Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center leaders want the community to know that it still provides services, including counseling and housing assistance to young people, even as its overnight shelter remains suspended.
The organization’s drop-in services, 24-hour hotline, therapy, case management and housing programs remain available. Staff also continues to help young people access food, transportation and other essential resources.
“We are still fully staffed all 24 hours,” said Dylan Forty, a youth and family specialist for Walker’s Point. “Our drop-in center is still open. Our hotlines are still open. We’re still referring to and making sure all these kids have all the resources available and possible to them.”
Walker’s Point serves young people ages 11 to 17 through its Runaway and Teen Crisis Program and is one of just two licensed youth shelters in Milwaukee County. It’s also the county’s only state-licensed group home for teen parents.
Temporary suspension
The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families launched an investigation into the center’s runaway program after receiving complaints, according to a department spokesperson. The agency declined to provide details about the investigation but said it does not involve suspected abuse or neglect.
Young people are not being housed in the eight-bed shelter and new overnight placements are not being accepted as the investigation continues.
In a statement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the center’s Executive Director Kali Daugherty said she had discovered “serious compliance deficiencies” involving shelter personnel. Some employee files were missing required background checks, training records and other documentation required under state licensing rules.
Resuming overnight stays
Daugherty said Walker’s Point is working to meet training and licensing requirements and for the state review to be completed before resuming overnight stays.
“We currently have five of our staff cleared to work and need to get a few more cleared so we can run our full capacity,” she said.
The organization has not announced a shelter reopening date.
Daugherty said young people who were staying at the shelter when the suspension began were connected to safe placements with family members.
Forty said staff remain on duty around the clock even without overnight residents. When the shelter is operating at its eight-person capacity, staffing requirements generally call for two youth and family specialists on duty during waking hours. With overnight stays suspended, the center has one specialist on each shift.
Helping build independence
Walker’s Point’s work extends beyond providing a safe place to stay.
Forty said staff help young people develop the practical skills and support networks needed to maintain stable housing, continue their education and prepare for adulthood.
Her shift generally runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and consists of a mix of daily routines, academic support and life-skills development. Forty said she helps young people get ready for school, complete homework, prepare meals and participate in group activities.
“I feel like all of this is life skills,” Forty said. “Essentially, I’m getting you ready to be an adult.”
The goal, she said, is to help young people learn to care for themselves rather than depend indefinitely on a program or individual staff member.
Walker’s Point’s Insights, a supportive housing program, serves people ages 18 to 24 who are experiencing homelessness, supporting about 20 young people or families. Services include case management, connections to education and employment, and rental assistance for up to two years.
The organization also partners with another youth-serving organization, Pathfinders, through the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program. That U.S. Housing and Urban Development initiative supports 40 rapid-rehousing units.
Participants receive case management and connections to employment, education and other resources, with assistance tailored to their needs, through the program. Staff help participants learn to budget, save money, maintain employment and prepare for unexpected expenses.
Other services
Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center also connects young people and community members with medical services through partnerships with healthcare providers.
Medical staff visit the organization’s administrative building, recently relocated to 1300 S. Layton Blvd. to be closer to the shelter and strengthen partnerships with eight other nonprofits in the building.
The services are provided to young people in shelter and housing programs, their families and others connected to the building. Daugherty said young people ages 14 and older can consent to their own sexual wellness services, while other medical services generally require parental or guardian consent, subject to applicable rules.
The organization also has a therapist who provides services to young people staying at Walker’s Point and others in the community who may need it.
Community support
Both Daugherty and Forty said community involvement can make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people at the center.
The organization welcomes donation drives for hygiene products, socks and other necessities, as well as volunteers who can lead activities such as gardening, basketball and art.
Community members also can prepare meals alongside young people when the meal program resumes.
Forty said one of the most rewarding parts of her job is seeing young people engage with school, complete their work and participate in activities in a supportive environment.
She said some young people who arrive with a reputation for struggling at school or at home show a different side of themselves at Walker’s Point, where they may be eager to learn, help staff and take part in group activities.
She hopes more people will recognize the impact the organization has on young people and find ways to become involved.
Daugherty also encourages community members who know a young person in need to connect them with Walker’s Point so staff can help identify available services.
The organization plans to launch a text line by the end of the year to supplement its 24-hour hotline and give young people another way to seek help.
According to Daugherty, its immediate goal is to resume overnight stays while continuing to help young people find stability, develop life skills and connect with the resources they need to move forward.
“In order to bring in youth for overnight stays we are working through training requirements for our [Department of Children and Families] licensing,” Daugherty said. “We have staff onsite 24/7 to support with walk up, hotline calls, and basic needs.”
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