COSIG CONFERENCE BROCHURE.pdf - Drexel University College ...

• A new construct recognizes housing as a necessity which should not be available
based on whether persons are compliant with treatment and medication plans; but
that the housing is still their own, unaffected by treatment expectations. The
inherent risks involved with consumer housing choice are consistent with current
practices and philosophy of the recovery model.
• Some consumers may continue to need residential support services that require
staff to be present at various times in their homes during certain periods of the
day, to insure that recovery continues, and that the skills necessary to function
independently in the community are developed or rediscovered. New service
delivery systems should be developed for support staff to go to the consumer
at his or her residence, rather than forcing the consumer to reside in the
treatment or rehab site of the support staff.
• Some CRRS and LTSR’s should be revitalized and used as originally intended,
for short term intensive community re-habilitation, after which the consumer
moves into permanent housing of his choice in the community.
• Most of the rest of the CRRS should be phased out via a strategic planning
process; the housing component should be separated, and the money spent
on the CRRS should be used to develop treatment and rehabilitative services
that are recovery oriented evidence based practices and which support
consumer choice housing. The CRRS and LTSR’s must become options in a
local continuum, rather than the primary or only choice for housing consumers.
What advantages would this change in focus have?
• It gives the consumer the choice of where to live; with whom to live, (if anyone);
and how independent to be. Housing options could include renting an apartment;
renting a room; sharing the rent on an apartment; owning a home, buying a home
with friends; living with friends or relatives, living in a room and board facility;
or in domiciliary care.
• Housing authority programs funded by HUD are designed to meet the needs of
persons with low income, and offer housing options which include living in
public housing units; in private rental units available to the general public, aided
by a section 8 housing rental subsidy; and in subsidized supported living
arrangements. It is probable that the housing costs associated with residential
treatment services could be funded by local housing authorities for a portion of
the consumers served by the OMHSAS, who need housing in the community and
can qualify for housing support under HUD guidelines.
• If supportive services are not bundled with housing, new and creative community
support models can be created. Staffing of the current residential components of
traditional CRRS can be converted to mobile psych rehab or mobile medication
support, or to mobile housing support services, provided in the consumer’s home
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