Our Future
Our Future
Our Future
Campus Expansion
Campus Expansion
Phase 1: Hope Village
HopeWorks recently completed a 42-unit, permanent supportive housing project in New Mexico. This residence, conceived originally between the City of Albuquerque and YES Housing, houses 42 of our most vulnerable citizens. Those living in the building manage daily their mental health issues, and some also struggle with addiction. We offer 24/7 support through onsite behavioral and mental health services. More importantly, we provide round-the-clock community, care, and love.
It takes a village to hold each other up. Without this project, there would be 42 more people living on the streets.
Phase 2: Therapy Building
HopeWorks has received a commitment from the City of Albuquerque for approximately $1.7 million in CDBG funds to renovate an existing building on our campus, for the purpose of expanding our Outpatient Therapy and Psychiatry services. When opened, we will expand our therapy offerings by 25%.
See the RFP seeking a general contractor for this project, published 8/17/23
Phase 3: Spirituality and Homelessness
Phase 1: Hope Village
HopeWorks recently completed a 42-unit, permanent supportive housing project in New Mexico. This residence, conceived originally between the City of Albuquerque and YES Housing, houses 42 of our most vulnerable citizens. Those living in the building manage daily their mental health issues, and some also struggle with addiction. We offer 24/7 support through onsite behavioral and mental health services. More importantly, we provide round-the-clock community, care, and love.
It takes a village to hold each other up. Without this project, there would be 42 more people living on the streets.
Phase 2: Therapy Building
HopeWorks has received a commitment from the City of Albuquerque for approximately $1.7 million in CDBG funds to renovate an existing building on our campus, for the purpose of expanding our Outpatient Therapy and Psychiatry services. When opened, we will expand our therapy offerings by 25%.
See the RFP seeking a general contractor for this project, published 8/17/23
Phase 3: Spirituality and Homelessness
Phase 3: Spirituality and Homelessness
In 2023, HopeWorks plans to utilize existing land on its campus to:
- Build a mental/behavioral health facility and incorporate non-westernized and spiritual approaches to healing trauma, as well as provide a gathering space to address trauma through community-oriented activities (healthy meals/cooking, mail, activities, outdoor space for gardening, etc.). Some of the most effective ways to heal trauma is through spirituality and community[1].
- Build 60+ more units of affordable housing. We need more affordable housing in New Mexico[2].
HopeWorks is endeavoring to build a new trauma healing center (to replace its existing day shelter) focused on healing trauma, body, mind and spirit, while also incorporating affordable, trauma-informed housing for low-income households. This combination (healing trauma + innovative housing) is new and cutting-edge and has the potential to be a behavioral health best practice model.
Phase 3: Spirituality and Homelessness
In 2023, HopeWorks plans to utilize existing land on its campus to:
- Build a mental/behavioral health facility and incorporate non-westernized and spiritual approaches to healing trauma, as well as provide a gathering space to address trauma through community-oriented activities (healthy meals/cooking, mail, activities, outdoor space for gardening, etc.). Some of the most effective ways to heal trauma is through spirituality and community[1].
- Build 60+ more units of affordable housing. We need more affordable housing in New Mexico[2].
HopeWorks is endeavoring to build a new trauma healing center (to replace its existing day shelter) focused on healing trauma, body, mind and spirit, while also incorporating affordable, trauma-informed housing for low-income households. This combination (healing trauma + innovative housing) is new and cutting-edge and has the potential to be a behavioral health best practice model.
Background
HopeWorks has been operating a Day Shelter facility since 1985. Originally a motorcycle repair shop, the site currently provides over 5,000 individuals with shelter, meals, clothing, storage, and showers, as well as links to behavioral/mental health services and housing.
Overnight Shelter options are necessary to provide those experiencing homelessness with shelter before they are ready for housing, however, a Day Shelter serves a different function. While basic needs are vital, a Day Shelter should be a safe, welcoming, culturally-sensitive place for people to engage and build trust and relationships before connecting with mental/behavioral health services, and ultimately, housing.
Challenges
Background
Background
HopeWorks has been operating a Day Shelter facility since 1985. Originally a motorcycle repair shop, the site currently provides over 5,000 individuals with shelter, meals, clothing, storage, and showers, as well as links to behavioral/mental health services and housing.
Overnight Shelter options are necessary to provide those experiencing homelessness with shelter before they are ready for housing, however, a Day Shelter serves a different function. While basic needs are vital, a Day Shelter should be a safe, welcoming, culturally-sensitive place for people to engage and build trust and relationships before connecting with mental/behavioral health services, and ultimately, housing.
Challenges
- People with lived experience and their feedback have not played a significant role in shaping the behavioral/mental and housing services our community currently provides.
- Not enough clients who come to the day shelter are choosing to engage with mental/behavioral health or housing services due to a myriad of factors, including underlying trauma[5].
- The building itself is trauma-inducing, which exacerbates the level of trauma folks experiencing homelessness are facing, and further thwarts their ability to engage in services. Trauma-inducing building features include: lack of natural sunlight, narrow corridors, hidden spaces, furniture that has hard edges or is unsafe, and harsh colors. In addition, the Shelter was built upon Tiwa land, and without proper and respectful transfer or blessing, there may be ancestral energy that is creating spiritual blocks.
- Providing meals, mail, and a place to gather is not enough, if the space is not designed with trauma healing principles in mind, and if the program is not primarily focused on trauma-informed care[6] with a measure of accountability that goes beyond basic needs.
- We are not adequately addressing the behavioral/mental health needs of people of color, many of whom rely on spiritual practices and community to heal.[7]
- Tear down our existing day shelter and finalize plans for a new day facility, focused on healing trauma while also incorporating spirituality, community, and culturally-sensitive practices.
