Products and Resources Catalog

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE Sometimes mental health conditions can make maintaining a tenancy difficult. Things can get even more complicated when a housing voucher is involved and an incident results in the tenant facing the loss of not only their housing, but also the subsidy they rely on to help keep a roof over their head. This presentation will talk about the challenges many tenants face when balancing their mental health and a housing voucher, as well as an overview of what tools a tenant and their provider can use to help maintain housing stability. The Northwest MHTTC is proud to offer this webinar in partnership with the Tenant Law Center. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Presentation Resources  Slides HUD fact sheet, mental health Other Resources Washington State: Fair Housing Center of WA Human Rights Commission Overview of types of subsidies Northwest Hoarding Coalition Washington Law Help Washington Low Income Housing Alliance - want to get involved with WLIHA? Please email [email protected] King County Tenant Resource Line, open M-F (except holidays) from 9 AM to 1 PM: (206) 580-0762 Solid Ground classes: Webinars for tenants For any other questions, or to get in touch with the Tenant Law Center: Kacey Burton: [email protected] Elizabeth Powell: [email protected] FACILITATORS Elizabeth Powell, Staff Attorney Elizabeth Powell has been actively practicing law since she was admitted to the Washington Bar in 2000. She volunteered for the King County Housing Justice Project for years and took the knowledge she gained representing tenants facing evictions into her private practice, where she litigated well over a thousand cases in the last 23 years. She was solo counsel on Thoreson Homes v Prudhon, a Div I published decision which reversed the trial court. She has presented at CLE’s geared towards landlord-tenant litigation and has assisted with litigation and/or settlement of housing cases all over the state. She has handled grievance hearings with PCHA, THA, SHA, and KCHA. She has litigated matters involving the WSLAD, the ADA and service animals, and reasonable accommodation. Kasey Burton, Senior Staff Attorney Kasey Burton is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Tenant Law Center, which provides eviction prevention and tenant advocacy services to King County. Kasey has spent several years practicing landlord-tenant law as both a right-to-counsel attorney for tenants facing eviction and providing eviction prevention assistance, which has allowed her to pursue her passion for housing justice.  Kasey attended the University of Washington for both her Bachelor’s in Political Science, with a minor in Law, Societies, and Justice, and her Juris Doctorate. She is currently working on her Master’s in Public Administration at the University of Colorado Denver and hopes to use this degree to facilitate her engagement in policy change that provides Washington citizens who are tenants or unhoused with the protections they deserve. Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement ​

About this Resource: This flipbook document accompanies our Housing First Ends Homelessness on-demand recording. It describes how the Pathways Housing First program works to end homelessness for individuals with mental illness, addiction, and other health challenges. An overview of the 3 case study programs (City - Milwaukee County Housing Services, State - Georgia Housing Voucher Program, and Federal - VA Homeless Programs Office) used to illustrate how Housing first is successfully implemented is provided.  To view this resource in pdf format, please click here. 

  The Great Lakes Current is the e-newsletter of the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   The November 2023 issue honors National Native American Heritage Month, National Homelessness Awareness Month, and a brand-new Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy intensive technical assistance opportunity. As always, you will also find links to all upcoming events and trainings hosted by the Great Lakes ATTC, MHTTC, and PTTC.   Make sure you're subscribed to our email contact list, so you never miss a month of The Great Lakes Current newsletter and thank you for reading!

About this Resource:  In this on-demand recording, panelists describe how the Pathways Housing First program works to end homelessness for individuals with mental illness, addiction, and other health challenges. National experts provide case studies to illustrate how Housing First is successfully implemented to address homelessness through City (Milwaukee County Housing Services), State (Georgia Housing Voucher Program), and Federal (VA Homeless Programs Office) programs.

