Sign Up to Receive PHI Alerts

PHI and Affiliates Take Up Residence Together in the Bronx

April 10, 2013

PHI marked the opening of its new office in the Bronx with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at an open house on April 10.

Joining PHI in establishing offices at the new, LEED-Certified “green” building at 400 East Fordham Road are PHI’s two New York affiliates:

“Our three organizations bring to the Bronx an unmatched system of job training, job creation, employment support, long-term care services, and advocacy,” said PHI Board Chair and ICS Founder and President Rick Surpin, who is also the founder and chairperson of CHCA.

In recognition of the official opening of the offices, Commissioner Victor Calise of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities presented a letter of commendation from the Office of Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the event.

“People with disabilities from the Bronx have waited a long time for a top-notch facility such as this, which combines three great organizations: PHI, Cooperative Home Care Associates and Independence Care System,” Commissioner Calise said. “Their expertise will bring job training, long-term service, wheelchair maintenance and repair services to Bronx residents, which will improve their quality of life in so many ways.”  

More Trainees

At its new state-of-the-art training facility, CHCA can now train 600 new home care workers each year. Successful graduates of its comprehensive, free, four-week home health aide training program — supported by PHI –are guaranteed job placement.

CHCA, founded in the South Bronx in 1985, employs more than 2,225 women to provide high-quality, reliable home care services and supports to 4,500 low-income residents throughout New York City.

The agency is one of the nation’s first home care companies to earn special “B Corporation” certification.

Award-Winning Wheelchair Program

ICS coordinates a wide range of home care, health care, and social services to enable senior adults and people with disabilities or chronic conditions to live as independently as possible.

At its new Bronx-based office, ICS has established the first comprehensive, community-based wheelchair evaluation, maintenance, and repair program in the borough.

ICS serves 4,500 members in New York City, of whom 1,000 are Bronx residents. CHCA provides long-term services and supports to ICS members located in its service area.

Investing in Home Care Jobs

PHI, which was born out of CHCA more than 20 years ago, provides workforce and curriculum development and coaching and consulting services to both CHCA and ICA.

“As the baby boomers age and more people live with disabilities and chronic health conditions, the demand for quality home care workers is increasing rapidly,” said PHI President Jodi M. Sturgeon. “Investing in home care jobs — through better wages, benefits, training, and opportunities for advancement — will better ensure that our nation builds the workforce it needs to provide high-quality home care.”

“CHCA has practiced the ‘quality job, quality care’ strategy in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan for decades. This strategy has proven to be a win-win for CHCA’s home care workers and clients — a;nd nationwide,” Sturgeon said.

The Robin Hood Foundation and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation were recognized at the open-house celebration for generously contributing capital grants that make the expanded training and employment efforts possible.

— by Deane Beebe

Caring for the Future

Our new policy report takes an extensive look at today's direct care workforce—in five installments.

Workforce Data Center

From wages to employment statistics, find the latest data on the direct care workforce.