Housing Options Made Easy. Inc.

 

Mr. Joe Woodward is the Executive Director of Housing Options.  Joe is a veteran and a former professional basketball player.  When his basketball career ended, Joe started working in the mental health community as a Drug and Alcohol Counselor.  He has worked in Western New York since 1985 and is the Co-Chair of the Recipient Affairs Conference for the State of New York.  Joe was elected and serves on the Chautauqua County Mental Heath Sub Committee and is on the Board of Directors for the Buffalo Community Heath Center.

The Board of Directors for Housing Options Made Easy, Inc. is made up of professionals in the community. They are committed to the principles established in our Mission and Vision Statements.  The board strives to lead the agency based on sound business practices, the emerging principles of Peer Advocacy, and Self-Help.  Some of the board members have mental health diagnosis and seek to maintain an environment compatible with the recovery needs of our employees and customers.  Housing Options recruits members from the surrounding counties to remain sensitive to the needs of the communities we serve.  Some board members drive over two hours to attend our board meetings.  Housing Options is very grateful for their service; board members receive no compensation, as this is a philanthropic commitment on behalf of the community. 

Housing Options Made Easy, Inc is currently seeking new members with a backgrounds in Property Management, Marketing,  and a Foundation Specialist (public and/or private funds acquisition).   

We have specific needs and we would like to make clear the types of individuals we need to make this agency grow and prosper.  The following ideals define what we seek in a board member at Housing Options. 

Housing Options definition of advocacy.  There are two basic kinds of advocates in the mental health arena.  Systems Advocates and Individual Advocates.  We seek to define this to make clear the specific commitment to mental health needs of the community in line with our goals and objectives.  Systems Advocates seek to change governmental or institutional methods, legislative agendas, and community paradigms.  Individual Advocates seek to improve the living conditions of the population served.

At Housing Options we are Individual Advocates.  We have no Legislative Agenda other than to seek the funds necessary to do our work and improve the lives of those we serve.  We make no overt  overt attempt to change how mental health professionals conduct business or impact how laws are written.  We acknowledge that many have a deep passion for sweeping changes in mental health laws and practices.   That is NOT our agenda.  Our goal is to lead by example and improve the conditions of those who deal with mental illness by providing quality jobs, support, education, and good living conditions.  In order to do this, we need to cooperate with the professional mental heath community, conduct sound business practices, and acquire the funds needed to do the work.

If you have a deep commitment to these ideals, please contact Mr. Coffman or Mr. Woodward for an interview so that you may attend our meetings.  We invite you to attend a few meetings and share your insights.  If you share our vision, you are encouraged to apply for board membership.  Professional people with an Axis One Diagnosis, college education,  and a deep commitment to advocate on Mental Health issues are encouraged to apply.