Housing Implementation Group

Housing Implementation Group Charter

Current Situation

The lack of housing and supports causes people with mental health needs/disabilities  to cycle among jails, institutions, shelters, and the streets; to remain unnecessarily in institutions; or to live in seriously substandard housing.

• Missouri’s priority populations most in need of housing assistance includes:
• Women with substance abuse issues who have children.
• Veterans with mental illness and/or substance abuse issues.
• People with Mental Illness who move in and out of both mental health and corrections institutions because they have no housing.
• People who have both a mental illness and a developmental disability.
• People with developmental disabilities moving out of institutional settings.
• People with disabilities and low income in Missouri face an extreme housing affordability crisis :
•  On average, in Missouri, an individual with SSI renting a one bedroom unit pays 83% of their income for housing.
• Inadequate affordable housing resources in Missouri exacerbate the housing crisis for people with disabilities.

Desired Outcomes

• An array of housing options will be available in the community for persons with mental health needs / disabilities.
• An array of supports will be available to assist persons with mental health needs/disabilities remain in the community-based housing option of choice.
•  Service providers will be fully informed about housing options and competent to assist consumers in accessing the housing option of their choice.
• Services and supports should be designed to reflect the individual’s choices and needs, and be flexible to meet the changing needs of the person.

Undesirable Outcomes

• Persons with mental health needs/disabilities remain institutionalized due to lack of appropriate and available housing options.
• Persons are not able to remain in their choice of housing due to lack of appropriate services and supports.

Scope

• Address the strategies identified in the Transformation Plan, which are based on recommendations from the Housing Subgroup of the Disparities are Eliminated Workgroup.
• Identify policy, financing and structural changes to recommend to TWG.
• Develop a project management schedule that includes:
• Specific Actions Steps;
• Lead for each of the Action Steps; and
• Target Dates for initiation of each Action Step
• Mechanism for provision of routine progress reports for each of the Action Steps.

Resources

• Recommendations of the Housing Subgroup of the Disparities are Eliminated Workgroup.
• Final report of the Disparities Workgroup

May 19, 2008