St. Vincent de Paul to oversee new community services facility
November 13, 2024
by Jennifer Willems, contributing writer
As the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Des Moines celebrates 100 years of service, members are looking at new ways of being “a first step to a second chance.”
One of them is the Sobering Center that is set to open Nov. 18 at the Polk County Life Services Center.
The ribbon cutting for the new facility, located at 1914 Carpenter Ave. in Des Moines, was Oct. 23. In addition to the Sobering Center, it will include a Crisis Observation Center and Behavioral Health Urgent Care, both staffed by Broadlawns Medical Center.
Steve Havemann, chief executive officer of St. Vincent de Paul in Des Moines, said the society will oversee and manage the whole facility, as well as staff and run the Sobering Center. Shelly Gehrke has been named the site director.
Havemann said the Crisis Observation Center is designed to oversee and assist people who are suicidal, while the Behavioral Health Urgent Care will serve as an emergency room for those with mental health issues.
The Sobering Center will take in those who are intoxicated or dealing with multiple substance abuse issues, but are not a danger to themselves or others, until they are sober. It will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, he said.
All of these individuals might have ended up in jail or the emergency room in the past, but this way they will get help to navigate the community resources they need and get home safely. “It’s a public safety issue, it’s a public health issue, and it’s a dignity issue,” according to Havemann.
Des Moines health care and emergency services representatives touring the new Polk County Life Services building.
“Seeing the face of Christ”
Rather than beds, the Sobering Center has 10 medical recliners that can be easily cleaned, if necessary. In addition to a bathroom and shower, there will be clean clothes for the guests, along with water and some food. “It’s a very nice, very welcoming, dignified facility,” Havemann said.
Paramedics and EMTs will be on site at all times, he added. Two community navigators will also be available to get to know the guests and help them identify the services they need.
“So we’ll do our best to help provide that ‘second chance’ for folks and try to get them home to their families,” Havemann said, adding, “We are seeing the face of Christ in everyone we serve.”
He credited Angela Connolly, chair of the Polk County Board of Supervisors, for her vision for the Polk County Life Services Center and making the dream a reality.
She said St. Vincent de Paul is “phenomenal. They do great work. They’ve been around forever. They’re compassionate people and they align with all of the services we provide in Polk County now so it seemed to make sense that they were our partners in this.”
Havemann also expressed gratitude to Congressman Zach Nunn for providing a $750,000 grant for the project.
“To me, success looks like as many families as we can having one of their loved ones sober and back in their lives in a positive way,” Havemann said. “The other thing success looks like is helping people reach their God-given potential.”
St. Vincent de Paul is an international organization with conferences in 14 parishes in the Des Moines area. Havemann estimates that includes about 450 people doing a lot of “boots on the ground” work to help people out of poverty.
The main office is in Windsor Heights, where there is also a thrift store. There are also St. Vincent de Paul centers at 1426 Sixth Ave., the historic first site, and at 520 Army Post Road, both in Des Moines. Havemann said they hope to add another site in Ankeny – with a thrift store – next spring.