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Mental Health Housing is…

Independence
Perseverance
Hope
Home


The Association for Community Living (ACL) developed the Bring it Home Campaign as a way to bring together community-based mental health housing providers, mental health advocates, faith leaders, along with residents and their families, to fight for community-based housing programs for individuals with psychiatric disabilities. Full recovery and community reintegration depends on stable housing opportunities. Through education and advocacy, Bring it Home is working to bring a modernized housing model to New York, which is currently relying on outdated housing models created decades ago, as everything has changed but the model .

The Issues

ACL is a statewide membership organization of not-for-profit agencies that provide housing and rehabilitation services to around 48,000 people diagnosed with serious and persistent psychiatric disabilities.

These programs are severely outdated, with the older being created in 1984, but now, as more factors are contributing to the strain on providers, Bring It Home is more important than ever.

Here are some of the issues facing NYS Mental Health Housing Programs:

  • Residents in mental health housing programs have increased psychological, medical and programmatic needs.

  • Increased costs to run the programs, and make as many helpful services available to participants as possible.

  • Employees don’t earn a living wage and often leave the field, despite the work being rewarding.

  • Mental health housing program models do not support professional or clinical staff. This includes nurses, home health aides, maintenance staff, security staff, housekeeping staff, and more.

  • The average statewide staff vacancy rate is approximately 21%.

The Solutions

Mental Health Housing Providers want to help residents get the care and attention they need.

If the state were to enhance staffing and reimbursement rates for existing staff, a number of ripple effects would occur:

  • Providers could pay existing staff a living wage, which decreases staff turnover and the number of vacant positions would decrease, thus creating stronger, longer lasting relationships with residents.

  • Professional staff could be hired to best serve residents in their road to recovery, decreasing unfair burdens place on existing staff, as well as ensuring all residents receive the type of care they need.

  • Compared to other alternatives (Hospitals, homelessness, nursing homes, prisons and jails), Mental Health Housing is more cost effective. In fact, depending on the housing model, it can be 40% to 94% less expensive.

Mental Health Housing Programs:

  • Saves lives and saves taxpayers money

  • Is more effective than institutionalized settings

  • Provides residents life tools and stability to aid in their recovery, giving them a better chance for independence.

How You Can Help

Types of Mental Health Housing

Mental Health Housing Programs consist of 5 housing types, all of which vary based on the need of the individual seeking treatment.

  1. Congregate Treatment (CR) - Licensed - Transitional: These rehabilitative residential programs teach skills, offer support, and help residents in their recovery so they can achieve the highest level of independence possible. These residences are single-site facilities, with private or shared bedrooms, for up to 48 individuals. Meals are provided, as well as on-site rehabilitative services and 24 hour staff coverage. This level of housing is appropriate for individuals who need rehabilitative services in a non-hospital setting prior to placement in more permanent community-based housing.

  2. Apartment Treatment (TAP) - Licensed - Transitional: These programs provide a high level of support and skills training to individuals in community-based apartment settings. TAP is designed to be transitional in nature, with an average length of stay of 18 months. Residents gain skills and independence, learn to use community programs, and develop a community support system of friends and family. Staff work on-site with each resident, providing rehabilitative and supportive services designed to improve an individual's ability to recover, and eventually access more independent housing options.

  3. Community Residence/Single Room Occupancy (CR/SRO) – Licensed - Transitional/Service Enriched, Extended stay; This program type offers on-site services for individuals who want private living units, but who have minimal self-maintenance and socialization skills. Living units are usually designed as studio apartments or as suites with single bedrooms around shared living spaces. A CR/SRO must maintain 24 hour front desk security and make services available (i.e., case management, life skills training, etc.).

  4. Supported/Single Room Occupancy (SP/SRO) – Unlicensed - Long-term or Permanent: This type of housing program is where residents can access the support services they require to live successfully in the community. There is no OMH certification or licensing process. An SP/SRO can be located in a building existing solely as a SP/SRO, or integrated into a building that serves other population groups. Front desk coverage is proved 24 hours per day. However, other 24 hour staffing is not required. An SP/SRO must make services available to residents.

  5. Scattered Site Supported Housing (SSSH) – Unlicensed - Permanent: As an alternative program to licensed transitional housing, Scattered- Site Supported Housing enables individuals to live more independently in the community. Residents live in apartments located in the community and receive housing case management services as needed.

Contact the Campaign:

Press Contact: Leanne Ricchiuti - Public Relations Account Executive, OverIt
E: leanne.ricchiuti@overit.com - M: 518-222-8073

Campaign Contact: Sebrina Barrett - Executive Director, Association for Community Living
E: sebrina@aclnys.org - P: 518-688-1682, Ext. 225