Volusia County Pathways to Wellness and Housing(Pathways) - SMA Behavioral Health Services, Inc. proposes Volusia County Pathways to Wellness and Housing (PATHWAYS). Over a 5 year period Pathways will serve 190 adult chronically homeless individuals who have a serious mental illness and may also have a co-occurring substance use disorder residing in Volusia County Florida. Evidence-based practices to be employed are Permanent Supported Housing (PSH) and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). Pathways will receive referrals from and be supported by local mental health advocacy and homeless service providers including NAMI, Volusia/Flagler Coalition for the Homeless, First Step Shelter, Halifax Urban Ministries and The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia. Goals are: 1) Develop an effective infrastructure that provides evidence based primary and behavioral healthcare to the population of focus combined with recovery support services that cumulatively assure good physical and emotional wellbeing, safe and stable housing, purposeful daily activities and access to community relationships and social networks, and 2) Reduce chronic homelessness among the population of focus. Measurable objectives include: • Implement with fidelity Permanent Supportive Housing and an Assertive Community Treatment team, concurrent with evidence based treatment and recovery support approaches including Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Medication Management and Wellness Recovery Action Plan. Staff will be trained and supervised to ensure fidelity compliance rates of 90% or more. • Collect NOMs data on 100% of program participants at enrollment, 80% of participants every 180 days post enrollment and 80% at discharge. • 90% of enrolled participants placed in rapid rehousing or permanent supported housing within 30 days of enrollment. 95% of enrolled participants placed in rapid rehousing or permanent supportive housing within 60 days of enrollment. • 85% of enrolled participants shall not experience homelessness for a period of one year following enrollment, 80% of enrolled participants shall not experience homelessness for a period of 2 years following enrollment. 75% of enrolled participants shall not experience homelessness for a period of 3 years following enrollment. SMA will employ Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Assertive Community Treatment ACT) as its primary evidence based practices. Core elements of PSH include 1) helping people obtain housing quickly; 2) providing services following housing placement; 3) basing services on individual’s desires and needs, and 4) not requiring service engagement to retain housing. Treatment and recovery support services to augment housing will be provided through an ACT team consisting of peers, social workers, nurses, psychiatric registered nurse practitioner, and access to vocational, addictions and mental health counselors. ACT services will include primary care, psychiatric and substance use treatment, medication, and recovery support services.
