LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A resource center for people transitioning out of foster care is in the works in the northwest valley, aiming to address a critical gap in services for youth aging out of the system.
Hundreds of kids end up in the foster care system, and when they age out, many don’t know where to go next. The proposed project aims to bridge that gap.
Jimmy Monaghan, executive director of Olive Crest, said his own experience fuels the mission. He struggled with substance abuse before finding sobriety and dedicating himself to service.
“I never want anybody to have to experience the shame and guilt, I guess, but it’s more of the shame,” Monaghan said. “There was no dignity in a lot of the help that I received.”
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Project comes together after previous effort fell through
Monaghan said he tried to launch a similar project before, but lost the space.
“And I pulled up to the parking spot I’d been parking at for about four years. And I was crying,” he said.
Inspiration came from right outside his office.
“And I looked over the wall, and I went, that’s interesting. That vacant lot is exactly the same size, same shape as the one we just lost,” Monaghan said.
From there, he said all the right pieces quickly came together at a time when Olive Crest says demand is surging. In 2021, the organization served more than 1,000 people. By 2025, they served nearly 9,000.
“There’s a dire need for housing in our city, in our state, in our country. However, there is a great need for young people aging out of foster care,” Monaghan said.
Center to include apartments
Even though the focus is on support for young people aging out of foster care, the resource center would be open to anyone.
“And so, we will build 16 apartments just to the west of where we’re sitting right now for that part of the program,” Monaghan said.
Monaghan said ages 18 to 21 can be some of the most vulnerable years for youth exiting the system.
“Statistically, we know that 60% will be on the substance use disorder spectrum in the first year. We know that 60% will be unhoused in the first 18 months. And we also know that conservatively, 60% of sex workers are foster youth, former foster youth,” he said.
A later phase would aim to add another 16 apartments for families, as some transitional youth are parents themselves. Olive Crest says this would be the only part of the program that costs participants.
“Again, teach them to be independent, right?” Monaghan said.
County, hospital partner on effort
Commissioner Kirkpatrick said that as the county has grown, so has the need for stronger support systems.
“So on any given day in our social service world, partnering with the school district, we know who those kids are. And any time that we can keep people out of our system and get them into a great place,” Kirkpatrick said.
UMC is also on board, saying this effort connects directly to the services they provide across the community.
“We have a lot of programs through our own Healthy Living Institute to be able to help reduce child abuse, neglect, help with new parents, daddy boot camps, shaken baby syndrome, those type of things that we’re working together with Olive Crest to be able to identify. But also, they help us every single day in our hospital to be able to find resources for people that are showing up at UMC,” said Mason Van Houweling, CEO of UMC.
They hope this project will inspire others to pop up in the future.
Right now, they are in the pre-application stage of their entitlements with the city, but they’re hoping to complete the project in late 2027
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