NIGHTLIGHTS
SUMMER 2016
Nurse Practitioners on the Nighttime Streets
Y
ou may have heard the phrase: “Save one life, and you
are a hero. Save a hundred lives, and you are a nurse.”
Ever since The Night Ministry began providing medical care
to homeless and poor individuals on the streets of Chicago in
1989, we have been privileged to work alongside some of the
most inspiring nurses in the field. When Barb Sexton, The
Night Ministry’s longest serving nurse of 23 years, retired last
year, she left big shoes to fill.
It takes a special kind of person to serve as an Outreach Nurse
for The Night Ministry. These individuals provide urgent care
with a compassionate touch. They choose to work for a local
nonprofit over a hospital system. They forego the traditional
clinical setting for a mobile medical vehicle. They treat patients
in the midst of snowstorms and summer humidity. They
provide care at nighttime, when many of their colleagues are
off the clock. These unique realities of The Night Ministry are
exactly what draw these Nurse Practitioners to our mission.
Jennifer Sgro, Christina Lattner, Matthew Sorenson, Kenya
Hemingway, and Barbara Shaw are the five talented and
dedicated Outreach Nurses that form The Night Ministry’s
team of medical providers.
All of The Night Ministry’s Outreach Nurses have a Master’s
Degree in Nursing and are Board Certified in a specialty as
an Advanced Practice Nurse. At The Night Ministry, they
are given the opportunity to connect with patients in a
nontraditional way. Instead of working in a brick and mortar
structure, these nurses go out to reach patients on the margins
of society. This gives them insight into needs and struggles
that few providers get to see.
Barbara Shaw describes why she feels passionate about
providing care through The Night Ministry: “I think that
people need to be acknowledged, seen, and understood in
order to heal. Without creating relationships, we can’t hope to
Jennifer Sgro (left) serves as The Night Ministry’s full-time Nurse Practitioner
effect change in people’s lives. And the Night Ministry creates
that space for developing a meaningful connection with those
we serve.”
Building relationships is at the core of The Night Ministry’s
mission, and drives the work of our nurses, whether on the
Health Outreach Bus, through Street Medicine, or in our
youth shelters.
While all of our nurses serve on the Health Outreach Bus,
Christina Lattner is also the primary medical provider for
homeless youth residing at The Night Ministry’s four shelter
programs. She provides health care, disease testing, and
confidential counseling to youth at The Crib and RAPPP
in Lakeview, and our Interim and Transitional Housing
Programs in West Town. She even hosts a weekly “Ask The
Nurse Practitioner Series,” where she addresses the questions
and concerns of the youth on any health topic of their choosing.
For many young people, this is the first place they’ve felt safe
CONTINUED INSIDE
HOUSING • HEALTH CARE • HUMAN CONNECTION
The Night Ministry • 4711 North Ravenswood Ave. Chicago, IL 60640-4407 • 773.784.9000 • www.thenightministry.org
Strategic Plan Underway for Youth Programs
A
s The Night Ministry looks back on its 40 year history, leaders from across the organization are also looking ahead
to the next decade of innovation. The Night Ministry has long
been considered an innovator and pioneer in the arena of housing services for homeless youth. For example, by opening the
Response-Ability Pregnant and Parenting Program (RAPPP)
in 2007, The Night Ministry positioned itself to respond to
the unique needs of homeless young mothers. And five years
ago, in 2011, The Crib opened its doors as the first emergency
shelter of its kind for homeless young adults in Chicago. Now
that The Night Ministry operates a youth outreach team on the
streets and four youth housing programs, with a fifth to open
in early 2017, this is a pivotal time to embark on a strategic
planning process.
