History
Liberty Resources, Inc. (originally incorporated as Programs and Domiciles) was established in 1978 and incorporated in 1979 as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) human service agency. The agency was originally founded by a concerned group of community members who wished to develop community-based services in Madison County for adults with mental illness. In 1979, Liberty Resources was licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health to develop and operate the Agency's first community residence program to serve mentally ill adults. For the first ten years, Liberty Resources primarily focused its services in the mental health arena while also establishing Domestic Violence and youth prevention programs in Madison County.
In 1989, the Board of Directors undertook a new approach to the strategic direction of the agency and was determined to expand the agency's services into new programs and services. In order to meet this strategic goal, significant structural changes were made to the organization. With new Executive leadership in place, the goal of expanding into new service sectors was further identified based upon community need. It was at that time in the agency's history when several value based core questions were developed that senior management would ask and answer before the inception of any new service:
- Is there a need?
- Can Liberty Resources meet that need effectively with high quality?
- Will this detract from existing services?
- If the program is developed, can the agency sustain the service at the highest level of quality care?
As a result of this commitment to quality and new strategic approach and thinking, the agency's client services diversified quickly and grew exponentially. This new direction set the stage for the next step for the agency - developing a regional presence throughout central New York. Since that time the agency has experienced a nearly 25% compounded growth rate to people we served.
To achieve a regional presence, in 1997 the agency relocated its Corporate headquarters to Syracuse, New York. This afforded the agency strategic visibility. When the office opened in 1997, services were offered in two counties, Madison and Onondaga. Today, services are also provided in Oswego, Chenango, Tioga, Tompkins and Cortland Counties. Liberty will continue to experience success as a result of the progressive direction set by the Board of Directors, and the entrepreneurial leadership of the agency. More importantly, this success will be assured as clients, staff and funding partners have always been, and will continue to be, involved in the development of programs provided by Liberty Resources.
In 2002, Liberty Resources established Syracuse as its regional home, by acquiring a 25,000 square foot office building for administrative and program services. By becoming a permanent Corporate Citizen, this presence is a statement to our community, our constituents and partners of the commitment to the delivery of the highest quality and diversified programs we can offer. Evidence of this can be found in the fact that Liberty Resources has been recognized for five years as one of Central New York's Top 100 companies. Liberty Resources is proud to have received several community awards for creating an employment culture which supports an outstanding group of professional employees and creates a workplace environment that is supportive and open.
In 2005, Liberty achieved another milestone, the expansion of services into the State of Florida. Liberty now provides services to the Juvenile Justice population in Florida, in both the Orlando and Miami areas.
In December 2007, in order to preserve the much needed services provided by Onondaga Pastoral Counseling OPCC), the New York State Office of Mental Health approved the transfer of the Article 31 operating license held by OPCC to Liberty Resources. The Clinic was renamed the Brownell Center for Behavioral Health to honor retired Onondaga County Mental Health Commissioner David Brownell, a strong advocate for maintaining clinic capacity for the underserved in our community. Brownell Center is the largest community based outpatient mental health provider in Onondaga County serving clients of all ages who are experiencing emotional or behavioral problems. Also in 2007, Liberty launched a new endeavor - Liberty Resources Workforce Solutions. LRWFS is not only an Employee Assistance Program, but also a training resource for private, public and not for profit entities. All services are confidential and tailored to meet the specific needs of the client.
Liberty expanded into its third state. In 2008, Liberty was awarded a contract to provide Multisystemic Therapy Services to youth and families living in Nueces County, Texas.
To accommodate the organization's growth and need for additional space, in 2008 the agency purchased the facility adjacent to the current administrative office located in Syracuse, NY. Renovations began immediately, and in spring 2009, the Brownell Center relocated into a state of the art mental health facility, with the administrative staff relocating into the new facility shortly thereafter. This 50,000 square foot facility is designed to meet the current and future needs of the organization.
Liberty's total bed capacity serving all populations is nearly 300. We currently employ nearly 600 professional and dedicated staff and serve more than 9,000 clients annually. We are pleased that you have visited our web page, and invite you to learn more about our services and Programs.