An Overview of Housing First
Join us at Child & Family for an informative session on the topic of housing.
The Housing First model addresses homelessness among people with mental health and substance use disorders. The model, which originated with Pathways to Housing in New York, has a unique approach of providing housing first, and then combining that housing with supportive services and treatment services. This best practice, evidence based model is based on research that shows a Housing First approach dramatically reduces homelessness and is significantly more effective than traditional treatment and housing models.
By providing a person with a home, Housing First offers dignity and ignites hope in individuals who have often been treated in an undignified manner and who have felt hopeless for years. Most importantly, the transformation of moving from homelessness into a home of one’s own begins the process of physical and psychological healing and immediately changes a person’s status from an outcast to a valued member of the community.
The Housing First model is a proven, effective, cost saving approach for both the street-dwelling homeless and those staying in shelters, jails, state hospitals, or other institutions. The problem of homelessness among adults with severe mental disorders still persists but with the Housing First approach this issue can now be effectively addressed on a large scale.
