provided in a manner that is least restrictive and respects the person’s cultural and ethnic heritage and their right to remain independent.

Program Descriptions:
Clover Corner
Huntington’s senior center “Clover Corner” is a multi-purpose program designed to offer older persons daily options for socialization, information, education and leisure time activities. Clover Corner offers a hot noon meal. Services are provided year round, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Project Choice
Project Choice is a program that provides senior citizens with developmental disabilities the opportunity to choose retirement activities that are community-based. At Clover Corner, typical and developmentally disabled individuals enjoy the same activity options.