COMPASS Program
The COMPASS program provides thirty-one apartments located on three campuses in Independence, MO for youth striving to overcome homelessness. These youth receive intensive case management, clinical services, life skills development, job/career readiness, and leadership development support rooted in evidence-based practice to help them become self-sustaining, successful, and emotionally healthy adults. Immediate job placement opportunities exist for program participants who lack employment or the ability to gain employment in the community.
COMPASS participants are hired to work in these operations and gain significant skills in planting, growing, harvesting, food preparation, food service, customer service, and event planning. They can acquire job readiness skills in an environment where comprehensive support and understanding is offered to ensure they have the greatest chance of long-term success. This has proven to be a vital stopgap for youth to immediately start earning a wage while looking for full time employment in the community.
Drumm Farm's independent living approach allows young adults the time needed to overcome barriers, resolve trauma, and become fully prepared for sustainable and successful adulthood. Drumm's intensive support services of case management, on-site clinical services and educational and job readiness support significantly surpasses the depth and breadth of support in similar programs. A springboard to successful adulthood, COMPASS residents have moved on to college, found housing in the community, purchased their first car, joined the military, found employment, and traveled near and far while finding their path to a successful life.
COMPASS - New Beginnings
In the summer of 2021, the Drumm Farm board of directors developed a new goal of providing housing and intensive support services for pregnant and parenting youth and young adults aspart of the expansion of housing in the COMPASS Transitional Living Program at the Duvall Campus. Drumm continues to be committed to providing seven of the eleven new apartments to young adults who primarily fall between the ages of 16 and 22 and are pregnant and parenting. These youth receive housing and a full array of support services including intensive case management, counseling, educational/career support, job readiness, life skills and parenting classes, food, transportation, childcare financial support, and connection to all social support services needed to be successful parents as they embark on this new and challenging phase of life. Using seven apartments for young adults who are pregnant and/or parenting allows Drumm to serve up to 14 young adults and babies at one time and approximately 20 total over the course of a year. Youth can remain in the program for up to 2 years and most youth successfully leave the program after approximately 14–18 months. Drumm Farm served 12 pregnant and parenting young adults and their children over the last year across all programs. All 12 young adults sought and were provided housing and intensive support services including parenting life skills education, case management, therapeutic services, educational and job readiness support, and resources to help these young adults become healthy and sustainable parents to their children. Four of the 12 young adults are now living on their own and are successfully caring for themselves and their children while the remaining eight continue to live in housing with Drumm.Drumm continues to provide housing and intensive support to eight young adults who are pregnant and parenting.