History:

Kadima is a nonprofit, nonsectarian mental health agency that provides residential and support services for children and adults with mental illness in Oakland County. Kadima is dedicated to maximizing client independence and to promoting reintegration into the community.

Kadima was established in 1984 in response to horrifying and deplorable conditions that existed in the adult foster care system. Kadima's first group home (Southfield) was funded by five families and this residence continues to provide housing to six adult clients. In 1989, Kadima began to expand its housing services with funding from Oakland County Community Mental Health. Kadima now has 25 homes in the community where clients live in a safe and nurturing environment.

Kadima's groundbreaking Supported Employment Program was launched in partnership with Jewish Vocational Services. More than two hundred clients have benefitted from this hands-on program in which JVS staff accompany clients to the workplace, guide clients through training and orientation and ensure that clients experience independence while contributing to their own sustenance.

The Kadima Plus Program was established in 1993 in collaboration with Jewish Family Service and Jewish Apartments and Aging Services. This program offers in-home case management services and counseling to the elderly suffering with mental illness.

In 2001, with the support of many generous donors, Kadima successfully completed a $3mm capital campaign and purchased the Henrietta and Herbert Charfoos Kadima Center in Southfield which now houses our administrative and counseling services.

In May 2005, Kadima opened the Lois and Milton Y. Zussman Activity Center in the lower-level of our building. This center provides daily activities such as psycho-educational classes, art lessons, music and craft projects, as well as offering our clients an opportunity for social, recreational and peer interactions. For Kadima's clients, the activity center is a club of their own; for family members and caregivers, the Zussman center is a much-needed safety net.