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The Carpenter's Place operates a Day Room
with an open door policy as the first step to engaging a street person in the process of
improving their life situation. Any person who is homeless may come into the Day Room, as
long as they are not violent or intoxicated, and receive a lunch ticket for 7 days.
After 7 days they must meet with a case manager, if they have not already done so, to
continue receiving a lunch ticket.
The Day Room is a safe, structured space
where people who live on the street can seek shelter for the day in a positive
environment. An average of 90 – 100 Guests per day make use of the Day Room.
Practical and essential basic services are coordinated by Day Room staff and include: A
comfortable common gathering area with tables and chairs, lunch, shower, a change of
clothing, telephone for appropriate local calls, message service for appropriate messages,
referrals, and positive conversation.
By first meeting these most basic human
needs, CP provides an atmosphere that allows the homeless person to focus on something
other than moment-to-moment survival. Through the encouragement of Day Room staff, and
seeing their peers attain levels of success, Guests are encouraged to actively participate
with case managers and develop their own individualized Life Recovery Plan for success.
The Day Room is open from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30
p.m., Monday through Friday.
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For those Guests that are sincere in their
desire to make positive life changes, The Carpenter's Place offers professional case
management. Case management assists the Guests in assessing 14 areas of life to create a
'Life Recovery Plan' that is a roadmap to positive life changes.
Two main components of CP case
management are the Intake and Life Recovery Plan (LRP):
Intake:
An ‘Intake' is performed by a case manager. The Intake covers all of the basic areas
of a Guests life, which we have broken down into 14 different categories.
Life Recovery Plan:
Based on the information gained during the Intake, the Guest and the case manager develop
an individualized Life Recovery Plan. That plan takes into account the major areas that
need intervention or development, and lay out a plan to reach the desired goals in each
area . . . in steps that the Guest can handle. The case manager will assist, advocate,
accompany, monitor, mentor, reanalyze and encourage as the plan unfolds. Guests that are
actively pursuing their Life Recovery Plan are afforded extended services available
through Carpenter's Place.
The 14 areas of life that are
addressed in CP case management are:
- Identification
- Relationships
- Health
- Mental Health
- Addictions
- Education
- Housing
- Belongings
- Employment
- Financial
- Legal
- Transportation
- Recreation
- Spiritual
View
full descriptions for each of the 14 areas of life (PDF file)
CCI
Case Management Database - To learn more about Software,
this link will exit you from the CP web site.
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Support groups and
classes on-site at Carpenter's Place include: MISA as well as other addiction and mental health classes and
support groups, classes that address responsible thinking and behaviors, art, voluntary
devotional groups, and others.
The Arts program provides Carpenter's
Place Guests opportunities to discover creative abilities, and learn discipline through
bringing a project to completion. Offering a safe atmosphere and a variety of supplies,
the Art Room has become increasingly popular with CP Guests. Completing an art or craft
project will often boost self-esteem and motivation, as well as provide the discipline
that will aid a Guest in other daily life situations. This
program is partially supported by a grant from the Rockford Area
Arts Council which receives support from the City of Rockford, the
Illinois Arts Council, and its members.
There is a lot of talent in the homeless
population. The art work of many Guests has been displayed at various local art
studios and galleries. Many Guests are also very creative writers, one Guest initiated a
Guest-written CP Newsletter.
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CP case management acts as a hub for Guests,
linking individuals with appropriate community and support services. In some cases this is
accomplished through referrals and telephone advocacy; in other cases the case manager
actually accompanies the homeless person to his/her appointments at other community
agencies.
On-site community services are also
encouraged and made available such as Healthcare provided by
Crusader Clinic, Veteran Administration Services, and
others.
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Four one-hour
sessions with Job Development Case Manager to fulfill
the soft skill training program:
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Session One:
Personal and employment background interview and career
testing
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Session Two:
Written communication skills, resume, Illinois Skills Match
and applications
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Session Three:
Oral communication skills, interview and positive
interaction skills
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Session Four: Team
building skills, problem solving, reliability and attendance
Session 1: Homework is assigned to complete
written references
Session 2: Personalized written skill practice conducted in
one-on-one session to discuss references, filling out practice
applications and on-line forms for various companies, and
establishment of a business email account.
