Shelter House Community Shelter And Transition Services

THROUGH SHELTER AND HOUSING, ADVOCACY AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, OUR MISSION IS TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

EMERGENCY SERVICES: SHELTER HOUSE PROVIDES EMERGENCY SHELTER STAYS FOR SINGLE ADULTS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN JOHNSON COUNTY AND IS THE DESIGNATED COORDINATED ENTRY LEAD FOR JOHNSON AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES IN IOWA. THE SHELTER HAS 70 BEDS; MEN AND WOMEN'S DORMITORIES FOR SINGLE ADULTS, AND A FAMILY WING OF SIX FAMILY BEDROOMS. BRIDGE HOUSING SERVICES ARE OFFERED TO QUALIFYING VETERANS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THESE SERVICES ARE EMBEDDED IN THE SHELTER FACILITY WITH 10 OF THE 70 BEDS PRIORITIZED FOR VETERANS. SHELTER HOUSE PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY SHELTER DURING THE WINTER MONTHS AT A SATELLITE LOCATION AND IN ITS OVERFLOW LOBBY, PROVIDING SHELTER FOR UP TO AN ADDITIONAL 70 PEOPLE. EMERGENCY SHELTER SERVICES HAVE A LOW BARRIER FOR ELIGIBILITY. THE APPROACH IS PERSON-CENTERED, AND TRAUMA INFORMED. THE FOCUS IS ON HARM REDUCTIONMINIMIZING THE RISKS AND CONSEQUENCES OF CERTAIN BEHAVIORS RATHER THAN PROHIBITING THE BEHAVIOR ITSELFAND ON KEEPING PEOPLE ALIVE AND SAFE.BREAKFAST AND DINNER ARE OFFERED DAILY FOR CURRENT GUESTS OF SHELTER HOUSE'S EMERGENCY SHELTER. HEALTH SERVICES ARE OFFERED ONSITE TO GUESTS BY VOLUNTEERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COLLEGE OF NURSING AND THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HOSPITALS AND CLINICS DEPARTMENT OF ADULT PSYCHIATRY ON A WEEKLY AND BI-WEEKLY BASIS. DROP-IN SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE DAILY AND INCLUDE ACCESS TO SHOWERS, LAUNDRY, PHONE, AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF. THESE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC IN NEED.SHELTER HOUSE PROVIDES STREET OUTREACH SERVICES FOR THE SERVICE REGION. THROUGH STREET OUTREACH, PEOPLE LIVING IN UNSHELTERED LOCATIONS ARE ENGAGED TO ENSURE BASIC NEEDS ARE MET (WATER, FOOD, AND SUPPLIES) WHILE OFFERING SUPPORT TOWARD HOUSING STABILITY AND OTHER SERVICES AS NEEDED AND DESIRED.EVICTION PREVENTION AND DIVERSION SERVICES WERE INITIATED IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC. SHELTER HOUSE OFFERS DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR RENT AND UTILITY ARREARS AND SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS FACING A HOUSING CRISIS BY NEGOTIATING WITH LANDLORDS TO AVOID EVICTION, PROVIDING LANDLORD-TENANT EDUCATION AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT; AN EVICTION DIVERSION HELP DESK IS HELD WEEKLY AT THE JOHNSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS COMBINED, HOUSEHOLDS AVOID THE COST, CRISIS, AND TRAUMA OF HOMELESSNESS.

