Columbia County Services

Women, Infants, Children (WIC)

WIC provides participants nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to community services at no charge. WIC serves low to medium income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants, and children (including foster children) up to age 5. Some of the WIC foods include iron-fortified formula and infant cereal, fruits and vegetables, juice, milk, eggs, soy milk, whole grain tortillas, bread and rice, tofu, cheese, and dried beans. During the summer months families receive funds to use at local Farmer’s Markets for fresh produce. Language assistance services are available at no cost. Hudson Office hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 8:00am - 4pm; Wednesday 11am- 7pm. Closed the 3rd Thursday of every month.Services are currently offered over the telephone and at the main offices in Hudson and Catskill.Please click for a summary of eligibility guidelines.view the nondiscrimination statement:

WIC Peer Counseling Program

The Peer Counseling Program was created to encourage breastfeeding as the normal way to feed babies.

Services Include:

Emergency Assistance

The primary purpose of the Emergency Assistance Program is to assist individuals and families in accessing necessary resources relating to food, clothing, shelter, transportation, health care coverage, prescriptions, etc. This Program also assists consumers in navigating bureaucracy, and the often complex requirements of county agencies, utility companies, and for healthcare coverage; educating the consumer is crucial. The Program is open to all individuals and families who are in need of crisis related basic assistance, with particular emphasis on the poor, underserved and disadvantaged population in Columbia and Greene Counties. A large component of the Program is providing nutritious food items through our Food Pantry in Columbia County. The Pantry in Hudson is open on Mondays 9am-12pm and Wednesdays 12pm-5pm.

Nutrition Outreach Education Program (NOEP)

The essential goal of the NOEP Program is to educate the availability of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps) across the entire service area of Columbia and Greene Counties to individuals, service providers, and communities. Direct client assistance, involving "pre-screening” for potential program eligibility and extensive help in applying for and maintaining benefits are the core of the program including support & advocacy for clients as they navigate the system with the bulk of the time committed to direct client assistance.
Services are currently offered over the telephone and in our offices.

Facilitated Supervised Visitation Program

The Facilitated Supervised Visitation Program insures for the emotional, mental, sexual, and physical safety of children that have been affected by unfortunate events while allowing them to have a positive contact with approved individuals, usually a biological parent.
There are many factors that determine permanency for children. While that determination is being made, our program prevents further injury to children and provides a safe setting for family members as they cope with the emotional effects of the past while looking positively to the future.
Supervised visits are ordered by family courts and participants are referred directly from the Columbia or Greene County Department of Social Services.

Parent Mentoring Program

The Parent Mentoring Program strives to improve the quality of parent-child interactions. Parents dialogue with visitation monitors about visits and work on furthering their growth in the area of parenting.
The program is available to a portion of parents enrolled in the Facilitated Supervised Visitation Program and with direct referral from the Columbia County Department of Social Services.

Education and Enrichment

In an interactive group setting, parents are challenged to look at their behaviors from the past and present and to consider their plans for the future in regards to how their child has been or will be affected by these behaviors. Topics such as child development, the six basic needs, and discipline are interwoven into the curriculum.
Parents Education Classes are offered on a contractual basis for Columbia and Greene community partners.

Aging Life Services

Connecting older adults residing in Columbia County with services to feel safe and confident living at home while providing assistance with accessing aging related services. Partnering with volunteers, our older residents in the community receive the help with daily activities such as grocery shopping, reading mail, yard work, or Transporation to appointments. Individuals meet with a case manager to discuss their needs and goals. Volunteers are vetted and screened and matched with by staff to the benefit of the client and volunteer. 

Healthy Families Columbia-Greene

Matches parents with knowledgeable and caring workers who provide information and support during pregnancy and early childhood. The home visiting program is voluntary and free to families. Services include helping families access community resources and services, educating parents on parenting and child development, connecting families with medical providers, and in conjunction with the parent, monitoring the progress of their child's development.

Care Coordination

Catholic Charities Care Coordination Servcies is a program whose mission is to minister to persons living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. This program accomplishes its mission by offering coordination, referral, monitoring of service access across medical/social service/behavioral health providers, and resource advocacy to individuals and families.

Immigration Services

Offers limited assistance with citizenship applications, family–based immigration petitions, and a variety of other immigration related matters.

Catholic Charities Disabilities Services

Catholic Charities Disabilities Services provides individualized services for people with developmental disabilities including service coordination, information and referral, and in home respite. Specialties include an array of services for individuals diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome and service coordination for individuals with brain injury.