Model Proposals - Deborah's Place

Deborah's Place provides a continuum of care, support services and housing opportunities year-round to Chicago women who are homeless. The Health Services Program strives to improve the overall health of its participants by providing initial health assessments, direct health services and referrals.

This proposal from Deborah's Place provides an excellent overview of the scope of the programs offered, defines the needs of its clientele, describes a solid network of referral agencies, and shows us how a smaller grant toward program operations can make a big difference.

The following proposal was approved in full by the VNA Foundation Board at its February 5, 2004 board meeting. We are pleased to offer it as a Model Proposal for the quarter ending March 31, 2004.

Amount Requested: $15,000 in support of Health Services

Summary
The goal of the Health Services Program is to provide the women of Deborah's Place with complete, compassionate healthcare that recognizes the unique needs of the population we serve. Deborah's Place is committed to providing a complete continuum of care, support services, and housing opportunities, 365 days per year to women who are homeless in Chicago. Quality services ensure that the women of Deborah's Place continue to grow, as they heal from the trauma of homelessness. Deborah's Place is committed to providing positive choices for homeless women so they may regain control over their lives.

An important part of maintaining permanent housing and developing life management skills is understanding and valuing good health. Women who are homeless face a variety of health problems, ranging from malnutrition to HIV. Most have had little or no education on the importance of health maintenance and many struggle with mental illness.

The Health Services Program of Deborah's Place strives to improve the overall health of our program participants through initial health assessments, direct health services, and referrals to community resources. With the assistance of the VNA Foundation, Deborah's Place can continue to help women build a positive health care foundation that is necessary to maintain long-term housing and employment. Deborah's Place respectfully requests a grant of $15,000 to support Health Services for fiscal year 2004.

Agency Mission
Deborah's Place, a private not-for-profit corporation, serves women in Chicago who are homeless or formerly homeless. Food, shelter and supportive services are provided by dedicated volunteers and staff so that women can be empowered to take back and maintain control over their lives.

Agency History and Description
The history of Deborah's Place is the story of a small group of remarkable, committed women, who in 1985, converged with equally remarkable women who happened to be homeless. There are an estimated 166,000 people who are homeless in the city of Chicago, 23,000 of whom are women. In our 2002 fiscal year, we served 427 women throughout our programs and more than 80% of the women served were physically or mentally disabled. All were at or below the federal poverty level.

In 1985, realizing that there was an ever-present danger facing women in co-ed shelters, Deborah's Place opened and operated out of a church basement as an emergency overnight shelter for homeless women. From these humble beginnings, Deborah's Place has grown to offer a complete continuum of shelter and housing options, all linked to vital supportive services, designed to empower participants in their life decisions.

Over the past 18 years, Deborah's Place has experienced steady growth, allowing us to provide an array of resources to support the needs of women as they move out of homelessness and into housing. Now located at four sites throughout the city, Deborah's Place has become the city's largest provider of supportive housing for women who have been homeless. We also are the oldest continuously operating shelter for women in the city of Chicago. Over the years, the agency has served over 3,000 women and assisted approximately half of them into permanent housing.

Population Served
In FY03, approximately 73% of all participants were African American, 22% were Caucasian, and 3% were Latina, and 2% unknown. Women ranged in age from 18 to 70, and across programs, more than 70% of the women served were physically or mentally disabled. 145, or 32%, of participants in FY 2003 suffered from mental illness, 79, or 17%, had substance abuse issues, while 53, or 12%, suffered mental illness combined with substance abuse.

FY03 Highlights
At the close of FY 2003:

• 176 new women found home in Deborah's Place housing programs.
• 83,950 meals were served in our shelter and housing programs.
• 78% of the women who left Marah's Transitional Housing this year moved to permanent housing.
• 281 women used Education Services during the year, and 154 women used Employment Services.
• 73 women utilized the Scholarship Fund to further their educational and vocational goals.
• 47 women participated in the Career Exploration Program.
• 104 women found work in FY03.

Programs and Services
Since women come to Deborah's Place at various levels of stability, we offer an array of services to best meet each woman's individual needs. We focus on helping each woman identify her goals and encourage her as she progresses at her own pace. Each program includes integrated, wraparound supportive services designed to provide every woman with the support she needs to live as independently as possible.

The Overnight Shelter serves 30 - 35 women every night of the year, providing two meals, bathing facilities, sleeping accommodations, and access to our case management, therapeutic services, and education and employment services, all in a safe environment.

Irene's Daytime Support Center provides 30 - 35 women every day of the year with a safe, supportive environment in which to begin their journey out of homelessness. Irene's offers access to creative arts, a noontime meal, showers and laundry to women who would otherwise be wandering the streets.

