NSO Programs
Emergency Telephone Service & Suicide Prevention Center
Since 1978, our Emergency Telephone Service and Suicide Prevention Center (ETS/SPC) has provided free, 24-hour telephone crisis intervention, suicide prevention and information and referral services. Our caring professionals, with a mission to save and improve lives through communication, offer counseling for individuals experiencing mental health, substance abuse or other interpersonal problems.
ETS/SPC’s outreach component consists of critical incident stress management, speaker presentations, education and trainings on suicide prevention and crisis intervention.
Help Lines:
- 1-800-273-TALK - a national suicide prevention helpline
-
313-224-7000 or 1-800-241-4949 - a crisis intervention, suicide prevention and information and referral helpline for Wayne County.
(Calls referred to NSO via Pioneer Behavioral Health) - 1-800-270-7117 - a Statewide helpline for individuals experiencing a gambling problem
- 1-800-811-4211 – information and referrals to all NSO programs
220 Bagley Avenue, Suite 1200
Detroit, MI 48226
800-270-7117
LaNeice Jones, Vice President of Programs
(313)961-1060
It was 1 a.m. when I received a call from K., a 19-year-old woman contemplating suicide. I assessed her mental state and together we developed a ‘safety plan’ and a plan of intervention. She identified a friend she could stay with until she ‘felt strong again’. During a follow up call, she told me how grateful she was to have a place to call where no one would judge her.
Gambling Treatment Program
NSO’s Gambling Treatment Program provides comprehensive treatment services to compulsive gamblers and their families. Funded by the Michigan Department of Community Health, our statewide program provides referrals to trained treatment providers.
Based upon consumer participation and decision-making, individual, group and family treatment involves psycho educational processes, the promotion of positive life changes, along with personal growth and therapy.
220 Bagley Avenue, Suite 1200
Detroit, MI 48226
800-270-7117
LaNeice Jones, Vice President of Programs
(313)961-1060
Lori Mello, Program Director, Gambling Treatment
Lori Mello is currently the Program Manager of NSO’s Gambling Treatment Program. She was formerly the Manager of Clinical Best Practice at Training & Treatment Innovations, Inc. and the Community Education Coordinator at HAVEN, an agency that provides help for domestic violence/sexual assault survivors. She has also worked in fundraising and campaign at United Way, served as Associate Director of Women’s Survival Center in Pontiac, and did case management in Wayne and Oakland County at CareGivers. There she worked with and supervised teams that worked with at-risk families and youth providing in-home counseling and support services. She also worked to find permanent housing for families in Detroit shelters as well as with persons diagnosed as HIV positive or with AIDS. In addition to her full-time employment, Lori’s teaches human services and psychology courses at Baker College as well as Public Administration courses at Oakland University. She holds an undergraduate degree in Social Work from San Diego State University, a graduate degree in Counseling and a graduate degree in Public Administration, both from Oakland University.
Mrs. B. called the Michigan Gambling Help Line early on Christmas morning. She had been in a casino for 3 days and was distraught when she shared with me, ‘It is Christmas and I should be with my children.’ After several minutes of speaking with her, she was sobbing and told me, ‘I need help right now.’ I am so happy that I was able to conference her with one of our therapists so Mrs. B. could immediately get the help she needed, even at 6 a.m. on Christmas morning.
Harper-Gratiot Multi-Service Center
The Harper-Gratiot Multi-Service Center (HGMSC) provides comprehensive, coordinated and accessible health and human programs to the community in one convenient location.
Programs available at the Center include crisis intervention, utility assistance, emergency food and transportation assistance, treatment referrals, Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) and the Youth Initiatives Project (YIP).
Harper Gratiot Multi-Service Center
9641 Harper Avenue
Detroit, MI 48213
(313) 923-5050 x 8265
Fax: (313) 571-9866
Crystal White, Program Director
cwhite@nso-mi.org
When Mr. and Mrs. M. came into HGMSC with their six children they had no home and no jobs. My colleagues and I helped them apply for assistance, connected them with a landlord who would waive the security deposit, and recommended other NSO programs for their children. Four weeks later, they had a home, jobs and food assistance for their family. Mr. and Mrs. M. told me how happy they were, that NSO was here in their time of need.
Home Instruction for
Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)
NSO’s Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) empowers parents as their child’s first teacher by providing consumers with the tools, skills and confidence they need to work with their three-to-five-year-old children. The program lasts 30 weeks and is conducted at home with our trained coordinators. Bringing families, organizations and communities together, HIPPY removes barriers to participation, such as limited financial resources and lack of education.
HIPPY activities roughly coincide with the school year and provide advocacy, group meetings, childcare and transportation.
Harper Gratiot Multi-Service Center
9641 Harper Avenue
Detroit, MI 48213
(313) 967-7830 x 5024
Fax: (313) 539-7330
My child successfully completed the HIPPY program and graduated from High School the top of her class. She was the class valedictorian and selected as Channel 7's "Best and the Brightest" She received over $70,000 in scholarships to attend college.
