Symbiosis of Shelter House and University of Iowa


Shelter House is Johnson County's only homeless shelter for families and adults. (There is a shelter for abused women and one for minors.)  ***Link to Shelter House video***
 
A number of University students fulfill course requirements by working with Shelter House clients and Shelter House's bylaws state that one of its goals is to help house people who are in the Iowa City community to receive health care from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics or the Iowa City Veterans Administration.

Goals for 2008

Identify the interaction of University students and staff with Shelter House
Consider a joint program between the University and Shelter House that will increase the University's infrastructure contribution to the interaction and allow the possibility of the program to mature to meet a wider range of Shelter House clients' needs and involve more University Departments. ***Link to Nathan's investigations: other universities, survey of staff & students, possible campus dual use sites.

Sonny Iovino's death in early November 2007 indicated that there is an unmet need for shelter in the community. Sonny was a veteran with PTSD who died of hypothermia sleeping under an Iowa City bridge. ****Coverage in DI***  ***Coverage in PressCitizen***

The Mental Health and Homeless Symposium (date) indicated that there are positive feedback interactions among mental illness, homelessness and military service.  Iowa's homeless population is _______________; ---% are veterans; _____% of the homeless population is estimated to have a mental health problem. ***Link to recording of mental health and homeless symposium****** ****Link to DI write up******  ****Link to Dawn's report******

Other Local Groups & Agencies

prevent homelessness

Johnson County Affordable Housing Authority

Affordable Housing Report - DATE-Brown Deer Golf Clubhouse

Potential University Actions

Be more involved in county and city discussions
Create more on campus housing leaving some affordable housing for non-students
 
help people who are hungry Agape Cafe
Food Bank
Table to Table
Welsley House
without medical insurance Free Medical Clinic
Mobile Clinic  ****Link to Calendar ****
   
   

University staff involved with Shelter House

Ross DeValois ross@devalois.org Shelter House director (Mary DeValois (mary@devalois.biz) staff nurse JCP)

Frank Fleming frank-fleming@uiowa.edu (? directly or indirectly involved)

Carlette Washington-Hoagland carlette-w-hoagland@uiowa.edu librarian

Becky Johnson ? grad student

William Liu william-liu@uiowa.edu - Post doctoral students clinical (screening, observation, evaluation) of Shelter House clients

Dottie Persson dorothy-persson@uiowa.edu Librarian

Elaine Smith elaine-smith@uiowa.edu professor epidemiology

Frederick Woodard - fredrick-woodard@uiowa.edu assoc prof African-American world studies EPB

University staff involved with Affordable Housing

Jerry Anthony, Larry Wilson