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Colonial Behavioral Health Colonial Behavioral Health
Mental Health

Permanent Supportive Housing

CBH’s Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) – A Housing Program for Adults age 18 and older who have Serious Mental Illness (as defined by DBHDS) with income no greater than 50% of the area median income who are homeless or have a history of homelessness. 

You may be referred by the Continuum of Care (COC) entity serving our area, any CBH service provider, or refer yourself by contacting the PSH program directly.

DBHDS Serious Mental Illness (SMI)
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Admission Criteria

PSH participants must be adults (age 18 or older) with serious mental illness (SMI), as defined by DBHDS and are prioritized as follows:

Individuals Discharging from State Psychiatric Facilities

Patients in state psychiatric facilities who are interested and eligible for PSH.

Homeless Individuals

Chronically homeless, or literally homeless and at-risk of becoming chronically homeless.

Unstably Housed Individuals

Unstably housed and frequent users of hospital or criminal justice system interventions.

Individuals Living in Supervised Residential Settings

Residents of supervised residential settings (e.g., ALFs, group homes) who can live independently.

What services does PSH provide to individuals?

Finding a place to live

  • Identification of affordable housing that suits needs and preferences.
  • Assistance with applying for an apartment.
  • Assistance addressing issues that may be barriers to obtaining an apartment.

Having a decent place to live and paying rent

  • Inspections of perspective rental units for safety and maintenance.
  • Determine rental subsidy
  • Work with the participant to develop a plan to address any potential barriers to being a good tenant.

Keeping a place to live

  • Provide housing skills training for participant as needed or desired.
  • Conduct regular home visits to check in and see how things are going.
  • Provide ongoing support as participant works to achieve their housing goal(s).

Managing my home

  • Help with access to supportive services reflective of their changing needs and preferences.
  • Collaborate with support providers and landlords as needed, to identify and address potential barriers to being a good tenant.

Finding a place to live

  • Identification of affordable housing that suits needs and preferences.
  • Assistance with applying for an apartment.
  • Assistance addressing issues that may be barriers to obtaining an apartment.

Keeping a place to live

  • Provide housing skills training for participant as needed or desired.
  • Conduct regular home visits to check in and see how things are going.
  • Provide ongoing support as participant works to achieve their housing goal(s).

Having a decent place to live and paying rent

  • Inspections of perspective rental units for safety and maintenance.
  • Determine rental subsidy
  • Work with the participant to develop a plan to address any potential barriers to being a good tenant.

Managing my home

  • Help with access to supportive services reflective of their changing needs and preferences.
  • Collaborate with support providers and landlords as needed, to identify and address potential barriers to being a good tenant.
For Landlords/Property Managers

Benefits of PSH

Rent Subsidy

Rent is subsidized by the PSH program which typically means that the tenant is paying no more than 30% of his/her income towards housing costs.

Housing Subsidy

Subsidy can be adjusted to cover unexpected fluctuations in income minimizing loss to landlord if tenant can’t pay full rental amount.

Rental Payments

Consistent and on-time rental payments of CBH’s portion directly to property management company/landlord

Funding for Unexpected Costs

Funding to cover unexpected costs like those associated with unexpected move outs (up to a month’s rent), repair costs beyond security deposit etc.

PSH Staff Visits

Regular visits by PSH staff to ensure units are being maintained in a manner consistent with the lease agreement.

Mediators

Neutral mediators to address landlord/tenant concerns and conflict.

Housing First

Permanent Supportive Housing is about Housing. Participants are not required to participate in clinical services. Support services promote recovery and are designed to help participants choose, get, and keep housing.

If participants opt to participate in clinical services for mental and physical needs, PSH staff will help link to providers of choice – at Colonial Behavioral Health or elsewhere.

CBH Mental Health Services
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