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Local counselor opens Comfort House in Silver Springs to keep foster children in Lyon County
Summary
A Lyon County school counselor described a newly opened six-bedroom home in Silver Springs intended to house up to eight foster children and partner with UNR for social work interns; the founder said an anonymous donor purchased and remodeled the property and that the program aims to keep county children in local schools.
Gina Armstrong, a professional school counselor with Lyon County School District and founder/representative of Comfort House, told the Lyon County Board of Commissioners that she opened a six-bedroom, 3,200-square-foot home on five acres in Silver Springs to provide trauma-informed short-term care for children removed from their homes.
Armstrong said the house can host up to eight children at a time depending on rooming and that the goal is to keep Lyon County children in Lyon County schools. “I want it to be trauma informed, and I want it to be the best possible care that they can get,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong described an “angel donor” who purchased the property outright and funded a full remodel. She said paperwork attached to the property limits its future use to serving Northern Nevada children if Comfort House ceases operations. Armstrong said she already has two children placed and has a partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno to host social work interns.
Commissioners and staff thanked Armstrong for bringing attention to the project; no board action was taken. The presentation was listed on the agenda as a public awareness presentation rather than a request for county funding or a formal approval.
Armstrong said the Comfort House model envisions one house in each community over time — Silver Springs, Dayton, Fernley and Yerington — to reduce out-of-county placements and provide continuity for children during family disruptions. She did not request county funds during the presentation and did not provide specifics about licensing status or operating budget in the meeting.
