~For information on Consultative services- Presentations and Staff Training, please contact Jay S. Levy directly at jslevy34@gmail.com
~Please feel free to visit Jay’s facebook group or follow him via BlueSky or Academia site for free access to his published journal articles from 1998-2004 that first introduced Pretreatment
A full listing of Jay S. Levy’s publications and more than 200 citations of his published work are now available at google scholar
Jay S. Levy, MSW, LICSW Clinical Social Worker, Author-Consultant, Presenter
Jay S. Levy has spent more than thirty years working with individuals who experience homelessness. He is the author of the highly acclaimed book Pretreatment Guide for Homeless Outreach & Housing First. Jay’s newest publication is entitled, Pretreatment Across Multiple Fields of Practice: Trauma Informed Approach to Homelessness and Beyond (2024). It is a collaborative book project featuring multiple authors from both the US and UK. Jay also recently published a work book-staff training guide entitled, Pretreatment In Action: Interactive Exploration from Homelessness to Housing Stabilization (2021) . His 2018 project was a collaborative effort with several authors from the UK. It is entitled Cross-Cultural Dialogues on Homelessness: From Pretreatment Strategies to Psychologically Informed Environments. He has also published the well received book Homeless Narratives and Pretreatment Pathways (2010), a monograph and several journal articles on Homelessness issues.
Jay developed Pretreatment as an approach for helping people without homes who are often deemed “not ready” and excluded from housing and/or recovery-oriented services and treatment. He has helped to create new Housing First programs such as the Regional Engagement and Assessment for Chronically Homeless program (REACH).
Jay is currently employed by Eliot CHS and Craig’s Doors as a Consultant for Homeless and housing services throughout Western MA for their Outreach and Housing First teams, as well as Low Threshold Housing Programs and Shelters. As an adjunct teacher at Anna Maria College, he recently taught a unique graduate psychology course on Outreach Counseling, which integrated Pretreatment and PIE perspectives with the clinical challenges of homeless services work. Jay has also done a variety of presentations and staff trainings on Pretreatment for human service organizations throughout the US and UK.
He has achieved formal recognition from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Mental Health for his ongoing efforts to help under-served homeless individuals through his direct service, clinical supervision of staff, and program development. Jay received his MSW degree in clinical social work from Columbia University in 1988.
Jay lives in Western MA with his wife, Louise, who teaches science at a local high school. His two children, Talia and Sara, have both graduated college and have begun their initial journeys into career-related activities. If you have any questions or thoughts that you would like to share with Jay, you can e-mail him at jlevy@eliotchs.org
***Check out the author’s Pinterest board for a variety of interesting and informative websites from around the globe on homelessness!
Ways of Helping the Homeless – 2 Minute Video
Jay….
This is an important & relevant book.
It takes us on a journey into “another” world.
Keep up the remarkable work!
Michael Westbay
“I can not say enough positive things about Jay S. Levy as a clinical supervisor in the field of mental health. Jay’s work on “pretreatment” initiatives with the homeless population has been inspiring and extremely helpful to my work with hard to reach populations. Jay’s expertise in the field of mental health, engagement and treatment has greatly impacted my work as a clinician today and I was blessed to have had him as a supervisor and mentor. Jay’s work on “pretreatment” and engagement can be utilized in many clinical capacities. Jay’s passion to develop a consciousness in the mental health world- that everyone has the potential to change and heal is truly incredible.”
Thanks Kimberly! It was great working w/you. You have had a positive impact on the lives of countless homeless individuals throughout the Berkshires. I wish you well in your future pursuits! “J”