The HIPPY books helped build my child’s reading confidence. After completing the program she continued to practice her reading with the books provided by the program. She is now an honor student and an avid reader.
Life Choices
Life Choices provides a central access point and support to children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Our staff advocates secure resources and provide intermittent lifelong support services on behalf of consumers, so each individual can live as independently as possible.
Life Choices provides comprehensive outpatient and support services, ongoing assessment of community programs and resources, therapy, evaluation and planning, guardianship assistance, residential placement and monitoring, 24-hour crisis intervention and stabilization, parenting skills training, art therapy and the PLAY Project (Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters), which provides at-home training and support for families with children with Autism age18 months to six years.
8600 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 875-7601
Fax: (313) 875-7622
Unit Director: Penny C. Thomas, LMSW
Penny Thomas holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Social Work. Her undergraduate degree was earned at Wayne State University, where she attended on a full merit scholarship. Her Master’s degree was earned at Eastern Michigan University. Her area of concentration for her Master’s was Children and Families. Ms. Thomas is fully licensed by the state.
Ms. Thomas has been a social worker for about 30 years and has spent her career delivering services to vulnerable populations, first in child welfare and then with developmentally disabled children and adults. Her passion is to see the lives of individuals and families improved through the most appropriate service delivery possible.
Ms. Thomas has also taught in her area at Schoolcraft College and U of D Mercy, where she most recently taught a course entitled Introduction to Child Welfare.
I was so moved to witness a life changing moment during one of our group sessions. A young developmentally disabled woman shared with the group that she had been attacked years earlier. Members of the group immediately encircled her with their arms while several others whispered, ‘Me too.’
NSO Homeless Services
NSO is the only 24-hour/seven-days-a-week organization serving homeless people who have nowhere else to go due to behavioral difficulties, mental illness or physical challenges. Through our programs, we work tirelessly to ensure that those in need have a home and receive proper care.
Tumaini Center
3430 Third Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 832-3100
Risarg (Reggie) Huff, LMSW, Unit Director
Reggie Huff is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who has been a Social Worker for over Thirty (30) years. He is licensed in both micro and macro social work practice. He continues to hone his practice as an Adjunct Professor of Social Work at the Bachelor’s level at the Wayne State University School of Social Work.
At present, Reggie applies his talents to his role as the Director of Homeless Services for Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), where he is responsible for the overseeing services for those who are homeless in the community. In addition he is also involved in the clinical training efforts for staff at NSO and for those in the community seeking continuing education training.
As Director of Homeless Services Reggie’s shares the vision of NSO’s CEO which is to end homelessness not manage it. With determination and a skilled staff there is hope that those in our community who are homeless will be better served through the NSO Homeless Services Unit
When I learned that the only thing standing between Mr. J., one of our homeless consumers, and a steady job was his diabetes, I just had to help. I prescribed medication and helped him access a program to receive it at no cost. After several months of medication and following the American Diabetic Diet, his diabetes was under control. I faxed his test results to his potential employer and he was offered a job.
The Road Home
A unique mobile outreach program, The Road Home makes direct contact with homeless individuals who live on the streets of Detroit. Our outreach team, comprised of dedicated mental health and substance abuse professionals, case managers and paraprofessionals, respond to calls, make an initial assessment of the consumer to determine their needs, then transport the individual to an appropriate facility to receive care, support and housing, helping them to rejoin their community.
We reach out to people who are afraid to come to a homeless shelter. One of the unique things about our program is that many of our outreach workers were once homeless themselves and now help others in the same situation.
Tumaini Center
The Tumaini Center, named for the Swahili word for “believe” and “hope,” is a crisis support center for chronically homeless individuals. Established in 1975, we have provided services to all who enter our doors including substance abuse treatment, mental health assessment and referral, case management, emergency food, and clothing storage.
Many of our shelter monitors are formerly homeless individuals who came to the Tumaini Center for help, turned their lives around, and are ready for employment.
Supportive Housing
NSO’s Supportive Housing program uses the “Housing First” approach to provide permanent supportive housing services to formerly homeless consumers. This approach provides homeless people with housing quickly, and then provides them with their needed services in their neighborhood.
5470 Chene, Second Floor
Detroit, MI 48211
(313) 967-5320
Fax: (313) 579-0610
David Allen, Program Director
davidallen@nso-mi.org
Bridges Program
The Bridges Program is a scattered site supportive housing program for chronically homeless persons struggling with at least one of the following conditions: substance use disorder, serious persistent mental illness, cognitive impairment, or a chronic physical condition. The Bridges Program is takes a "Housing First" approach, which believes housing is a human right and emphasizes the importance of stabilizing the person in permanent housing before addressing other issues. The programs' case managers assist clients to access community-based services based on the client's individualized service plan, coordinate care amongst service providers, and teach daily living skills to insure the client successfully sustains housing.
