Family Medicine Commons^™

Capacity Building For Participatory Health Services Research In Housing First, Lara Carson Weinstein, Md

Department of Family & Community Medicine Presentations and Grand Rounds

Background:

Pathways to Housing ends chronic homelessness for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) by providing housing first, and then combining that housing with supportive treatment services in the area of mental and physical health, substance abuse, education, and employment. Housing is provided in apartments scattered throughout a community. This "scattered site" model fosters a sense of home and self-determination, and it helps speed client's reintegration into the community. The Pathways model has been remarkable successful in addressing chronic homelessness.

Research Question

What are the chronic physical disease self management support needs of Pathways to Housing clients?

Implementing Integrated Primary And Behavioral Healthcare Within A Housing First Program, Lara C. Weinstein, Md, Benjamin Henwood, Lcsw

Department of Family & Community Medicine Presentations and Grand Rounds

At Pathways to Housing-Philadelphia, mental health services to support consumers' independent living are delivered through Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams. ACT is an evidence-based mental health intervention known to reduce psychiatric hospitalization and increase housing stability. ACT team members include social workers, substance abuse, counselors, nurses, and psychiatrists, with ideal staff to client ratios of 1 to 10. Through a novel collaboration between the program and the Deparment of Family and Community Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University, a primary-care physician was embedded into the ACT services to form an integrated health-care team.