Thursday, December 26, 2024
12/26/2024
The Polk County Integrated Housing and Health Service Program for Homeless Individuals project will provide support for 400 individuals in Central Iowa who experience homelessness and have substance use disorders (SUDs) or co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders (CODs). The project will provide a comprehensive system of integrated services to support placement in permanent housing. Primary Health Care, Inc. (PHC), a Federally Qualified Health Center and Health Care for the Homeless provider, will lead the project in collaboration with Central Iowa Shelter & Services and Prelude Behavioral Services, and will build on the successful county-wide Centralized Intake system to provide increased access to permanent housing, behavioral health services, and other supportive services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. This project will help clients improve their quality of life and achieve self-sufficiency by supporting them in their efforts to maintain recovery from mental health and substance use disorders. The project will utilize the Critical Time Intervention (CTI) model to provide emotional and practical support during the transition to stable housing. Grant funds will be used to hire four full-time CTI Workers to help clients find housing and link them to supports, including primary care, mental health care, substance abuse counseling, and other services. This project will use evidence-based protocols and engage an extensive network of providers to ensure clients have access to a full continuum of services. Grant funds will also be used to hire a fulltime Outreach Therapist (CADC/LISW) and a full-time Peer Recovery Support Specialist. An additional full-time volunteer Peer Recovery Support Specialist will support this project. Project goals and objectives include: increasing the number of clients who obtain and maintain permanent housing; enrolling clients in benefits; screening and referring clients to mental health and substance abuse services; providing clients with supportive services that improve their chances at long-term housing and recovery; and establishing care for clients’ physical health. The project’s progress toward achieving goals will be monitored by a Steering Committee and an experienced evaluator will oversee data collection and analysis.
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).