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February 2007:· One Night Count Captures Picture of King County’s Homeless – For One Night· Crisis Clinic’s Teen Link Continues to Provide a Listening Ear to King County Teens· Critical Resource
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One Night Count Captures Picture of King County’s Homeless – For One NightBy Stephanie Ross, One Night Count VolunteerThe 2007 One Night Count of homeless people took place in the early morning hours of Jan. 26. Hundreds of volunteers across King County counted 2,159 people sleeping in cars, tucked into doorways and walking around to keep warm in the cold hours of the early morning. The annual One Night Count of unsheltered homeless people is organized by the Seattle-King County Coalition on Homelessness (SKCCH) and its member organizations, including Operation Nightwatch. This year, dozens of organizations from around King County participated by forming teams that counted in more than 100 specified areas. Volunteers searched along streets, in alleys and parks, and under freeway overpasses to physically count the persons sleeping without shelter in Seattle, North King County, the Eastside, Kent, Renton, White Center and Federal Way. The street count has taken place in the Seattle area for more than 20 years. Organizers say that the count is meant to provide the public with a “snap shot” of how many unsheltered people live our community, and to create a greater understanding of homeless issues. This year’s count included several new elements. Alison Eisinger, SKCCH’s new Executive Director, worked with member organizations to expand the count to include homeless individuals on the “night owl” Metro buses which serve Seattle and outlying suburban areas between 2 and 5 a.m. Eight special teams counted 124 people seeking shelter on these buses. For the first time, the city of Renton participated in the count, sending 10 teams into wooded areas, mall parking lots, and around downtown. Woodinville was also counted for the first time, and new areas were added in Shoreline, Federal Way, Kent and Seattle. This year for the first time, SKCCH worked with the 2-1-1 Community Information Line to create an even broader look at homelessness. Information & Referral Specialists on the 2-1-1 line asked homeless callers additional questions for the week of the street count; such as when they last had stable housing, if they were previously homeless and where they stayed the evening of One Night Count. The information collected through these questions will be added to the other sources of information for Jan. 26, most importantly the surveys of emergency shelters and transitional housing programs. The King County Department of Community and Human Services -- Community Services Division compiles the shelter surveys, which report how many people are homeless but have shelter during the One Night Count. Together these numbers provide a point-in-time census of homeless people. Over the course of a year, it is estimated that at least three times as many people will experience homelessness as are counted during a single night. The unsheltered count does not include the people spending the night doubled up at a friend’s or relative’s house, people without a permanent home who are in jail or people staying in shelters and transitional housing. It does include the 188 residents of the two Tent Cities, 34 found in hospital emergency rooms and 60 at the Dutch Shisler Sobering Center. A full report with all the information gathered will be released this spring. It will be available at http://www.homelessinfo.org. Selected One Night Count statistics: · 22 youth, ages 18 and under, were counted · 647 were counted sleeping in cars and trucks · 124 were found taking shelter on King County Metro buses · 2,159 total people were counted This is a 5% decrease from 2006, comparing the areas counted in 2006 to the areas counted in 2007. Thank you to the 735 volunteers who took the time to participate in the 2007 One Night Count. • Crisis Clinic’s Teen Link Continues to Provide a Listening Ear to King County TeensBy Daemond Arrindell, Youth Services Manager, Crisis Clinic“Teen Link has given me an amazing perspective on my own life. I've learned from our callers the incredible power of asking for and receiving help.” – Caitlin, Teen Link volunteer In 1996, Crisis Clinic responded to the tragic murder of 16-year old Audra Letnes by creating a peer-to-peer helpline for teens: an anonymous, confidential line where any problem could be discussed with a professionally trained teenager. The tendency of most teenagers to turn to their friends first when in distress is undeniable. While it is true that adults have better access to resources, research has shown that teens feel more comfortable confiding in a peer. Teen Link capitalizes on this fact and trains teen volunteers in active listening and crisis intervention skills to answer calls dealing with issues ranging from peer pressure to homelessness, from relationships to suicide. The situations are rarely simple and the answers never are. Teenagers typically lack the necessary power and control over their lives to make the changes that will solve their predicaments. But accessing resources (parents, counselors, teachers, etc.) regularly carries a fear of “getting in trouble”, judgment or loss of control over the situation. Teen Link offers anonymity and confidentiality, allowing callers a feeling of safety in disclosing their emotions and the details of their