(The Center Square) – Spokane expanded its scattered-site shelter model and opioid response this week, opening a new facility specifically for women and bolstering the fire department’s social response initiative.
While the city didn’t provide a date, it announced Tuesday that the new women’s shelter would open sometime this week at Knox Presbyterian Church. The partnership with Jewels Helping Hands and Empire Health Foundation is the latest addition to Mayor Lisa Brown’s model .
According to a news release, the Knox shelter will operate on a “referral-only basis.” The model supports seven other referral-based sites , each serving 20 to 30 people. Advocates say it allows an individualized approach, but critics argue it pushes homelessness into the surrounding neighborhoods…