Shepherd’s Shelter is the vision of Pastor Wayne Ross, who knows first hand what it is like to be homeless and to abuse drugs and alcohol to make the pain go away.  That’s why, when the Lord saved him, he felt compelled to help others like himself find the way back to a better life in Christ.

He began his mission  7 years ago by opening up a homeless shelter in Lexington, KY.  He was very successful, but he noticed that most of the homeless he helped were also addicted to drugs or alcohol, so he changed the emphasis of the shelter to address these  addictions.  He bought 2 small homes on either side of his church: one for men and one for women. 

Before long he was at capacity and had a waiting list.   Shepherd's Shelter has operated for 7 years on a donation basis since it is a 501c3  organization.

The Shepherd’s Shelter Program is based on treating the whole person. Treatment team members strive to understand and treat each individual on medical, psychological and social levels.

Often, adults who enter our program have either not fully developed or have lost the healthy life and coping skills they need to function effectively. Using a rehabilitation model of treatment, our staff blends therapeutic approaches to teach and coach the use of adaptive skills. We also work with the patient to regain their sense of self and help them rekindle their potential and manage their symptoms.

Individualized treatment planning and treatment are essential to this program. A customized treatment plan allows each patient to capitalize on their strengths while they work on targeted symptoms among peers and experienced clinical staff.

Shepherd’s Shelter integrates the Christian 12-step addictions treatment model with traditional interventions. Treatment for psychiatric disorders focuses on the effects that emotional difficulties have on navigating adulthood.

In all cases, Shepherd’s Shelter emphasizes the teaching of life management skills, coping strategies and social rehabilitation. Patients learn how they can function more effectively within their community, as part of their family and for themselves.

The treatment goals are to form personal and peer alliances that will empower patients to take responsibility for their recovery, minimize relapse potential and focus on life skills.