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09/26/2006
MHLP Selected to Evaluate Federally Funded Treatment for Homeless Grant
It was announced that USF-FMHI Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, in partnership with Coastal Behavioral Healthcare, will evaluate a new, five-year, SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Homeless Treatment Grant in Charlotte County.
MHLP Faculty Mark Engelhardt ( Principal Investigator), Kathleen Moore and Scott Young, will conduct the evaluation of the Charlotte County “Home 2 Recovery” project. Dr. Sam Tsemberis, pioneer of the “Housing First” approach through the Pathways to Housing project in New York City, will serve as a consultant to the project.
The Charlotte County “Home 2 Recovery” Project is a collaborative effort between Coastal Behavioral Healthcare, the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition and USF-Florida Mental Health Institute’s Department of Mental Health, Law and Policy to implement a comprehensive and integrated system of evidenced-based mental health and substance abuse recovery services that are tailored to the unique needs of the chronically homeless population in Charlotte County, Florida.
As the grantee, Coastal will utilize an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team with an emphasis on “Housing First” to help individuals achieve recovery from homelessness and co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Coastal, in collaboration with the Charlotte Homeless Coalition, Charlotte Community Mental Health, Southwest Florida Addiction Services, and other community organizations will offer individualized treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to assist persons who are chronically homeless move into permanent housing, achieve recovery from mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders, increase self-reliance and self-sufficiency. The grant will include persons who are homeless with co-occurring disorders that were displaced from Hurricane Charley and exiting FEMA trailers.
MHLP will evaluate a “Housing First” approach to homelessness by tracking access to immediate housing, supportive housing over five years, co-occurring mental health and substance abuse treatment interventions, fidelity to the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model, peer-directed recovery services and a process evaluation that will include a community-wide approach to serving persons who are chronically homeless in Charlotte County. MHL& P plans on utilizing formerly homeless and persons recovering from mental illness as interviewers throughout the evaluation. It is anticipated that the impact of these findings will provide evidence that a “Housing First” approach, coupled with an assertive community-wide effort, will yield better outcomes for persons who would otherwise lack available housing and intensive co-occurring supports.
MHLP Faculty Mark Engelhardt ( Principal Investigator), Kathleen Moore and Scott Young, will conduct the evaluation of the Charlotte County “Home 2 Recovery” project. Dr. Sam Tsemberis, pioneer of the “Housing First” approach through the Pathways to Housing project in New York City, will serve as a consultant to the project. The Charlotte County “Home 2 Recovery” Project is a collaborative effort between Coastal Behavioral Healthcare, the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition and USF-Florida Mental Health Institute’s Department of Mental Health, Law and Policy to implement a comprehensive and integrated system of evidenced-based mental health and substance abuse recovery services that are tailored to the unique needs of the chronically homeless population in Charlotte County, Florida.
As the grantee, Coastal will utilize an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team with an emphasis on “Housing First” to help individuals achieve recovery from homelessness and co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Coastal, in collaboration with the Charlotte Homeless Coalition, Charlotte Community Mental Health, Southwest Florida Addiction Services, and other community organizations will offer individualized treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to assist persons who are chronically homeless move into permanent housing, achieve recovery from mental illnesses and co-occurring substance use disorders, increase self-reliance and self-sufficiency. The grant will include persons who are homeless with co-occurring disorders that were displaced from Hurricane Charley and exiting FEMA trailers.
MHLP will evaluate a “Housing First” approach to homelessness by tracking access to immediate housing, supportive housing over five years, co-occurring mental health and substance abuse treatment interventions, fidelity to the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model, peer-directed recovery services and a process evaluation that will include a community-wide approach to serving persons who are chronically homeless in Charlotte County. MHL& P plans on utilizing formerly homeless and persons recovering from mental illness as interviewers throughout the evaluation. It is anticipated that the impact of these findings will provide evidence that a “Housing First” approach, coupled with an assertive community-wide effort, will yield better outcomes for persons who would otherwise lack available housing and intensive co-occurring supports.