Covenant House recognizes that the need for services far exceeds the available shelter space in our community. To meet this overwhelming need, Covenant House welcomes youth in our community who are unsheltered, at-risk and need support. We endeavor to safeguard all youth, ensuring they have access to the comprehensive services they need.
Wellness Services
Mental Healthcare
Many of the young people we serve face challenges ranging from mental illness and depression to drug and alcohol addiction and trauma. Knowing the extensive challenges faced by our youth, mental health is a top priority for Covenant House Missouri. Ongoing support is provided in the following ways:
Individual Therapy: Covenant House has two full-time therapists on-site who provide ongoing support to all of our youth. Current therapeutic specialties include Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Art Therapy.
Group Therapy: Weekly therapeutic groups are hosted by our clinical staff with topics such as LGBTQ inclusion, current affairs, writing, art, trauma-informed yoga, animal therapy, and adventure outings.
Psychiatric appointments: A psychiatrist from Washington University visits Covenant House four times a month to ensure youth in need of such care receive psychiatric services including diagnostic evaluations, ongoing support, and medication management.
Physical Healthcare
Studies show that individuals who have experienced homelessness are at high risk of chronic physical health conditions, and often lack access to proper medical care. We work diligently to provide for the physical healthcare needs of our youth.
Health Clinic: Our weekly health clinic, provided through our partnership with Institute for Family Medicine (iFM), ensures youth receive physicals, vaccinations, and coordination of other medical services.
Prescription medications: Assistance is provided to ensure youth have access to essential medications they need to address chronic conditions and lead healthy lives
Career Development Services
Our education and employment services empower youth with the tools they need to live independently, providing them with support and resources to achieve their education and career goals.
Employment classes: Every day on our campus, our career staff provide training classes on various skills necessary for finding and keeping a job, supported by the Accenture Job Readiness curriculum.
Career connections: Career staff provide youth with assistance finding job openings, filling out applications, building resumes, practicing for and attending interviews, and obtaining work clothing. The staff also build relationships with employers in our community, to support youth in obtaining and retaining gainful employment.
Educational support: Many services are provided to assist youth in meeting their educational goals, including assistance with finishing high school, completing HiSET courses, applying for college, completing the FAFSA, finding community college courses that align with interests, and more.
On-the-Job Training program: Some of the youth at Covenant House have very limited or no previous work experience. This program provides a short-term work schedule and work duties overseen by our Career Coach, who provides individualized coaching to help youth actively learn the skills required for employment.
Transportation assistance: Covenant House provides youth with bus tickets or uber gift cards to ensure they are able to get to school, job interviews, medical appointments and work.
Outreach
Community Case Management
Our outreach case managers work closely with youth who are unsheltered and at-risk, helping them achieve goals and identify resources, both at Covenant House and with community partners, to support their journey to stability.
Aftercare
Many of our youth are working hard to overcome generational poverty, and our outreach case managers are there to support them as they transition out of our residential programs into independent housing. The continued support offered through our aftercare program promotes ongoing stability and provides a safety net for youth as they complete their education, begin their careers, and maintain stable housing.
Outreach
There are often barriers to a young person coming to Covenant House. They may have had negative experiences at homeless shelters or simply aren’t aware of our services. Proactive outreach is one way that youth who are experiencing homelessness can learn of options to help them.
The outreach case managers visit community centers, libraries, and schools to raise awareness and provide resources, and also conduct street outreach in the St. Louis area, reaching out to youth sleeping on the streets or in abandoned buildings. The team provides food, drinks, and clothing to meet immediate needs. They also provide advice, encouragement, program and resource information, and emergency assistance.
These services are partially funded by:
St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund (CSF)
The Mental Health Board (MHB)
