The emergency shelter prompted the need for long term housing and education for the homeless young families. Career planning and guidance, job skills training and employment opportunities and job placement are part of the program. Life skills groups, including topics such as conflict resolution, time management, and budgeting are offered on a weekly basis. The residents also attend weekly child development and parent-child interaction groups. GED tutoring and employment workshops are offered at the facility and assistance is provided in accessing GED testing and employment opportunities. The MELD Educational and Vocational Coordinators through MELD’s Educatins and Employment Assistance program assess the educational and employment needs of the residents. The residents are linked to appropriate community services and bi-weekly staffings with Youth Services Network are held to determine the progress toward the young mother’s goals.Ī variety of services are available at the shelter or through agreements with community agencies. During the intake process the young family’s needs are determined, goals are established and a service plan is developed. The MELD Case Coordinator is responsible for case management including completing a thorough assessment on all participants upon their entrance into the shelter. The shelter is licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services and is required to be staffed 24 hours a day seven days a week by MELD shelter staff who are responsible for meeting the day to day needs of the residents. From the day that the shelter opened the facility has been a safe haven for young families. In 1989, Youth Services Network awarded Rockford MELD funding to operate an emergency homeless shelter to house young mothers 17-21 years of age and their children. To address this issue, Trinity House Incorporated, a not for profit from Trinity Lutheran Church, the City of Rockford and Junior League rehabilitated a ten unit apartment building at 620 Kishwaukee Street for use as an emergency shelter. At this time when we add Dads programing to MELD the acronym now stands for Mothers and Fathers Establishing Life’s Direction.Īlthough the Young Parents Support Groups were very successful, the agency and the community was faced with problem of young mothers and their children who were homeless as a result of attempting to live unsuccessfully on their own or being evicted by their families. MELD groups became the back bone of the agency and continue to this day. Through a sub contract from the Winnebago County Health Department in 2000 MELD Young Dads groups were begun.
By-laws were developed, a Board of Directors was established and the agency incorporated as a 501c3 not for profit organization. In 1985 the Rockford MELD Advisory Board determined that our programs were viable and an asset to the community. In 1983 funding was awarded and the first MELD Young Moms groups were initiated. Since we were not yet a 501c3 not for profit agency the grant was written with Rock Valley College as the administering agent. Simultaneously, Minnesota had developed the “MELD Young Moms” curriculum which was ready for dissemination and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services had funding available. The local agency – Rockford MELD was Mothers Establishing Life’s Direction.Ĭommunity social service agencies and health providers appreciated the services to the new parent couple population but were requesting similar services for the adolescent parenting population. From the start these groups were well received and well attended. Volunteer couples were recruited as group facilitators and the original groups were marketed through Rock Valley College’s Community Education Program. An Advisory Board composed of community leaders was developed and a community needs assessment completed. An independent contractor was hired and Minnesota was contracted for training and implementation. In 1981 the State Department of Children and Family Services allocated monies through their Parent Initiative program to the local DCFS office to replicate the Minnesota Early Design’s “MELD New Parent Program” within the Rockford area.
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