They sleep in abandoned houses, under bridges, along railroad tracks in the woods.
Most nights, Charleston's homeless population swells to more than 360, with anywhere from 60 to 100 people living outside and the rest in Charleston's three emergency shelters. Most have problems beyond not having a permanent place to live.
"We estimate 75 percent of the people we see have mental-health and substance-abuse issues," said Traci Strickland, project coordinator for Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center in Charleston.
Starting in September, Strickland will help launch a five-year program designed to end homelessness in Huntington and Charleston.
"We're going to get them in housing and help them maintain a home," Strickland said.
Armed with a $2 million federal grant, Strickland plans to hire therapists, case managers (who coordinate treatment), peer specialists (former homeless people who found housing), and behavioral-rehabilitation specialists (who offer personal assistance to the homeless). Prestera Center for Mental Health Services Inc. will administer the grant through a program being called SHAPE - Support, Hope, Advocacy, Personal responsibility, and Education.
"Mental health and substance abuse - two fully treatable disorders - are the leading cause of homelessness in our area," said Rep. Nick J. Rahall, D-W.Va., who helped secure the grant. "These funds will help local authorities provide the treatment and services needed to help patients who have fallen on hard times get back on their feet."
SHAPE teams will identify homeless individuals and families in Charleston and Huntington, then help the homeless find permanent housing and provide substance-abuse and mental-health treatment to keep them there.
"They'll go to the person's home, drive them to doctor's appointments and grocery stores," Strickland said. "There will be somebody to check on them."
Charleston's three emergency shelters - Roark-Sullivan, Union Mission and YWCA Sojourner's - offer 225 beds a night for the area's homeless.
They sleep in abandoned houses, under bridges, along railroad tracks in the woods.
Most nights, Charleston's homeless population swells to more than 360, with anywhere from 60 to 100 people living outside and the rest in Charleston's three emergency shelters. Most have problems beyond not having a permanent place to live.
"We estimate 75 percent of the people we see have mental-health and substance-abuse issues," said Traci Strickland, project coordinator for Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center in Charleston.
Starting in September, Strickland will help launch a five-year program designed to end homelessness in Huntington and Charleston.
"We're going to get them in housing and help them maintain a home," Strickland said.
Armed with a $2 million federal grant, Strickland plans to hire therapists, case managers (who coordinate treatment), peer specialists (former homeless people who found housing), and behavioral-rehabilitation specialists (who offer personal assistance to the homeless). Prestera Center for Mental Health Services Inc. will administer the grant through a program being called SHAPE - Support, Hope, Advocacy, Personal responsibility, and Education.
"Mental health and substance abuse - two fully treatable disorders - are the leading cause of homelessness in our area," said Rep. Nick J. Rahall, D-W.Va., who helped secure the grant. "These funds will help local authorities provide the treatment and services needed to help patients who have fallen on hard times get back on their feet."
SHAPE teams will identify homeless individuals and families in Charleston and Huntington, then help the homeless find permanent housing and provide substance-abuse and mental-health treatment to keep them there.
"They'll go to the person's home, drive them to doctor's appointments and grocery stores," Strickland said. "There will be somebody to check on them."
Charleston's three emergency shelters - Roark-Sullivan, Union Mission and YWCA Sojourner's - offer 225 beds a night for the area's homeless.
"We're almost 100 percent full every night," Strickland said. "A lot of people don't think there's a homeless problem in Charleston, but there is."
The SHAPE program is an expansion of a program called AfterCare in Charleston and Housing First in Huntington.
"If you help someone find housing, they will want to get better. They will want services," Strickland said. "It's something that was being done on a small scale, but this will allow us to really open it up."
The program aims to help chronically homeless individuals - those who have been homeless for more than a year, or on the streets four times during the past three years.
Charleston's typical homeless individual is an unemployed male, ages 36 to 53, who dropped out of high school.
The grant also will enable therapists to work with homeless families who move from residence to residence several times each year.
"A lot of times, the families don't end up homeless, but they bounce from apartment to apartment," Strickland said. "That's a service that's been lacking."
Strickland predicts the grant will help up to 280 homeless people move into permanent housing in Charleston and Huntington during the next five years.
"We've seen homeless services work across both cities," said Strickland, who's still looking to hire more therapists for the program. "There's no reason this can't be another success."
"We're almost 100 percent full every night," Strickland said. "A lot of people don't think there's a homeless problem in Charleston, but there is."
The SHAPE program is an expansion of a program called AfterCare in Charleston and Housing First in Huntington.
"If you help someone find housing, they will want to get better. They will want services," Strickland said. "It's something that was being done on a small scale, but this will allow us to really open it up."
The program aims to help chronically homeless individuals - those who have been homeless for more than a year, or on the streets four times during the past three years.
Charleston's typical homeless individual is an unemployed male, ages 36 to 53, who dropped out of high school.
The grant also will enable therapists to work with homeless families who move from residence to residence several times each year.
"A lot of times, the families don't end up homeless, but they bounce from apartment to apartment," Strickland said. "That's a service that's been lacking."
Strickland predicts the grant will help up to 280 homeless people move into permanent housing in Charleston and Huntington during the next five years.
"We've seen homeless services work across both cities," said Strickland, who's still looking to hire more therapists for the program. "There's no reason this can't be another success."
To contact staff writer Eric Eyre, use e-mail or call 348-4869.
