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Coordinated Entry is the front door to homeless services. It is the first point of contact for those who need housing assistance. It provides guidance to anyone experiencing homelessness to the correct support and housing programs most appropriate to their situation. PROACTIVE AND SHORT-TERM PROGRAMS STREET OUTREACH: collaborate with local partners to meet individuals and families experiencing homelessness where they are and offer assistance in camps and on the street. LIBRARY OUTREACH: regular hours at libraries in Ames, Boone and Marshalltown where people experiencing homelessness can meet with a case worker and work on a housing plan. EMERGENCY SHELTER: short-term emergency shelter and housing support services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Provides food, financial education, and health and wellbeing assistance. LONG-TERM PROGRAMS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: client-focused services based on the degree of need and the severity of barriers individual/families are facing. Will help clients secure affordable housing and provide the tools needed to overcome financial barriers and maintain a permanent home. Individualized support services, including life skills counseling, employment assistance, budgeting and financial literacy, and community resources referrals are also provided. CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY SERVICES: connects clients to various external programs and community resources to help them achieve sustainable, healthy outcomes.

Offers a variety of services to address the full range of housing needs Veterans may have. Services include:

Prevention services such as Supportive Services for Veteran Families that keep Veterans from becoming homeless.

Residential services such as the Health Care for Homeless Veterans Contracted Residential Services or Grant and Per Diem programs provide temporary placement, in the form of emergency or transitional housing, for Veterans who need a place to stay right now.

Permanent housing services such as the Supportive Services for Veteran Families and HUD-VA Supportive Housing, or HUD-VASH, programs connect Veterans to affordable housing in their communities. These services come with either short or long-term rental subsidies, case management, and varying levels of wrap-around supportive services to ensure that Veterans have all the necessary resources to stay housed.

VA also has programs to assist Veterans in the criminal justice system with accessing VA services, help Veterans gain meaningful employment, or take care of their health needs through primary care tailored to the unique access barriers that Veterans experiencing homelessness face.

Community housing program offering stable housing and essential support services.

Services within this program:

- Individual therapy.

- Group therapy.

- Family therapy.

- Psychiatric services.

- Intensive community-based treatment.

- Crisis services.

- Court services.

Oversees care for adults with serious mental illness. Services include case management, psychiatry, and medication management, as well as outreach for everything from job training to primary healthcare to daily life skills.

Offers a two year program for women with or without children. The women will be assisted in setting developmental goals and working with staff to achieve them.There are enhanced programs such as: case management, life skills, parenting support, financial management, education, and employment skills, community involvement, budgeting, homemaking and one-to-one support.

Provides low-income clients with rent and security deposit assistance to help a household maintain housing. To qualify for this program the client needs to be behind on their rent and the landlord has to have served them a legal eviction notice. The client will also be required to have some type of income (employment, social security, TANF, unemployment, etc.) to qualify for assistance. Babysitting (or some other type of working) for cash will NOT be accepted as income. A client can only be assisted every two years through this program.

Transitional Housing is designed to move homeless families from streets and shelters into temporary housing and to maximize self-sufficiency, this program is for families only and they must be homeless in order to receive assistance. Homeless means living on the street, in an emergency shelter, or a place not meant for human habitation (cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned building, etc.) Occupancy is limited.

Supportive Housing is designed to move homeless families/individuals with documented disabilities from streets and shelters into temporary housing and to maximize self-sufficiency. Enrollment is limited based on availability.

For more information regarding any of these programs, please call or schedule an appointment. ALL PROGRAMS ARE DEPENDANT UPON AVAILABLE FUNDING, AND APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE TAKEN BASED ON CLIENT INCOME ELIGIBILITY AND ARE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.

Assists homeless teens with a safe, stable home, provides income adequate to meet their basic needs, and assists and directs in overcoming the problems that interfere with their ability to live independently.

Provides transitional housing available to individuals who are LGBTQ+ and experiencing homelessness. Provides up to 24 months of housing with case management and referral services. This location is one of the coordinated entry points for anyone who is homeless in the area.

If HIV+, see Billy's House program.

