Rights of Passage

Through collaborative efforts with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Covenant House Georgia developed a 26-bed supportive housing initiative, known as Rights of Passage. Through this program, CHGA partners with an apartment complex to subsidize the rent for those of our youth who are ready for independent life. This program meets the needs of at-risk and homeless youth with on-site supportive services, as they move from adolescence into adulthood. In addition to living arrangements, the program offers case management services to help with the development and attainment of goals, provides resources to overcome barriers, diffuses crisis situations, and instructs on the essential Life Skills. An accepted resident may stay in the program for up to 2 years and will then be transitioned into permanent housing.

As one of the requirements upon entering the program, each youth will be either working full time or working part time and attending school full time. The youth must display consistency in their education and employment. We understand that youth not only need the skills and tools to successfully maintain employment, but they also need the skills and tools to deal with their peers and other life’s challenges. Therefore, in addition to the weekly workshops mentioned above, the Case Manager provides onsite lectures on topics such as Dating Violence, Anger Management, Time Management, and Stress Management.

Intake Procedure

Independency is the goal of our Programs at Covenant House. Our highest level of care is our Rights of Passage Supportive Housing Program. Through our efforts with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, we provide a permanent housing initiative that is designed to seek self sufficiency. The only requirement for our program and that you are homeless and employable.

Applying through our Crisis Shelter, all participants are required to successfully complete and application and go through an interview process. This is designed to assist in building confidence and to demonstrate a desire to obtain self sufficiency. Accepted participants are between the ages of 18 – 22 and are allowed to reside in the program until successful completion, however their case plans are designed on a 2 year time frame. All participants are required to work and seek/obtain educational goals. The rental amount is 30% of their monthly gross income and utilities are included and all participants are placed in a one or two standard furnished apartment with basic (kitchen utensils and bathroom/bedroom essentials) supplies. Each participant is required to meet weekly with the Case Manager to evaluate progress on goals, discuss the solutions for any challenges or barriers and receive advice as needed and participant in weekly life skill groups. These groups are designed to assist in developing techniques of independency and cover topics such as Cooking Healthy, Laundry Procedures, Grocery Shopping on a Budget, Budgeting (bills, rent, childcare, leisure etc.). In addition to the individual weekly meetings, there are monthly house meetings. There, all the residents in the Covenant House Georgia ROP/Supportive Housing discuss personal successes and challenges and get information on upcoming supportive events.