2000 Best Practice Awards

Best Practice: Christopher Homes Eldercare Support Services

Program Offers Personal, Spiritual, and Community Support for Elders

New Orleans. The Christopher Homes Eldercare Support Services is a non-medical model for providing assisted living services for low-income elderly. Program staff arrange activities such as education, training for senior caregivers, health care provides, and assistance with activities of daily living. Daily living services include assistance with meal preparation, housekeeping, bathing, transportation, and escort for medical appointments and case management. The objective of the program is to focus on employing senior residents of Christopher Homes complexes, and seniors within Orleans parishes. The support of the elderly includes improving the environment of frail elderly, providing assistance in their apartment, and promoting lifelong personal and spiritual development, educating the elderly on services available in the community, and seeking to prevent early nursing home placement.

Contact: Sister Clare Thomas, Phone: (504) 949-0636
Tracking Number: 2907
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: One Hundred Men of Shreveport

African American Men Develop Youth Support Group

Shreveport. The unemployment rate among African Americans in the City of Shreveport is almost twice the rate of the total civilian labor force. Citywide, the poverty rate exceeds 24 percent and it is as high as 79.4 percent in targeted inner city neighborhoods. One Hundred Men of Shreveport began when a group of four local young men came together in 1993 to promote positive change in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. Today, there are 70 members and the goal is to exceed 100. Recognizing the need for strong, effective role models for disadvantaged youth in the inner city, they decided to spend time with 50 male youths ages 8-17 in activities that were both fun and educational. Outings included movies, bowling and camping and fishing. Mentors volunteer approximately 120 hours per month. Since January 1999, the program has served more than 200 young men from "at-risk" neighborhoods. The components of youth enhancement education include mentoring, computer literacy, martial arts, tutoring and career preparation.

Contact: Rickey Carthon, Phone: (318) 525-1100
Tracking Number: 2306
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Community Support Program, Inc. – Crossroads, Portals, Portico and Transitions Programs

Programs Assist Mentally Ill with Independent Living Skills

Shreveport. Community Support Programs, Inc., serves persons diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness through transitional shelter. Its provides individualized services and fosters independence, resulting in programs designed to fit the individual. The agency's mission is "...to serve the client/family and to enhance each person's opportunity to live successfully in the community." It has four major programs. Crossroads is a 45-day emergency shelter for homeless, chronically mentally ill adults. It offers room and board, medication education and monitoring, skills training in activities of daily living, and links to available housing, employment and other community resources and support. The Portals program provides supportive services to adoptive and foster families. It also provides a resource center, planned and crisis respite, and support and preservation services. Significant research is conducted to establish which services promote permanent placement and reduce neglect and abuse. Portico provides preventive interventions and support services to families who are in danger of having their children removed. It also provides planned and crisis respite, counseling, parent training, family activities, support groups, mentoring and self-help resources. Transitions helps homeless individuals who suffer from a chronic mental illness and who have documented limitations in daily independent living skills. It implements individualized services based on client needs.

Contact: Margaret Shemwell, Phone: (318) 221-7978
Tracking Number: 150
Winning Category: Program (Housing - Multifamily)

Content Archived: April 20, 2011