New Alternatives
Helping Young Adults with Severe Mental Illness Navigate the Community
The New Alternatives program helps young adults with severe mental illness, ages 18 to 22, learn to live in the community.
Our residential program provides housing, case management, counseling, nursing care and medication management. In a safe place to live with 24-hour staffing, clients are able to learn life skills to lead successful adult lives.
Severe mental illness is a substantial organic or psychiatric disorder of thought, mood, perception, orientation or memory which significantly impairs judgment, behavior or the ability to cope with basic demands of life.
Intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, developmental disabilities, alcohol or substance abuse, brief periods of intoxication, or criminal behavior do not, alone, constitute serious mental illness.
Young Adults We Help
New Alternatives is designed for young adults that meet the following criteria:
- Living with severe mental illness issues
- Have resided in out-of-home placements through hospitalization, foster care placement, psychiatric residential treatment facilities or chemical dependency treatment
- Transitioning into adulthood with limited support systems
Safe Housing Program
New Alternatives provides a safe housing experience for clients while they learn the life skills necessary to live on their own.
Young adults gain knowledge and confidence to obtain community resources and manage their personal needs more effectively. As they prepare to live on their own in the community, they are linked to other adult mental health services that can continue to support their lifestyle successfully.
Individual Services
New Alternatives uses a coordinated team approach to implement case plans that include goals, education and services for the clients. This helps the client establish resources in the community, including:
- Connections with community resources
- Aftercare planning and support
- Employment and volunteer experiences
- Help with transportation and bus services
- Community recreation activities
- Teach individual and group life skills
- Help clients build and maintain positive, healthy adult relationships
- Monitor physical, mental health and safety needs of clients
- Encourage healthy lifestyle choices
Educational Services
Independent living classes teach skills through hands-on learning. Topics include:
- Medication Management
- Money Management
- Problem Solving
- Cooking and Nutrition
- Menu Planning
- Community Transportation
- Future Housing Options
- Education Planning
- Employment
- Community Resources
- Interpersonal Skills
- Hygiene
- Health Management
- Emergency and Safety Skills
- Housekeeping
Apply for New Alternatives
LSS New Alternatives is an excellent program for young adults struggling with mental health who are interested in developing independence. Find out how a young adult can apply for the New Alternatives program here.
