SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome, Boomer listeners. I'm Peggy Sweet, and this is Belonging in the Bluffs, brought to you by the Iowa West Foundation. I'm joined in studio today with a new friend, but yet just someone that I feel like I already know. Her name is Stephanie Waller, and she is the site director for New Visions here in Council Bluffs. Welcome, Stephanie. Hello. And your last name is Why I Feel Like I Already Know You.

SPEAKER_00 0:23

Yes, I am Brandy Waller, RCO, her um sister-in-law. So I have been with um New Visions for about 14 years. And um I am kind of traveled a lot with the company as far as I kind of started as a case manager. And so I'll talk a little bit about my first um job with the permanent supportive housing um programs that we have. And then I am now obviously the site director. But um with our permanent supportive housing, we have both programs are there's one in Omaha and one here in Council Bluffs. We do have 13 units here in Council Bluffs. And so those are actually for individuals who are chronically homeless. And that just means that they've been homeless for like a year or longer and have some sort of disabling condition. That could be substance abuse, it could be physical or mental health. And what we do is um when these individuals get housed, we have a case manager that comes alongside them and really just uh kind of encourages them and empowers them to get the resources that they need so that they can be stably housed for the remainder of their life. So things that the case manager works with is, you know, helping them with budgeting, maybe grocery shopping, getting to medical appointments or mental health appointments. Sometimes it's just sitting down with them, kind of giving a listening ear. Um a lot of people yes, for sure. I think sometimes when I was a case manager, that's what I did most is just had individuals kind of share with me. I think uh you kind of become family when you're down there. And it's nice to have, you know, friends close. Um so a lot of the neighbors become close with each other as well. And so yeah, it's a pretty awesome program. We have the same thing happening over in Omaha. So we have 10 units over there, and that one is veteran specific.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Oh, great.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

Yeah. So it's it's it's a pretty awesome program. Like I said, these are individuals that are probably some of the most vulnerable folks that we have in our community. And I know people always ask, how do I get into those set apartments? Um, because they are apartments. And really, we go through our continuum of care. So basically it's referrals that come in. So individuals get referred to the list by case managers from either our agency or another agency. And then those individuals do go on a list and are referred out. Obviously, because we have the council bluff's location, we do ask individuals where their preference to live is. And so um, if it is in council bluffs typically, then they obviously get us. Awesome.

SPEAKER_01 2:55

Yeah. Well, it's an incredible program. And like you said, sometimes you are that listening ear, which can be just as vital because sometimes we need to hear things out loud and we process it better when we're talking to someone than just to ourselves because we get a little bit of feedback and all of those sorts of things.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think for a lot of people, it is truly, you know, we're we're just there to listen. And like you said, I think again, it kind of empowers them to kind of make their own decisions. They have they set their own goals, and our our job is just to help them through that process.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

So if we would like more information on this program or how we can help with supporting this program, is that at your website?

SPEAKER_00 3:36

Yes, they could do um newvisionshs.org or they can contact us at our offices, which is 712 3227570.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Awesome. And again, that is newvisionshs.org. Correct. Fantastic. Stephanie, it's been a pleasure having you in the studio. Thank you so much for stopping by.

SPEAKER_00 3:55

Yes, thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01 3:56

This has been Belonging in the Bluffs, brought to you by the Iowa West Foundation.