This is a recording of Session 3 of Rising Practices & Policies Revisited - Working with Youth and Families Experiencing Homelessness and Home Insecurity, which occurred on July 10, 2023. In this session, Pacific Southwest MHTTC's Co-Director Miranda March hosted and Technical Assistance Specialist Evelyn Clark facilitated a panel discussion on how community-based organizations, mental health systems, and school services are responding to the issues, challenges, and needs of home insecurity and what rising practices and policies are emerging to meet the mental and school mental health needs of people experiencing the impact of structural inequities. The Session 3 panelists included Program Specialist of Homeless Education for the Orange County Department of Education, Elida Sanchez; Executive Director of CARE Olympia, Emily Clouse; Special Projects Coordinator for McKinney-Vento & Foster Care Liaison, Hannah Etchison; and Samantha Taitano who serves as Executive Director of Manelu in Guam. In this session, we explored the following questions and more: How can we interrupt the stigmatization of homelessness and foster safe and equitable access to mental health services? How are school and community-based mental health partners utilizing the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and other federal funding streams to maximize the workforce’s skills and support? How can we increase access to school services and supports? How can we collaborate with services that address compounding issues (e.g., interpersonal violence, the foster system) to be innovative in our approaches?

  LEARNING SUMMARY Working with Youth and Families Experiencing Homelessness and Home Insecurity   In July of 2022, MHTTC's Region 9 convened leaders in the school and mental health workforce to share strategies for responding to youth homelessness and housing insecurity in school and community-based settings. Highlights from the panelists and group discussion, along with resources shared, are presented in this document. 

Recording of the event Housing and Reentry: Briefing on Rehousing and Second Chances, originally held on April 5, 2023.   Presentation slides

Hosted in collaboration with SAMHSA and Abt Associates, this video recording highlights findings from SAMHSA's guide, Expanding Access to and Use of Behavioral Health Services for People Experiencing Homelessness. Wait times for placement into permanent housing can range from a few months to several years, and longer periods of homelessness are associated with lower rates of recovery and higher rates of psychiatric distress. The period prior to moving into stable housing is therefore an important window to offer services, and one that requires multi-system coordination. This recorded webinar provides an overview of the SAMHSA guide and includes presentations from four organizations that are currently using the evidence-based practices featured in this guide to support mental health and substance use needs among individuals experiencing homelessness. Watch the video recording below. Access the guide here. Download the slides here or by clicking the "download" button above.

The November issue of Northwest News provides information on Native American Heritage Month, National Family Caregivers Month, Veterans Day, and other observances throughout the month. We also include information on an upcoming MHTTC webinar titled Intersectionality of the Transitioning Veteran, upcoming SAMHSA and partner events, online courses, free resources, and our latest podcast episode on Social Justice and Inclusion.

