Safe Havens: The Houses of a Thousand Chances
Safe Haven I. (Photo by Dan Wutsch, Safe Haven Program Manager)
If you have ever walked by someone lying on a grate on your way to a Cavaliers game, that person might now be a Safe Haven resident. The Safe Havens are home to adults who have lived on the streets for years, plagued by hallucinations and other symptoms of mental illness.
For more than 25 years, the Safe Havens have encompassed two sites, an 8-bedroom house in Slavic Village and a 12-bedroom house in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood. Each house provides private bedrooms for residents, as well as common spaces and three communal meals per day.
In addition to some of the most severe diagnoses of mental illness and the trauma of chronic homelessness, Safe Haven residents have difficulty integrating into social environments. Even in a fully furnished room, residents sometimes choose to sleep on the floor instead of the bed, because that is what they are used to. These individuals typically require support with basic hygiene, daily routines, meeting basic needs, and accessing healthcare. The program is often the last community-based option before long-term hospitalization.
The Safe Havens are nicknamed “The Houses of a Thousand Chances.” In group homes and other residential programs, residents must meet behavioral expectations to maintain their housing. The Safe Havens serve clients who generally do not have the skills to meet those expectations.
Compassionate staff—who average 14 years working at the Safe Havens—accept and support these adults no matter what challenges they face or how long it takes to overcome them. These caring individuals are on-site 24/7 to support residents’ growth around psychiatric and medical care, substance use, social skills, daily routines, and more. Our community owes a special gratitude to Dan Wutsch, Save Haven program manager, who has stewarded the program since its founding, and whose compassion and dedication are key to its continued success.
Safe Haven staff provide a lifeline to people who are drowning at the intersection of mental illness, homelessness, and neglect. They help residents replace the protective habits they have developed with the skills needed to live with dignity and community. With this expert guidance, the Safe Havens provide residents a place to belong.
If you would like to refer someone to the Safe Haven program, contact Dan Wutsch, Program Manager, at (216) 635-1575. The Safe Havens serve adults with severe and persistent mental health disorders who require around-the-clock support services, including medication monitoring and assistance with activities of daily living. Both sites require a history of housing instability or meeting the HUD definition of chronic homelessness.
Learn about the lives Safe Havens touches like Gregory in our FrontLine story, “Safe Haven: A New Home”