Members of the Youth Programs Strategic Planning Committee
Strategic planning is not a new endeavor for The Night Ministry. gramming. The planning committee is comprised of 10 staff
Just two years ago, a strategic plan for the Outreach & Health members and two members of the Board of Directors. Input
Ministry Program resulted in an expanded schedule with the from clients and volunteers is also being incorporated into the
Health Outreach Bus on the streets seven days a week. Following strategic plan.
the success of this expansion, The Night Ministry is now workYouth Development Manager, Candace Musick, who serves as
ing to address key questions about the current and future needs
one of the committee leaders, expresses her excitement for
of its youth programs. Is The Night Minis“the passion, enthusiasm, and deep levels
try’s current programming structure working
“We are confident of thought and care that have gone into
as well as it could? Are our current facilities
this process from everyone involved. We’re
that this process
serving our programs and youth in the best
all working hard to provide the highest
ways possible? What new partnerships or rewill have a high
and most comprehensive level of care and
ferral services would be important to explore?
impact on our overall commitment for the young people we serve,
and always keeping them at the forefront
To address these and other questions, The
organizational
of conversation.”
Night Ministry assembled a strategic plan-
success.”
ning committee, its purpose being to evaluate
As part of the strategic plan, The Night Minthe current structure of all youth programs
istry is looking at all of the real estate occuand to articulate concrete 3-year goals. They have utilized
pied by its youth programs. Currently, five youth programs are
data from internal and external stakeholders to identify the
housed in three different buildings – two in Lakeview and one
strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results of youth proin West Town. Planning for the future involves asking whether
The Night Ministry is using these spaces in the most effective ways for its programs and clients.
The strategic planning process has been energizing for The
Night Ministry at all levels. Felitha Jones-Patterson, Senior
Manager of Youth Program Operations, who leads the committee with Musick, shares, “We are confident that this process will have a high impact on our overall organizational
success. Through creating realistic goals and objectives we
are able to see how new and innovative programming ideas
fall within the scope of The Night Ministry’s vision.”
Homeless youth and their children receive compassionate, holistic care
at RAPPP.
Stay tuned for more updates on the strategic plan for youth
programming. The Night Ministry looks forward to future
opportunities to impact the lives of homeless youth, with
the same mission-driven passion that has characterized
the past 40 years. ◊
Nurse Practitioners (CONTINUED)
“Working for The Night Ministry has been one of the most
rewarding experiences for me as a nurse,” offers Kenya
discussing their physical, sexual, and mental health. Christina
Hemingway. “I’ve built relationships with the clients of The
finds her role to be rewarding:
Night Ministry,
“I chose The Night Ministry to
and
in
my
“The Night Ministry affords me the freedom to interact with patients
practice as a Nurse Practitioner
in a very different way than a typical office setting. I arrive into
experience, I am
because it provides direct care,
their world, not the other way around. It is true that I am not able
given so much
educates individuals, advocates
to address their more complex health problems or provide them
more than I could
comprehensive care. Perhaps many would think that a few ibuprofen
for health improvements and
ever hope to give.”
here, or a hot pad for a sore back there would do little to help our
performs research in community
patients, who often arrive with a host of chronic conditions, and
health. I feel it is my honor to keep
The Night Minishave been lost in the labyrinth of our nation’s health care system.
the community healthy.”
try is fortunate to
But on many nights, just by being there, being with them, is the real
have found these
healing salve that many of our patients are really asking for.
Jennifer,
Christina,
Matthew,
five nurses who
Kenya, and Barbara embody The
One night, a patient sat and started to cry. When I asked her
feel called to make
what was wrong, she said, “No doctor has ever listened to me
Night Ministry’s mission. They
a difference every
the way you have.”
provide health care and human
single day (and
connection to individuals and
I may not have been a master practitioner that night. I may not have
night) through
families facing homelessness and
had the right lab test to order, have just the right pill to give her,
our mission. ◊
poverty. They take their passion for
or the opportunity to showcase any clinical skills. But I did heal a
wound. It just happened to be one that you can’t see.”
nursing to the streets, and in doing
so, they transform lives.
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
-Jennifer Sgro, Nurse Practitioner
Kenya Hemingway (left) treats patients on the Health Outreach Bus.
