Integrated Services of Kalamazoo’s (ISK) Project TIEH (Treatment for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness) uses a diverse Team providing community-based services at shelters, transitional housing sites, drop-in centers, encampments, and at ISK’s Behavioral Health Urgent Care and Access Center. TIEH will use Critical Time Intervention and Motivational Interviewing to provide outreach, engagement in treatment, and linkage with housing opportunities and benefits.
Target Population: Project TIEH’s population of focus is adults experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness and diagnosed with a serious mental illness, substance use disorder and/or co-occurring substance use disorder in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. The population is racially diverse with 56% Black/African American, and 2% multiple races with ethnicity being 4% Hispanic/Latino. Black/African American individuals have been identified as underserved individuals within the Population of focus, based on disparities in housing outcomes.
Strategies/Interventions: Services will be culturally sensitive, and trauma informed. Evidence based practices used will include Critical Time Intervention and Motivational Interviewing. TIEH offices will be in Kalamazoo County’s primary shelter site and ISK’s Urgent Care Program site. TIEH will maintain walk in or drop-in hours at these locations to avoid waiting lists and complicated eligibility criteria, and to provide flexible service schedule. TIEH staff will partner with shelter, PATH outreach, Emergency Mental Health, and OORP staff to provide outreach and engagement to individuals onsite, at shelters and encampments. A total unduplicated count of 200 individuals will be enrolled in the project over 5 years; Year 1 = 25, Year 2 = 50, Year 3 = 50, Year 4 = 50, and Year 5 = 25.
Goals/Objectives:
Goal 1: Increase Access to culturally competent, integrated behavioral health treatment for individuals experiencing/at imminent risk of homelessness. Obj1.1: Conduct outreach and engagement throughout Kalamazoo County to 500 individuals. Obj1.2: Provide evidence based, integrated mental health/substance use treatment for 200 people. Obj 1.3: Link and coordinate primary care services to 100% of enrolled individuals. Goal 2: Improve housing status by coordinating services through the Kalamazoo Housing Continuum of Care. Obj 2.1: Link and coordinate 200 housing referrals through the Kalamazoo County CES. Obj 2.2: Assist 125 enrolled individuals with enrollment in benefits. Obj 2.3: Assist 75 enrolled individuals to transition from homelessness to permanent housing options. Goal 3: Increase equitable access to housing supports and behavioral health treatment for people of color. Obj 3.1: Quarterly gather, analyze, and report data to Steering Committee to further identify TIEH disparities. Obj 3.2: Each year an increasing number of people of color with lived experience will inform project strategies. Obj 3.3: Each year staff will enroll an increasing percentage of Black/African American individuals who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness into the project.