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September 16, 2008: Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Inspection Training Materials Posted
August 6, 2008: "Missouri's Guide to Housing Assistance Programs" Revised
July 31, 2008: "Housing News" Email Notifications
DMH HOUSING MISSION
The mission of the Department of Mental Health's Housing Unit is to assist Missourians challenged by mental illnesses, substance abuse/addictions and developmental disabilities in obtaining and maintaining safe, decent and affordable housing options that best meet their individual and family needs. The DMH Housing Unit believes that housing is a key to helping Missourians with disabilities and their families attain self-determination and independent living.DMH HOUSING VISION
All Missourians challenged by mental illnesses, substance abuse/addictions and developmental disabilities have housing options that are affordable and accessible, integrated into communities, and provide real choice.
WHAT WE DO
DMH Housing works with all three of DMH's divisions to help link mental health services consumers to rental assistance through the Shelter Plus Care program. We also make efforts to expand housing options for mental health services consumers in the state; assist in creating partnerships between housing developers and non-profit agencies in the development of affordable rental units statewide; and work to increase rental assistance and homeownership opportunities for mental health services consumers.
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This page has links to agencies and resources that may be able to help you with finding a place to live, paying your rent or energy bill, fixing your home, buying a home, or finding emergency shelter. Updated 8/6/08 |
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Here DMH service providers may download the DMH Application for Shelter Plus Care rental assistance for mental health consumers who are homeless and disabled. The page explains the scope of the program and how DMH operates its 23 Shelter Plus Care grants. To obtain the most current version of the DMH Application for Shelter Plus Care, go here. Updated 4/4/08 |
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This page has links to funding sources, technical assistance and information for people and agencies involved in or interested in developing affordable housing or supportive housing for people with disabilities. Updated 7/30/08 |
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"Housing News" is a quarterly newsletter with articles for renters, homeowners, people with disabilities, housing providers, people who want to develop affordable housing for people with and without disabilites, and for anyone interested in housing issues generally. Updated 7/30/08 |
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UPDATE September 18, 2008: Information Regarding Who Can Verify a Disability for Shelter Plus Care Applicants Updated
The Housing web site previously listed Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) as being among those professions with statutory authority to diagnose a mental illness. This was an error on our part. The table below now properly lists LPC's as not having this statutory authority. Because of this, DMH Housing cannot accept a LPC's signature on "Attachment A--Verification of Disability" in an application for Shelter Plus Care. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.
Authorized by Missouri Statute to Diagnose |
Not Authorized by Missouri Statute to Diagnose |
| Medical Doctor | Case Manager (CSW) |
| Psychiatrist | Certified Substance Abuse Counselor |
| Psychologist | Qualified Mental Health Professional |
| Nurse Practitioner (a.k.a. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse ) | Qualified Substance Abuse Professional |
| Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Licensed Professional Counselor |
UPDATE September 16, 2008: Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Inspection Training Materials Posted
HQS is a set of HUD-formulated minimum standards of quality and safety for rental units and is used by all Section 8 and Shelter Plus Care programs. Five of the six members of the DMH Housing Unit staff are certified Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspectors. Because of our expertise in this area, the Department of Mental Health asked us to provide a condensed version of HQS training to DMH personnel who inspect rental units for state-funded programs such as Supportive Community Living (SCL). While HQS is not required for state-funded housing programs, using HQS-based rules can improve quality standards and uniformity among a diversity of housing programs.
Along with SCL personnel, the Housing Unit invited non-profit agencies from all over Missouri to the HQS training, which was held on September 12, 2008, in Jefferson City. More than 70 people signed up for the training and, despite bad weather, over fifty people showed up and learned their HQS basics.
The documents used in the DMH HQS training are provided below for any agency that needs to inspect for safety and quality in housing which it owns and/or operates. Please note that these documents do not constitute an official HQS certification for anyone using them--they just cover the basics of HQS. Certification normally involves four full days of training and a comprehensive examination, and is periodically available from Public Housing Authorities or other entities that administer Section 8 programs.
A Good Place to Live (PDF format, 355 KB)
This HUD document provides a narrative summary and explanation of HQS standards for all areas of a rental unit. It includes drawings of rooms in a typical unit showing the areas on which to focus an inspection.
HQS Inspection Checklist (PDF format, 42 KB)
This HUD document is not the official HQS Inspection form used by certified inspectors, but does contain a useful checklist of all areas of concern in an HQS-based inspection.
HQS Inspection Quiz (PDF format, 318 KB)
This document contains a quiz, with answers and brief explanations, that is tied to the quiz slides in the Power Point presentation, below.
HQS Training Power Point Presentation (PowerPoint format, 4.03 MB)
This is a PowerPoint slide presentation to use in conjuntion with this HQS training. It combines pictures from "A Good Place to Live" (see above), the HQS Inspection Checklist (see above), and slides pertaining to the questions asked in the HQS Inspection Quiz.
If your agency has any questions about how to use these documents, or about HQS in general, please contact Housing Director Liz Hagar-Mace at 573-522-6519, or email the Housing Unit.
UPDATE August 6, 2008: "Missouri's Guide to Housing Assistance Programs" Revised
A new version of "Missouri's Guide to Housing Assistance Programs" has been published. The newer version, available in PDF format, updates web links and the HUD definition of homelessness found in the section on Shelter Plus Care, along with some cosmetic changes. DMH Housing will do a more comprehensive update in the near future that will add information about new programs and update all addresses and phone numbers listed in the Guide.
UPDATE July 31, 2008: "Housing News" Email Notifications
DMH Housing has changed the way it keeps track of people who want to be notified of new editions of "Housing News." Readers who want to keep up with "Housing News" can now receive emailed notifications of the latest issue. Just send an email to housing@dmh.mo.gov with the title "Newsletter", and include your name and email address in the body of the email.
Everyone who was previously subscribed to newsletter notifications using our old automated subscription list has been moved to our new email distribution list; however, a number of email addresses we had on file were no longer valid and have been removed from the list. So if you didn't receive a notice about the July 2008 issue but you want to, be sure to send us an updated email address so we can add you back into the subscription list.
The latest issue of "Housing News" contains an inspiring story of one Shelter Plus Care recipient's past struggle with addiction and her current successes. We've also presented information on the impending high cost of home heating this winter and some ways to avoid economic hardship as a result. As always, DMH Housing hopes our readers will "Housing News" both useful and enjoyable.
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