Housing First!

The model we use is called “Housing First”. Here is how the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs defines it:

Housing First programs may be constructed in a number of ways, but share the following features:

The direct, or nearly direct, placement of targeted homeless people into permanent housing. Even though the initial housing placement may be transitional in nature, the program commits to ensuring that the client is housed permanently.

While supportive services are to be offered and made readily available, the program does not require participation in these services to remain in the housing.

The use of assertive outreach to engage and offer housing to homeless people with mental illness who are reluctant to enter shelters or engage in services. Once in housing, a low demand approach accommodates client alcohol and substance use, so that “relapse” will not result in the client losing housing (Marlatt and Tapert, 1993). 5

The continued effort to provide case management and to hold housing for clients, even if they leave their program housing for short periods.

Housing First programs may be constructed in a number of ways, but share the following features:
The direct, or nearly direct, placement of targeted homeless people into permanent housing. Even though the initial housing placement may be transitional in nature, the program commits to ensuring that the client is housed permanently.

While supportive services are to be offered and made readily available, the program does not require participation in these services to remain in the housing.

The use of assertive outreach to engage and offer housing to homeless people with mental illness who are reluctant to enter shelters or engage in services. Once in housing, a low demand approach accommodates client alcohol and substance use, so that “relapse” will not result in the client losing housing (Marlatt and Tapert, 1993). 5

The continued effort to provide case management and to hold housing for clients, even if they leave their program housing for short periods.

http://www.huduser.org/Publications/pdf/hsgfirst.pdf, p. 16. There is a lot to unpack here, and I’ll start doing my best to do so tomorrow.