Mike Burrus: Expand service to homeless

For the past several years, it has been a privilege for representatives of Catholic Charities to engage in discussions with the Sisters of St. Joseph about opportunities to collaborate with them in the use of their Mount St. Mary’s facility. Those discussions led us to consider options to expand the services to marginalized residents of the Wichita area.

A recent point-in-time count in Wichita identified 561 homeless individuals, 99 of whom were unsheltered (including those staying on the streets, under bridges, in cars, etc.).

The Mount St. Mary’s facility provides the capacity to serve many more women and children who are victims of domestic violence, as well as homeless families, than we are able to serve currently. The plan is to use the facility as “a road to permanent housing” for clients who are ready to leave our shelters but are not yet able to locate somewhere else, and to house pregnant women who are either domestic violence victims or homeless and pregnant.

It takes time for the residents of our shelters to seek and obtain housing and employment. Residents of St. Anthony Family Shelter (our shelter for homeless families) and Harbor House (our shelter for victims of domestic violence) often stabilize their crises quickly – in 30 to 45 days. But they often remain in our shelters for extended periods because they do not have a “bridge” housing option while they wait for permanent housing to become available, seek employment or await the birth of their children.

The net result in those situations is that our shelters are occupied with residents who no longer need an emergency shelter, occupying space that would be better utilized in providing safety to people in crisis. The new program at the Mount will provide a place for clients to stay for up to 90 days, and it will provide them with support in seeking and obtaining housing and/or employment. Importantly, it will also free up shelter space for those who are in crisis and allow us to serve more clients who are in need of emergency shelter.

As the biblical Mount historically offered a place of acceptance, revelation, instruction and new promise, this local landmark offers all who gather there a hands-around approach to accessing social services, not only stabilizing and strengthening themselves and their families, but enriching them for their lives ahead.

We are anxious to begin providing services at the Mount beginning this fall.

This story was originally published June 24, 2015 at 7:02 PM with the headline "Mike Burrus: Expand service to homeless."