In honor of The
Night Ministry’s
40 th anniversary,
the Health Outreach
Bus made a special
appearance at
Daley Plaza on
Wednesday, July
6. Staff and Board
members provided
tours of the Bus
to more than
100 guests, and
educated the public
about The Night
Ministry’s mission.
Matthew Sorenson (left) provides nursing care under viaducts with the
Street Medicine team.
SAVE THE DATE! The Night Ministry Associate Board presents
Night Lights, an evening of music, cocktails and giving, on Thursday,
November 10, 2016 from 6-9pm at River Roast. Ticket sales start
July 15th . Visit www.thenightministry.org for more details.
New Case Manager at The Crib and Youth Outreach Team
T
hanks to a generous grant from an individual donor, The Night
Ministry is able to introduce a new Case Manager position to serve
The Crib and the Youth Outreach Team. As a result, now all programs
across the agency provide case management to clients.
Case management is essential to the success of youth experiencing
homelessness. Effective Case Managers provide a blend of assessment
and coordination services. They possess in-depth knowledge of Chicago’s
communities and available services and housing, mixed with genuine
empathy and respect for those seeking their assistance.
Sarah Bazzetta serves as
Case Manager for The Crib
and Youth Outreach Team.
Program Coordinator Devin
Redmond (left) builds relationships with youth at The Crib.
The Night Ministry is thrilled to have hired Sarah Bazzetta, MSW,
LSW, to serve in this new case management role. She is a graduate of
The University of Michigan School of Social Work, and has extensive
experience working with homeless and at-risk youth. Since beginning her new position
on May 1, Bazzetta has seen “a ton of opportunity for collaboration with others in the
community who are dedicated to providing safe space and challenging systemic barriers.”
She adds that the greatest needs she sees in the youth she serves “are adults to trust and
respect them, who are consistent and who they can count on.” Now that a full-time Case
Manager is dedicated to The Crib and the Youth Outreach Team, the young people will be
able to count on Bazzetta for ongoing, one-on-one support.
Case Management at The Night Ministry is defined as a collaborative process that
assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the options and services
required to meet the client’s health and human service needs. At The Night Ministry, case
management focuses on housing stability and placement. As Case Manager, Bazzetta
provides counseling, and refers homeless
“Part of what makes The Crib youth to internal and external supportive
services including housing, health and
so special is its culture of
mental health services, legal assistance, and
acceptance and the bonds
advocacy services.
that are formed between the
Until now, there has not been a Case Manager
staff and the youth we serve.” exclusively dedicated to the youth who receive
shelter at The Crib. Consequently, there has
been limited capacity to follow-up individually with each young person served to help
them set goals and ensure that they are receiving the support they need. This new position
greatly enhances The Night Ministry’s services at The Crib.
“It truly increases our capacity to tangibly impact peoples’ lives,” explains Program
Coordinator, Devin Redmond. “Part of what makes The Crib so special is its culture of
acceptance and the bonds that are formed between the staff and the youth we serve. To
have a Case Manager on-site who understands the importance of an affirming, supportive
relationship as the building block of any case plan, and uses that to inform the process of
helping the youth get the things they need to be successful, is extremely exciting for us.”
This is a new position for The Night Ministry and the need for case management services
is intense. We anticipate that most youth consistently served by The Crib will receive case
management services in the Case Manager’s new office space, renovated thanks to capital
funding from Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Redmond and all staff of The Night Ministry are grateful for the addition of case
management services for The Crib and Youth Outreach Team. This new position supports
the overall mission of The Night Ministry to help homeless youth achieve safety, housing
stability, and self-sufficiency in order to become more independent community members. ◊
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Robert A. Carson, Chair
Brian D. Fergemann, Vice Chair
Kiantae A. Bowles, Secretary
Jim King, Treasurer
Gordon Addington
Barbara Baran
David Berger
Rev. Shawna Bowman
Arielle Deane
William A. Goldstein
Torrence Hinton
Ike Hong
Suzanne Hoyes
Leo Kim
Terrence McMahon
Don Mizerk
Max Nutkowitz
Keisha Parker
Alicia Pond
Ellen Romberg
Allan J. Ruter
Sharbel Shamoon
Sean Taylor
Dennis W. Thorn
Mark Warren
Mike Resman, Kellogg Board Fellow
DIRECTORS EMERITI
Rev. Thomas Behrens,
Founding President & Former CEO
Chester A. Gougis
Robert Jordan, Jr.