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE This document addresses the culture of homelessness and the impact of mental illness upon unhoused individuals with an eye towards strategies and tips to provide person-centered, trauma-informed, strengths-based and culturally appropriate services and supports. It was developed in conjunction with the "Homelessness and Mental Health: Impacts and Strategies for Effective Care" webinar held on April 19, 2022. View the recorded webinar and other related resources here.     Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE In the United States between 2.5 and 3.5 million individuals experience homelessness in some form over the course of a single year. Homelessness is a serious problem, and risk factors exacerbating the potential for homelessness include adverse childhood experiences, substance use and mental illness. Studies exploring the significance of mental illness within the homeless population have discovered a high occurrence of mental disorders. Additionally, the culture of homelessness adds a dimension to outreach and delivery of services and supports that are often either missed or ignored, often to the detriment of the person in need of the services. Join us as we explore the culture of homelessness and the impact of mental illness upon unhoused individuals with an eye towards strategies and tips to provide person-centered, trauma-informed, strengths-based and culturally appropriate services and supports. Learning Objectives: Explain the culture of homelessness Identify at least three environmental and/or individual risk factors for homelessness Describe the racial disparities associated with homelessness Describe the importance of client retention and continuity of care for someone experiencing homelessness List at least two recovery management and relapse prevention techniques for people experiencing homelessness with mental and/or substance disorders Recall at least 4 of the 12 core guiding principles of permanent supportive housing programs Discuss the integration of substance use and mental disorder treatment in homeless services and why it is important Describe at least two special populations who experience homelessness at higher rates than the general population ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Presentation slides  Highlights & Key Concepts Document  Identifying, Deconstructing, and Reducing Stigma Toolkit Recovery Oriented Language Guide, Mental Health Coordinating Council  Implicit Bias: An Overview, Equal Justice Society SAMHSA toolkit Whole-Person Care for People Experiencing Homelessness and Opioid Use Disorder References: 250,000 mentally Ill are Homeless. 140,000 seriously mentally Ill are Homeless, Mental Illness Policy Org  Breaking the Cycle: Homelessness, Mental Illness, and Incarceration in the Age of COVID-19, Neelam Patel, Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law, Volume XXII, issue III Adverse Childhood Experiences Resources, CDC   COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Needed Policy Responses for a High-Risk Group, National Health Care for the Homeless Council Ending Homelessness: Addressing Local Challenges in Housing the Most Vulnerable, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Five Charts That Explain the Homelessness-Jail Cycle—and How to Break It, The Urban Institute Homelessness Resources on the Web, National Health Care for the Homeless Council Homelessness and Mental Illness: A Challenge to Our Society, The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Homelessness Among Older Adults: An Emerging Crisis, Generations Journal, Summer 2020. American Society on Aging. Rodriguez, N.M., Lahey, A.M., MacNeill, J.J. et al. Homelessness during COVID-19: challenges, responses, and lessons learned from homeless service providers in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. BMC Public Health 21, 1657 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11687-8  Homelessness and Racial Disparities, National Alliance to End Homelessness State of Homelessness: A Look at Race and Ethnicity, National Alliance to End Homelessness Policing- and punishment-based approaches: A really expensive way to make homelessness worse, National Coalition for Housing Justice  Racial Disparities in Homelessness in the United States, National Alliance to End Homelessness SAMHSA Advisory: Behavioral Health Services for People Who Are Homeless Serious Mental Illness and Homelessness, Treatment Advocacy Center SPARC Report: Phase One Study Findings, March 2018 Samra, S., 2015. The Culture of Homelessness. Johnson City TN Behavioral Health provider training (PowerPoint Slides) The Growing Problem of Older Adult Homelessness, The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University The Never-Ending Loop: Homelessness, Psychiatric Disorder, and Mortality. May 29, 2020. Lilanthi Balasuriya, MD, MMS, Eliza Buelt, MD, Jack Tsai, PhD. Psychiatric Times, Vol 37, Issue 5, Volume 37, Issue 5 The Nuances of Mental Illness and Homelessness, The Homeless Voice Where Does Homelessness Happen? National Health Care for the Homeless Council FACILITATORS   Steven Samra, MPA, Senior Associate, C4 Innovations Steven Samra was Deputy Director for SAMHSA's Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS). He has served in leadership capacities for SAMHSA’s Housing and Homelessness Resource Network, Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness, and Services in Supportive Housing Technical Assistance Center and has led numerous peer involvement initiatives. Steven brings expertise in developing and leading peer advisory councils, harm reduction approaches, substance use and mental health recovery, peer leadership, criminal justice, cultural competence, promotion of lived experience as critical experiential knowledge, and effective outreach and engagement for challenging populations. After entering recovery in 1999 from homelessness, complex trauma, substance use, criminal justice involvement, and mental health challenges, Steven began medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in 2000. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where he co-founded a street newspaper, The Contributor, and serves on the Nashville/Davidson Metropolitan Strategic Planning Committee to end homelessness in Nashville.   Will Connelly, CEO, Park Center Will Connelly grew up in Nashville and after graduating from high school, studied theology during his undergraduate years and then pursues a Master of Theology at Vanderbilt University, he felt called to be helpful to those who stand with their backs against the wall. He began his career engaging individuals experiencing homelessness and making connections to housing, entitlements, mental health support, and sometimes just an ear and a cup of coffee. Shortly after that, Will joined Park Center and led the SOAR program and has worked to end homelessness across the U.S. since then. His goals are simple: continue to provide excellent, evidence-based services in an inclusive, consistent, and radically compassionate way.     Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement

ABOUT THIS RESOURCE This recorded webinar aims to increase understanding of common oral health problems faced by individuals with mental health and substance abuse challenges. Many may face stigma or shame related to their oral health. Peer support specialists play an integral role in supporting those they serve related to their oral health and recovery. Excerpts from the Mental Health and Addiction Certification Board of Oregon’s Peer Oral Health Training are utilized in this webinar. Hosted by the Northwest MHTTC in partnership with the Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Presentation slides Give Back a Smile Cosmetic Dentistry Grants  The Mouth-Body Connection Book 32 Reasons You Need to Know More About the Mouth-Body Connection infographic from The Smile Generation American Dental Association 2000 Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health "Study to Explore How to Improve Oral Health for Those With Mental Illness," Dentistry Today, 12 August 2020. University of Utah Health. (2019, May 20). The healing power of a smile: A link between oral care and substance abuse recovery. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 13, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190520081926.htm American Dental Association and Health Policy Institute, "Oral Health and Well-Being in the United States." This fact sheet summarizes select data on self-reported oral health status, attitudes and dental care utilization among United States adults as of 2015.   FACILITATOR   Janie Gullickson, MPA: HA Janie Gullickson is a person in long-term recovery and for her that means she has not used alcohol or other drugs in over 11 years. Janie is in recovery from both addiction and mental health challenges as well as homelessness, incarceration, and criminal justice involvement. She navigated all types of systems and institutions that can accompany such life experiences, from frequent hospitalizations to prison. Janie was released from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in September of 2006. Janie first began her work as a Peer Support Specialist/Recovery Mentor for Yamhill County HHS in McMinnville, Oregon in 2011. Janie joined the peer-run organization Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO) as a project assistant in 2014. In May of 2017 Janie became MHAAO’s Executive Director. She also earned her Master of Public Administration: Health Administration (MPA: HA) degree from Portland State University in June of 2017. Janie is passionate about social justice issues with a focus on mental health and addiction recovery, peer programs and services and advocacy in these realms.   PANELISTS Reina Bower Reina Bower is the Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon Evolve Peer Services Director.     Kevin Fitts Kevin Fitts is the Executive Director of the Oregon Mental Health Consumers Association.

This webinar will feature a series of Permanent Supportive Housing stakeholders from across Iowa who will share their unique perspectives on this evidence-based practice and discuss the road forward. Each of these six perspectives yields new insights into the model, how it is funded, and how services are provided. This webinar will highlight the feasibility of implementing Permanent Supportive Housing and the importance of a broad coalition of stakeholders. Content will be rooted heavily in the Permanent Supportive Housing context in Iowa, but all are welcome to attend.   Learning objectives: Introduce the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) model through a variety of stakeholders from Iowa Describe the need for a broad coalition to implement PSH Describe existing funding structures for PSH   Speakers: Marissa Eyanson serves as the Division Administrator of Community Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS) for the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS). In this role, she leads teams responsible for coordinating and assuring that all Iowans have access to high quality services and supports across the full spectrum of mental health and disability related needs. Marissa is a life-long small-town Iowan and graduate of Iowa State University. Her background and experience bring a unique ability to pivot perspectives from provider to payer to regulator. Marissa’s first job was as a direct support professional in an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disability (ICF/ID), and she has dedicated her career to working in the mental health and disability services field in Iowa. Karen Hyatt is the Emergency Mental Health Specialist for the Division of Community Mental Health and Disability Services within the Department of Human Services and serves as the Disaster Behavioral Health Coordinator for the state. She has work emphasis in crisis stabilization services, peer support and the Office of Consumer Affairs.   Courtney Guntly is the Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care Director. In this role, she supports HUD-funded housing programs in their efforts to end homelessness across Iowa’s 96 counties making up the Balance of State, all while working strategically with partners to achieve this vision. Courtney holds a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Luther College.   Cynthia Latcham is the Executive Director at Anawim Housing, a nonprofit that focuses on implementing permanent supportive housing programs using evidence-based principles of housing first, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care. The programs and services offered through Anawim Housing have existed for over 20 years, with Cynthia leading the team since 2017.   ​​Terri Rosonke is the Housing Programs Manager within the Iowa Finance Authority’s Housing Programs Division. She is responsible for managing the State Housing Trust Fund and leads the agency’s Olmstead compliance, permanent supportive housing, and disaster recovery initiatives.   Maria Walker is the Program Planner for Polk County Health Services. She supports, plans, implements and oversees contract management for employment and day services. She provides staff support for the Polk Regional Adult Advisory Committee and leads provider relations and provider contracting. Walker came to PCHS in August 1998 from Systems Unlimited, a provider agency in Iowa City and was the Employment Director. She has a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Administration from Drake University. Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This webinar will feature a series of Permanent Supportive Housing stakeholders from across Iowa who will share their unique perspectives on this evidence-based practice and discuss the road forward. Each of these six perspectives yields new insights into the model, how it is funded, and how services are provided. This webinar will highlight the feasibility of implementing Permanent Supportive Housing and the importance of a broad coalition of stakeholders. Content will be rooted heavily in the Permanent Supportive Housing context in Iowa, but all are welcome to attend.   Learning objectives: Introduce the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) model through a variety of stakeholders from Iowa Describe the need for a broad coalition to implement PSH Describe existing funding structures for PSH   Speakers: Marissa Eyanson serves as the Division Administrator of Community Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS) for the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS). In this role, she leads teams responsible for coordinating and assuring that all Iowans have access to high quality services and supports across the full spectrum of mental health and disability related needs. Marissa is a life-long small-town Iowan and graduate of Iowa State University. Her background and experience bring a unique ability to pivot perspectives from provider to payer to regulator. Marissa’s first job was as a direct support professional in an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disability (ICF/ID), and she has dedicated her career to working in the mental health and disability services field in Iowa. Karen Hyatt is the Emergency Mental Health Specialist for the Division of Community Mental Health and Disability Services within the Department of Human Services and serves as the Disaster Behavioral Health Coordinator for the state. She has work emphasis in crisis stabilization services, peer support and the Office of Consumer Affairs.   Courtney Guntly is the Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care Director. In this role, she supports HUD-funded housing programs in their efforts to end homelessness across Iowa’s 96 counties making up the Balance of State, all while working strategically with partners to achieve this vision. Courtney holds a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Luther College.   Cynthia Latcham is the Executive Director at Anawim Housing, a nonprofit that focuses on implementing permanent supportive housing programs using evidence-based principles of housing first, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care. The programs and services offered through Anawim Housing have existed for over 20 years, with Cynthia leading the team since 2017.   ​​Terri Rosonke is the Housing Programs Manager within the Iowa Finance Authority’s Housing Programs Division. She is responsible for managing the State Housing Trust Fund and leads the agency’s Olmstead compliance, permanent supportive housing, and disaster recovery initiatives.   Maria Walker is the Program Planner for Polk County Health Services. She supports, plans, implements and oversees contract management for employment and day services. She provides staff support for the Polk Regional Adult Advisory Committee and leads provider relations and provider contracting. Walker came to PCHS in August 1998 from Systems Unlimited, a provider agency in Iowa City and was the Employment Director. She has a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Administration from Drake University. Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This webinar will share best practices and lessons learned about creating permanent supportive housing programs for rural communities that meet SAMSHA fidelity guidelines. The presentation covers the philosophy, funding, and solutions for program challenges and potential next steps for interested communities.   Learning objectives: Introduce the permanent supportive housing (PSH) model Explore PSH models through a rural lens Analyze lessons learned from establishing rural PSH Describe the next steps for communities interested in implementing rural PSH   Speaker: Jennifer Lopez is a permanent supportive housing consultant with 22 years of experience in the field of affordable housing and homelessness programming. Based in Durango, Colorado, Lopez brings significant experience and ideas from multiple communities in her role as the co-founder and manager of Project Moxie, a consulting firm that helps communities plan for the implementation of permanent supportive housing. Since 2017, she has provided technical assistance to develop permanent supportive housing (PSH) in New Mexico, Colorado and Mammoth Lakes, California. In 2019, Lopez helped to facilitate the first affordable housing investment strategy for the Colorado Health Foundation as part of its health equity work in Colorado. Lopez also brings significant experience in affordable housing finance and program development to her work with local communities. This includes structuring complex bond and tax credit financing for affordable housing and supportive housing. From 2014-2017, Lopez worked across Colorado’s state agencies as the Director of Homelessness Initiatives for then-Gov. John Hickenlooper, implementing outcome-based policies and programs to prevent and end homelessness in Colorado.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This webinar will share best practices and lessons learned about creating permanent supportive housing programs for rural communities that meet SAMSHA fidelity guidelines. The presentation covers the philosophy, funding, and solutions for program challenges and potential next steps for interested communities.   Learning objectives: Introduce the permanent supportive housing (PSH) model Explore PSH models through a rural lens Analyze lessons learned from establishing rural PSH Describe the next steps for communities interested in implementing rural PSH   Speaker: Jennifer Lopez is a permanent supportive housing consultant with 22 years of experience in the field of affordable housing and homelessness programming. Based in Durango, Colorado, Lopez brings significant experience and ideas from multiple communities in her role as the co-founder and manager of Project Moxie, a consulting firm that helps communities plan for the implementation of permanent supportive housing. Since 2017, she has provided technical assistance to develop permanent supportive housing (PSH) in New Mexico, Colorado and Mammoth Lakes, California. In 2019, Lopez helped to facilitate the first affordable housing investment strategy for the Colorado Health Foundation as part of its health equity work in Colorado. Lopez also brings significant experience in affordable housing finance and program development to her work with local communities. This includes structuring complex bond and tax credit financing for affordable housing and supportive housing. From 2014-2017, Lopez worked across Colorado’s state agencies as the Director of Homelessness Initiatives for then-Gov. John Hickenlooper, implementing outcome-based policies and programs to prevent and end homelessness in Colorado.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

Persons with serious mental illnesses are more likely than others to experience homelessness. Homelessness policies in the U.S. have evolved as research has informed us about the dynamics of homelessness. Federal policies reflect research showing that a relatively small number of people who experience homelessness remain homeless for long periods of time, often because of disabilities that make it difficult to exit without structured support and housing (Permanent Supportive Housing). Also, federal efforts to address “crisis homelessness” have been deployed, providing assistance through “rapid rehousing” programs to prevent long-term homelessness. The initiative to end veteran homelessness combined these two approaches and led to a 50% reduction in homelessness. This presentation summarizes the intersection of these research and policy efforts which greatly affect the need for comprehensive housing and support services for persons with serious mental illnesses. As a result of this seminar, attendees will learn: Homelessness is characterized by two primary dynamics: crisis homelessness and chronic homelessness; Crisis homelessness can be effectively addressed by providing emergency cash, case management and relocation assistance, with rent supports; Permanent supportive housing can successfully address chronic homelessness and is cost-neutral for many populations, research shows; Three federal programs – the Chronic Homelessness Initiative, the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program (HPRP), and the campaign to end veteran homelessness – established new and more robust policies to support these research-informed approaches; Homelessness assistance programs do not prevent homelessness, and rising rates of unsheltered homelessness and the aging of the adult homeless population are creating new challenges for policymakers to address.   Speaker: Dennis Culhane, PhD, is the Dana and Andrew Stone Professor of Social Policy at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. Culhane is a nationally recognized social science researcher with primary expertise in the field of homelessness. From July 2009 to June 2018 he served as Director of Research at the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a leader in the integration of administrative data for research and directs Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP), an initiative that promotes the development of integrated data systems by state and local governments for policy analysis and systems reform.  His homelessness work has positioned him as an early innovator in the use of administrative data for research and policy analysis, particularly for populations and program impacts that are difficult to assess and track. Culhane’s work has resulted in federal legislation requiring all cities and states to develop administrative data systems for tracking homeless services in order to receive HUD funding. His work has also been instrumental in a national shift in how cities address chronic homelessness and family homelessness. Culhane’s current research utilizes linked administrative data to better understand and respond to the emerging crisis of aging homelessness. Recently, this work was featured in The New York Times Magazine article, Elderly and Homeless: America’s Next Housing Crisis.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

