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- Setting Kids Up for Success by Ann Anzalone
Downtown Outreach Center and Shelter (DOCS)
Homeless, transient and at-risk youth can find a safe place to stay -- and get help for a brighter future -- at the Familylinks' Downtown Outreach Center and Shelter (DOCS).
Located in the Uptown section of Pittsburgh at 1601 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, DOCS has the capacity to shelter 34 youth in a center that operates every hour, every day of the year.
The programs offered at DOCS are:
- Emergency Shelter
For youth between the ages of 18 and 21, the Emergency Shelter provides support and referrals to help them successfully transition to independence. Youth may stay in the shelter for up to 60 days.
- Transitional Living Program (TLP)
Extended shelter and life skills programming for at-risk youth ages 16-21. This federally funded program provides case management, counseling services and tangible support including clothing, transportation and transitional housing items.
The DOCS program provides:
- Emergency shelter, 24 hours a day.
- Three meals a day, plus a snack.
- Clothing as needed.
- Transportation as needed.
- Medical help managed by an on-site LPN.
- Individual, family and group counseling.
- Referrals to appropriate community services.
- After-care and outreach services.
WHY IT WORKS
DOCS offers a new beginning to kids who feel they have nowhere to go. Teens who come to the shelter find a safe place to stay, as well as help in trying to resolve family issues or become independent young adults. By staying with people their own age, they experience support and camaraderie from their peers. They also receive personal attention from a caring, experienced staff.
DOCS has the largest capacity for serving youth in this age group. The program has been in existence at its current site for 22 years, and is a known entity in the community. Unlike many shelters, DOCS focuses on ending homelessness by offering an array of services including housing, counseling, referrals and transportation.
