Resident Criteria

The following criteria are required in order to be accepted to live at The O’Connor House:

  • Must be at least 18-years of age
  • Must be pregnant
  • Must not be fleeing any serious domestic violence situation
  • Must be free from hard drugs and alcohol abuse for at least 12 months
  • Must agree to follow the rules, policies, and procedures for living at The O’Connor House which are discussed during the initial intake meeting

Intake Process

Please note that The O’Connor House is not “an emergency shelter.” By saying this, we mean that we have an intake process that typically takes 7 days to determine if a woman is a good fit for living at The O’Connor House. This is because we offer more than just a physical shelter. We offer a Life Skills Program that helps women learn new ways of living that can improve their lives and the lives of their children.

If you are in-need of our services AND you meet all the criteria listed above, please first call our intake line. The following steps outline our intake process:

1. First call the intake line at 317-999-5616. You will be asked to leave a message with your name and a number that our staff can reach you at.

The Intake Coordinator will contact you within 24 hours and ask if you meet our criteria listed above. If you do not meet our criteria, the Intake Coordinator will try to suggest other resources that may be helpful.

2. If you do meet the criteria then an in-person meeting will be scheduled between you, the Intake Coordinator, and the House Director. This meeting is to get to know you and to tell you more about The O’Connor House and our program. At the end of this meeting you will be provided a copy of our Policies and Procedures packet and asked to read it through on your own time.

3. Read your copy of the Policies and Procedures packet thoroughly. If you agree to follow the rules outlined in the packet, you will then be asked to call the Intake Coordinator back for a second Intake meeting. This meeting will take place at The O’Connor House where you will receive a tour, meet the other residents, and review the Policies and Procedures.

4. If after your second intake meeting you are still wanting our services and our House Director determines you would be a good fit for our program, we will schedule a move-in day for you. If we are currently at capacity then you will be placed on our wait-list. Please note that the average time from the 1st intake meeting to moving-in is about 7 days.