Richard Pigott
Carl Warschausky
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Paul W. Hamann
President & CEO
Barbara Bolsen
Vice President of Strategic Partnerships
& Community Engagement
Melissa Maguire
Vice President of Mission Fulfillment
Christy Prassas
Vice President of Development
& External Relations
Erin Ryan
Vice President of Operations
Reflections: Tedd Peso, Manager
of Advocacy & Community Affairs
T
his spring, I was honored to be one of five Americans
working in homeless services selected to participate in the
2016 Transatlantic Practice Exchange and spend two weeks
observing how homeless services are provided in England. I
was placed at a homeless youth organization, St. Basil’s, in Birmingham, England.
Even though our continuum of services may look a bit different, the youth-centered ethos of The Night Ministry and St.
Basil’s approach are very much the same. In their day-to-day
interactions with young people, the staff displayed the same
dedication to mission and desire for a resident’s success that I
witness every day at The Night Ministry.
Young people in Birmingham and Chicago struggle with similar obstacles – mental health, securing employment that pays
a living wage, and challenging family dynamics. However, they
Conybere Gardens, which provides housing for up to 36 youth, ages 16 to 24.
also have the same strengths – a desire to share their stories
and their experiences to foster change in their community, unbridled creative expression, and a resilience that is difficult to
put into words.
For good reason, St. Basil’s is one of the best-known homeless
youth organizations in the UK. They operate over 30 hous-
ing programs for young
people ages 16 – 24 and
their services reach
more than 4,000 youth
each year.
Their life skills education program covers
basic self-care, apartment living skills and
basic vocational skills.
The program is accredited which means that,
upon completion, young
people receive an entry
level qualification (similar to what we would
consider a certification)
which they can place on
their resume.
Tedd Peso (far right) with staff and youth
from St. Basil’s in Birmingham, England.
A bedroom in one of St. Basil’s
housing programs. Residents have
their own kitchens and bedrooms
but share bathrooms.
St. Basil’s is also on the forefront of innovation. They are one
of seven homeless youth organizations in England participating in the UK’s first social impact bond-funded pilot project
(meaning the programs receive payment for the services they
provide only once the clients achieve specific outcomes). This
project serves homeless youth who have not found success in
other programs. They also just opened a program that provides
young people with a paid internship in the National Health
Service and housing in order to prepare them to live free of
social welfare benefits.
This experience helped me realize that I am in the right place,
working for the right issue, with the right people. I’m excited
that this opportunity will help enhance our best practices at
The Night Ministry. ◊
Please support The Night
Ministry’s mission by
participating in the AIDS Run &
Walk. Join our team or make a
donation towards our $10,000
goal. 90% of all funds raised
return directly to The Night
Ministry’s HIV outreach, testing
and prevention efforts. Go to
www.aidsrunwalk.org and select
“The Night Ministry” team.
All are welcome!
Is there space for
The Night Ministry
in your will?
Please consider leaving a gift to an organization
that will keep on giving: The Night Ministry
Contact Christy Prassas, Vice President of
Development & External Relations, at
773-506-6023 or [email protected]
if you have any questions.
4711 North Ravenswood Avenue
Chicago,
IL 60640-4407
4711 North
Ravenswood Avenue
Chicago, IL 60640-4407
773-784-9000
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THANK YOU!
filx
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StreetLocal
Medicine:
HHS Study to Inform
& National Policy
Serving the Hardest-to-Reach Homeless in Chicago
The vast majority of youth living on the street in Chicago have
The health care and case management services that
normal self-esteem despite elevated levels of depression. That
The Night Ministry’s Health Outreach Bus brings to
finding, which speaks to the resilience of homeless youth, is just
diverse neighborhood stops are now being delivered on
one of many in a recently released study by the US Department of
foot via a pilot initiative called Street Medicine.