problems. Teen Link phone workers also provide validation and support - letting the callers know they aren’t weird or stupid; objective guidance – helping callers to see the big picture of their problem in ways they hadn’t been able to before; empowerment – assisting callers in deciding what they want to do and how to make those things happen either by accessing resources already available or connecting them with a referral to an agency or program that can provide further assistance. Teen Link aids teen callers by helping to make healthy decisions for themselves in the midst of a crisis – whatever that crisis may be. In nearly 11 years of service to the King County area, Teen Link has received more than 11,000 calls. What many people do not know is that the help-line is only one aspect of this program. Teen Link began as a reaction to a tragedy, but the other aspects of the program are proactively trying to benefit the youth of our region. Teen Link annually prints a pocket-sized youth resource booklet called the “Where to Turn for Teens.” More than 135,000 of these free booklets have been distributed to youth, to schools and youth-serving agencies across King County, free of charge. Another large aspect of the program is the Youth Suicide Prevention Presentations. Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death among 15-24 year olds in Washington state, and the third leading cause nationally. Teen Link views educating youth with the accurate facts and warning signs of suicide as one of the most viable options for preventing teen suicide. If youth tend to confide in their friends, then those friends may have the greatest opportunity to intervene and get the necessary assistance for that youth before the situation becomes drastic. Through presentations given in junior and senior high classrooms, more than 44,000 youth and 3,000 adults have been trained by Teen Link in how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, how to look past the stereotypes and how to access help. Despite the impact that Teen Link has had on the youth of King County, more can always be done. Effective publicizing of Teen Link is a challenge because the target population completely changes every two-three years. But one thing consistently heard on the help-line is that a friend, teacher, counselor, or parent told the caller about Teen Link, thus making word of mouth the most effective form of advertising. Please assist Teen Link and the youth in our communities by informing the teenagers you come in contact with about the program. Tell adults who work with youth and tell adults who have youth of their own. The more young people know about Teen Link, the more young people Teen Link can help. Teen Link is open from 6-10pm every night of the year. Call (206)
461-4922 or toll-free (866) TEENLINK or (866) 833-6546. Outside of King
County call (877) 968-8454. To order Where to Turn for teens, call Crisis
Clinic’s business office at (206) 461-3210. • Critical Resource UpdatesCompiled by Crisis Clinic’s Resource CenterIt is always recommended to
check Community
Resources Online for additional information and for the most current
information updates of the following resources. The Church
of Mary Magdalene no longer provides move-in assistance. The Kent Food Bank at Springwood Apartments (The Annex) has moved. Its new address is 12961 SE 275th St, still in the same apartment complex. Their phone number, hours and application procedures all remain the same as before. Mamma’s
Hands’ “Phone and Transportation Assistance for Family Reunification”
program has a new location. It now operates out of a park at 4th
Avenue and Jefferson Street. The program offers the use of cell phones for
homeless individuals to make free phone calls to family. Also provides
financial assistance for bus tickets to help reunite individuals living on
the streets with their families. Jubilee
Women’s Center will be temporarily not operating the free clothing
boutique as of March 1 or accepting housing applications for its transitional
housing program. The center will be renovating its 60-year-old building.
Normal operations are expected to resume in winter 2007. YMCA of Greater Seattle will open the YMCA Center for Young Adults Feb. 5. The center will be for young adults, ages 17-25, who have experienced foster care or homelessness. It will be a comfortable space where young adults can pursue their housing, education and employment goals, meet other young people and relax. It will be at 2100 24th Ave S in the 2100 Building in South Seattle. • February and March Selected ResourcesCompiled by Crisis Clinic’s Resource Center StaffThis column highlights available timely resources in the community information database that might otherwise go unnoticed by our users. It is always recommended to check Community Resources Online for additional information and for the most current information concerning the following resources. February Resource Highlights AARP Children’s
Hospital and Regional Medical Center – Stanley Stamm Children’s Hospital Camp Crisis
Clinic Local
Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County National
Eating Disorders Association Master
Builders Care Foundation Seattle
Public Library – Central Seattle Youth Garden Works Senior
Services of Seattle/King County United
Way of King County – EITC March Resource Highlights
Overlake
Service League Special
Olympics – Washington Resolve
of Washington State University
of Washington – Women’s Center |
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