Carolyn Kennedy, MSW, and her husband Dr. Kofi Agyapong, JD an Accountant developed the group home program, and she served as the Executive Director of The Brotherhood and Sisterhood International, a social service organization based in Silver Spring, Maryland for more than 20 years.

The primary project of the organization was providing group home services to vulnerable youth with dual diagnosis of mental illness and developmental disability. The homes were developed in the state of Maryland and referred to as Alternative Living Units (ALU) for children and youth.

She provided executive-level leadership in the development and operation of the ALU treatment homes serving children with very complex needs. The program provided one-on-one supervision for the children and training for both the staff and the parents on how to take care of the children and youth properly.

Operations of the ALUs included supervising the social work and nursing staff in the case management of services to the children and their families as well as the supervisors and caregivers for the children and youth. This was a very successful program that enabled the children to return home to their families when appropriate and when appropriate after 18 years of age go to an adult facility or when appropriate live on their own with a career path and employment. The link to our web page: Is https://bsius.net