Programs Offered

Case Management Services
The role of the case manager is to provide information and referral services to each resident on available services within Life Haven and in the community. Each resident creates an Individual Care Plan with the help of the case manager. The case manager helps residents identify their needs and goals and also helps them achieve these goals. The Case Manager meets weekly with each resident to make sure the resident is working to fulfill her plan.

Childcare Center
A teacher with a child development associate credential runs the childcare center. Two foster grandparents and numerous volunteers also support the center to maintain a 5:1 ratio of children to caregivers. The daily activity schedule includes free play, music and movement, art story time, snack time, outdoor play as weather permits, and a rest period. This childcare program is specifically designed to meet the needs of homeless children. The teacher provides assessment of the children and works on anger management, selfesteem, and health and safety education. This program receives partial financial support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

- Top of page -

Clothing and Household Support
Donors provide Life Haven with casual and “career” clothing, household and kitchen furnishings and furniture, and personal care items that are distributed to families as they have need.

Computer Literacy
Volunteers work weekly with women and children to achieve mastery in working with computers. Families focus learning basic information on operating systems and using word processing software.

- Top of page -

Food Service
Life Haven provides residents with breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Snacks are provided twice daily. The menus are planned monthly to include a wide variety of healthy foods. Staff also plans seasonal menus and special dinners.

Homeless Families Transition Collaborative
Residents that participate actively in the workshops may be selected to participate in transitional housing after their discharge from Life Haven. The transitional housing case manager works with families to forward their independent living goals. Life Haven refers families to New Haven Home Recovery, Inc. for inclusion in this program. This program receives financial support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Homeless Healthcare Outreach Project
A physician’s assistant comes to Life Haven weekly and meets with any woman or child who has medical concerns. The P.A. provides health screenings, refers people for medical services, and prescribes Life Haven, Inc. medications. This program is provided through the Hill Health Center with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

- Top of page -

Homeless Prevention Planning
A full-time staff person provides outreach case management services for families who have moved out of Life Haven into permanent housing. The Prevention Planner works with families to meet their vocational, substance abuse, parenting, and life skills needs. The Prevention Planner also works with landlords to stabilize housing. These services are available up to one year after discharge from the shelter. A relationship between Life Haven and First Presbyterian Church provides the framework for an exiting family from Life Haven and a supporting team of members from the church to develop ties of informational, emotional, spiritual and, under certain special circumstances, financial support. The ultimate goal of selfsufficiency for the families shall be pursued for up to one year.

Housing Assistance Search
The Housing Coordinator works collaboratively with each resident, landlord, and referring worker to identify and meet their specific housing needs. Life Haven will assist residents in their application for security deposit funds from the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services.

- Top of page -

Housing Workshop Series
These one-hour housing workshops are held twice a month. These workshops are co-facilitated by Life Haven program staff and guest speakers from other community agencies. Covered topics include legal rights and responsibilities of tenants, Section 8 program, and Shelter-Plus-Care rental subsidy program. The goal of this workshop series is to teach residents how to secure and maintain permanent affordable housing.

Library and Learning Center
This educational resource center allows mothers to select books for themselves and their young children. There is a wide variety of reading material from encyclopedias to fictional novels and children’s books. The library provides an educational atmosphere for the workshops.

Parenting Workshop Series
Parenting skills and concepts are discussed on a weekly basis. Mothers have the opportunity to discuss their parenting styles and issues. There is a strong focus on issues of children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive development.

- Top of page -

Shelter Services
All of the services offered stem from Life Haven’s core function as an emergency shelter for homeless pregnant women and women with young children. Life Haven provides 20 units of residential shelter for families for an average of 70 days. Families receive a key to their unit that contains beds and bureaus. Common bathroom facilities and a television lounge are located on each floor.

Vocational and Job Retention Training
A Job Counselor from APT Vocational Services runs job-seeking workshops twice a week. The series covers the application process, interview skills, job strategies and resume preparation. Upon completion of five workshops, residents receive certificates of “job search readiness” and they become eligible for participation in the job club. The job club provides employment referrals and supportive services. The job counselor is also available for vocational counseling. This program receives financial support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Life Haven, Inc.

Women Support’s Group
Life Haven provides behavioral health intervention with families who are homeless through a clinicallyfacilitated women’s support group. While women are learning new coping skills in a workshop setting, their children participate in therapeutic play designed to increase their resiliency skills. This intervention gives women and their children a supportive environment to acknowledge their behavioral health issues, learn new coping strategies, and plan treatment as appropriate.

- Top of page -

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .