Healthy Housing Initiative

The Challenge

There are more than 127,000 chronically homeless individuals — those with mental illness, substance use disorders or disabilities who experience long-term or repeated homelessness — making up 22% of the homeless population.

Without appropriate housing options and services, they cycle through hospital ERs and inpatient beds, detox programs, jails, prisons and psychiatric facilities, costing taxpayers $30,000 to $50,000 per person, per year.

National data source: HUD, National Alliance to End Homelessness

The Response

CCUSA convened housing experts in 2017 to address the integration of housing and health care and, in 2018, received funds from the Kresge Foundation for a Healthy Housing Innovation Lab. The CCUSA Healthy Housing Initiative (HHI), which helps those who are chronically homeless get off and stay off the streets, was born soon after.

The five-year program has been piloted in five cities — Detroit, Las Vegas, Portland (Oregon), St. Louis and Spokane — where Catholic Charities staff are developing housing units, cultivating partnerships with Catholic healthcare systems, training case managers and engaging clients.

Help vulnerable people in need of shelter.

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The Goals

The Healthy Housing Initiative has three primary goals for its clients.

20%

Reduction in
chronic homelessness

25%

Decrease in hospital
readmission rates

35%

Of clients connected to primary care and behavioral health services

Need assistance? Find a local Catholic Charities agency.

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The Pilot Programs

Read about the five Catholic Charities agencies taking part in the Healthy Housing Initiative.

HEALTHY HOUSING INITIATIVE

Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan

CCSM is working to reduce chronic homelessness by 20 percent through permanent supportive housing that includes wraparound case management and health services.

Learn more about Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan.

HEALTHY HOUSING INITIATIVE

Catholic Charities Archdiocese of St. Louis

CCSTL and St. Patrick Center are partnering with local and national affordable housing and healthcare organizations to improve identification of and support for those who are chronically homeless.

Learn more about Catholic Charities Archdiocese of St. Louis.

HEALTHY HOUSING INITIATIVE

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada

Together with the Diocese of Las Vegas, CCSN and Catholic Health Systems are developing an initial project offering 50 to 75 housing units to provide wraparound services on site.

Learn more about Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada.

HEALTHY HOUSING INITIATIVE

Catholic Charities of Oregon

CCO’s permanent supportive housing includes wraparound case management and health services. The program serves a broad continuum of housing needs, with more than 800 existing affordable housing units in the Portland area and across Western Oregon.

Learn more about Catholic Charities of Oregon.

healthy housing initiative

Catholic Charities Eastern Washington

CCEW makes intentional connections to show hospitals, insurance companies and others the many ways that programs to stabilize fragile populations can also help their bottom lines. Above all, the focus is on the most important bottom line: the dignity of every human person.

Learn more about Catholic Charities Eastern Washington.

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Healthy Housing Initiative documents

The HHI pilot program combines health and housing services in five cities to help the chronically homeless remain off the streets.

Testimonial

Over the course of the project, we have housed 53 clients who were experiencing chronic homelessness. They have come from varying levels of hopelessness into a place where hope is a real and tangible possibility.
Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Healthy Housing Initiative (Year Three Report)