1173 Bergen Street, Brooklyn

Operated by: CORE Services Group, Inc.

Location: 1173 Bergen Street Bergen House
Total units: 104

When is the shelter scheduled to open?

This shelter, which will be known as the Bergen House, is scheduled to open on March 22, 2017.
Who is the social services provider and how was this site selected?
CORE Services Group, Inc. is the provider; CORE proposed this site to DHS by responding to an open-ended
Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by DHS. COREs mission is to empower individuals and families to secure
and maintain steady employment, maximize their independence and live stable, productive lives. CORE
achieves its mission by connecting clients to livable wage jobs, quality education, medical and behavioral
health services, life skills and job training, and safe, affordable housing. CORE will provide on-site, evidence-
based programming that includes comprehensive assessments, active and ongoing case management, and
individualized health, behavioral health, and social services (directly and via referral). Bergen House staff will
work purposefully with clients taking an individualized approach to ensuring that their health and social
services needs are met so as to support their prompt transition to permanent housing in the community.
Who will be served?
This shelter will serve 104 single adult men age 50 and older, principally from Brooklyns Community Board 8.
What is the average length of stay?
The average stay is expected to be about nine months, which is the current DHS system-wide average for
single men; stays will vary based on individual needs.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be prepared on-site
Clients with special nutritional needs will be accommodated
All of the meals will meet the NYC Food and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Standards
Is there a curfew for clients?
Yes, there is a 10 PM curfew. Clients who are employed with late work hours will get passes to return to the
facility after curfew, based on their documented work schedule.
Will there be registered sex offenders at this location?
No, there will be no registered sex offenders at this location.

