Permanent Supportive Housing		June, 2009
Southwest Counseling Solutions Community Living Services Team
Comprehensive Systems Transformation Inititative for Supportive Housing is an EBP developed to move residents from Adult Foster Care (AFC) homes to housing of their choice. The CLS team assists the clients in all phases of their move from helping to identify housing choices, requesting money to purchase household goods, moving; to providing supports to help the clients stay and thrive in their housing. CLS Team Achievements -94% housing retention -Moved 60% of annual goal -Obtained housing assistance funds from CareLink for each client moved. -Wellness and Recovery Group Services -Assist client with housing choice -Apply for housing assistance -“Whatever it takes” attitude to help the client be successful o Transportation o Benefits/ resources o Money management o Basic ADL skills training o Other supports as needed o Hire 1-1 staff for more intensive skills training Know someone who wants to move? -Must be a Southwest client living in an AFC home Contact : Carol Winslow at Waterman x 2228	update on permanent supportive housing
	We are in the second year of our grant. We worked collaboratively with Lincoln Behavioral Services to make a video of Initiative consumers who moved during the first year. Their “Journey to Independence” in their own words is a powerful testament to the importance of one’s own home. In January, 2009, we moved ‘Barb’ to her own apartment. She was referred to our program after a short stay in an AFC. She is 44 years old with SMI and a history of homelessness. However, she was never ‘on the street’ but bounced from friends to relatives to the AFC. She had no savings and very little hope of getting her own place. We helped her find an apartment, applied for housing assistance to purchase household goods and cover startup costs, helped her move and settle in. She has lived happily in her own home for 4 months. “ I can’t thank the CLS team enough for all that you’ve done for me…I can now have my granddaughter visit me in my own place!” This year we are steadily moving clients out of AFC homes into housing of their choice. In January, we began a Wellness and Recovery Group to educate clients about recovery concepts and market some of the new services available to SW clients especially, Permanent Supportive Housing and Supported Employment. The group is ongoing and includes clients interested in moving and those already moved. We also offered a Celebration Luncheon for enrolled clients to celebrate everyone who moved. There was not an empty seat for the pizza lunch. We work with each consumer to help make choices, plan what they need in terms of household goods and what assistance they may need to make the transition from a dependent living situation to independence. Each person is an individual with specific skills and needs. Many have substance abuse histories and have been clean and sober while living in the AFC. With independence, a relapse may occur. Several days of training and consultation with Dr. Ken Minkoff have increased staff skills in helping with addiction issues. In addition, staff has a “whatever it takes” approach to help our consumers learn to handle the challenges they face as they live in their own home.
	Housing and supports include:
	Access: to decent, safe, and affordable housing. Choice: based on the preferences of the consumer. Integration: in the community at large; not living only with MH consumers. Functional separation: housing and services are not dependent on compliance with MH goals. Supportive services: flexible/ individualized services to help the person succeed and thrive in their home.