20222 COMBAT Funding: $102,222.00

In Sheffield Place's Own Words

Converted Space Being Put To Good Use

The agency operates in a converted residential YMCA constructed in 1926. The facility houses 17 families. Each family has a private living unit with a private bath. Five or six families share a kitchen on each of the three residential floors and a common laundry room in the basement.

To address the ever increasing demand for services Sheffield Place is renovating another building in the neighborhood that will provide seven more living units in 2021.

Expecting To Serve More Than 100 Mothers & 150 Children In 2021

In 2021 Sheffield Place will serve 105 mothers and 155 children in the existing facility and in the new building. Although the number served will increase in 2021, in 2022 the increase will be even greater as the new building will be fully operational for a full 12 months.

Aftercare and outpatient services will be provided to 45 mother and 55 children in 2021. 

Services include case management, therapy, therapy and educational groups, peer support, and drug testing.

30 Years Of Service

Founded in 1991 as a community response to mother-led family homelessness and now in its 30th year of service, Sheffield Place has served more than 1,300 homeless mothers and their children through intensive mental health and addiction treatment services, long-term housing, strengths-based case management, aftercare (for families that have stabilized through the residential program and have transitioned to housing in the community and receive ongoing case management and other supportive services), and permanent housing (a program that purchases and renovates houses in neighborhood for families for as long as they choose to live in the homes).

Demand For Services Increasing

In response to the overwhelming need for services for homeless, mother-led families, the agency embarked upon a strategic expansion program in 2011 that has dramatically increased the number of clients served. In 2019, for example, the agency served 123 families (307 individuals) up from just 20 families in 2010.

However, the demand for services continues to rise.

In 2019, 1,063 families called for services, so 974 families that requested residential housing and services were unable to receive it.

Based on the need, Sheffield Place completed a growth campaign and is renovating a building that will allow us to serve more than 30% additional families annually. The new building will provide an additional seven living units and is .2 miles from the main facilities so families will be able to walk to the facility and receive services. Services provided will increase slightly in 2021, particularly bed nights, therapy and case management due to the increased capacity that opening the new building provides.

In 2022 the expansion will be fully operational. Services and bed nights will increase significantly - a projected annual increase of 33% in families served. 

Focus On Homeless & Traumatized Single Mothers

What sets Sheffield Place apart from other homeless-serving agencies is the exclusive focus on homeless and deeply traumatized single mothers who struggle with multiple barriers to success including:

• mental health and addiction issues
• the delivery of all services onsite where the families live
• the intensive focus on trauma recovery led by licensed, master’s level therapists and experienced case managers
• the highly individualized treatment for each family during their stay at the facility and continuing for as long as needed once the family has transitioned to permanent housing (aftercare)
• the emphasis on self-sufficiency as the key to breaking the generational cycle of poverty, homelessness, addiction and violence. 

It is also   unique that Sheffield Place meets clients where they are -- allowing clients who are still active in their addiction to enter the program and mothers to enter without their children while working to have them placed back in their custody. 

Creating Long-Term Support System

The goal of the Sheffield Place, its Board, and Advisory Council is to provide services for more families based on the ever-increasing demand for services. The program goal is to help high need families with multiple barriers become self-sufficient.

These goals work well with and support the COMBAT's general treatment objectives:

• Long term recovery from drugs
• Retention in treatment and long term recovery
• Improved employment/education
• Elimination of criminal behavior
• Improved family relationships
• Creation of long term support system