named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Family First Program
Specialized services for sibling groups placed together, focusing on trauma reduction, family reunification, and 24/7 staffing at the Port Jefferson residence.
Independent Living Skills/Education Division
Provides training in education, employment, money management, and healthy life choices to prepare youth for adulthood.
Mental Health Division
Offers psychiatric and psychological evaluations, individual and group counseling, and substance abuse prevention services for all youth in residence.
Residential Services Division
Provides 24-hour on-site care for youth needing short- and long-term placement, with supervision and support in daily living skills.
Suffolk Works Employment Program (SWEP)
Job training program in partnership with Suffolk County Department of Labor for unemployed individuals to increase employability.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Student Support and Academic Services 1 activity
- Education and academic support servicesProvides in-house tutoring, college preparatory support, and educational coordination to help youth meet academic goals, including collaboration with schools, colleges, and vocational institutions.
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Workforce Readiness Training 1 activity
- Employment training and workforce developmentOperates the Suffolk Works Employment Program (SWEP), a job training initiative launched in 2010 in partnership with the Suffolk County Department of Labor, providing on-site work opportunities and skill-building to increase employability for unemployed individuals.
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Child Welfare and Protection Services 1 activity
- Family reunification and sibling support servicesOperates the Family First Program at the Port Jefferson residence, providing intensified family counseling and specialized support from 24/7 Sibling Specialists to maintain familial bonds and reduce trauma during out-of-home placement.
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Self-Sufficiency Empowerment Workshops 1 activity
- Independent living skills trainingOffers a structured program to help youth develop practical life skills in areas such as education, employment, financial literacy, relationships, and healthy decision-making to support successful transition to adulthood.
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Direct Mental Health Counseling and Support Services 1 activity
- Mental health and counseling servicesDelivers individual, group, and family counseling; psychiatric and psychological evaluations; substance abuse prevention programs; and supportive mental health counseling through licensed clinical staff, with program approvals from NYS OCFS and DOH.
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Residential Care for At-Risk Youth 1 activity
- Residential care for homeless and at-risk youthProvides short- and long-term residential care with 24-hour supervision for male and female youth across multiple community-based sites, including specialized services for sibling groups and family reunification. Serves up to 42 children at a time and approximately 400 youth and families annually.
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Mentorship and Professional Development Programs 1 activity
- Staff professional development and trainingProvides ongoing professional development and training opportunities for over 80 staff members across clinical, residential, educational, and operational roles, delivered on-site and through the broader social services community.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Research on homeless youthConducted research on homeless youth in New York, identifying high rates of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and exposure to household violence among participants.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$5.20M
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$5.15M99%
Investment income$51K1%
Other revenue$6K
expenses
Total expenses$4.93M
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$3.62M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.39M
Cash$1.86M
Investments$0
Liabilities$565K
Net assets$2.82M
Liquid reserves4.5 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +12.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valerie Kopetic | Executive Director | 40 | $248K |
board members · 8
- Debby Posner — Board Member
- Denise Ham — Board Member
- Diana Weaving — Board Member
- Edward M Taylor — Board President
- Nancy Gerfo — Board Member
- Nathaniel Ham — Board Member
- Roger Weaving — Board Member
- Scott Posner — Board Member
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- Covenant House Partner — Collaborated on research related to homeless youth in New York.
- Google Adwords Funder — Provides ongoing support for LIAFS programs.
- Long Island Cares Partner — Provides ongoing donations to support LIAFS youth and family programs.
- Nassau County Department of Social Services Government — Contracts with LIAFS to deliver social services.
- New York State Department of Health Government — Approved LIAFS to provide medical services and co-approved the Supportive Mental Health Counseling Program.
- New York State Office of Children and Family Services Government — Approved LIAFS to operate specialized youth programs and licenses the agency.
- New York e-Health Collaborative Partner — Partner in developing and implementing electronic health records systems.
- Newsday Charities\\Tribune Foundation Funder — Invited LIAFS to submit a grant proposal for program funding.
- Port Jefferson residence Partner — Residential site where the Family First Program for sibling groups is implemented.
- Seabees Partner — Participated in the construction of the original Community House SAFEHOUSE using volunteer labor and materials.
- Stony Brook University Hospital Partner — Collaborates on electronic health records implementation for client medical information.
- Suffolk County Department of Labor Government — Contracts with LIAFS to operate the Suffolk Workforce Experience and Youth Program.
- Suffolk County Department of Labor Partner — Collaborates with LIAFS on the Suffolk Works Employment Program to provide work opportunities and skills training for unemployed individuals.
- Suffolk County Department of Labor Partner — Partnered with LIAFS to launch the SWEP job training program in 2010.
- Suffolk County Department of Social Services Government — Contracts with LIAFS to deliver social services.
- TARGET Stores Partner — Partners with LIAFS to provide ongoing assistance to Suffolk County families.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Education-Integrated Residential Caremethodology: education_integrated_residential_careBy embedding academic support, tutoring, and college preparation within residential programming, the organization improves educational outcomes for youth in care, because stable, on-site educational services reduce disruption and increase access for youth with fragmented schooling histories.
- Family-Centered Permanency Planningmethodology: family_centered_careBy integrating families into case planning and permanency development, the organization improves sustained engagement and long-term outcomes for youth, because family involvement strengthens emotional stability, increases support networks, and creates more durable pathways to independence.
- Sibling and Family Connection Modelmethodology: sibling_and_family_connectionBy prioritizing co-placement of siblings and actively working toward family reunification, the organization reduces trauma and supports emotional continuity, because preserving familial bonds mitigates the psychological harm of out-of-home placement and increases attachment security.
- Youth-Specific Homelessness Interventionmethodology: integrated_youth_homelessness_modelBy addressing both adult-parallel risks (e.g., mental health, unemployment) and youth-specific causes (e.g., family conflict, abuse) as interconnected drivers of homelessness, the organization designs more effective interventions that reduce entry into chronic homelessness because they target root developmental and familial disruptions.