Another pillar of Jericho’s support services is its investment in creating healthy families. The two core programs developed to accomplish this are Jericho’s Family Reunification Program for single adults and Family Supportive Apartment Program for families working to stay together and exit homelessness.

The Family Reunification Program works with Jericho’s single parents to help them re-establish and improve relationships with their children who are in foster care or living with other relatives. The program helps residents establish visitation and custody goals while developing better parenting skills and creates the solid healthy foundation necessary for them to heal the relationships with the children that might have been damaged by their substance abuse and homelessness. Last year, 66 families participated in the program; 41 current residents and 25 graduates.

Launched in 2010, the Family Supportive Apartment Program marks the first time Jericho is working with families who are struggling to stay together while ending their homelessness. The program offers supportive housing to 30 families who have experienced long-term or episodic homelessness. Jericho utilizes its extensive network of landlords and realtors to secure affordable housing for the families and helps them access any public resources so they can move seamlessly from shelters into their new supportive apartments. Once the family is settled, Jericho provides the full range of its programs, particularly employment services, to help them transition into independent, stable family living.