Bartlett house
RESIDENT SHELTER
Homeless clients of the Resident Shelter Program receive comprehensive case management and set up a Service Plan with an individual case manager to address pertinent issues of joblessness, parenting, domestic violence, health, low income housing, financial dependency and other impediments to independent living. We frequently assist people in connecting them with resources to obtain Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance to Individuals and Families (TANF), Food Stamps, Emergency Assistance, Veteran’s Benefits, Job Training, Vocational Rehabilitation, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment, Marriage and Family Counseling, HUD Subsidized Housing, Clothing and Transportation. Clients in the Resident Shelter Program are required to save 80% of their income, seek employment (if able) or apply for benefits and remain drug and alcohol free. The goal of the Resident Shelter Program is to provide transitional housing (up to 6 months) for clients experiencing difficulties while promoting self-sufficiency.
EMERGENCY SHELTER
The hours of operation for this program are 10 pm - 6:45 am. Clients are provided with a place to sleep, shower facilities, personal hygiene products and linens. There is a 30 day, per calendar year, limit to length of stay in the Emergency Shelter Program. However, the 30 day limit is suspended during times of cold weather. Clients must be in compliance with shelter rules of conduct or run the risk of forfeiting their shelter privileges.
LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM
Life Skills Classes are utilized at Bartlett House to educate our clients on a variety of topics relevant to their needs. Topics include everything from balancing a checkbook and development of a budget to shopping on a limited income and interview techniques. By allowing our clients access to these workshops, we, as an agency are able to tap in to the resources offered by other local agencies as well as provide our clients with the tools they will need in the future.
BARTLETT HOUSE PROGRAMS
Feb 11 Children’s Homeless Outreach Program (CHOP)
Troy Hollers, Kristina Strock and Rachel Wehrle
Imagine seeing a Sheriff Deputy at your door delivering an eviction notice. Imagine watching a loved one suffer through addiction. Imagine being the victim of domestic violence or witnessing a family member being abused or assaulted. Imagine having to face people in your day to day life with the fear that they are aware of your living situation. Imagine moving constantly without any permanent home. Imagine sleeping in a tent or car in the wintertime. Now, imagine all the aforementioned through the eyes of a child.
Many adults have difficulty coping with extreme tragedies in life, but how do children cope when they have not yet even learned or developed a coping strategy? This question is being addressed currently at the Bartlett House. A class for children facilitated by Case Manager, Troy Hollers, is now being provided to all school aged children in the Residential Program at the Bartlett House. The class uses a curriculum developed by Mary Ellen Copeland that is so versatile it is used in many facilities for adults as well. The curriculum is called WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) and has been found through research to reap positive results. The program centers on learning to recognize the signs of stress and developing and using a set of wellness tools to help cope. The curriculum also focuses on developing a Crisis Action Plan. Along with the lesson, children spend time with staff and volunteers doing crafts and of course, homework.
The program could not function without the aid of the community and partnership with outside organizations. The partnership Bartlett House has with the WVU Center for Civic Engagement has been invaluable. When Case Manager, Troy Hollers, contacted them requesting volunteer candidates with very specific criteria and requirements, the response was immediate. Volunteers Kristina Strock and Rachel Wehrle who are both studying to be educators at WVU, have assisted in everything from acquiring materials to instructing the children. It is their kind of selflessness that bridges the gap between planning and reality.
Looking towards the future, the exciting West Run project holds many positives for the Children’s Homeless Outreach Program (CHOP). With more space, the children will be able to be instructed in a quiet environment, free from distractions. There will be space to do outdoor activities as well, which adds an exciting new dimension to the children’s program, such as gardening and other nature activities. The proposed playground area will be a great asset as well. Of course, the West Run Project will not happen without the continued support of the community with volunteerism and financial assistance. However, if the trend of selflessness on the part of others continues, the gap between planning and implementation will always be fulfilled. It is the Bartlett House’s goal to not simply be a shelter, but also to bridge a gap between homelessness and hopefulness. The WRAP curriculum and the Children’s Homeless Outreach Program is simply another Wellness Tool in the Bartlett tool box to help bring hopefulness to the lives of children.