Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services

Whenever members are matched with housing, it’s important to work with them to think critically about whether they should accept the housing offer. Understanding that no housing may be perfect, it may be better for a member to wait until a more suitable housing opportunity arises rather than to leap at the first opportunity that comes along. Ideally, you would have already worked with members to envision the kind of home situation they would like to have and the community that would suit them best. That information can be used to help assess how close the housing match aligns with their needs.

Goal 1 strategies:

• Accompany individuals on visits to their housing options and help them to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each before deciding where to live.
• Spend time with the member in their new neighborhood to help familiarize them with the area, learn the location of grocery stores and pharmacies, learn about transportation options, and other community resources.
• Support members in identifying the closest natural recovery supports to their chosen community and schedule visits together to assist them with beginning to build relationships. These might include 12-Step fellowships, faith-based recovery opportunities, recovery centers, and community-based peer-run support groups.
• Collaboratively identify areas in the community that might present a challenge to the individual’s sustained wellness and support the person in creating strategies for successfully navigating the challenges. For example, if there is a corner where there appears to be a significant amount of drug activity, are there alternate routes that the individual can take to avoid the corner?

This goal involves helping JOH members acquire the range of material and practical resources that will help them live independently in their new setting. To get started, members will likely need furniture, household goods, and food.

Goal 2 strategies:

• Working with the member, create a list of basic items they will need to get started in their new home (furniture, bedding, food, and so on) and work together to identify how the member might obtain these items.
• Support the member in making phone calls to begin locating needed supplies.
• Explore ways to get vouchers from local organizations (such as thrift stores) that might be willing to reduce costs or donate items.
• Visit local resources together, such as thrift shops, recovery centers, places of worship, or other organizations that might assist with providing some of the supplies.

1. Acknowledge progress the member has made toward recovery and the skills they have built.
2. Explore with the individual what excites them about the housing connection.
3. Ask about concerns that they may have about the future, skills they want to build, or goals they’d like to achieve. Let them know how you could continue to assist them in working toward their goals.
4. Reiterate that recovery is a journey and that staying connected to supports over a long period of time supports long-term recovery.
5. Avoid sharing horror stories about people who left JOH before they were viewed as clinically ready and then experienced severe consequences.
6. Give examples of the ways that continuing support will change and remain relevant to them based on their changing needs.

Goal 3 strategies:

• Support the member in creating a schedule for the first few weeks of life in their new home. Explore with them what they will do, where they will do it, and who they will do it with. Ask the member to think about the kind and level of support that they would desire to accomplish these tasks.
• Develop a menu of continuing support options that people can choose from and create a continuing support plan or Mutual Agreement to work together.
• Based on the individual’s fears, concerns, hopes, vulnerabilities, and the findings from the recovery capital scale, create a continuing support plan that will provide the necessary dose of support to match their level of need.
• When possible, have people start their next treatment program or support programs before they leave the residential portion of their JOH experience.
• Collaborate with members to implement their transition support plan.
• Coordinate with community-based service providers to ensure the member will continue to receive services.
• Support individuals with engaging in off-site activities that will help with the transition to the community.
• Learn what skills a member most needs to work on, and document a strategy for gaining those skills in the continuing support plan.
• Update their contact list.
• Give, or work with the member to create a resource book with names and contact information for community resources and supports.

Whether the person has achieved recovery or other goals, moving into a permanent home is a major transition in their lives. Even a positive change can be challenging to cope with, so ensure the person leaves knowing that you understand the significance of their move and that you remain committed to supporting them through their familiar and new challenges.

Goal 4 strategies:

• Once the individual receives keys to their new home, allow them to stay in your program for a week or two before moving.
• Help the person move their belongings and set up their new apartment.
• When they leave the JOH program for their new residence for the last time, schedule time for a warm send off with staff, peers, family, and other supports.
• Have a party, dinner, or other event to mark the special occasion.
• Give the person a housewarming gift.
• Invite the person to an upcoming event at your program.
• Let the person know when you’ll see them next.