STEPHEN CENTER INC

Stephen Center’s goal is to increase housing stability for Pettigrew Emergency Shelter and Permanent Supportive Housing clients with a focus on supportive services, case management, therapeutic and crisis intervention services to address critical mental health, addiction and housing issues of clients. These services lead to the stabilization necessary to work toward and achieve permanent housing destinations for clients.

(1) Stephen Center is working with our community partners in a collaborative initiative to bring a Homeless Mitigation Services to our CoC. The Coordinated Entry System (CES) and Homeless Diversion services are key components along with homeless prevention services. Stephen Center staff have been trained in triage and diversion and will participate in deeper assessment tool training to assist in facilitating coordinated entry. Stephen Center is an access point within the community for near homeless or homeless individuals to receive housing assessments and diversion services utilized within the Continuum of Care for housing navigation.
(2) Stephen Center utilizes Trauma Informed Care (TIC) practices in every program. All staff have been trained in the delivery of motivational interviewing; from maintenance/kitchen staff to our clinical/case management staff. Our clinical outcomes in the HERO program show a strong commitment to evidence based practices, including Motivational Interviewing and Trauma Informed Care. Both Shelter and Permanent Supportive Housing programs are committed to empowering residents to meet their goals through Motivational Interviewing, as well as ensuring safety, collaboration, choice, trust and empowerment. The successful outcomes are largely due an organizational commitment to providing Motivational Interviewing as a piece of TIC. This training ensures that participants are treated as partners in their life choices and are given opportunities to make positive changes in their lives.
(3) Increase client participation in case management and supportive services. Case management services (including crisis intervention) provide support which increases identification of mental health and addiction needs; helps with housing stability; and decreases incidents of housing failure due to crisis and lack of available care. Stephen Center has learned that the individual and families in emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing need additional case management sessions to properly address the underlying reasons, or “root causes” that led them to homelessness. Program participants establish individual goal plans with their case managers and therapeutic goal plans with the crisis intervention staff. Participation in supportive services, along with case management will lead to greater goal attainment and an increase in housing stability.

Stephen Center has served homeless men, women and children in south Omaha since 1984. Unique among community homeless shelters and supportive housing apartments, Stephen Center maintains a substance-free environment, or “recovery housing” as defined by HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). Program participants must be drug and alcohol free and committed to sobriety while living on campus.
Another unique aspect is the provision of on-site supportive services and case management to provide assistance with housing services, mental health assessments, and crisis intervention and outpatient therapy. As the only emergency shelter with a state licensed addiction recovery program on campus (HERO), Stephen Center is able to provide the community’s most vulnerable homeless men and women mental health and substance abuse recovery programming free of charge.
Lastly, with the recent agency wide CARF accreditation, Stephen Center’s emergency shelter is the first and only accredited shelter in Nebraska.

Stephen Center collaborates with other metro homeless shelters (Open Door Mission, Siena Francis, New Visions, Micah House, Bethlehem House, Mater Filius House and Salvation Army), as well as Coordinated Entry to promote a “no wrong door” approach/philosophy in serving homeless and addicted men, women and children. Stephen Center’s sober campus provides a safe, secure, and stable environment for those addressing the root causes that brought them to homelessness. Partners within the community have worked closely to establish a community wide resource list to provide the least invasive or traumatic experience.
For those who are intoxicated or actively using drugs, transportation is provided to detox or shelter in a different facility. Through ongoing relationships with community partner shelters, transportation is available to those who choose to shelter in a sober environment. On campus, Stephen Center provides consultation rooms for agencies including Together, Inc., Heartland Family Services, VNA, Creighton Nursing, Methodist Nursing, Clarkson Nursing, UNO Extension, Lutheran Family Services, Community Alliance and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Participation in MACCH Homeless Review Team and Coordinated Entry has opened opportunities for Stephen Center staff to collaborate with community partners regarding recovery housing as a viable client choice.
Stephen Center is an Access Point to provide triage, diversion and assessment services for all coordinated entry eligible households experiencing homelessness who come to our organization regardless of their eligibility for Stephen Center specific services. Staff members are trained in diversion, and are collecting and entering client data into HMIS. When Stephen Center is not able to provide an assessment at the time a person is in need, a warm handoff is given to an appropriate agency. Shelter staff participate in monthly front door meetings coordinated by MACCH to ensure consistency of triage, diversion and assessment services at all front doors.
Stephen Center abides by the 2013 “Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act” (VAWA) and embraces the expansions noted for 2016. Confidentiality for victim services program participants is maintained per VAWA guidelines for all victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. This includes adherence to HUD’s core protections, emergency transfers for victims who fear for their lives or safety, protection of housing rights against the adverse effects of abuse, and low-barrier or self-certification processes. Staff work with Catholic Charities Emergency Shelter and Temporary Housing programs daily to provide additional case management services to include housing referrals, mental/physical referrals, police reports and protection orders with the ultimate goal of ensuring their safety in compliance with VAWA.
Stephen Center continues to provide assess