Founded in 1893, Fall River Deaconess Home is a private, non-profit community-based agency, providing special education, residential treatment, pre-independent group living, and community based support services to more than two hundred youth and their identified families from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Youth served have racially, ethically, linguistically, and culturally diverse backgrounds. Characteristics include special needs as a result of trauma, abuse, neglect, and other significant challenges. Comprehensive services offered by Fall River Deaconess Home consist of specialized clinical treatment, health care services, crisis stabilization, psychiatric consultation, academic instruction, and vocational preparation. Fall River Deaconess Home prides itself in delivering high service standards to those in need.
Fall River Deaconess Home provides further enrichment services for youth and families, such as acute basic need support, in an effort to reduce barriers to treatment and impact long-term positive outcomes. There are many instances, however, where core needs exist, and the means to address those matters are not available (e.g., a youth needs athletic attire and sports equipment to safely participate on a recreational team; or to purchase toolkits and such required for vocational courses; or for those who cannot afford driver’s education classes and licensing fees). In such instances, participation and completion would normalize youth’s experience, increase engagement in school, and foster a sense of belonging. Having the means to fulfil these key milestones throughout adolescence promotes steps towards independence, self-sufficiency, and dignity.
The goal of Bright Futures is to fill these gaps and have the ability to support youth who are looking to enrich aspects of their education and strive toward healthy social lives. Bright Futures’ success will create a fundamental role of youth’s treatment outcomes and will broaden horizons to carry throughout life’s stages, far beyond Fall River Deaconess Home.
