Opportunity Place Shelter for Homeless Women and Families

Opportunity Place accepts single women, and families with children, with families having the first priority. Families are housed together, in either one or two adjoining bedrooms depending upon family size. While Opportunity Place accepts any single woman or family based on need and availability, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion, it isn't for everyone. The safety of the children and the security of the shelter are of paramount importance, and anyone who poses a risk may be denied entrance. This would include persons who are actively using alcohol or illicit substances, carrying weapons, show signs of violence, or refuse to honor curfews or to keep doors locked at night. Persons who are hostile to the group, are verbally abusive, or in other ways unsuited for a group environment including children may also be denied, or asked to leave should they already have been admitted.

In general, single women may stay 28 days at the shelter; families with children may stay up to 90 days. However, there are exceptions here as well. Those seeking to remain the maximum amount of time must demonstrate the desire to rebuild their lives and put forth effort to attain self-sufficiency and stability. The staff will do everything possible to open doors, provide resources, and encourage residents to make the right choices for themselves and their children. But for this to work, residents must have the aspiration within themselves to actively change their situation.

Opportunity Place Rules

Click here for the rules that are currently in place at Opportunity Place.

Operating Policies

Opportunity Place maintains a structure that is both nurturing, and exacting. Procedures include:

Admissions Assessment: The admissions specialist meets with the client to determine immediate needs and administer a self-sufficiency matrix, identifying client strengths and weaknesses. An action plan is developed, with specific goals and dates assigned.
Orientation: Clients are given a tour of the facility, introduced to the maintenance and cleaning roster, and given a copy of shelter rules. These rules, contained below, give clients an understanding not just of what is expected of them, but how the shelter works. Clients initial each rule, and sign at the bottom to acknowledge understanding and acceptance of shelter policies and grounds for eviction.
Client Responsibilities: Each client is assigned to various groups held at the shelter, based on their needs assessments. All clients are required to take budgeting classes, and all adults with children are required to take at least one parenting class. Each client is put on a shelter work group, with assignations based on what bedroom the client’s family is occupying. Chores include serving meals and cleaning up; maintaining the various common areas; keeping the bathrooms clean; maintaining the yard; taking out the trash. Other duties are assigned as needed.
Resource Linkage: Each adult meets with the shelter manager within 48 hours of entry, and is given a list of appropriate resources linked to the goals assigned at program entry. On-site services, beyond the budgeting and parenting classes, include groups led by Shelter House, Bridgeway Center, and Hurlburt Field's HOPE staff. North Florida Legal Services and other agencies are invited in for special sessions addressing client concerns. Northwest Florida State College provides health assessments, nutritional and wellness counseling biweekly at the shelter. Beauticians and cosmetologists come once a month for makeovers designed to help residents appear interview-ready. Dedicated computers offer linkage to GED and Workforce Development Board occupational training programs. A computer linked to ACCESS Florida is also available to residents. Clients are also directed to off-site GED programs, JobsPlus, Department of Children and Families, Vocational Rehabilitation, VA programs, potential employers, realtors specializing in affordable housing, medical providers, mental health and substance abuse programs, trauma counselors, domestic violence and rape crisis centers. If other resources are necessary, particularly in relationship to child needs, they are identified, researched and contacted prior to being provided to residents.
Client Progress Reports: Clients are required to submit progress reports each week, detailing how many units in the GED program have been studied and passed, how many job applications were submitted and to whom, what job readiness classes were taken.
Staff Progress Reports: Every two weeks, the shelter staff provides clients with its assessment of progress to date. Clients who have applied for only two jobs, neither of which matched client qualifications, or who in other ways have failed to make satisfactory progress, are given warnings about their priorities, and suggestions and resources which could lead to improvement. A negative progress report seldom comes as a surprise; the shelter manager starts counseling clients who are failing to progress from the first week.
Children’s Services: Homeless children have unique needs, and the Opportunity Place Children’s Services Coordinator has teamed up with the Okaloosa County School District and community volunteers to provide academic enrichment, physical fitness, constructive play, cooking and science experiments, and other activities designed to help our little ones overcome trauma. The Children’s Services Coordinator identifies potential areas requiring expert intervention, and consults with parents as to what resources would be best to meet the needs of the child.
Transition for Successful Clients: Clients maintaining or finding employment are assisted with getting bank accounts and finding suitable employment. Most clients qualify for rapid re-housing funds, which pay for rent and utility deposits and the first month's rent.
Disposition for Lagging Clients: Clients who have failed to make progress after 28 days are given a warning that they are facing eviction if measureable progress is not achieved in 7-14 days, depending on the circumstances. Some clients view this as a wake-up call, and begin work in such earnest as to put them back on their initial time-line. The few remaining are evicted on the scheduled date.


	Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum Care / Opportunity, Inc.
	Opportunity, Inc. (Admin Office) 203 Cloverdale Boulevard, Suite B Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 Phone: (850) 409-3070 Fax: (850) 409-3071 info@okaloosawaltonhomeless.org	Opportunity Place 305 Lovejoy Road Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 Phone: (850) 659-3190 Fax: (850) 659-3191