Homeless Programs Branch

Description Goals Target Population Purpose Activities Information

What is the Homeless Programs Branch?

The Homeless Programs Branch serves the treatment, support services, and housing needs of homeless persons with mental illnesses. The Branch administers programs to assist States and localities in helping homeless persons with mental illnesses gain access to mental health treatment, primary health care, substance abuse treatment, legal assistance, access entitlements, and other supports, while they make the transition from homelessness.

What are the goals of the Homeless Programs Branch?

To break the cycle of homelessness by providing access to community care and effective mental health services.
To identify approaches that work to prevent and to end homelessness among persons with serious mental illnesses.
To encourage communities to integrate fragmented services to better serve the multiple needs of the homeless population.

Who does the Homeless Programs Branch serve?

The Homeless Programs Branch provides funding to States to serve and support homeless persons with mental illness and those in contact with the mental health treatment system who are at risk for becoming homeless. The States, in turn, distribute the funds to local provider agencies to deliver services to the homeless.
By current estimates, as many as 700,000 people are homeless on any given night (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 1999). Twenty to 25 percent of these homeless persons are adults who have serious mental illnesses; approximately 50 percent also have a co-occurring alcohol or drug problem (National Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness, 2001). Minorities, especially African Americans, are over-represented among homeless persons with mental illness.

What does the Homeless Programs Branch do?

Works with State mental health authorities, through a program called Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH), to ensure the delivery of adequate, appropriate services.
Provides funds to States to test and identify effective strategies for providing integrated, rather than fragmented, services to meet the multiple needs of homeless persons with mental illness.
In partnership with the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), develops and studies the effectiveness of "model" approaches to prevent homelessness among individuals with serious mental illnesses who also have an alcohol and/or drug problem.
Examines and compares the effectiveness of various housing approaches for homeless persons with serious mental illness.
Shares information with States and localities about which strategies work most effectively for meeting the mental health needs of homeless persons with mental illness.
Identifies areas of potential collaboration with other Federal agencies and departments and takes the lead in developing these working relationships.
Funds a contract to support the National Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness, the only national source of information that focuses on the needs of homeless persons with severe mental illness.

What are some activities of the Homeless Programs Branch?

CMHS, in partnership with CSAT, recently completed the Homelessness Prevention Program, a 3-year collaborative effort to evaluate strategies for preventing adult homelessness.
The Homeless Programs Branch is collaborating with other Federal agencies to sponsor Community Team Training Institutes on Homelessness to encourage communities to integrate service systems to better serve homeless populations.
In a joint effort with CSAT, CMHS is engaged in a 5-year program, the Homeless Families Program, to improve service delivery for homeless mothers with mental health and/or substance use disorders who care for dependent children.

The Homeless Programs Branch is part of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). CMHS is an agency of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CMHS serves as the focal point for federal efforts to make high-quality community-based services available and accessible for people with or at risk of developing mental illness and their families.

Information

For free information about homelessness and mental health - including publications, references, and referrals to local and national resources and organizations - call 1.800.789.2647; (TDD) 1.866.889.2647.

KEN95-0015
4/2003

Please note that this online publication has been abridged from the printed version.