Our History
CHOICE is a successful peer-run non-profit mental health advocacy agency based in Westchester CountY, NY, with over 15 years of experience and many awards for Excellence in Service for Peer Advocacy and Homeless Outreach programs. CHOICE is also the only peer agency in New York State to receive Medicaid reimbursement for eligible Case Management clients.
Celebrating Over 25 Years of Successful Growth
1994
CHOICE was founded in 1994 by a consumer of mental health services who was terribly frustrated by the difficulties of connecting to the assistance she was entitled to receive. Before it was a separate entity, CHOICE was a program of a fiscal sponsor, on a budget of roughly $26,000. This funding was provided by the Office of Mental Health through a contract administered by the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health. A single office was donated by a state facility, and the only paid staff member was a part-time director. Everyone else — advocates, clerical and maintenance ‘staff’ — were volunteers.
1996-1997
In 1996, CHOICE received its 501(c)(3) status, although it continued to function as a part of its fiscal sponsor. The program moved to larger quarters: a second-floor walk-up.
In 1997, CHOICE hired its first full time Executive Director. The Department of Community Mental Health increased funding to $56,800, and in May 1997 awarded CHOICE the first contract in the region to go directly to a peer-run agency without the use of a fiscal sponsor. CHOICE was officially an independent nonprofit agency. In addition to the full-time Executive Director, the staff now included two paid part-time advocates. Later in 1997, CHOICE provided case management services to its former fiscal sponsor and added two more part-time staff.
1989-1999
Further expansion came in 1998. Under a Commissioners Performance Fund award, CHOICE received three full-time state staff. In another first-of-its-kind contract, CHOICE also entered an agreement with Westchester County to provide case management services to Mount Vernon, Tuckahoe, Eastchester and Pelham. Two additional full-time staff were added for this program.
In 1999 CHOICE joined with the County Department of Community Mental Health and New York Hospital as part of a newly funded homeless outreach initiative. Additional funding made it possible to hire additional full-time staff. By now CHOICE was operating with nine full-time staff and only two volunteers.
2000-2001
In March 2000, CHOICE moved to more spacious, fully accessible, offices.
The following year, due to the success of its Homeless Outreach program, CHOICE was awarded additional funding to expand these services. Choice was the recipient of the Office of Mental Health 2001 Achievement Award for Excellence in Service. Also in 2001, CHOICE became one of the first peer-run agencies in New York State to receive a Medicaid-reimbursable case management position.
2011
Ten years later, CHOICE is the only peer agency in New York State to receive Medicaid reimbursement for eligible Case Management clients.
2013-2014
CHOICE put into action an aggressive expansion plan that resulted in the agency servicing more than 1,000 clients by September, 2014.
CHOICE began an active fundraising campaign that began with the annual “EXPRESSIONS” art show featuring the exhibition and sale of artwork created by the agency’s clients.
2015
CHOICE opened a new satellite in White Plains, NY with the goal of serving 1,000 more clients per year in a welcoming, nurturing custom designed environment.
CHOICE became the first agency in Westchester County to be given full time access and office space INSIDE Westchester County Jail. The goal is to work with prisoners struggling with mental illness BEFORE they are released so that they come out with foundation that gives them a good solid reason to better themselves and their lives…to break the incarceration cycle for so many who suffer.
The CHOICE Art Group was invited to participate in the annual VISIONS 2015 art show held at ArtsWestchester in September of that year. Visions 2015: Inspirations, Reflections, & Hope featured more than 150 works of art created by more than 70 artists who are the recipients of mental heath services in Westchester County.
CHOICE launched an innovative Jobs Readiness Program to assist clients in their search for gainful employment. The program addressed subjects such as resume writing, job interviewing, and goal setting.
In November, CHOICE cut the official ribbon on and dedicated the Terry Smith Wellness Center. Special guests included NY State Senator George Latimer, White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach, and Radio Personality Bob Marrone. Executive Director Guy Fessenden and Board Vice President Sharon Moseson both addressed the audience.
2017
In October, CHOICE moved into its new headquarters in New Rochelle at 71 North Avenue. New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, New Rochelle City Councilman Ivar Hyden and a group of local politician
s and dignitaries joined us for the ribbon cutting.
CHOICE launches World of Work, a series of self-guided, interactive, reality-based programs are designed to teach our clients the skills they need to be employable in today’s tech-driven work world.
Westchester County Jail received an award from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care for its innovative CORE (Community Oriented Re-Entry Program). CHOICE and the Department of Community Mental Health were instrumental in the creation and implementation of the CORE program. By 2017, we had set up permanent pods inside the jail to work with inmates 60-90 days prior to release to bridge the gap in services between those being provided inside the prison and outside the prison. Criminal Justice has remained a focus of the organization ever since.
2018
CHOICE opens food pantry to provide free weekly groceries to clients in need, acknowledging that it’s almost impossible to expect people to be able to handle the issues surrounding their mental health and well-being when they are simply too hungry to think about them.
2019
In August, CHOICE opened a new location at 1 Park Place in Peekskill, NY firmly entrenching us in three different Westchester locations: New Rochelle, White Plains, and Peekskill.
2021
CHOICE expanded to serving 2000 clients at at time while continuing to keep caseloads for Care Managers low, allowing for a more comprehensive care plan for our clients.
