Tuesday, April 29, 2025
4/29/2025
Homeless Outreach and Support Team (HOST) - Bridgeway's Homeless Outreach Support Team program (HOST) will serve homeless individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI), serious emotional disturbance (SED), and/or co-occurring substance use disorders (COD). Given their unique needs and lack of capacity within Union County, we will prioritize the enrollment of Transition Age Youth (TAY), ages 16-24, as well as those with COD. Union County’s 2017 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count identified just under 500 homeless individuals in our County, which does not include individuals who are at risk of homelessness and/or those who are precariously housed (e.g., doubled up). 30% of the PIT count have behavioral health needs and the PIT count is widely believed to be an under-representation of the actual need. Further, the County's youth care management organization (CMO) estimates that at least 12% of the 700 young people (up to 21 years old) living with SED who they currently serve either are homeless or unstably housed at any given time. Through HOST, Bridgeway will provide evidence based treatment and supports, providing assertive outreach and early intervention services to assist each individual to navigate through the complexities of the homeless and mental health systems. Bridgeway will utilize technology by working with our partners in hospital emergency rooms, shelters and local police departments to set up automated alerts to notify us when a homeless person is identified any time throughout the day or evening. Once notified, HOST staff will provide rapid assessments and initial linkages with an array of Bridgeway and partner housing and services. We will also engage in ride alongs with the police departments to identify and engage homeless individuals living on the street. We will develop space in our current office location as a HOST Hub where homeless individuals in our target population, including TAY and individuals with COD, can drop in to make use of resources and/or receive care management. All individuals will be connected to the local Continuum of Care (CoC) and Housing Authorities so that they can access permanent supportive housing. Overall, Bridgeway will operate within a culture of recovery to empower homeless individuals we assist to live a life of purpose. Through HOST, Bridgeway will serve 500 unduplicated individuals over the five year grant funded program with 80 individuals served in the first year and 105 individuals served in each year during years 2-5, 60% of whom will be TAY and 60% of whom will have COD (with some crossover for TAY with COD). The goals of HOST include: (1) Providing accessible, effective, comprehensive, coordinated, integrated, and evidence-based treatment services, peer support, and other recovery support services, and linkages to sustainable permanent housing to 500 homeless individuals living with BH conditions over the five-year grant funded program: (2) Improving holistic outcomes related to health/BH, housing stability, and wellness for individuals served; and (3) Increasing coordination among Union County homeless services and supports.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).