BMS @ HELP Women’s Center

116 Williams Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11207
phone: (718) 495-7239
fax: (718) 495-7237

On July 1, 2003, BMS assumed the role of provider of medical and Behavioral Health services at the HELP Women’s Center, formerly called the Brooklyn Women’s Shelter. The 229-bed short-term residential facility is one of the City’s four intake/assessment centers for homeless adults, and one of two specifically created for women with no children.

Under the contract with the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS), BMS provides on-site medical services to the thousands of homeless women expected to pass through the HELP Women’s Center annually. Residents receive comprehensive physical examinations and mental health assessments as well as episodic care for those who remain at the center for a longer than the average stay. The health screenings provided ensure that the women are properly diagnosed for illnesses and swiftly enrolled in the required whatever long-term or short-term treatment required.

BMS@HWC is compliant with standards of the Joint Commission.

The patients seen at BMS@HWC are a particularly high need service population that must cope with a variety of extraordinary psychosocial stressors, necessitating mental health screenings in addition to primary medical care. In the face of the multiple challenges involved in day-to-day living; health care—even free health care—can be low down on the list of priorities for homeless individuals. Yet without access to appropriate health care, persistent health problems may go untreated and, ultimately, make it that much more difficult for the individual to find and keep a home.

The majority of women who utilize the services at the HELP Women’s Center are between the ages of 18 and 65+ years. They are primarily Black and Latina women. Although the HELP Women’s Center serves women from throughout the City, the majority of residents are demographically consistent with BMS’ general service population. Among the health concerns are: HIV/AIDS, diabetes, obesity, mental illness, substance abuse, poor oral health care, and domestic and street violence.

BMS has a long track record of reaching out to the homeless who transition in and out of Brownsville and East New York and have assembled an interdisciplinary team that includes a Nurse Practitioner, a Patient Care Coordinator, a Psychiatric Nurse, a Program Coordinator, an Office Manager, a supervising Physician, and a supervising Psychiatrist.

BMS@HWC is located approximately seven blocks from BMS’ main service site. It operates Monday through Friday, on a schedule that enables us to maximize utilization by center residents and minimize disruption of their settlement/resettlement activities. It is not open to the general public.

Schedule
Site Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
BMS @ HELP Women's’ Center 8:30am -4:30pm 10:00am – 6:00pm 8:30am -4:30pm 10:00am – 6:00pm 8:30am -4:30pm Not Open