5470 Chene, Second Floor
Detroit, MI 48211
(313) 967-5320 ext. 6211
Fax: (313) 579-0610
Staci Hirsch, Psy.D., Program Supervisor
shirsch@nso-mi.org
Older Adult Services
Older Adult Services (OAS) provides mental health outreach, residential and advocacy services to help older adults reach their maximum potential and remain active community participants. Through the OAS residential care program, consumers receive a full range of clinical, psychiatric nursing and occupational therapy assistance in supported living settings.
OAS is available for Wayne and Oakland County residents 60 and older and for adult nursing home residents 18 and older.
220 Bagley Avenue, Suite 1100
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 961-7990
Fax: (313) 961-1047
Wanda Bailey, Unit Director
Wanda Bailey joined the Neighborhood Service Organization in 2010 as the Director of the Older Adult Services Unit. Prior to that, Ms. Bailey worked as the Deputy Director of the Detroit Wayne County Long Term Care Connection (DWCLTCC) and the Director of Healthy Aging for the Detroit Area Agency on Aging. A long time social work administrator, she worked for many years as an executive for the Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS) where she held many key leadership positions administering social service policies and programs. In her last position with DHS as a zone manager, she managed multiple social service offices.
Ms. Bailey holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Eastern Michigan University and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan Dearborn.
She has served as a volunteer in the community for many years including 8 years on the United Way Community Services Detroit Advisory Board, and the Board of Directors for the Warren Conner Development Coalition.
John Sczomak, Assistant Unit Director
After thoroughly assessing Mrs. H., I knew that although she was diagnosed with mild mental retardation she did not need to live in a nursing home. I and my colleagues were able to help her prepare for discharge, learn life skills and helped identify potential apartments and roommates. She now lives with a roommate of her choosing, receives medical and metal health care and enjoys spending evenings sitting on her very own patio.
NSO Training Programs
We provide education and training for professionals and the general public on topics meant to empower participants and improve the lives of our consumers. Educators and speakers are practicing with hands-on experience working in real-life situations.
Programs include:
- ASWB Approved Continuing Education Training – Continuing education courses for social workers and substance abuse and prevention professionals
- Gambling Treatment Training
- Integrated Dual Diagnosis, Treatment (IDDT) Training – Focused on the treatment of individuals who co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders
- Direct Care Staff Training – For persons serving and supporting those with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness in the community
- Financial Literacy Training – For individuals learning money management skills
- Homebuyer Education Training – For those who are in the process of closing a loan for the purchase of a home
- Supervisor Training – Provides employees with the skills necessary to succeed in a supervisory role.
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training – Teaches the basics of safely managing an individual who is physically out of control after all other treatments have failed
- American Red Cross Courses, CPR (Child and Adult)
- First Aid Training
Harper Gratiot Multi-Service Center
9641 Harper Avenue
Detroit, MI 48213
Tricia Verrill, Training Director
(313) 967-5446
pverrill@nso-mi.org
Youth Initiatives Project
The Youth Initiatives Project (YIP) provides youth leadership and advocacy training focused on gun violence and substance abuse prevention. Designed to encourage youth activism and peer-to-peer collaboration, as a means of improving the capacity of neighborhood and community organizations, YIP’s training and technical assistance provides youth leaders with the skills to plan and organize activities that promote well being and success.
The program offers youth advocacy, peer mentoring, after-school and summer activities, a variety of leadership and prevention workshops, male and female-based programs, gun safety presentations and more.
Harper Gratiot Multi-Service Center
9641 Harper Avenue
Detroit, MI 48213
(313) 965-6924
Fax: (313) 571-9866
Frank McGhee, Program Director
fmcghee@nso-mi.org
Many of the young people in our Youth Initiatives Project see their neighbors and peers drop out of high school, so I am especially proud of the majority of our kids who not only graduate, but go on to college with the confidence and leadership skills that will take them far in life.
YIP participants were awarded 8 of the 50 Skillman Foundation Urban Scholars $10,000 college scholarships in 2011.
NSO Human Resources
Dave Kozlowski, Director of Human Resources
David Kozlowski has 30 plus years of management experience in non-profit organizations. He worked in management positions with the Southeastern Michigan American Red Cross Chapter and Regional Blood Services in Detroit, and Family and Neighborhood Services for Wayne County.
David began with NSO in January 2006 as its Director of Human Resources where he is responsible for the human resource functions involving talent acquisition, employee relations, benefits and compensation, and employee retention.
David is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy where he was awarded both his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees. In 2002, David was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration, with a major in Human Resources Management from the College of Business at Eastern Michigan University.
David is currently President of the Coalition of Personnel Administrators, a non-profit HR Management association. He is a member of the Human Resources Association of Greater Detroit; and the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). He holds a current Certified Business Manager designation (CBM) from the Association of Professionals in Business Management.