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The Keys to My Recovery: Stable Supportive Housing and Meaningful Employment
Depression is something I’ve not only experienced but witnessed all my life. It runs in my family. There’s a lot of abuse in my history, and, looking back, I can see clearly how and why I gravitated towards substance abuse, as an attempt to self-medicate. For as long as I can recall, I have...
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Housing for Older Adults with Psychiatric Disabilities: A Continuing Critical Need
For adults with psychiatric disabilities of all ages, stable housing is a critical need—perhaps, in fact, their most critical need. Sadly, appropriate housing is not adequately available at any age. For older adults with long-term psychiatric disabilities, finding decent, affordable, and stable...
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HUD’s Role in Supporting the Goals of Olmstead
In a landmark ruling on June 22, 1999, the United States Supreme Court held in Olmstead v. L.C. that the unjustified segregation of persons with disabilities violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires public entities to administer services, programs, and...
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Innovative Housing Initiatives Support Recovery-Based Care
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) identified a safe and stable home environment as one of the key dimensions that support a life of recovery from a mental health or substance use condition.1 That’s why Optum strives to promote healthy living environments as...
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Integrating Vocational Rehabilitation with Housing Support
Entering a residential program for substance use can be very scary, a time filled with questions and learning to navigate the unknown. As service providers, we can make this time a little easier by answering questions, offering assistance, reassuring clients that all of their needs will be met. We...
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Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Health in Housing
The stigmatization of mental illness continues to be the primary and most significant problem facing participants who are in search of affordable housing options. Persons with mental illness have long experienced stigma from society impacting their pursuit of employment opportunities, housing,...
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Safe, Affordable & Supportive Housing: Will it Remain an Elusive Dream?
Residents of the greater New York metropolitan area and others who are familiar with the regional real estate market understand residential property costs have become prohibitively expensive for renters and owners alike in recent years. In March 2014, the Office of the State Comptroller released a...
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Supportive Housing and Job Development Anchors Individual, Family, and Community Health
Access to safe, affordable housing and stable living-wage employment are fundamental to long-term health, wellness, and recovery for individuals, families and communities. New York State efforts, such as the highly successful New York/New York III program, have been a cutting-edge example to the...
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Treatment and Housing: A Seamless Service Model for High Need Populations
A report published by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in 2013 found that: “Supportive housing has been demonstrated to end homelessness for persons with complex needs and to reduce overall public systems’ involvement and costs.” These “complex needs” include an array...
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Bringing Housing to Scale: A Study on the Housing Needs of Bronx Frequent Users
Despite national declines in homelessness, New York has continued to see a rise in its homeless levels. Lack of stable housing for homeless individuals often results in the frequent use of costly health care services and is a major driver of medical expenses. These are costs that can be avoided. A...