Health and Human Services (HHS).
The
Night
Ministry was
one ofthese
11 organizations
chosen
Street
Medicine
extends
services nationwide
to some of
the
by
HHSisolated
to participate
the Street Outreach
Datapopulations
Collection Study.
most
andinvulnerable
homeless
in
The
study
was
conducted
by
the
University
of
Nebraska
–
Lincoln.
Chicago that cannot visit the Bus or access traditional
services. Staff from The Night Ministry fill backpacks
In Chicago, The Night Ministry surveyed 62 youth and hosted focus
with medical and survival supplies and then travel to
groups for young people. Nationally, 656 youth completed surveys.
homeless encampments in parks and under viaducts,
The
survey also
asked respondents
aboutMinistry
their service
needs.
according
to Outreach
and Health
Director
David Wywialowski.
THE STUDY FOUND:
to stay and a place to hang out during the day as needs.
to three staff go
Inonce
addition
to the surveys, each city hosted focus groups
out
to twice
where
the
researchers
gathered qualitative data. During the
per week to do
Chicago
focus groups, one youth expanded on the need for
Street
Medicine
transportation.
rounds, David
said.
about
“I feelIt’sthere
should be a specific type of bus card for
more
than she said. “You need to be able to travel
homeless youth,”
Street Medicine team visits a local encampment.
meeting
and when basic
you’re unable to travel to warming centers and
needs.
The
core you’re limited on what you can do, what
drop-in
places,
philosophy
of and
Street
building
relationships—
you can eat,
theMedicine
resourcesisthat
you can
utilize. Then
just
like
it
is
with
The
Night
Ministry’s
other
programs
I’m in a situation where I am uncomfortable, and my
safety
and
services.
is in jeopardy.”
Tedd
Peso, The Night
Ministry’s
Manager
Advocacy
This
vulnerable
population
would
likely of
fall
throughand
the
Community
the study
is significant.
cracks
in ourAffairs
healthsays
carethat
system,
David
said.
“It’sThegoing
amazing because of the people we are seeing
age at which young people in Chicago first became homeless is 16
•
and
we old.are
years old. The average age across the United
Stateshow
was 15 years
“Not only will this data help our staff at The Night Ministry
able to respond to “The
Bus can
only bethe
at risks
certain
andon
times.
We’re
to better
understand
ourplaces
youth face
the streets
63%
of
homeless
youth
in
Chicago
reported
experiencing
some
form
of
•
on foot
where
thebest
Busprovide
can’t,”support
David said.
victimization while they were homeless. people’s needs almost going
of Chicago
and
how to
to them, but it
immediately,” David
will
also
be
used
as
an
important
advocacy
tool to inform
• 60% of homeless young women in Chicago reported being pregnant at
said.
Street
Medicine
is
the
first
and
only
intervention
of its
least once. Of these, 67% said that they were taking care of their children.
local and national policy.”
kind in Chicago.
• In Chicago, 68% of homeless youth struggled with depression. However,
In the study’s final report, HHS suggested that the
The Night Ministry
79% of youth in Chicago have normal levels of self-esteem.
information
gathered ismay
have implications
for publicof
began to pilot Street The
Night Ministry
pursuing
different avenues
policy.
These
implications
included
a
larger
investment
Medicine in December funding to support this initiative long-term. For more
Practitioner
Case Manager
in creating emergency
shelter
programs to prevent young
InNurse
Chicago,
youthand
selected
transportation
as theirofprimary
2015. Teams
two
information,
please e-mail
[email protected].
visit the homeless under a viaduct.
need. Chicago youth also identified job training, a safe place
people from sleeping on the streets. ◊