The new director for the Southwest Safehouse, the Durango Community Shelter and the Veterans Transitional Housing Program wants to introduce new services and longer stays for homeless guests.
Rachel Bauske was promoted in January to be the Southwest Colorado division director for Volunteers of America, the organization that runs the domestic violence and homeless shelters. She has worked with the nonprofit in Durango for 10 years, most recently as the program manager for the shelter and the veterans transitional housing.
She oversaw the introduction of one-on-one case-mangement services for veterans, which started in 2012. These new services started because the Department of Veterans Affairs set a goal to end veterans’ homelessness by the end of 2015.
“Although veteran homelessness is not ended currently, we have seen a decrease in need,” she said.
Bauske expects federal funding for transitional housing and rapid re-housing for veterans to continue with changes that have not been announced.
Over the years, Bauske has seen the shelter start offering health care, cooking classes and counseling services. She would like help with résumé writing and interviewing.
“It really does decrease barriers when we have other providers come on site,” she said.
She would also like to consider lengthening the time people can stay at the shelter. Right now, those who need emergency help can stay for three weeks and those in the extended stay program can stay for three months.
The biggest challenges for the homeless community are the lack of affordable housing and transportation, she said. These have been the two themes throughout her time at the nonprofit.
Once her clients get full-time jobs and are ready to move into their own home, they cannot find an affordable unit, she said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
