Trauma-informed care involves spaces that emphasize and represent safety, security, understanding, strength, and the opportunity to rebuild control in their lives

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AND

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In-house case management that addresses short-term individual needs including income, education, and employment as well as long-term needs related to trauma history, mental and physical health, and emotional challenges.

 

The renovation will include design elements like re-programmable locks, privacy screens, adequate and independent storage, and more opportunities for personalization of rooms—which is especially important for children in the shelter. Office spaces will be redesigned with an appropriate layout that provides sufficient space for family intakes and case management meetings with both parents and children in the room.

 

These physical changes will reflect the shelter’s robust programming, which provides families with strengths-based skill building activities, resolving unmet medical and mental health needs, substance abuse recovery, budgeting, interview and resume skills, removing barriers to future housing, positive parenting classes, nutrition classes, and more.

 

The Friends Emergency Housing family shelter is not a long-term housing solution, but the closer to “home” that a temporary room can feel, the easier it is for families, especially children, to settle in and begin the process of rebuilding their lives.