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Addressing the Permanent Housing Needs of People Experiencing Mental Illness

Addressing the Permanent Housing Needs of People Experiencing Mental Illness. Katie VanArnam, LCSW Director of Housing Access Programs Virginia Supportive Housing. What is Permanent Housing?. Permanent (vs. time limited) Individuals or families have leases

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Addressing the Permanent Housing Needs of People Experiencing Mental Illness

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  1. Addressing the Permanent Housing Needs of People Experiencing Mental Illness Katie VanArnam, LCSW Director of Housing Access Programs Virginia Supportive Housing

  2. What is Permanent Housing? • Permanent (vs. time limited) • Individuals or families have leases • Permanent Supportive Housing provides appropriate services to assist with maintaining permanent housing

  3. Completed Projects: Total Units 250 Families 16 Families Adults with Disabilities (Section 811) 36 individuals Studio Apartments 206 Units • Bliley Manor • 1998 8 Adults • Veterans Apartments • 2008 • 4 Units • James River Apartments • 2008 • 6 Units • Independence House • 2005 • 6 Units Minor Street 2000 4 Units Third Avenue 2002 4 Units Chestnut Hills 2004 4 Units Cary Street 2004 2 Buildings 4 Units • New Clay House • 1992 • 47 Units • South Richmond • 1996 • 39 Units • Gosnold Apartments • 2007 • 60 Units • Cloverleaf Apartments • 2008 • 60 Units Adults with HIV/AIDS 8 Individuals HomeBuy5 (Home Ownership Program) Stratford House 1998 8 Adults 1991 21 Homes

  4. Housing Access Programs • Added to VSH in 2006 • Provide permanent housing options utilizing existing rental housing in the community • Three components: • Shelter Plus Care (S+C) • A Place to Start (APTS) • Housing Resource Center (HRC)

  5. Shelter Plus Care • HUD funded program • Provides rental subsidies to individuals and families • Homeless prior to program entry • Adult member (“client”) must have disability • Must be awarded to “government entity” • Awarded as part of Continuum of Care process • Requires matching services

  6. A Place to Start (APTS) • Housing First model • Services are voluntary • Housing is used as an intervention, not a reward • People are not “held hostage” in their homelessness or SMI • See resource page for additional information on housing first • Started as collaboration between Chesterfield CSB and VSH • Provides permanent housing and intensive mental health services to 50 individuals who have history of chronic homelessness in addition to a severe mental illness

  7. Housing Resource Center • Newest Housing Access Program • Links those with housing barriers to permanent housing • Is staffed by housing specialists • Up until now, has been marginally successful because of lack of rental subsidies (HPRP) • FindHousingVa.org

  8. Traditional (HUD) Response to Homelessness

  9. The “traditional” model can be a difficult system for those with a mental illness . . . • Have a hard time in emergency shelter • Have an even harder time in many transitional shelter programs • Symptoms may make it difficult to follow through

  10. How Our Community Responds to Homelessness – 2016* Prevention Permanent Housing with Services as Needed: Rapid Re-Housing with Housing Assessment & Referral/Placement, Family Stabilization Housing Crisis or Homelessness • Case management • Mental health services • Substance abuse services • Healthcare services • Employment/Training • Childcare Interim Housing with access to immediate benefits *Taken from Homeward's Ten Year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness

  11. What is “better” with the new model? • Increased focus on matching need with service • Less time spent in shelter • Increased focus on Rapid Re-housing and Prevention • May be able to qualify for “homeless programs” without ever having to enter the shelter system • System wide focus on housing barrier assessment

  12. What do landlords want in a tenant? • Their money • Assurance that their property will be taken care of

  13. Tenant Rights/Fair Housing • Landlords can not screen your applicants any differently than anyone else • If you have questions regarding fair housing law, ASK!!!!

  14. “Barriers” that can be addressed in Permanent Housing • Activities of Daily Living (cooking, cleaning, budgeting, leisure time activities, etc.) • Mental Health issues and concerns • Substance use and impact on daily life

  15. “Barriers” That May Require Additional Intervention • Bad (or no) credit • Criminal record • Rental history (or lack of) • Role of Shelter (emergency and transitional) in addressing these barriers . . .

  16. Housing Specialists • Housing specialist case manager • The housing specialist’s “clients” are landlords • Work in conjunction with clinical/case management staff, but clear roles and boundaries separating the two • Although it helps if a housing specialist has some experience with the homeless population, their primary role is to work with landlords

  17. QUESTIONS?

  18. Contact Information • Katie VanArnam, LCSW (804) 525-1940 kvanarnam@virginiasupportivehousing.org Virginiasupportivehousing.org

  19. Additional Resources • Shelter Plus Care - http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/programs/splusc/index.cfm • Housing First – www.naeh.orgwww.pathwaystohousing.org • Supportive Housing – www.naeh.org, www.csh.org • Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act - http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+TOC55000000013000020000000, www.dpor.virginia.gov/dporweb/fho_index.cfm

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