Berkshire Farm Center Appoints Assistant Director of Foster Care

Kelly Rumm, assistant director of the foster care program at Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth

With a distinguished history spanning 129 years on Long Island, Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth is a nonprofit organization that provides a host of community welfare programs to families and children in need.

As the newly appointed assistant director of the foster care program at Berkshire Farm, Kelly Rumm has an important job. She is responsible for managing a team of social workers and support staff to make sure that children are provided with adequate housing and other services. The foster care program is for children younger than 21 and is a statewide initiative, says Rumm, who has been with the agency for almost a decade.

The center also runs a 24/7 prevention program to help families in Nassau and Suffolk who have fallen on hard times with stabilization of services—whether through accessing educational, medical, financial, or mental health resources.

For youth who need an advanced level of care, there is a Residential Treatment Center on Berkshire Farm’s Canaan, NY campus. The treatment center provides specialized services for adolescent boys and their families, according to Rumm.  The program features an accredited curriculum as well as a Workforce Development Program, to prepare students for job-readiness.

The 2,000 acre campus has recently undergone renovations, with improvements to its student cottages, addition of walkways, and landscaping for the safety and comfort of the students and staff.  

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