ARCH - Transitional Services

Front Steps offers a variety of transitional services to restore hope to our clients and assist them with moving from homelessness to housing. These services include Case Management, a drug and alcohol recovery program called Streets of Hope, and a Computer Lab. Front Steps extends its services by partnering with nine co-located nonprofit organizations that provide a variety of vital services, including physical and mental health care, legal assistance, and job placement. 

Case Management

What is case management? According to the Commission for Case Manager Certification, “Case management is a collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the options and services required to meet the client's health and human service needs. It is characterized by advocacy, communication, and resource management and promotes quality and cost-effective interventions and outcomes.”

How does it work?

The Case Management program at the ARCH focuses on improving stability within three areas – income, housing and self-care. Case managers meet weekly with homeless adults to assess their goals, needs, and resources; develop action plans that will address these goals; and provide ongoing support, resource referral, and problem solving as the client moves on their own path from homelessness to housing and increased stability. 

The clients in case management, like all Front Steps’ clients, face a wide range of challenges and barriers to regaining stability. These may include mental illness, substance abuse, medical needs, criminal history, lack of education or job skills, cognitive impairments, and social isolation. The case managers take into consideration all of the issues currently facing the client, as well as their history, and provide a combination of practical resources and therapeutic support to help them rebuild the hope and self-confidence needed to succeed.

Front Steps offers therapeutic groups, as well as positive recreational activities at the ARCH to support the various needs of our clients. Case managers also work very closely with other homeless service providers to coordinate care of shared clients and avoid duplication of services.

Streets of Hope

Streets of Hope is a 30-hour drug and alcohol psycho-educational program led by a Professional Counselor, designed to support clients to aid in their own recovery. An estimated 75% of ARCH clients face challenges with substance abuse. Remaining clean and sober in an environment where others continue to use requires not only a treatment program, but also a community of support and recovery. Streets of Hope offers both.

The program includes a thirty session curriculum focusing on topics such as understanding addiction, recognizing relapse triggers, building healthy relationships, and addressing anger and forgiveness. Each group session includes both an educational component and a processing/support component. Aftercare groups are offered to those who complete the 30-hour program.

Computer Lab

Volunteers assist with staffing the computer lab, which is one of the many volunteer opportunites offered at Front Steps, so that it can be open at other times as well. Clients can use two of the five computers for employment activities, such as conducting job searches, creating resumes, emailing, and other employment related tasks. Staff and volunteers also provide direction and instruction in each of these areas. Further, clients use the computers to keep in touch with family members and friends, to write poetry, and to connect to the broader community.