SOCIAL SERVICES: Homeless shelters modifying operations to prevent infections during outbreak.
Operation changes start amid larger prevention efforts
Homeless shelters in the Chicago area are modifying operations to prevent infection amid the new coronavirus outbreak.
But the efforts are complicated by costs, scarcity of cleaning supplies and protective gear, and staffing models that depend on volunteers who may themselves be at risk of complications from the coronavirus.
And as many public spaces close, including some of the Chicago area’s libraries, agencies serving the homeless say they’ll need space to house people day and night, with enough room to keep a distance.
The state has not confirmed any cases of the virus among shelter staffers or residents, but organizations serving the homeless population say are preparing for what seems inevitable.
Some agencies started reaching into their reserves to buy motel vouchers. Others are reducing capacity in order to implement federal guidelines of social distancing, sometimes letting only four people use facilities at a time. And yet others are soliciting donations for money to address the immediate and long-term implications of the pandemic.
“We have a society dealing with unknowns right now and a population facing a lot of unknowns already,” said Paul Hamann, president and CEO of the Night Ministry. “We haven’t received much guidance on how to do this.”
The Night Ministry runs five shelters for youths, including an emergency shelter for people between 18 and 24 years old, and also conducts medical outreach to homeless individuals on the street. While the shelter is not requiring medical evaluation to receive services, Hamann said, it is developing internal protocols with how to deal with a large number of sick residents. “It’s the complexity and potential scale that makes this very, very different,” Hamann said.
Given those complexities, concern also is mounting for the viability of some programs.
“We’re honestly worried that some agencies will be forced to cease their shelter operations for the season, and we’re doing our best to avoid that,” said Jennifer Hill, executive director of the Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County. “Our infrastructure is really taking a hit.”
The alliance is a nonprofit that allocates about $12 million for homelessness assistance to more than 30 programs in the suburbs. According to Hill, several of its larger agencies have estimated they will spend around $100,000 just to increase staffing and move vulnerable families or individuals with confirmed coronavirus cases to motels.
The alliance is exploring the possibility of using additional spaces to quarantine homeless people who have been exposed, following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nia Tavoularis, director of development for Connections for the Homeless in Evanston, said its 18-person shelter is allowing overnight residents to stay throughout the day starting this week. She expects economic hardship to lead to a greater need for services in the long term.
“We know that there are going to be more people on the verge of homelessness,” Tavoularis said.
South Suburban PADS in
Cook County is starting to prioritize older residents to move them into motels, said Doug Kenshol, executive director.
“No matter how much bleach we use, and how many times people wash their hands, if we can use sufficient resources, we want to move everyone to a hotel, prioritizing those who are over 60 years old,” Kenshol said.
The agency has already identified a significant number of its leadership staff and volunteers as high risk for contracting the virus and has asked them to work from home.
The state Department of Human Services, which already distributes some federal funding to municipalities and nonprofits across the state, has said it would evaluate the need for funding on a case-by-case basis.
And Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the department said: “Any increased responsibility that they’re taking on, even if they’re not increasing the number of people” could be eligible for reimbursement if the agency receives funding through the state.
Kia Coleman, assistant secretary for the department, said the state was aware of issues of capacity in shelters and the need for “recuperative” housing for those released from hospital care or requiring isolation as a precaution.
“The very first thing we did was to look at the contracts that we already had” and grant those groups a three-month advancement on funds, Coleman said. “We let providers know that we intend to help them through this period: We want you to maintain your operations.”
Chicago’s Department of Family & Support Services, which manages over 100 sites geared toward housing stability and homelessness prevention, is trying to identify and monitor homeless people at the highest risk of contracting the disease by canvassing the city. Department employees are focusing on unsheltered Chicagoans who are elderly or have a preexisting medical condition, according to the department website.
The city also is setting up portable hand-washing stations near places where homeless congregate in the street.
There have been aggressive preventive measures elsewhere in the country. Last week, California’s governor announced the use of hotels to house homeless individuals. San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the city would dedicate $5 million to clean shelters and single-room-occupancy facilities.
Hamann of Chicago’s Night Ministry said no effort will be sustainable without government support. “I’m hoping that it will let people know how fragile the safety net is,” he said. “We’re winging this alone and we’re doing the best we can.”
The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless published guidelines urging state, county and local officials to designate special housing in hotels or military facilities, both to contain the spread of confirmed cases and increase capacity.
Not only is additional funding to allow people to self-quarantine critical right now, said Doug Schenkelberg, director of the coalition, but “longer term, it’s necessary because we don’t want to see an overall increase in the number of homeless people.
“This moment has opened people’s eyes to the importance of a safety net,” Schenkelberg said. “Everyone’s at risk.”