- This includes finalizing the design and space, as well as the types and frequency of services offered and required staffing.
- Finalize plans for innovative, trauma-informed housing, as part of the central campus.
- This includes finalizing the design and space, as well as the funding sources and voucher eligibility.
- Plan for sustainable operating revenue.
- People with lived experience and their feedback have not played a significant role in shaping the behavioral/mental and housing services our community currently provides.
- Not enough clients who come to the day shelter are choosing to engage with mental/behavioral health or housing services due to a myriad of factors, including underlying trauma[5].
- The building itself is trauma-inducing, which exacerbates the level of trauma folks experiencing homelessness are facing, and further thwarts their ability to engage in services. Trauma-inducing building features include: lack of natural sunlight, narrow corridors, hidden spaces, furniture that has hard edges or is unsafe, and harsh colors. In addition, the Shelter was built upon Tiwa land, and without proper and respectful transfer or blessing, there may be ancestral energy that is creating spiritual blocks.
- Providing meals, mail, and a place to gather is not enough, if the space is not designed with trauma healing principles in mind, and if the program is not primarily focused on trauma-informed care[6] with a measure of accountability that goes beyond basic needs.
- We are not adequately addressing the behavioral/mental health needs of people of color, many of whom rely on spiritual practices and community to heal.[7]
- Tear down our existing day shelter and finalize plans for a new day facility, focused on healing trauma while also incorporating spirituality, community, and culturally-sensitive practices.
- This includes finalizing the design and space, as well as the types and frequency of services offered and required staffing.
- Finalize plans for innovative, trauma-informed housing, as part of the central campus.
- This includes finalizing the design and space, as well as the funding sources and voucher eligibility.
- Plan for sustainable operating revenue.
Spirituality and Trauma
Spirituality and Trauma
Spirituality and Trauma
This spirit body (the energetic field that surrounds our physical bodies and that has been scientifically documented), is where we first form loving relationships with ourselves, with others, and with the divine. Any disruption or imbalance in this field can affect every facet of our life. It can also thwart our life’s purpose by keeping us from tapping into our core: our life’s work. In other words, it can scramble our understanding of why our souls are here on Earth.
Human lives are beautifully wondrous and magical, and there is reciprocity within our divine mechanism. What goes through our spirits affects our minds and bodies; what pervades our minds and bodies pervades our spirits. Holistic healing requires multiple modalities, some that are not rooted in Western concepts, to fully excavate the deep and dark harbors of trauma that exist among all of the levels (mind, body, spirit).
Examples of this work, which has been documented to alleviate pain, trauma, disease, and mental health issues, include:
- Reiki: Healing that involves cultivation and movement of energy through touch.
- Breathwork: Fully embodying the breath through various exercises and techniques. Some cultural practices believe the breath to be the source of all that is. This has been proven to alleviate stress, support mindfulness, and aid in healing also.
- Ancestral Healing: Working with the trauma that’s ingrained in the body over generations of trauma (whether through racism, colonization, violence, etc.), ancestral healing involves practices that energetically remove stuck trauma that hinders healing and expansion. Depending on the culture, there are many different methods and approaches for ancestral healing.
- There is more to come…
To that end, we intend to explore spiritual forms of healing trauma in our current service array through a new facility. Stay tuned!
This spirit body (the energetic field that surrounds our physical bodies and that has been scientifically documented), is where we first form loving relationships with ourselves, with others, and with the divine. Any disruption or imbalance in this field can affect every facet of our life. It can also thwart our life’s purpose by keeping us from tapping into our core: our life’s work. In other words, it can scramble our understanding of why our souls are here on Earth.
Human lives are beautifully wondrous and magical, and there is reciprocity within our divine mechanism. What goes through our spirits affects our minds and bodies; what pervades our minds and bodies pervades our spirits. Holistic healing requires multiple modalities, some that are not rooted in Western concepts, to fully excavate the deep and dark harbors of trauma that exist among all of the levels (mind, body, spirit).
Examples of this work, which has been documented to alleviate pain, trauma, disease, and mental health issues, include:
- Reiki: Healing that involves cultivation and movement of energy through touch.
- Breathwork: Fully embodying the breath through various exercises and techniques. Some cultural practices believe the breath to be the source of all that is. This has been proven to alleviate stress, support mindfulness, and aid in healing also.
- Ancestral Healing: Working with the trauma that’s ingrained in the body over generations of trauma (whether through racism, colonization, violence, etc.), ancestral healing involves practices that energetically remove stuck trauma that hinders healing and expansion. Depending on the culture, there are many different methods and approaches for ancestral healing.
- There is more to come…
To that end, we intend to explore spiritual forms of healing trauma in our current service array through a new facility. Stay tuned!
References
[1] What Happened To You? by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey and The Myth of Normal by Dr. Gabor Maté are two excellent resources on this topic. We are currently gathering research linking spirituality, homelessness, and trauma, as well as how community provides an antidote to trauma.
[2] The 2020 Urban Institute Report cites that Albuquerque needs over 15,000 more affordable housing units to meet the need.
[3] “Albuquerque Affordable Housing and Homelessness Needs Assessment.” Urban Institute, 2020.
[4] “Provider Shortages and Limited Availability of Behavioral Health Services in New Mexico's Medicaid Managed Care.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, 2019.
[5] Less than 2% of Shelter clients are connecting to other services that HopeWorks offers (mental/behavioral health, housing) despite a strong emphasis to do so through coordinated outreach and onsite clinicians.
[6] Trauma-informed care principles are still relatively new in its applicability. At its most basic, this concept represents care that centers trauma and provides approaches that are sensitive to minimizing its effects and promoting healing.
[7] Perspectives of Native Healers on Posttrauma Recovery among American Indian and Alaska Native Patients, Deborah Bassett, 2012.