HOUSING SERVICES: RAPID REHOUSING IS A HOUSING-FIRST APPROACH THAT MINIMIZES THE AMOUNT OF TIME AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY EXPERIENCES HOMELESSNESS AND HELPS THEM FIND AND STABILIZE IN THEIR OWN HOUSING. RAPID REHOUSING SOLVES THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS OF HOMELESSNESS WHILE CONNECTING FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO ADDRESS OTHER NEEDS. SHELTER HOUSE EXECUTES EACH OF THE THREE CORE COMPONENTS OF RAPID REHOUSING UTILIZING A PROGRESSIVE ENGAGEMENT APPROACH: 1) HOUSING IDENTIFICATION; 2) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (SECURITY DEPOSIT, MOVING ASSISTANCE, AND RENT ASSISTANCE FOR THREE TO SIX MONTHS); AND 3) HOUSING STABILITY CASE MANAGEMENT (CONNECTING PARTICIPANTS TO JOBS, SERVICES, AND THE SUPPORT NEEDED TO SUCCESSFULLY MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING). STABILITY SERVICES CONTINUE FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS AFTER RENT ASSISTANCE ENDS TO ENSURE STABILITY.SHELTER HOUSE OFFERS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS AN EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION SERVING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH COMPLEX HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES THROUGH BOTH SCATTERED SITE AND SINGLE SITE APPROACHES. THE FAIRWEATHER LODGE IS A SCATTERED SITE MODEL. IT IS A RECOVERY-FOCUSED, PEER-DRIVEN PROGRAM FOR ADULTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A SERIOUS PERSISTENT MENTAL ILLNESS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE A CO-OCCURRING DISORDER. THE MODEL IS BASED ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER, AND HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONTROL OVER THEIR LIVES, CAN OVERCOME HOMELESSNESS AND RECOVER FROM THEIR MENTAL ILLNESSES.CROSS PARK PLACE AND 501 SOUTHGATE ARE SINGLE SITE PROPERTIES COMPRISED OF ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENTS (24 UNITS AND 36 UNITS RESPECTIVELY) THESE ARE HOUSING FIRST INTERVENTIONSAN APPROACH BASED ON THE CONCEPT THAT, FOR AN INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THE FIRST AND PRIMARY NEED IS TO OBTAIN STABLE HOUSING (A BASIC NECESSITY), AND THAT OTHER ISSUES THAT MAY AFFECT THE INDIVIDUAL SHOULD BE ADDRESSED VOLUNTARILY AND ONLY AFTER HOUSING IS OBTAINED. HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES ARE EXCLUSIVELY FOR ADULTS WHO MEET THE HUD DEFINITION OF CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS WHO CATEGORICALLY HAVE A DISABLING CONDITION.BOTH SCATTERED SITE AND SINGLE SITE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING INTERVENTIONS INCORPORATE COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT, LIFE SKILLS AND DAILY LIVING SUPPORTS, AND SUPPORT TO APPLY FOR AND MAINTAIN MAINSTREAM RESOURCES. THE APPROACH IS PERSON-CENTERED, AND TRAUMA INFORMED WITH A FOCUS ON HARM REDUCTION. CLINICAL PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES ARE EMBEDDED IN ALL PERMANENT SUPPORTING HOUSING PROGRAMS. THESE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE WEEKLY THROUGH LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.SCATTERED SITE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES WERE INCREASED BY SHELTER HOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE IOWA CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY AND AREA LANDLORDS WITH SPECIALIZED VOUCHERS (78 MAINSTREAM VOUCHERS AND 69 EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHERS) ASSIGNED THROUGH COORDINATED ENTRY TO HOUSEHOLDS INDICATING NEED FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING BUT WHERE NO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNIT WAS OTHERWISE AVAILABLE. ACCESS TO CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES IS AVAILABLE, INCLUDING ACCESS TO CLINICAL PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT: SHELTER HOUSE PROVIDES SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT FOR TENANTS IN ITS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS THROUGH FRESH STARTS JANITORIAL SERVICES, AN IN-HOUSE JANITORIAL COMPANY THAT EMPLOYS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TENANTS AND HAS CLEANING CONTRACTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT, PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES DISCOVER PATHS OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND RECOVERY, RATHER THAN DISABILITY AND DEPENDENCE. SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT ENSURES ALL PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WORK ARE OFFERED WORK; SERVICES ARE INTEGRATED WITH COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT; PERSONALIZED BENEFITS COUNSELING IS PROVIDED TO EVERY CLIENT; AND CLIENTS RECEIVE JOB SUPPORT FOR AS LONG AS REQUIRED.