Supportive Housing Program is a HUD-funded transitional living program for youth ages 18-24. Youth are provided with a subsidized house/apartment and work with a case manager to reduce homelessness or unsafe living conditions and to achieve permanent housing. Supportive Housing serves both single youth as well as pregnant and/or parenting youth. Youth can remain in Supportive Housing for up to 24 months.

Permanent Housing Program is a HUD-funded program for youth ages 18-24. Youth are provided with a subsidized house/apartment and work with a case manager to reduce homelessness or unsafe living conditions and to achieve permanent housing. Permanent Housing serves youth who have a mental health and/or substance abuse diagnosis. Permanent Housing serves both single youth as well as pregnant and/or parenting youth. There is no time-limit to their participation.

Life skills training in the areas of education, employment, independent living, and parenting.

Provides emergency and transitional housing services for women and women with children. This shelter is one of the coordinated entry points for those that are homeless in the area. 

Emergency Shelter Services - Provides emergency/crisis short-term shelter for women with children of any age, including male children (ages 13-17). The shelter provides a safe place to sleep, evening meal, laundry, and shower facilities. The length of stay is 30 days. Residents are encouraged to meet with the Emergency Shelter Lead Supervisor for long term stability plan

Transitional Shelter Services for Women with Children - Provides immediate relief to women, 18 and over, with children (male children must be 12 years of age or younger). In addition, provides life's basic needs - food, clothing, personal care items, laundry facilities, transportation, and telephones to make appointments. Supportive services provided include life skill classes, employment assistance, budgeting, family literacy, parenting classes, tutoring, and case management with a goal of finding and maintaining permanent housing.

Provides an emergency shelter for young men and young women. The staff work with the youth and their families to solidify permanent housing, education, and an on-going support network. Services are available to both pregnant and/or parenting teens.

Provides transitional housing services for veterans who are homeless and/or disabled. SSVR provides shelter and supportive services for up to 24-months and addresses all barriers to independent living.

Offers a place where men in recovery from addiction learn to live together in harmony and help each other grow in their sobriety.

Residents come from a recovery program or other areas when they need additional structure and support before returning to their homes and communities. The 7 houses have a resident manager, strict format, and structure to keep the house in order and the men sober in an environment that provides fertile ground for people to grow.

Housing program which provides stable housing and essential support services for people with serious mental illness.

Services begin with a screening to help get people of all ages to the right treatment. May follow with individual therapy that leads to group therapy, or crisis care that leads to stable housing.

Services include:

- Individual therapy;

- Group therapy;

- Family therapy;

- Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and medication management;

- Psychiatric services;

- Court services;

- Crisis residential/triage services, and more.

Provides abuse and crisis intervention services to those going through a domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or sex trafficking situation. Services include emotional support and crisis counseling, lethality assessment and safety planning, case management, children's advocacy, short term mental health counseling, health care navigation, and a support group.

Also offers:

- Emergency shelter, including pet friendly shelter.

- Transitional Housing.

- Rapid Rehousing.

Offers a long-term residential program (9 to 12 months) that offers comprehensive help and hope to men, women, and children in desperate circumstances such as addiction, domestic violence, or destructive relationships Provides, spiritual guidance, recovery and relapse prevention training, general life skills training and application, mentoring, physical fitness and wellness coaching, art and music therapy, cultural recreation, and child care assistance.

Offers a variety of services to address the full range of housing needs Veterans may have. Services include:

Prevention services such as Supportive Services for Veteran Families that keep Veterans from becoming homeless.

Residential services such as the Health Care for Homeless Veterans Contracted Residential Services or Grant and Per Diem programs provide temporary placement, in the form of emergency or transitional housing, for Veterans who need a place to stay right now.

Permanent housing services such as the Supportive Services for Veteran Families and HUD-VA Supportive Housing, or HUD-VASH, programs connect Veterans to affordable housing in their communities. These services come with either short or long-term rental subsidies, case management, and varying levels of wrap-around supportive services to ensure that Veterans have all the necessary resources to stay housed.

VA also has programs to assist Veterans in the criminal justice system with accessing VA services, help Veterans gain meaningful employment, or take care of their health needs through primary care tailored to the unique access barriers that Veterans experiencing homelessness face.