Programs 

Compass Community Services has five programs for homeless and at-risk families:

Connecting Point – The citywide access center for all families seeking shelter in San Francisco

Compass Family Center – A homeless shelter for families with private rooms and baths, plus
prevention and aftercare services

SF HOME - Compass' homelessness prevetion program that provides qualifying families with short term rental subsidies and support.

Positive Parenthood Project - A family resource center providing couseling and education to support healthy parent-child relationships
 
Clara House – A two-year transitional housing program with individual family apartments, plus
intensive support services and onsite childcare

Tenderloin Childcare Center (TLC) – Compass’s model child development and education center for children from homeless and very low-income families.

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Connecting Point is the centralized intake and placement center for all families seeking shelter in San Francisco.  Under a grant from San Francisco’s Human Services Agency, Connecting Point places families into Compass Family Center as well as the city’s other family shelters.
     
Services include:

• Intake interviews and placement into shelter
• Intensive counseling for families on the waiting list for shelter including assistance in job hunting and school enrollment, plus help accessing benefits, eviction prevention services, childcare, legal assistance, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and healthcare
• The new Rental Assistance Program (RAP) providing interest free loans for move-in costs, deposits, back rent, debt payment, outstanding bills and other barriers preventing a family from entering or retaining housing
• Housing placement assistance, enabling some families to avoid shelter placement and move directly into housing
• Drop-in support services, including computer access, food, clothing, diapers and baby supplies, personal voicemail service, and transportation assistance
• Onsite healthcare through the Tom Waddell Health Center
• A toll-free hotline to provide crisis intervention and information about services
• Referrals to a wide network of Bay Area human services agencies

Download the Connecting Point or Rap brochures.

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Compass Family Center is an emergency shelter with private rooms and baths for 24 families at a time, plus intensive support services.  The program also offers homeless prevention assistance, and long-term follow-up case management.
     
Services include:

• Emergency shelter with intensive support services for up to six months
• Prevention and follow-up case management for up to two years
• Help securing permanent or transitional housing
• Move-in grants and eviction prevention assistance
• Therapy, family counseling, and support groups
• Pre-employment training, GED tutoring, and life skills workshops for adults
• Children’s activities, play groups and field trips, plus support for teen moms
• Up-to-date checkups and immunizations for all children
• Access to a food pantry, clothing closet, personal hygiene products, diapers and baby supplies, and transportation assistance

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SF HOME is a homeless prevention program that provides qualifying families with short-term rental subsidies and support.

Services include:

• Assistance to locate and maintain safe, permanent housing
• Individual case management to address barriers to self-sufficiency including:
  • Education and professional goals,
  • Self-sufficiency skills like how to find resources or advocate for their families,
  • Organizing expenses and effectively managing money,
  • Maintaining a safe and healthy household,
  • Fortifying their children's developmental and educational success,
  • Maintaining good physical and mental well-being for the entire family through preventative care and awareness.
• Access to a food pantry, clothing closet, personal hygiene products, diapers and baby supplies, and transportation assistance
• Access to enriching educational and recreational activities for their children

Download the SF HOME brochure

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The Positive Parenthood Project, seeks to improve child and family well-being and promote healthy family functioning through the provision of a variety of basic and intensive services.  The main goal of the Project is to strengthen adults in their roles as parents and nurturers and to help them raise healthy, productive children through encouraging purposeful parenting.

Services include:

• Individual case management focused on the relationship between caregiver and child.
• Drop-in services during limited hours includes access to information, referrals and crisis counseling as well as concrete items such as non-perishable  food, Muni tokens, clothing, diapers and toiletries.
• Support groups in English and Spanish
• DHS and CPS certified educational groups in English and Spanish
• Health education groups covering topics such as stress reduction, obesity, diabetes, healthy hearts, and smoking cessation
• Parent leadership groups and discussion forums
• Parent-child activity groups
• Educational/Vocational services
• Enhanced information and referrals to other community providers
• Clinical child assessments, therapy and play groups provided by MFT and LCSW interns (supervised by licensed professionals)
• Developmental screening of children  (Parents will learn how to screen their own children to promote development and assess risk of delay.)
• Opportunities for recreation and socializing through monthly field trips and events
• Workshops and information sessions targeting the interests of parents with young children
• Biweekly family literacy and activity groups supported by KQED
• Specialized services and support to families whose children have been exposed to violence, through the Safe Start Delivery Team

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Clara House is a two-year transitional housing program for families
who need more intensive rehabilitative services before living independently.
     
Services include:

• Housing in 13 individual family apartments within a uniquely supportive community
• Two-year action plans designed with each family to help clients achieve their education,
  career and housing goals
• Intensive case management and onsite therapy
• Hands-on employment, education, and life skills support for parents
• Full-day licensed childcare for children under five, and an afterschool homework and
  tutoring program for older children and teenagers
• Housing placement assistance for families graduating from the program
• Follow-up case management for up to two years through Compass Family Center

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Tenderloin Childcare Center (TLC) provides early childhood care and education for infants,
toddlers and preschoolers from homeless and very low-income families.  The program’s mission is to help at-risk children achieve age-appropriate development levels, and prepare for a successful transition to kindergarten at age five. 
     
Services include:

• Full-day childcare for 66 children under age five
• A specialized early childhood curriculum focused on art, music, science and nature,
  pre-reading and pre-math, and gross motor play
• High teacher-child ratio
•  Ongoing assessment of  each child’s cognitive, emotional and social development
• Two nutritious meals, plus snacks, served daily
• Social services for parents, including crisis management, counseling and referrals
• Up-to-date immunizations for all children at TLC, plus annual vision, hearing and dental
  screenings for children over two years old
• Special attention and services for children with special needs
• Parenting group
• Field trips and visits to parks and playgrounds

The Tenderloin Childcare Center Scholarship Fund

Helping Families Find Their Way Since 1914

Compass helps families thrive by providing the assistance necessary to find and maintain stable housing, gain meaningful employment and raise healthy children. Each year Compass' five programs serve more than 3,000 parents and children on their journey to realizing their full potential.

 

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