July 15, 2022 |
Early next month, Volunteers of America Northern Rockies (VOA) will hold an open house and ribbon cutting at Stepping Stones Youth Home in Rawlins.
VOA invites the public to tour the office at 1130 East Daley Street and learn more about youth services at VOA from 1-3 p.m.
Stepping Stones was formerly known the Carbon County Youth Crisis Center. It shut down in October 2021 when the previous operators, Cathedral Home of Laramie, shuttered the doors and abandoned their contract with the county. Staffing shortages were blamed.
VOA began operating the facility February of this year with eight total beds. Four beds are for crisis situations with children placed by the courts, law enforcement, or their legal guardians. The other four are for long-term placements filled by the Department of Family Services.
Despite facing staffing shortages of its own, VOA has filled a need since opening the facility under new management in February. In figures provided to Carbon County Commissioners last month, Stepping Stones reported four intakes each in February, March, April and May. The crisis center reported nine more intakes in June, for a total of 434 days of residential service since reopening the doors.
Like many organizations in the county, Stepping Stones is dealing with staff turnover. Jon Tengsdal, Director of Youth and Outreach Services, told commissioners about the staffing issues in June.
Pictured above: Stepping Stones Youth Home operated by Volunteers of America Northern Rockies. Photo by Cali O’Hare/Bigfoot 99.
Tengsdal said applicants were being interviewed for the open positions. Commissioner Sue Jones told Bigfoot 99 that all the positions have been filled since last month. Jones also said that all eight beds at the facility are filled at this time.
Carbon County and the City of Rawlins have committed annual funding to Stepping Stones for the next five years. During their June 21st meeting, commissioners thanked Tengsdal for the work being done at the facility.
In a release yesterday regarding the open house, Jeff Holsinger, CEO for Volunteers of America Northern Rockies, said “community support like this is rare, but speaks volumes to the compassion the community has for their youth.”
The open house at Stepping Stones is planned for Wednesday, August 3rd. The ribbon cutting and presentations will begin at 2 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Commissioner Jones will be one of the presenters.
VOA has operated a similar facility in partnership with the Department of Family Services, called Milestones Youth Home, in Sheridan, WY for more than 20 years.
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