Program Summary

Sojourner House, WAA's transitional housing program, provides longer-term housing and supportive services to domestic violence victims. The program provides family apartments for women and their children for up to 24 months. Supportive services provided include:

• Case Management
• Group Counseling
• On-site child care
• After school and summer school programs
• Economic management education
• Parenting and life skills education

Clients can enter the long term housing facility at the recommendation of the Office of Supportive Housing after staying in the Emergency Shelter or a shelter in Philadelphia.

Program Detail

Transitional housing provides a critical stepping stone, after emergency shelter, toward safety and self-sufficiency for families who have become homeless as a result of domestic violence. Sojourner House provides a wide range of services to help women and children recover from prolonged exposure to trauma and abuse. Staff members provide case management, behavioral health services, life skills workshops, and relocation assistance and counseling.

Sojourner House provides housing and services for up to 18 months, working with program participants to develop a plan for long-term housing and safety.

Sojourner House and Aftercare provide a crucial link in the continuum of care for victims of domestic violence. The shelter must assist residents to exit quickly in order to have room for the next person in need of emergency assistance; yet, the maximum ninety days is not enough time for many people to reach a point of living on their own. By providing the longer-term support, Sojourner House and Aftercare increase the chances that a family will not have to return to an abusive home and free up room in the shelter for the next person in need of services. Currently Sojourner House is undergoing a renovation that will sustain the life of the current apartment buildings and provide three additional apartments, increasing the capacity of the program.