Stopover provides emergency shelter to young people ages 13 to 17. Temporary separation from the family removes youth from the intensity of the crisis. It allows a chance to assess their situation and evaluate alternatives. The environment is one that tells youth that they are important and valued people. During the time young people are at the group home, we work to relieve some of the stress they and their families are experiencing.

Students who stay at the group home usually continue to attend their own school. Youth will have chores and other responsibilities at the group home. While there, youth meet with a counselor individually as well as with his/her family several times a week. Counseling services will continue after young people are reunited with their families.

Stopover also offers home-based counseling services for youth ages 11 to 17 and their families. Counseling is provided on a weekly basis for six to eight weeks and addresses issues that often arise in the home, school, or community and interfere with the positive development of youth. The counselor meets with the young person individually as well as with the parents and family.

The Stopover Transitional Living Program services are directed to non-systems youth ages 16 to 21 who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Housing will be provided in a supervised group home setting for a period of at least 60 days and no more than one year.

All participants will create an individualized, written transitional living plan and be enrolled in an educational program in their community schools, GED program, or community college. Full time students will have part-time employment; part-time students will have full-time employment. Youth involved in the program will identify a support system and services in the community to help meet the goal of independent living including life skills training, education, employment and physical health. After leaving the program, all youth will receive a minimum of six months of after care services.

Stopover will accept referrals from any source, including self referrals and referrals from family members. Referrals will be received on the 24-hour crisis line maintained by Stopover. Acceptance into the program will follow an interview and initial assessment of the program’s capacity to meet the needs of the individual young person.