“Now living at The Mothership, a youth homelessness shelter model that opened two years ago in Denver, Kesner has a bed to sleep in. He also sees a therapist, joins group activities with other residents, can access medical care, and has a case manager who placed him on a waitlist for housing serving people with autism.
‘It’s a warm, safe place to go and be welcomed under the wings of other people,’ Kesner says, adding that he feels like he’s getting back on his feet for the first time in years. And recent data suggests the facility’s Housing First model helps youth like Kesner transition out of homelessness significantly faster and cheaper than more traditional options, offering a potential solution that other homeless service providers can adopt.
‘This has reinvented shelter, and we should be doing it for everybody, everywhere,’ says Christina Carlson, CEO of Urban Peak, the local nonprofit that runs The Mothership.”
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