>> 3 migrant shelters are set to close later next month in Pilsen West Loop and Hyde Park.

The closures come as a city plans to spend less than 141 million dollars on migrant care.

That is budgeted people who still need assistance will be offered space in one of the 14 shelters.

The city plans to keep open.

Here to talk more about what is to come next is money.

A couple's director of community Wellness in support services at Area Neighborhood House.

We also reached out to the city to send a representative, but they declined now.

thank you for joining us.

I want to start off.

Every house has been supporting families in different does city shelters tell me how the partnership is now with those shelters.

We have been, as you mentioned, theory has been working very additionally.

I want to say that our efforts started back in 2022. throughout this time.

>> We have seen lot of changes straight that that come with the climate itself.

I want to say that a relationship, at least with our collaborators that in this case may be I serve on new life centers and the housing Authority.

a collective effort.

What I've seen us improvements improvements on our Waze wanting to create that positive change and improve the support system that we have built within this shelter system, which as you know, it's not easy.

Welcoming a new family that has undergone a lot of trauma is not EC being constantly myself speaking from working on a day-to-day basis with.

With case managers and housing counselor says not easy because we have to continue to reassess the crisis intervention techniques that we are providing.

And at the same time we have evaluate do we better support our social workers that are carrying this work on a daily basis and you talked about improvements.

Would you say there has been a shift in and and efforts on specific services provided?

Yes.

>> There has efforts and for one acknowledging that there a big need for behavioral health.

There's also a push for housing, 70 station services.

then lastly, just that acts that general access for public benefits.

we know that at one point, the area House ones partnered with the Pilsen shelter.

One of the shelters set to close and now you work with American Islamic College.

What's the capacity over there?

>> That capacity.

It's Elvis, 1300.

However, we're not at capacity right now.

I believe we're anywhere between 50600.

And how would you say the shelter closures would affect it?

Work?

You it's an interest in space right now because initially we've heard that there may be some families that were being transition from the shelters into that American Islamic.

However, we don't know.

We don't know right now perhaps in a few days we may have a better answer for you.

But right now what we intended is to make sure that this individual sent all these families where'd moved into American assignment just to continue receiving comprehensive services.

And you've been on the forefront of helping hundreds of asylum seekers.

Are you surprised about the closures of the shelters and what were your thoughts?

Not surprise, unfortunately, because we have being seen You know, we started with a long list of shelters up hi to remember all of them, right?

I don't know if at some point we had over 28 shelters.

I know that this, you know, Chicago has been slowly trying to centralize their efforts.

And with that, we have trying to minimize any misinformation that might be that may be out there for one because all say that when when we had a long list of shelters, he was difficult to really.

Share correctly resources because we have to continuously say will be says the agency that that is allocated to your shelter and a lot of times some of these didn't fully understand why you say that if they have made it already to the door.

So eerie house, we were still now telling them read directing them right.

couple of people whole warrant at city shelters.

I mean, there was yes, many other smaller organization is helping people as well.

Correct.

So we had a lot of a lot of individuals.

That where for one concerned that we were creating additional barriers that were truly on necessary to to the axis.

And so I know that part of those efforts, you know that, yes, he can sound concerning that there may be some closures, but there is something to Good intentionality around Central Lysine and making sure that various a quicker response to the family needs.

So is going to be my next question.

Should families be concerned with these closures?

But you're basically saying that this could centralize and help you.

Can you prove he can improve?

They can minimize the time frame that people that he takes for for people to access the services and those who still need assistance will be moved to one of the other 14 shelters across the city.

>> What will that increase capacity Re house, which is say?

Like I said, it's it's a we are in for 2.

We were in a in in a rough space right now.

We have heard initially that that could look like anywhere between.

>> 20300 rate.

However, the shelter will still not be at full capacity, which means the families that are entering the shelter will still be of air, will accommodate it and will receive, you great access to all the services.

So when it comes to an exact number of which I know have that for, you know, I understand.

>> And with this recent development, what should the city shift, which is that she should the city should focus on when it comes to the migrant care.

Now.

Trauma informed care.

I think that various a big need for behavioral health has mentioned.

>> We have constantly being operating just providing crisis intervention services curating they need it needs of the families identifying that's immediate support that it's needed.

I the family members that we receive are undergoing.

I have trauma that they underwent throughout their journey.

And so we try our best to immediately provide needs.

Whether that may be that they are here without clothing without a way to really communicate that home that they made here safe in.

So we have been removing slowly those barriers to make sure that they feel comfortable and safe at the shelter.

And also on top of that, being able to move to residential housing, correct?

Correct.

Up to recently up to June, 30th Erie House was taking part of that strap, which is sir program through through you know, housing opportunity at which we we're providing support for the asylum seeking emergency rental program.

And we had seen just providing that technical support that was much needed for families to gain access to emergency funding that could potentially stabilize some anywhere between 3 to 6 months.

So we are very proud that there was lot of families that were able