Contact: Colleen Roche/Jack Deacy (212) 788-2958
Deborah Sproles (HRA) 212 331 - 6200
The New York City program, one of 11 to be tested nationally, will target approximately 100 Bronx mothers who are on public assistance and are also substance abusers. The City's program, which will be operated by The Women's Housing and Economic Development Corporation (WHEDCO) in The Bronx, will provide intensive, comprehensive and coordinated services under one roof, including drug abuse treatment, literacy and job training, work experience and placement services and parenting and family services. The services will be provided over a three year period to help this difficult population to leave the welfare rolls and lead lives of self sufficiency.
"The City is proud to become one of the eleven nationwide sites for a pioneering demonstration program that will give us a chance to build upon our record of success in both welfare reform and drug abuse treatment," Mayor Giuliani said. "The CASAWORKS For Families will offer mothers on welfare who are addicted to drugs or alcohol a concentrated set of resources that will enable them to build lives of work, productivity and self-sufficiency and become responsible parents. I want to thank CASA and Joe Califano for developing this initiative"
Joseph Califano said, "Across the nation, we are dealing with the most difficult segment of the welfare population, those with substance abuse and addiction problems who are likely to have been on welfare for several years. The program is designed to give them hope, help them stand on their own two feet, so they can become working, taxpaying citizens and responsible parents. While every site is important, New York City will be among the most visible sites in the nation. I applaud Mayor Giuliani for taking a leadership role in this effort."
CASAWORKS For Families funding includes $13.2 million from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), $2 million from the City and State of New York, and $900,000 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services.
"Drug dependent women need the support and encouragement provided by programs that lead them away from dependency," said HRA Commissioner Jason Turner. "The CASAWORKS For Families initiative will help us to continue our efforts in working with welfare participants to minimize barriers to employment."
New York City currently has approximately 210,000 women on welfare with an estimated 20% having some form of drug dependency. Under Mayor Giuliani, New York City has decreased its welfare rolls by more than 400,000, bringing the total caseload down from over 1.1 million in 1995 to the current total of 745,800 participants.