Day Hab Program Comes Together for an EPIC Valentine’s Day Party

The EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies and EPIC Long Island recently hosted a heartwarming Valentine’s Day celebration for more than 150 Long Islanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The event was intended to offer the extraordinary people in EPIC Long Island’s care with a safe and inclusive community environment to celebrate love and togetherness.

“At EPIC Long Island, we always strive to create a welcoming space where the individuals we serve can connect, express themselves, and simply enjoy each moment that they are in our facilities,” said Lisa Burch, CEO/President of the EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies. “Our Valentine’s Day celebration is a perfect example of the joy and camaraderie that defines our programs. We believe that we can provide our health and support services while maintaining a sense of fun and community.”

This festive occasion was enhanced by Valentine’s Day-themed decorations, skillfully designed by EPIC staff, combined with music and activities aimed to foster connection and inclusion. Attendees dressed in pink and red, embracing the spirit of the holiday while enjoying dance contests, karaoke, games, and photo opportunities. Delicious sweets and refreshments added to the celebratory atmosphere.

The Valentine’s Day celebration was one of many programs EPIC Long Island coordinates throughout the year support local residents in need of community and resources.

EPIC Long Island is part of the EPIC Family of Human Services Agencies, which is a group of nonprofit advocacy organizations to support people living with a wide range of mental and developmental health issues. They include Epilepsy Foundation Long Island and the South Shore Guidance Center, which also operates the Nassau County Mobile Crisis Team.

EPIC operates a DayHab program in East Meadow along with 18 group homes located throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties and provides clinical services for children and adults who have developmental disabilities. These facilities are led by incredible caregivers who offer support and help facilitate wonderful experiences and programs for those in their care. Each of EPIC Long Island’s residences is unique, and the individuals who live there have various abilities as well as life challenges.

The Epilepsy Foundation Long Island helps raise awareness and provides vital advocacy and resources for the more than 35,000 Long Islanders who have been diagnosed with epilepsy and suffer from seizures. This includes providing community education in schools and healthcare venues and offering Seizure First Aid Certification to help train Long Islanders to provide immediate care for someone experiencing a seizure. Surprisingly, 1 in 10 people will experience a seizure in their lifetime.

The South Shore Guidance Center in Freeport is an outpatient behavioral health clinic within the EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies. It provides a wide range of care for Long Islanders of all ages to accommodate the unique needs of children, adolescents, and adults. This includes individual, group, and family psychotherapy, substance abuse treatment, crisis stabilization, and medication-assisted treatment.

For more information about the EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies and how to support their initiatives, visit www.epicli.org