THE LINK

HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISON - SEE SCHEDULE O.HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICESTHE LINK'S HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION CONSISTS OF EIGHT HOUSING PROGRAMS, TWO EMERGENCY SHELTERS, ONE DROP-IN RESOURCE CENTER AND ONE STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM, INCLUDING: LINDQUIST APARTMENTS (NORTH MINNEAPOLIS) PERIS HOUSING PROGRAM (HENNEPIN COUNTY) HOUSING FIRST (HENNEPIN COUNTY) CAIRN HOUSING (SCOTT, CARVER, DAKOTA, WASHINGTON AND ANOKA COUNTIES) RAPID REHOUSING (METRO-WIDE) SUBURBAN RAPID REHOUSING (SCOTT, CARVER, DAKOTA, WASHINGTON AND ANOKA COUNTIES) YOUNG FAMILIES PROGRAM (METRO-WIDE) PROJECT LIVE OUT LOUD (METRO-WIDE) DIGNITY HOUSE EMERGENCY SHELTER (HENNEPIN COUNTY) DAKOTA COUNTY HOTEL SHELTER PROGRAM (DAKOTA COUNTY) C.O.R.E. (COMMUNITY. OUTREACH. RESOURCES. EMPOWERMENT.) DROP-IN CENTER (APPLE VALLEY) THE STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM (HENNEPIN, DAKOTA, SCOTT AND CARVER COUNTIES) PERISCOPE (HENNEPIN COUNTY) NORTHSIDE PREVENTION (NORTHSIDE OF MINNEAPOLIS) THE LINK OPERATES OVER 226 UNITS OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THROUGH ITS EIGHT HOUSING PROGRAMS; WHICH PROVIDE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN A CARING, SUPPORTIVE CONTEXT AS WELL AS: LIFE SKILLS, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND PARENTING SUPPORTS TO YOUTH AND YOUNG FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. ADDITIONALLY, THE LINK OPERATES C.O.R.E. (COMMUNITY. OUTREACH. RESOURCES. EMPOWERMENT.), A RESOURCE CENTER WITH DROP-IN HOURS SERVING YOUTH AT RISK OF OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN DAKOTA COUNTY. THE LINK ALSO OPERATES STREET OUTREACH, WHICH PROVIDES ASSISTANCE WITH COORDINATED ENTRY AND OUTREACH THROUGH COMMUNITY BASED AND STREET-BASED MODELS FOR AT-RISK, RUNAWAY, HOMELESS AND SEXUALLY EXPLOITED YOUTH. THE LINK ALSO OPERATES A CULTURALLY SPECIFIC HOUSING PROGRAM, PROJECT LIVE OUT LOUD, WHICH IS THE FIRST CULTURALLY SPECIFIC HOUSING PROGRAM FOR LGBTQ YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE STATE. ADDITIONALLY, THE LINK OPERATES PERISCOPE: A SCATTERED SITE HOUSING PROGRAM WITHIN HENNEPIN COUNTY FOR YOUTH AGING OUT OF A COUNTY PLACEMENT THROUGH FOSTER CARE, JUVENILE CORRECTIONS OR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH; AND THE NORTHSIDE HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM: A CULTURALLY SPECIFIC HOMELESS PREVENTION AND HOUSING PROGRAM FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH ON THE NORTHSIDE OF MINNEAPOLIS. THE LINK ALSO OPERATES TWO EMERGENCY SHELTERS FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS: DIGNITY HOUSE EMERGENCY SHELTER IN HENNEPIN COUNTY FOR YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 10 AND 17; AND THE DAKOTA COUNTY HOTEL SHELTER PROGRAM FOR YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 24.

YOUTH ADVOCACY DIVISION - SEE SCHEDULE O. YOUTH ADVOCACY DIVISIONTHE LINK'S YOUTH ADVOCACY PROGRAMS RECOGNIZE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGING IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ARE OFTEN TIMES DOING SO IN ORDER TO SURVIVE OR FOR OTHER UNDERLYING REASONS, SUCH AS: HOMELESSNESS, BEING VICTIMIZED BY SEX TRAFFICKING OR SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. THE LINK'S YOUTH ADVOCACY PROGRAMS OFFER ALTERNATIVE STRENGTH-BASED YOUTH PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH AGED 10-17 THAT HAVE COMMITTED LOW LEVEL OR HIGH LEVEL OFFENSES. THE LINK'S PROGRAMMING HELPS TO RESOLVE THE UNDERLYING REASONS FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND EMPOWERS YOUTH TO ATTEND SCHOOL REGULARLY AND NOT CONTINUE DOWN A PATH OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. THE LINK HAS THE FOLLOWING YOUTH ADVOCACY PROGRAMS: THE JUVENILE SUPERVISION CENTER (JSC) THE MARSHALL REED YOUTH CENTERS (MRYCS) SCHOOL MATTERS THE PARENT SUPPORT PROGRAM P.O.W.E.R (POSITIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN OF EVERY RACE) PROGRAM COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAMTHE JUVENILE SUPERVISION CENTER IS LOCATED IN THE MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING WHERE ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHIN HENNEPIN COUNTY CAN DROP OFF YOUTH FOR LOW LEVEL OR STATUS OFFENSES, FELONY CAR THEFT AND/OR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION. THE LINK'S STAFF MEMBERS PROVIDE ADVOCACY, ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. THE MARSHALL REED YOUTH CENTERS ARE LOCATED IN NORTH AND SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS (THE SOUTH LOCATION WAS ABSORBED BY THE NORTH LOCATIONS AS OF DECEMBER 2019). THEY PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO OUT OF HOME PLACEMENT OR JUVENILE DETENTION. THE MRYCS HOST A FIVE DAY PER WEEK PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, CASE MANAGEMENT, EDUCATION ASSISTANCE AND POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH WHO HAVE COMMITTED HIGHER LEVEL OFFENSES AND ARE COURT ORDERED TO PARTICIPATE. SCHOOL MATTERS IS BASED IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS, BUT SERVES ALL OF HENNEPIN COUNTY. SCHOOL MATTERS PROVIDES SUPPORT AND SERVICES FOR YOUTH WHO HAVE BEEN TRUANT FROM SCHOOL AND HELPS TO RESOLVE THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF THEIR ATTENDANCE WHILE HELPING TO PREVENT SCHOOL DROP-OUT. THE PARENT SUPPORT PROGRAM IS BASED IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS, BUT SERVES ALL OF HENNEPIN COUNTY. THIS CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PARENT SUPPORT PROGRAM PROVIDES PARENTING EDUCATION AS WELL AS BASIC NEEDS ASSISTANCE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN PARENTS OF YOUTH WHO HAVE BEEN IN OUR YOUTH CONNECTION CENTER AND/OR SCHOOL MATTERS PROGRAM. THE P.O.W.E.R. PROGRAM IS BASED IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS AND PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT FOR GIRLS REFERRED BY HENNEPIN COUNTY PROBATION. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO HELP FURTHER EMPOWER GIRLS INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO REALIZE THE GOALS THEY HAVE FOR THEMSELVES AND PREVENT THEM FROM BECOMING FURTHER INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.THE LINK OPENED A NEW PROGRAM AT THE BEGINNING OF 2020, THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM WHICH IS BASED IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS, BUT SERVES YOUTH THROUGHOUT HENNEPIN COUNTY. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL CASE MANAGEMENT FOR YOUTH AGES 13-24 ON PROBATION. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO COME UP WITH A CASE PLAN AND ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS WITHIN A 6 MONTH TIME SPAN. THESE GOALS TYPICALLY INVOLVE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS.