Transformation

DMH/Transformation Release Housing Toolkit

 A toolkit to provide housing resources and information for agencies that serve people with mental disabilities has been completed and is now available on line. The compilation of the Housing Toolkit, funded under Missouri's Mental Health Transformation initiative, was completed as the product of a contract with Places for People -- a St. Louis agency recognized as a leader in providing housing for people with mental illnesses --  and led by its now former executive director, Francie Broderick.

According to Broderick, the document "is not meant to be an exhaustive or complete list of all mental health supported housing or residential programs in Missouri. Rather, I have attempted to describe different models and different approaches used by providers across the state."

Supported Housing Summit scheduled for Sept. 7-8

 

The Missouri Department of Mental Health Housing Unit and the Missouri Housing Development Commission, in cooperation with the Office of Mental Health Transformation, is sponsoring a Housing Summit September 7 and 8, 2011, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Jefferson City.

The purpose of the summit is to facilitate the planning, development, and management of special needs and supportive housing in Missouri.

"We know that adequate housing and meaningful employment are at the heart of recovery for persons with mental health and addiction challenges," said Virginia Selleck, Ph.D., Missouri Mental Health Transformation project director. "Having a place to call home is a critical part of every person's life, including the people we serve in the mental health community. A discussion of this important issue with input from all involved -- from developers to clinicians to consumers of mental health services -- can only help to improve the quality of life for us all."

Their is no cost to attend,but space is limited, so early registration is recommended. Expenses for lodging and incidentals are the responsibility of attendees. Lunch will be provided on Sept. 7 and breakfast on Sept. 8. All other meals are the responsibility of the attendees. For more information, including registration forms for individuals and exhibitors, visit the Missouri Housing Summit web page. For more information on housing in general, visit the Department of Mental Health Housing Unit Web site.

Housing toolkit to offer hope for "a place to call home" to people in recovery

During Transformation's final grant year, a major focus is being placed on housing and employment as two critical elements essential to recovery from mental illness or substance abuse, as well as for quality of life for persons living with developmental disabilities.

A recently awarded contract to develop a housing toolkit is expected to lay the groundwork to help mental health service providers add housing assistance to their treatment plans. "A home and a job are huge contributions to the recovery process," according to Missouri's Transformation project director Virginia Selleck, Ph.D. "Treatment providers are generally not in the housing business, so we want to give them a tool that will be flexible for each region and that outlines the steps to take and the resources available to help consumers achieve adequate housing."