At the Catherine McAuley Center, women find a safe space to rediscover who they are, to rebuild their lives, and regain hope.
The Catherine McAuley Center has been a safe haven for women since 1989. From the beginning, we have envisioned a safe home and healthy future for every woman in Eastern Iowa, and continue working to achieve this goal today.
Since our start, we have continued to expand programs and services for women. As we grow, our goal remains the same – to offer a safe space for women to find the support, education, and connection to heal and build stability.
Women’s Services offers a wide range of services to help women out of homelessness to heal from trauma and regain long-term housing, financial, and mental health stability. All services are gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and emphasize the resilience that clients bring to the table. The Women’s Services program includes Transitional and Supportive Housing, Aftercare, and a wide range of supportive services for women facing crisis and housing instability.
Women’s Services provides support to women who are 18 years of age or older. We help individuals who are struggling to maintain stability in several areas of life by offering housing programs and community services in a gender-responsive setting.
*We use the term ‘women’ which also includes individuals who identify as female. Women’s Services is available to serve trans & nonbinary individuals.
If you are facing homelessness, graduating from a substance abuse or recovery program, fleeing domestic violence, or experiencing other types of crises – CMC is here for you, and Women’s Services can help.
Our Women’s Services housing model is one-of-a-kind in our community, and is uniquely equipped to help women build the skills they need to maintain stable housing. The communal living environment provides built-in connections and support systems residents rely on well beyond their time at CMC.
Transitional and Supportive Housing are long-term programs, providing a sense of permanency women can rely on as they get out of survival mode and work to address the root causes of trauma at their own pace. Women in these programs are choosing to participate and housing may not be their only goal. Housing services also include case management, resource navigation, and therapeutic/skill-building groups.
Program Overview
Transitional Housing offers long-term support, and is the starting point of Women’s Services housing programs. Services are provided in a residential setting with structured programs, daily expectations, and intensive case management. Transitional Housing services are offered at CMC’s main facility and at a nearby housing property. Between the two locations, this program can provide safe housing for up to 16 women at a time.
Transitional Housing residents have their own bedrooms with a connecting bathroom shared with one other resident. Shared living spaces include a large kitchen, living rooms, meditation and wellness rooms, a computer lab and library, and other spaces for group programming and activities.
Eligibility
Unaccompanied women (not living with children or a partner) over the age of 18 who are facing homelessness, re-entering the community from a correctional or mental health facility, fleeing domestic violence, and/or in recovery from substance abuse or another mental illness.
Program Duration
Residents of Transitional Housing are able to stay in the program for up to two years. The average length of stay is approximately 9 months.
Program Overview
Supportive Housing can be seen as a next step for women who have graduated from Transitional Housing. Women in Supportive Housing have experienced crisis in the past, and have since gained stability through Transitional Housing, but still benefit from case management and positive connections with other women.
Supportive Housing is a communal living environment in a CMC owned housing property. This program is lease-based which allows residents to establish a positive leasing history. As a result, residents are much more likely to find long-term housing once they leave the program.
Eligibility
Graduates of Transitional Housing who have strong interpersonal skills, are stable in their sobriety, and wish to continue in a communal living environment.
Supportive Housing helps unaccompanied women who need affordable housing and/or have other barriers to housing due to prior evictions or convictions, and who need ongoing case management to maintain the progress they’ve made.
Program Duration
Indefinite. Supportive Housing residents are able to stay in the program for as long as they choose.
What happens after completing the housing programs?
When residents graduate from Transitional or Supportive Housing and move into their own independent housing in the community, Women’s Services support is still available!
Graduates can access Aftercare services for continued case management. To maintain the close connections formed here, Alumni services offer the ability to stay connected and engaged with the program well beyond aftercare.
Program Overview
Aftercare services are provided to graduates of Transitional or Supportive Housing who have stabilized their lives to a level of independence and self-sufficiency. In this program, women are living in permanent housing through a private landlord in the community. After completing Transitional or Supportive Housing, women can access Aftercare case management and CMC’s skill-building/therapeutic groups for up to 6 months.
Eligibility
Graduates of Transitional or Supportive Housing who are in good standing with the program and who benefit from ongoing support and positive connections to transition out of residential housing and into independent living in the community.
Program Duration
Up to 6 months after graduating from the housing programs.
Overview
Alumni clients are graduates of Transitional or Supportive Housing who have stabilized their lives to a level of self-sufficiency and have since moved into independent housing, but wish to stay involved with the Women’s Services community.
Alumni Opportunities Include:
– Volunteering with the program
– Facilitating or participating in groups
– Serving as a peer mentor for other residents
Peer Mentorship
Peer mentorship connects current Transitional Housing residents with a program graduate that is now living a stable and healthy life. Residents meet weekly with their mentors to learn the ropes of the program, to set goals, and can find comfort knowing they have someone to connect with who has gone through some of the same experiences.
Meanwhile, mentors can gain confidence and leadership skills. “I found a sense of belonging and a sense of worth and value being able to share my experience with the other residents,” says one peer mentor. “It gave me hope, knowing that I can share my experience and maybe help someone get to the point in their life where I am today.”
All aspects of Women’s Services programs are designed to meet the specific needs of women in a trauma-informed environment. This approach embraces the resilience and strength of each individual while also understanding the unique needs and challenges experienced by women.
Women are at risk of becoming homeless and facing instability for different reasons than men. And during periods of housing instability, women’s experiences are different from men’s. With gender-sensitive, trauma-informed services specifically for women, we create a safe and secure space for individuals to heal from trauma as they work to regain stability. Gender-responsive programs allow for relationship building, safety, healing, resilience, and long-term stability.
A history of traumatic experiences increases a person’s risk of housing instability, substance abuse, and mental and physical illness. Women at CMC are survivors of trauma that has extended over long periods of time in multiple ways.
For women, trauma is often caused by a caregiver or a loved one. These traumatic experiences damage a person’s sense of self and their belief in other people – the long-term impact is difficulty keeping a job, forming healthy relationships, and maintaining health and stability.
A safe place to call home is essential, but for many women who come to CMC, housing is not their only goal or need. Our housing programs are intended to help women heal from the root causes of homelessness by providing individualized support to reach their personal goals in all areas of their lives.
We believe that the path to stability relies on healing, and everyone’s journey and timeframe is unique. This is why our housing programs are long-term, allowing each woman to make progress in the timing and manner that works best for her. In addition to safe housing, Women’s Services focuses on helping women set their goals and receive the support they need to achieve them.
Receive support to heal from trauma and regain stability, meet your basic needs, and work toward your personal goals for improved mental and physical health, finances, career and education, relationships, and sense of self.
Participate in therapeutic/skill-building groups with other women, hear from community speakers and access their services, and gain practical tools for daily living.
Get connected to community services, help scheduling appointments, and self-select items from CMC's food pantry and hygiene closet.
You are strong. You are resilient. And you are worthy.
Women’s Services will help you tap into your resilience and regain a sense of hope for the future!
The Catherine McAuley Center is not an emergency shelter. Women are referred to Transitional Housing by community providers after identifying the need for continued safety and support through a long-term program. If you are in crisis and need immediate shelter, please see a list of available resources at the “Find Help” button below.
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For questions, help, or referrals please call or email Women’s Services and one of our staff members will assist you. We look forward to hearing from you!
