Programs and Services
Shelter Services - Crisis Shelter Care
Also see: Extended Placement
Recipient of Service:
Casa is known to take in youth who have been kicked out or refused services from other youth shelters. Casa's philosophy is that if we were to error we will do so on behalf of the youth. Better to take in a youth who is inappropriate and give then an opportunity of help then to turn away a youth with a checkered past but who may now be at a juncture of change.
Casa Youth Shelter accepts youth who are age 12 to 17 for residency if they have runaway from home, have been kicked out of their home (throwaway), or at risk of becoming a runaway or throwaway. Casa Youth Shelter also accepts youth who are in danger of being abused in their home. Many times these youth are referred to Casa by Social Services or by a law enforcement agency to allow for a cooling off period between the youth and their parent(s).
Goal of Services:
The goal of shelter care is to provide a "cooling-off" period for the youth and parent(s) in crisis, thus escaping the dangers of living off of the streets. In addition many of the services of Casa are designed to aid in the reunificaiton of the youth in their home with the parents.
Schedule:
A youth may be accepted for residency 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Casa Youth Shelter is never closed!
The resident's schedule starts at 6:30 a.m. and continues until lights-out at 9:30 p.m. During a typical day the residents will attend group 2 – 3 times on just about any topic imaginable, (our goal is to give youth the tools necessary to survive their adolescence), complete chores 3 times, eat three meals, in addition eat snacks three times, attend individual counseling (approximately 3 times per week), or attend family counseling (approximately 2 times per week), go on an outing (at least two times per week), and just maybe read a book (whew!).
Staffing:
Residents are directly supervised by Youth (House) Supervisors who work in eight hour shifts around the clock. There are always a minimum of 2 on duty at all times. This is done to protect the youth in our care as well as the staff from being unfairly accused of a wrong doing. Unlike other residential programs, the staff at Casa never sleep, but instead will work their shift and then go off-duty.
In addition to Youth Supervisors, Casa also has personnel filling other staffing positions. There are Graduate Students working on their Masters in Counseling, Psychology or Social Work, MFT Interns and LCSW Associates, Undergraduate Interns, and Community Volunteers. Residents are taught academic and computer skills by our own on-site Teacher.
The staffing team is headed up clinically and programmatically by the Clinical Director who answers to the Executive Director. The Clinical Director holds ultimate responsibility for the shelter operations and experiences of the youth and families that Casa is dedicated to serve.
