MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Commissioners in Monongalia County have asked the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness (WVCEH) to conduct an investigation into operations at the Rainbow House after receiving a letter alleging serious issues at the facility.
The Rainbow House is open to all but prioritizes members of the LGBTQ community and received a $250,000 grant from the WVCEH earlier this year. At the time, Founder and Vice President of the Board Cassidy Thompson said the grant would provide stability to the 24-bed shelter and compensation for staff.
During the regular meeting of the Monongalia County Commission Wednesday, a letter was entered into the record from an employee who said she was terminated for not following the de-escalation. The employee said she was threatened by a client who she believed was in “meth psychosis” who had assaulted another staff member in the past and called the police because she said there was never de-escalation training provided.
“All three county commissioners received this concern with alleged allegations, and we feel like we should do our due diligence, and we passed this on to the West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, who gave out the grant,” Bloom said.
The letter also alleges open drug use in the facility and drug dealing outside of the facility due to poor security. Also inside, she said there is no consultation with medical or mental health professionals, and clients are not encouraged to take their medication or seek mental health treatment. Additionally, she said the facility is open to pets, which has led to sanitary issues.
“These are serious allegations, and I can say this is not the first time that we have received this,” Bloom said. “But I believe it needs to be looked into.”
Shelter Director Erin Shelton did provide a response to a list of questions submitted,” Our policies and procedures are public, and I invite you to review them at the Project Rainbow House website. You should find the answers to your questions here. Project Rainbow stands firmly by these standards and will continue to uphold them. We can confirm that all actions taken by our organization are aligned with these organizational policies and our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of both our guests and staff. We remain dedicated to our mission of providing safe, inclusive support for the most vulnerable members of our LGBTQ community.”
Boom said he has reached out to the WVCEH, and they have agreed to look into the matter.
“This is taxpayer dollars, and we want to make sure the unhoused are treated fairly, equitably, and safely and are getting the services they need,” Bloom said.
Shelter bed capacity is vital in Morgantown as the community recovers from the closure of the Bartlett House. Several ideas for extra bed space are under review but remain months or years away from producing additional space for the unhoused.
“We want to work with them, but at the same time they need to follow rules and regulations that are compatible with state laws,” Bloom said.