Teresa's Interim Housing assists 10 women for up to 4 months. This program provides structure and support for women to hone daily living skills as they actively pursue their housing, employment and education goals.

Marah's Transitional Housing offers women a place to stay for up to 2 years in a highly structured environment, encouraging participants to plan for and achieve personal goals and permanent housing. Over 80% of the women who leave Marah's acquire and maintain permanent housing.

Patty Crowley Apartments - Permanent Supportive Housing offers 39 women homes of their own in fully furnished efficiency apartments; supportive services are available to them on-site.

The Rebecca Johnson Apartments offers 90 women their own home in furnished single occupancy apartments; management and supportive services are available on site.

Case Management and Therapeutic Services are tailored to provide each woman with the support she needs to achieve her housing, education and employment goals. Because participants include a high percentage of women with mental illness, addictions, and dual diagnoses, case managers work intensively with other staff to help them remain housed. Therapeutic Services include Long-Term Participant Care, Health Services, and Art Therapy.

Education and Employment Services focuses on exploring various humanities as a means to empowerment and increased critical thinking skills. Three Learning Centers, a Scholarship Program and a Career Exploration Program, which includes paid internship work experience, offer varied educational and employment opportunities for the women of Deborah's Place.

Programs and Services
Since women come to Deborah's Place at various levels of stability, we offer an array of services to best meet each woman's individual needs. We focus on helping each woman identify her goals and encourage her as she progresses at her own pace. Each program includes integrated, wraparound supportive services designed to provide every woman with the support she needs to live as independently as possible.

The Overnight Shelter serves 30 - 35 women every night of the year, providing two meals, bathing facilities, sleeping accommodations, and access to our case management, therapeutic services, and education and employment services, all in a safe environment.

Irene's Daytime Support Center provides 30 - 35 women every day of the year with a safe, supportive environment in which to begin their journey out of homelessness. Irene's offers access to creative arts, a noontime meal, showers and laundry to women who would otherwise be wandering the streets.

Teresa's Interim Housing assists 10 women for up to 4 months. This program provides structure and support for women to hone daily living skills as they actively pursue their housing, employment and education goals.

Marah's Transitional Housing offers women a place to stay for up to 2 years in a highly structured environment, encouraging participants to plan for and achieve personal goals and permanent housing. Over 80% of the women who leave Marah's acquire and maintain permanent housing.

Patty Crowley Apartments - Permanent Supportive Housing offers 39 women homes of their own in fully furnished efficiency apartments; supportive services are available to them on-site.

The Rebecca Johnson Apartments offers 90 women their own home in furnished single occupancy apartments; management and supportive services are available on site.

Case Management and Therapeutic Services are tailored to provide each woman with the support she needs to achieve her housing, education and employment goals. Because participants include a high percentage of women with mental illness, addictions, and dual diagnoses, case managers work intensively with other staff to help them remain housed. Therapeutic Services include Long-Term Participant Care, Health Services, and Art Therapy.

Education and Employment Services focuses on exploring various humanities as a means to empowerment and increased critical thinking skills. Three Learning Centers, a Scholarship Program and a Career Exploration Program, which includes paid internship work experience, offer varied educational and employment opportunities for the women of Deborah's Place.

The Health Services outcome for FY04 is:

• Participants will experience improved health.

Indicators for this outcome are:

• 100% of participants entering Marah's will have formal written assessments including health history and review of psychological systems.
• 4 participants over the age of 40 without medical benefits will have a mammogram.
• 80% of participants with coexisting medical and psychological conditions, who engage with health services, will attend 80% of medical/mental health appointments.
• 70% of participants requiring prescription medications for chronic physical/mental illness, who engage with health services, will have access to a continuous supply of needed medications.

Deborah's Place is committed to the Health Services Program as an integral part of the wraparound services we provide to women as they move toward independence. Deborah's Place has achieved a broad mix of governmental, foundation, corporate, and private support. In FY04, our fundraising plan includes not only maintaining our relationships with those supporters, but also approaching new organizations and designing new events and campaigns to target potential new donors.

Evaluation
In addition to internal program goals, all programs of Deborah's Place are evaluated on a quarterly basis by the agency Chief Program Officer and Program Administrators. These reports are evaluated and approved, pending review and consensus, by the agency Executive Director, the Board program committee, and the full Board of Directors. Information gathered throughout the year, including participant input, is used to determine the program directives for the following year.

Conclusion
Your support is important to us as we continue in our mission to end homelessness for as many women as possible. We encourage the VNA Foundation to join us in providing these critical health services and building better communities through investing in individuals. We respectfully submit this request for $15,000 to support Health Services at Deborah's Place.

VNA Facts

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20 N. Wacker Dr., Suite 3118
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: 312/214-1521
Fax: 312/214-1529