Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing First!

Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing First! Ann V. Denton Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing First! People with serious mental illnesses/co-occurring disorders face significant, ongoing challenges to housing retention. The most significant challenge is ongoing poverty! Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing First! People with serious mental illnesses/co-occurring disorders face significant, ongoing challenges to housing retention. Another significant challenge is a lack of intensive and targeted supports and services in our communities. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing First! What is Permanent Supportive Housing? It improves the community integration and quality of life for people with psychiatric disabilities and substance abuse disorders—reducing problems in achieving a stable living situation, and increasing the potential to successfully rebound from psychiatric disability. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First “Housing First” or “Supported Housing” approach is an emerging concept within the Permanent Supportive Housing umbrella. Provides individuals with on demand housing and a high degree of choice, integration, and community inclusion. Uses scattered sites, often with private market landlords. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First Provides housing to persons with significant functional impairments, without requiring a demonstration of housing readiness, and… offering individuals housing first, is an engagement tool for seriously disenfranchised people Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First Offering housing first to prospective tenants with significant functional impairments and no demonstration of readiness results in… exiting homelessness, and leaving institutions and other segregated settings. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First Offering supports and services with the housing assistance means that people with significant functional impairments can— STAY in their homes. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First Housing First is an important tool to improve community integration because… many people with serious mental illnesses have multiple needs and the service delivery systems have been unsuccessful in meeting them. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First Housing First - by definition – is for people who are not well served by programs that require: • sobriety • compliance with treatment regimens, or • other restrictions. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First A key component of Housing First is CHOICE. • Choice of housing unit • Choice of services and supports. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First An essential element of Housing First is INTEGRATION and community inclusion. Integration is a mix of populations in housing: diversity in income and a mix of labeled and unlabeled people. Mixed incomes as a guiding principle comes from the affordable housing industry. True integration is completely scattered site housing. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First Immediate ACCESS to housing is a crucial component of a housing first approach. Housing becomes an engagement tool. Access to housing is not dependent on traditional predictors of readiness: • Sobriety • Med compliant • Ability to shop or cook, etc. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First What does it take to adopt a housing first approach? • Identified need – Is your population underserved by current offerings? • Rental assistance funds/financially assisted units • Intensive services and supports • Targeting services to people with significant functional impairments • Staff training and support. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Approach: Housing First What does it take to adopt a housing first approach? Housing First requires some system changes to support the activity, including: • Management and leadership buy-in • Consensus about goals and methods • Understanding, accepting, and managing risk • Understand needs of multiple customers • Updated Personnel policies, job descriptions, program policies/procedures/manuals • New Partners • Quality assurance Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Moving to Recovery: Substance Abuse Issues in Housing People with co-occurring disorders (mental illness and substance abuse) can present a challenge to housing first implementation. Housing First approaches do not require sobriety as a pre-condition for housing. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Moving to Recovery: Substance Abuse Issues in Housing A Different Approach: • Addiction is an illness, not a moral failing or lack of character. • An improvement in quality of life is a successful outcome. • Being realistic with people about the risks of alcohol and drug use is essential. • Choice is essential to understanding this service approach. People are making choices. You can help people make informed and competent decisions. Drawn from: Lamp Community Model, 527 S. Crocker Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90013; www.lampcommunity.org Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Moving to Recovery: Substance Abuse Issues in Housing Successful approaches for individuals with co-occurring disorders include: • Integrated treatment plan • Wet, Damp & Dry Housing • Encouraging Abstinence • Housing & retention penalty for using illegal substances • Dual Recovery & Self Help Programs • Supported or integrated employment Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing First! Outcomes of a Housing First approach: • Successful for people who are chronically homeless and others with serious mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders • Improved community integration • Improved housing retention • High degree of choice, access, integration, flexibility and a separation of service and housing functions. • No difference in rates of substance abuse among people with co-occurring disorders. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing First! Outcomes of the Housing First approach: • Improved self-esteem and confidence • Facilitated motivation to change • Establish trust in self and others • HOPE AND RECOVERY!! Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Now!An Effective Engagement Strategy It is up to each community to: • assess housing and employment needs • assess and adjust service capacity • create community tolerance for various approaches • assess the needs of people who are chronically homeless Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing First! In summary, • Housing is essential in ending homelessness and achieving community integration. • Poverty is a significant barrier to community integration for people on SSI. • Solutions must address poverty, and some form of financial housing assistance is essential. Jobs and job training are essential to community integration. • Permanent Supportive Housing makes housing affordable and offers high levels of services and supports. Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Housing Now!An Effective Engagement Strategy Thank You! Questions? --- Ann V. Denton Director of Housing Advocates for Human Potential, NY Office 9300 Lightwood Loop Austin, TX 78748 512.282.1401 Advocates for Human Potential, NY

Permanent Supportive Housing – Housing First!