In 1985, a small group of women founded Deborahs Place as Chicagos first year-round, overnight shelter for women who are homeless. From our humble beginnings, we have evolved to address the broader needs of women experiencing homelessness by expanding housing options and adding case management and wrap-around supportive services. Today, as Chicagos largest provider of supportive housing exclusively for women, Deborahs Place offers a continuum of interim and permanent housing options, linked to vital services at three locations throughout the city. Since 1985, Deborahs Place has impacted over 3,500 women.

As a leader in the field of supportive housing, Deborahs Place is recognized for our innovative approach to implementing research-based solutions to homelessness. During the development of Chicagos 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness, we were one of the first agencies to embrace the Housing First model and adapt all of our housing programs to align with the model and harm reduction principles. By restructuring resources, we converted our transitional shelter (2003), emergency shelter (2004), and transitional housing program (2006) to models that advance the goals of the 10-Year Plan. We now provide pro bono technical assistance to housing organizations that are exploring program conversions. Deborahs Place continues to provide leadership in the implementation of the 10-Year Plan by serving on the Board and committees of the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness.

Deborahs Place implements a service model founded in Harm Reduction principles, Relational Theory, the Recovery Model, and Trauma-Informed Gender-Responsive Theory, proven most effective in working with women who are homeless. Our client-driven Housing First approach places an immediate, primary focus on helping women quickly access permanent housing, then providing supports as needed to reduce barriers to maintaining housing. This approach builds on research indicating that the factors that contribute to homelessness are most effectively remedied once an individual is housed.

From a Safe Haven for women with mental illness, to interim housing focused on rapid re-housing, to permanent supportive housing where women sign leases, Deborahs Place offers different pathways that break the cycle of homelessness. Permanent supportive housing, which combines affordable housing with wrap-around services, is the most effective strategy for helping individuals who are chronically homeless to obtain and maintain housing (NAEH, 2007). Our award-winning housing programs include:

Dolores Safe Haven: Congregate housing for 15 women who are chronically homeless and mentally ill

Teresas Interim Housing: 10-bed, 120-day residential program focused on rapid re-housing

Marahs Permanent Housing: Supportive housing for 30 women with disabilities

Patty Crowley Apartments: Supportive housing for 39 women with disabilities

Rebecca Johnson Apartments: 90 supportive housing units

Residents of our housing programs as well as off-site women who are currently homeless or at-risk of homelessness have access to a variety of on-site services at each of our three buildings:

Health Services: Through mini-health clinics, Deborahs Place coordinates womens healthcare and provides referrals to free or low-cost health services. On-site healthcare and health education reduce health crises that require costly emergency room visits and help women who have not accessed traditional healthcare due to barriers like lack of health insurance, mental illness, substance use, and resistance to care.

Education Services: Group activities and one-on-one engagement provide women access to the humanities, life skills training, social-emotional development, and basic adult education.

Employment Services: Assistance with resume-writing, job searches, and career coaching helps women to obtain and maintain employment.

Therapeutic Services: Counseling, crisis intervention, and art therapy helps women to recover from mental illness, addictions, and dual diagnoses.

Comprehensive Case Management: Participant-directed case management assists women in meeting goals they have established for themselves. Case managers use an asset-based approach emphasizing individual strengths so women can be linked to resources to help them reach stability and self-sufficiency.