Client Support
What services will be available at Bergen House?
Case management
Medical and behavioral health services, including individual and group counseling
Assistance in obtaining benefits and entitlements
Vocational services, including life skills and financial management support and training
Referrals to and assistance in obtaining and retaining permanent housing
Recreational activities
COREs program approach assists and supports clients in examining their thinking, feelings, beliefs and
attitudes. Life, social, financial and work skills training help clients secure employment, for those who are
interested and able to do so, and to successfully obtain and retain permanent housing in the community.
COREs evidence-based approaches help clients integrate the skills they have learned to better ensure
their success upon return to permanent housing in the community.
Case Management: COREs case managers are selected based on demonstrated success in providing
services to homeless. The case management supervisor will be a licensed social worker (LMSW or LCSW),
who will provide weekly professional supervision and ongoing training and support in the use of evidence-
based practices that inform COREs case management program, including strengths-based case
management and motivational interviewing.
Medical Services: COREs staff will include a nurse, who will conduct an assessment of all clients at intake
to identify medical and behavioral health problems that require referral to a community-based provider.
Based on the assessment, the nurse will work with each client onsite to monitor compliance with
appointments, prescribed medication regimens, and provide additional onsite medical services. For those
clients who have been diagnosed with a mental health and/or substance use disorder(s), or one or more
chronic medical conditions, the nurse will coordinate care with community-based providers and help
clients to manage these conditions as effectively as possible.
Behavioral Health Services: CORE staff will regularly provide individual and group counseling. Bergen
House will refer clients for mental health services from community-based providers (with whom they can
usually maintain a relationship long after they leave Bergen House or transitional housing). Supportive,
recovery-oriented services will be offered both onsite and through referrals that COREs case managers
will make to community-based services, including mutual support groups, self-help, 12-step programs, and
peer-run organizations.
Assistance Accessing Public Benefits: While Bergen House staff will encourage able clients to work, public
benefits, which include entitlements (i.e., Medicare, SSI, etc.) and benefits that are based on an
individuals contributions (i.e., Social Security, SSD) can be a critical stabilizing factor. The benefits provide
support for food, healthcare and day-to-day expenses. Homeless individuals often lose access to critical
benefits (i.e., Medicaid or Medicare) because they have no permanent address or simply because they do
not understand the enrollment and recertification requirements. Case managers and benefits specialists
will help clients access benefits to which they are entitled, and will help ensure that they retain access
while at Bergen House.
Vocational/Life Skills Services: Bergen Houses clients who are able and wish to obtain recognize
employment will be expected to participate in vocational counseling, employability training, and other job
readiness and skill training. Vocational services begin at admission with a comprehensive assessment of
each clients work readiness and soft skills (such as situational judgment, oral communication, reading
with understanding, and using math to solve real world problems). In addition to making referrals to
vocational training providers, vocational counselors, and basic educational skills instruction, CORE will
assess clients for work readiness based on criteria established by the National Work Readiness Council,
which provides a universal and transferable national standard for work readiness. Moreover, CORE will
implement programs designed to teach the foundations of financial literacy. Counseling on personal
financial challenges is also conducted by case managers. Finally, if clients identify financial or educational
topics that they would like to see covered in a group or workshop setting, the program staff will work with
them to tailor a workshop, seminar or group to meet their needs.
Permanent Housing: Placing clients in appropriate permanent housing is the goal for Bergen House staff.
The flexible length of stay at Bergen House enables COREs staff to effectively address many of the
challenges facing homeless adults. CORE works with transitional and permanent housing programs (see
 the attached list of linkage agreements) that employ the Housing First model. Experience has
demonstrated that this is the most reliable and effective pathway to permanent housing for the majority
of homeless adults and families, including older adults. The Housing First model prioritizes a clients own
permanent housing above all other interventions to bring him off the streets and into permanent housing.
CORE strives to help those clients that want greater independence to access and maintain it.
Recreational Activities: Recreational activities and services re-introduce clients to activities that they may
enjoy and which mayin turnprove beneficial in a variety of ways. These activities provide an
opportunity to interact with people who are not living in sheltera skill that has atrophied among some
homeless individuals. In addition to on-site recreation, CORE sponsors client access to cultural events and
sites in New York City, as well as historical and other places of interest (e.g., a visit to the Statue of Liberty,
a cookout in the park, etc.). These activities, along with others that may be suggested by clients, serve a
prosocial purpose and will ultimately support their successful transition to permanent housing.
Staffing and employment opportunities
CORE will work with Community Board 8, local elected officials, and neighbors to facilitate employment
opportunities at Bergen House for people living in the neighborhood. Available positions (see below) range
from entry level residential aide and community engagement positions, porters and assistant cooks, to
licensed social workers, case managers, and a director of social services.
The Facility Director will be a seasoned and experienced social
Facility Director 1
services professional who will oversee all operations, including the 45
Director of Social Services 1
members of the Bergen House staff. There will be fourteen (15) full- Social Worker 1
time social services professionals dedicated to case management Case Manager 5
(five), housing placement (four), as well as a nurse and a life skills Employment Specialist 2
training coordinator. Twentyeight (28) operations staff will oversee Housing Specialist 4
safety and security at the program, as well as complete regular Recreational Specialist/Life
Skills 1
neighborhood patrols. The Operations Coordinator will supervise five
Nurse 1
Senior Residential Monitors (shift supervisors), fifteen Residential Operations Coordinator 1
Monitors, two porters, a driver and four cooks. Finally, Bergen House Senior Residential Monitor 5
will have two administrative professionals to support the entire Residential Monitor 15
program. Administrative Assistant 1
Office Assistant/Clerk 1
All positions will earn a minimum of $15.00 per hour. CORE offers a Porter 2
complete benefits package including medical, dental and vision Driver 1
benefits. Individuals interested in exploring employment Cook 1
opportunities at CORE should send a resume to hr@coresvcs.org. Assistant Cook 3

What aftercare services will be available?

When residents transition to permanent housing they will be referred to community-based services near their
permanent address. These will include medical and behavioral health services, senior centers and services, as
appropriate, and other social activity centers.
What is the security program?
The site will have 24/7 security, including five full-time shift supervisors and 15 full-time residence counselors,
as well as six uniformed security personnel on each shift. In addition, CORE will also have two community
engagement staff to conduct neighborhood patrols to ensure clients are adhering to the facilitys good
neighbor policy. During the day and evening shifts, security and community engagement personnel will
conduct hourly external patrols of the facility within a minimum three-block radius to ensure that Bergen
House clients are engaged and not loitering. Security and community engagement personnel will walk and
bike these areas, as well as use marked vehicles. In addition to overnight roving, there will be 45 CCTV
cameras covering the exterior and interior areas of the entire building.
Addressing Ongoing Community Concerns
Will there be future community meetings regarding this site?
Yes, a Community Advisory Board (CAB) will be organized. The CAB will hold regular meetings to ensure that
any community concerns are proactively addressed. The CAB will work with interested community members
who may wish to volunteer their time and talent to further assist the shelter residents.
Contact Information
Community members with questions or concerns can contact COREs VP of Community Affairs, Gordon
Jackson, at 917-863-5580.
Will this facility impact residential parking on the block?
CORE employees will be strongly encouraged to use public transportation and/or to participate in our
corporate Bike Share Subsidy Program.