DECEMBER 2021 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 35
HELPS PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES THRIVE
developmental disabilities and mental
illness. FREE is constantly in search of
new ways to empower, embrace, and
advance the natural support network
of diff erently abled people with particular
emphasis on the strides made by
individuals and the unique abilities of
the population they serve.
“We believe that all people — our team
members and the people we serve —
contribute to our mission,” says Long.
“We just all contribute diff erently to this
high energy and dynamic eff ort to help
individuals reach their full potential.”
As one of the largest service providers
in New York’s downstate region,
FREE is well positioned to continue its
commendable success in helping others
with their core values of integrity,
diversity, responsiveness, stewardship,
interdependence, quality, and
innovation. The goals are simple,
and embraced by all those employed
within the organization, to uncover
creative solutions that meet challenges,
while fostering appreciation
of, and respect for, the differences
among us all.
For those with intellectual and developmental
disabilities or mental illness,
each stride is a tremendous accomplishment.
This is why, for Long, it is easy to
remain inspired.
“Throughout my time at FREE our team
has harnessed millions of dollars in
funding to expand services for those
we are honored to support. We have
developed a strategic plan specifi cally
designed to serve individuals with
co-occurring disorders.”
“FREE’s strategic plan specifically
targets workforce development and
has launched a number of initiatives
to address the workforce challenges,”
Long says.
These programs include outreach
and advertising campaigns to raise
awareness; education, credentialing
programs and career advancement opportunities;
and even higher-education
programs through partnerships with
local colleges.
“One of the most fulfi lling moments at
FREE was when I led eff orts to create a
collaborative graduate degree program
in partnership with Stony Brook University
for employees of human service
agencies to participate and obtain advanced
degrees. I have also developed a
continuum of education and youth services
providing support to adolescents
who benefi t from employment readiness
training,” Long continues.
Long has set commendable goals for the
next fi ve years, to reach more people
and impact more lives. These goals
include expanding services to accommodate
the ever-changing needs of the
community they support.
More specifi cally, Long is actively working
at expanding telemedicine and virtual
care options, increasing utilization
of adaptive technology, revolutionizing
the technology infrastructure of the
agency, and innovating new and improved
workforce initiatives that help
improve retention of highly qualifi ed
employees.
Simultaneously while leading this organization,
Long is also leading a family,
with his husband, Freddy, and his fi ve
children, all of whom he adopted from
foster care.
Long says that work-life balance, coupled
with equal passion, is part of the
recipe for success.
“Work-life balance is something most
people crave and it is not easy to accomplish;
however, I make an exerted eff ort
to allocate equal passion to my family
and friends,” Long says. “This requires
me to prioritize well, collaborate, build
capacity within my work team, and
always ensure my children, husband,
and the rest of my family are aware that
they are an equal priority; they give me
the fuel to make magic happen in my
professional and personal endeavors.
Spending time together, celebrating
milestones, and sharing an open, transparent
and honest relationship are the
most important things for myself and
my family.”
Long and FREE are far from fi nished,
and so many outstanding things are just
around the corner. More information
can be learned about FREE at FamilyRes.
org.
“We believe that
all people — our
team members
and the people we
serve — contribute
to our mission,”
says Christopher LongMattera.
Christopher LongMattera with his five children. (Photo by Suzin Varro)
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