Covenant House Florida

Street Outreach

Trained counselors travel by van and by foot to parks, bus stations, and street corners to reach out to youth trying to survive on the streets. They provide food, counseling, and referrals for longer-term needs including information about Covenant House Florida's services.

Crisis Shelters

Crisis shelters are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Counselors and volunteers meet their basic needs -- wholesome food, a hot shower, clean clothing, medical attention, and a safe place to sleep. Then, individual counseling leads to family reunification whenever possible, another appropriate home or program, or independent living for older adolescents.

Services

Covenant House Florida offers an array of services including:

• Counseling, case management, and therapy
• Referrals
• Health Services at on-site clinics
• Substance Abuse Intervention-drug and alcohol education at both sites; treatment including CHAMP (Covenant House Addictions Management Project) in Ft. Lauderdale and by referral in Orlando
• Pregnancy Prevention/Teen Parent Education
• Education -- full-time school for younger teens in Ft. Lauderdale; (GED-General Educational Development) classes toward high school equivalency for older adolescents in Ft. Lauderdale in Orlando
• Job Readiness -- help for older teens in finding and maintaining jobs
• Life Skills Instruction -- guidance for older teens on budgeting and preparing to live on their own
• Transportation Assistance -- for local referrals and job search and for return home
• Pastoral Ministry -- voluntary spiritual guidance and services

Rights of Passage

Based on the belief that all youth have the "right" to "pass" from childhood to adulthood with support from caring and experienced adults, Rights of Passage is a transitional living program that helps older adolescents progress from homelessness to productive lifestyles through stable residency, improved life skills and employment opportunities, and increased self-responsibility for determining their future.