Making Space for Family Triage in Fairfield County

As the frigid winter months approached in November 2024, 12 families, including 20 children, were verified  as unhoused in Fairfield County and faced severe risk as temperatures began to plummet. Yet Fairfield County was one of only two counties across Connecticut that lacked a triage space for families experiencing homelessness. Similar to a hospital emergency department, a triage space works to pair families or individuals experiencing a housing crisis with immediate shelter based upon need, addressing the most critical cases first. In Fairfield County, families in need of housing did not have a place to go during those critical moments of crisis when their lives depended on it most. 

The existing systems (or lack thereof) in the region presented challenges for neighboring towns. Families were being referred to other counties who had triage space, displacing families and stressing partners outside of Fairfield County beyond their physical or financial capacity. Unfortunately, this struggle was not new: discussions around the need for triage space have been ongoing for years, especially after the pandemic increased the number of unhoused families and prevented shelters from expanding capacity to meet the growing demand.

Recognizing the need for change, the Housing Collective identified Inspirica, Inc. as a key partner who might be able to help. Located in Stamford, Inspirica provides support services and permanent affordable supportive housing for unhoused individuals and families. Their team identified unused gymnasium space on their property that could be repurposed into triage space. Yet without proper funding, the space could not be transformed for triage. The Housing Collective worked directly with the Department of Housing to identify funding sources, one of which was the statewide cold weather fund. Within two weeks of the initial conversation between the Housing Collective and Inspirica, the gym was transformed into a family triage space that could be used immediately. 

The space was designed to be low-barrier, offering immediate shelter to any family in Fairfield County, not just those from Stamford. Inspirica provided essential services including staffing, heat, and food, underscoring their unwavering commitment to Fairfield County residents. In just a couple of weeks, the power of collective impact turned an unused gym into a critical, life-saving triage area to help protect the community’s most vulnerable members. Several weeks later, Inspirica was able to shift the triage center from the gymnasium to an available suite within their facility. The center will remain open through August.

The results of this collaborative effort have been transformative and immediate. Since the triage space opened, there has not been a single verified unsheltered family in Fairfield County. The triage space at Inspirica serves a critical role in temporarily housing families until they can be placed in a traditional family shelter, preventing bottlenecks and providing continuous care throughout the system.

The partnership between the Housing Collective, Department of Housing, and Inspirica demonstrates the power of collective action to help solve long-standing complex problems, like family homelessness. This collaboration serves as an essential framework for other counties looking to build triage space: identifying gaps in service, working directly with the DOH to locate funding, and emboldening critical local partners like Inspirica who can help transform underutilized spaces to ensure all unhoused families are safe and cared for.