Persons with serious mental illnesses are more likely than others to experience homelessness. Homelessness policies in the U.S. have evolved as research has informed us about the dynamics of homelessness. Federal policies reflect research showing that a relatively small number of people who experience homelessness remain homeless for long periods of time, often because of disabilities that make it difficult to exit without structured support and housing (Permanent Supportive Housing). Also, federal efforts to address “crisis homelessness” have been deployed, providing assistance through “rapid rehousing” programs to prevent long-term homelessness. The initiative to end veteran homelessness combined these two approaches and led to a 50% reduction in homelessness. This presentation summarizes the intersection of these research and policy efforts which greatly affect the need for comprehensive housing and support services for persons with serious mental illnesses. As a result of this seminar, attendees will learn: Homelessness is characterized by two primary dynamics: crisis homelessness and chronic homelessness; Crisis homelessness can be effectively addressed by providing emergency cash, case management and relocation assistance, with rent supports; Permanent supportive housing can successfully address chronic homelessness and is cost-neutral for many populations, research shows; Three federal programs – the Chronic Homelessness Initiative, the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program (HPRP), and the campaign to end veteran homelessness – established new and more robust policies to support these research-informed approaches; Homelessness assistance programs do not prevent homelessness, and rising rates of unsheltered homelessness and the aging of the adult homeless population are creating new challenges for policymakers to address.   Speaker: Dennis Culhane, PhD, is the Dana and Andrew Stone Professor of Social Policy at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. Culhane is a nationally recognized social science researcher with primary expertise in the field of homelessness. From July 2009 to June 2018 he served as Director of Research at the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a leader in the integration of administrative data for research and directs Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP), an initiative that promotes the development of integrated data systems by state and local governments for policy analysis and systems reform.  His homelessness work has positioned him as an early innovator in the use of administrative data for research and policy analysis, particularly for populations and program impacts that are difficult to assess and track. Culhane’s work has resulted in federal legislation requiring all cities and states to develop administrative data systems for tracking homeless services in order to receive HUD funding. His work has also been instrumental in a national shift in how cities address chronic homelessness and family homelessness. Culhane’s current research utilizes linked administrative data to better understand and respond to the emerging crisis of aging homelessness. Recently, this work was featured in The New York Times Magazine article, Elderly and Homeless: America’s Next Housing Crisis.   Permanent Supportive Housing: A Webinar Series  

This webinar discussed the foundations of collective citizenship framework and some ideas for putting collective citizenship into action.   Learning Objectives: Review history and framework of collective citizenship, including summary of 2019 paper on the topic Describe how Focus Act Connect Everyday (FACE) and Witnesses to Hunger were organized, and the work they do Explain how Focus Act Connect Everyday (FACE) and Witnesses to Hunger operationalize the collective citizenship framework Provide a platform to engage webinar participants in discussion about how collective citizenship might work in their organizations To access a copy of this presentation, click here. Presenter (s): Billy Bromage, Lecturer in Psychiatry; Director of Community Organizing, Yale University & PRCH Bridgett Williamson, Recovery Wellness Support, Yale University & PRCH

This fact sheet focuses on supported housing and resources that may be useful in assisting individuals struggling with homelessness. It also covers information on homelessness and supported housing specific to the Southeast, and explores whether supported housing is effective in saving lives.

Recording of the webinar titled Tools for Engagement in Person-Centered Care 2: Using Shared Decision Making to Reach Difficult-to-Engage Individuals, originally held on March 19, 2020.   Presentation Slides

Criminal Justice Mental Health Resources Justice-involved individuals diagnosed with mental illness are often incarcerated instead of accessing community-based mental healthcare. As a result, they are overrepresented in jails and prisons throughout the U.S. A high prevalence of mental illness and substance use exist among jail inmates, and they reenter society without the necessary supports following incarceration. This occurs for a myriad of reasons, including the lack of community services to better ensure successful reintegration, and the lack of support to meet basic needs for food, housing, and transportation. The outcome is additional arrests and incarcerations. The Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) team is dedicated to addressing mental health among those who are involved with the criminal justice system. In response, the team conducted a needs assessment of training and technical assistance in December 2019 among probation and parole officers in Region 8. In response to the findings of that survey, the Mountain Plains MHTTC team has begun identifying existing resources and technical assistance available to those working with justice-involved individuals. Criminal Justice Mental Health Resources The Criminal Justice resources page houses dozens of reputable resources and evidenced-based models for those working with justice-involved individuals. If you have questions about this website or products you thing would be valuable on this page, please contact Shawnda Schroeder at [email protected]. 

Young adults of transition age have elevated rates of mental health challenges, yet they often do not receive services, and few interventions have been designed or found effective for this population. This puts young adults of transition age at greater risk for homelessness, justice involvement, and education and employment challenges. These challenges are even more acute for youth from vulnerable populations. This webinar focuses on strategic practices that health departments and mental health agencies can take to begin eliminating health disparities by advancing mental health equity. Presented by Kristin Thorp and Lydia Proulx, Youth MOVE National. Learning Objectives: Understand the link between health disparities and mental health equity. Gain knowledge about the unique mental health equity challenges facing young adults of transition age. Learn practical strategies for advancing mental health equity for youth and young adults.    

Housing for all in Rural Communities June 24, 2019 Jennifer Lopez discussed housing for all in rural communities with a focus on housing solutions for persons with mental health concerns in rural settings. Slide deck Recording