Session 3: Personalized verbal
skill practice conducted in one-on-one session to practice
interviewing (with optional use of video camera), to handle “tough”
questions, and to complete follow-up calls to employer.
Session 4: Informal one-on-one discussion/didactic exchange
concerning interpersonal team skills, problem solving and conflict
management.
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CP worked extensively with three other
organizations and the City of Rockford to secure funding from HUD (U.S. Dept. of Housing
and Urban Development) for expanded access to mental health services for the homeless. The
four collaborating organizations include The Carpenter's Place, Janet Wattles Mental
Health Center, Crusader Clinic Healthcare for the Homeless Program, and the American Red
Cross Homeless Shelter. The mental health access worker spends their daytime hours at CP,
and four evening-hours at the Red Cross Homeless Shelter. The HMHAP worker identifies
individuals with underlying mental health issues, gains their trust, and accompanies them
through the mental health system to ensure that they do not fall through the cracks.
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Jail Alternative Program
Through
the Winnebago County Crime Prevention and Alternative Programs,
CP
conducts a program for homeless male inmates that provides pre-trial
release planning for those with a misdemeanor charge and post-trial
planning regardless of charge. Services include case management
with coordinated access to community services, stable housing, and
employment readiness and placement assistance to promote
self-sufficiency. The goal is to ensure the offender appears at
subsequent court dates and engages in a plan to stabilize him in a
crime-free responsible lifestyle that decreases the likelihood of
re-offending and recidivism. |
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The main CP transitional housing program
occupies a 12-unit apartment building composed of one-bedroom apartments. This program is
funded by HUD through the Mayor's Homeless Task Force on Homelessness.
Participants in this
program reside in a 12-unit, one bedroom apartment building, and may
remain up to two years. There are two participants per unit.
Participants share the apartment with a roommate to increase
accountability and to avoid isolating behavior and loneliness. The
number of participants at any point in time will be between 18 and 22.
This project is located in a healthy
community neighborhood, on the bus route, close to shopping, hospital, addiction and
mental health services, educational, employment, spiritual, and recreational
opportunities.
A full time,
Case Manager is
responsible for the well-being and continued progress of current participants as well as
for participants transitioning into or out of the program. The project's
Case Manager
assumes the primary role of relationship building and case management, including periodic
assessment, monitoring, and advocacy for participants. The Case Manager meets weekly with
all participants one-on-one, and holds group meetings for all program participants a
minimum of once per week. Individual inspections of all rooms is performed weekly.
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Woman's Housing Program
A housing and support
services program for homeless women that have demonstrated a
commitment to positive life changes. |
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Permanent Supportive Housing
This CP program received funding from
HUD for a three-year period to provide
Permanent Supported Housing for the
Chronically Homeless. This
project provides maximum flexibility in Permanent Supportive Housing
options and Chronically Homeless participant mix to meet priorities
as determined by the local Rockford, Winnebago, Boone Continuum of
Care Gap analysis.
The project leases a mixture of
available open market housing units consisting of twelve (12) one
bedroom units that are utilized as Permanent Supportive Housing for
Chronically Homeless adults.
This program
allows for a focus on specific Chronically Homeless sub-populations
in need in the community such as: persons with mental illness,
substance abuse problems, or dual diagnosis; veterans; HIV/AIDS.
The program includes professional
comprehensive and holistic Case Management services. |
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Veteran's Transitional Housing
Through a special Veteran’s Administration program and private
donations, CP was able to purchase a 3-bedroom brick ranch located
in a northwest Rockford neighborhood for half the market price.
This home provides transitional housing for three honorably
discharged homeless Veterans, giving them a safe, secure place to
call home----a place to get a fresh start and rebuild their lives
here at home in Rockford, Illinois! |
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