Outreach and Health Ministry Program Short-term: to provide immediate medical assistance to homeless individuals. Long-term: to increase the individuals’ ability to manage and improve their own health through the provision of disease management education and support in connecting to primary and mental health care. Our Case Manager also works to connect clients to permanent supportive housing. Youth Outreach Team Short-term: to reach out to homeless youth on the streets and provide them with trauma-informed counseling, resources and education. Long-term: to connect youth with safe, stable housing, opportunities for employment and education, increased life skills, and improved health and wellness. Youth Housing Programs Short-term: to provide homeless and precariously-housed youth with safe, stable housing, case management and supportive programming. Long-term: to provide trauma-informed care to improve the safety, well-being, permanent connections, and self-sufficiency.

The Night Ministry's programs fall under two categories: Youth Services and Health Outreach. The Night Ministry's programs are uniquely effective in assisting our clients through the transition to long-term stability and are all entirely free of charge. The Night Ministry’s continuum of care for homeless youth includes five youth shelter programs and street outreach. After exiting any of the housing programs, youth are offered ongoing assistance and mentorship through our Aftercare Services. The Outreach and Health Ministry Program, which includes our Health Outreach Bus and Street Medicine Program, aims to link homeless individuals with a medical home, reducing reliance on the Emergency Room, and move them toward more stable housing. Our mobile approach allows us to focus on neighborhoods with high concentrations of poverty and homelessness.

For over 40 years, The Night Ministry has worked tirelessly to advocate for the youth and adults we serve. Our founding President, Tom Behrens, started advocating for homeless youth in the 1980s by serving on the Governor’s Task Force on Homeless Youth and working with state legislators to create laws that would provide funding for homeless youth shelters. On a regular basis, staff at The Night Ministry participate in the following groups: Chicago Coalition for the Homeless Youth Committee; Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness Advocacy Committee; and the City of Chicago Task Force on Homeless Youth. In 2012, the White House named our President and CEO, Paul W. Hamann, a “Champion of Change” for his work to combat youth homelessness. The Night Ministry enjoys a long-standing reputation, locally and nationally, that brings attention to the struggles of homeless and at-risk youth and adults.

The Night Ministry is committed to continually evaluating programs through quantitative and qualitative measures, and improving programs to increase client well-being. We do this under the leadership of our Director of Mission Fulfillment and our Board of Directors’ Performance Measurement committee. Our Electronic Health Record System (EHRS), GE Centricity, allows staff to track clients, provide quality patient care, and evaluate the impact of programming on the community. The Night Ministry also uses a quality management system, “Efforts to Outcomes” (ETO) to track program activities and client outcomes in such a way that staff can see what is happening in the programs and make improvements accordingly in real time. By using these systems, we gain insights to support strategic decision-making, ensure that programs collaborate effectively, and drive progress toward achieving our organizational goals.

The Outreach & Health Ministry Program was launched in 1989. In 2005, we purchased a 38-foot Health Outreach Bus. In 2007, we launched two new shelter programs for homeless youth, doubling our bed capacity. In 2011, The Crib, our overnight youth shelter, opened in Lakeview. The Health Outreach Bus began expanding its service offerings by one night per week in 2014; and in 2015, we incorporated daytime services by going out during the day. The Night Ministry is always looking for new ways to grow its programs, serve more people and provide comprehensive services, which is evident in our newest strategic plan, “Serving in the Next Decade The Night Ministry is embarking on projects to expand facilities and services and grow its capacity all while developing a reputation as a thought leader, sustaining a data driven culture of learning and maintaining fiscal health and sustainability.