NORMANDY, Mo., April 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Vincent Home for Children is launching its Street Outreach Program to help youth across the greater St. Louis region transition into self-sufficiency and independent living. The program provides youth ages 10-19 with essential services including safe shelter, mental health resources and individualized counseling, case management, and life skills. The first program of its kind for the agency, it was made possible through a three-year, $600,000 Basic Center Program grant from the Federal Department of Health and Human Service's Family and Youth Services Bureau's (FYSB) Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Program.

"It is so important to get out of the building and into the community," said St. Vincent Home for Children Executive Director Latosha Fowlkes. "We want to remove barriers and meet homeless and runaway youth in crisis where they are. They have remarkable resilience and have faced poverty, lack of safe/secure shelter, inadequate access to health services, and the trauma of violence and abuse. We want them to know we are here to help, 24 hours a day… seven days a week."

St. Vincent staff have years of experience working with homeless and runaway youth and are trained in Trauma-Informed Care. The Street Outreach team travels in a clearly marked St. Vincent vehicle to different parts of the greater St. Louis area to reach at-risk youth and provide them with personal care bags filled with essentials, PPE, information about St. Vincent's services, and snacks. Youth are encouraged to enroll in the 21-day shelter support program where they will stay at St. Vincent's facility and receive critical mental and behavioral health counseling, case management, and crisis intervention as well as basic life essentials including meals, hygiene items, and clothing. After completing the residential program, youth are evaluated to determine if they could benefit from one of St. Vincent's additional programs including Supportive Housing, Transitional Living, our Outpatient Support or if a referral to a partner agency is warranted.

The Street Outreach Program, like all programs at St. Vincent, is free of charge. There is no enrollment period at St. Vincent, and youth are welcome to enroll in any program, at any time pending, residential space availability.

ABOUT ST. VINCENT
Founded in 1850, St. Vincent provides high-quality, professional treatment and residential services designed to meet the changing needs of hundreds of struggling children and families. St. Vincent is a safe and caring community where youth receive positive life-changing opportunities that build character, self-respect, and life skills to reach their highest potential. For more information call 314-261-6011.

Contact:
Becky Reichardt
St. Vincent Home for Children
[email protected] 
cellphone: 314-717-5738

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SOURCE St. Vincent Home for Children