People USA, funded by and in
partnership with the New York
State Office of Mental Health (OMH), is set to open 20 new
scattered site housing units that will support individuals
re-entering the community from New York
State prison.
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y., April 26,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- People USA, funded by and in partnership with the
New York State Office of Mental
Health (OMH), is set to open 20 new scattered site housing units
that will support individuals re-entering the community from
New York State prison. These
individuals are also facing serious mental health challenges,
substance use disorders, and/or physical health care needs. The
units will be in Dutchess and
Ulster County.
People USA's Supportive Housing
Program allows individuals to live anywhere in the community,
receive help with their rent through subsidies, and receive a
customized service plan from People USA's Peer Housing Coordinators to ensure they
are living well and meeting their goals. Housing Coordinators wrap
services around the individual to ensure they have the resources
and tools to sustain their housing.
The program uses a housing first approach.
"A lot of housing programs or agencies require you to be clean
and housing ready. If you use drugs, you get kicked out. If you get
arrested, you get kicked out. They have a no-tolerance policy for
any of that stuff, even though that's not evidence-based practice.
So, with Housing First, we take you as you are. You don't have
income; we'll help you get that. You're still using drugs? Okay,
we'll work on that later. Housing happens first, and the belief is
once you're housed, then you can work on all that other stuff. And
at the end of the day, housing is a human right. So, whether
somebody's using or not using, they are still worthy of housing." -
People USA Housing Coordinator
This unique model has a peer-led approach. This means all
Housing Coordinators within the program are people with lived
experience in homelessness, mental health, substance use
challenges, and/or trauma. They understand the stigma that comes
during the recovery and re-entry processes and will advocate for
their participants side by side. Peers allow their participants to
feel seen, heard, and understood while being in a comfortable
environment, and help them to be independent on their wellness
journey.
People USA is a peer-run mental
health non-profit that creates, provides, and promotes its own
innovative crisis response, and wellness services.
To Learn More about People USA:
Website:https://people-usa.org/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/peopleusanow
Media Contact
Denika Dixon, People USA, (845) 452-2728, pr@people-usa.org,
https://people-usa.org/
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content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/people-usa-in-partnership-with-the-office-of-mental-health-provides-supportive-housing-for-individuals-re-entering-the-community-from-incarceration-302128777.html
SOURCE People USA