characteristics programs

Supportive Housing Services may be provided to residents in a variety of housing settings including, but not limited to: apartments, condominiums, single family homes, and shared housing. The following are characteristics of the program.

• Services are available to assist persons with serious and persistent mental illness to secure and maintain independent living.
• Services are individualized and flexible.
• Services are available 24/7 (24 hours a day, seven days a week).
• Services promote community integration and strengthen connections to the consumer’s natural supports in the community.
• Services provide linkages to needed mental health and generic community services.
• Services promote people’s abilities to pursue their educational and employment goals.
• Services promote and enhance individual responsibility for the maintenance of housing, including payment of rent and household expenses as well as general household maintenance skills.
  

Supportive services are tailored to each individual’s needs, respect the individual’s service and lifestyle choices, and are available to every individual as needed. Peer counseling and case management services are provided both on-site and off-site, with staff on call 24/7. Supportive service staff work collaboratively with each resident to develop an individual service plan. These service plans may include:

• household management skills training
• access to community entitlement and assistance programs
• linkage to advocacy and legal services 
• community natural supports and self-help programs 
• job training and educational opportunities
• substance abuse counseling and support
• linkage to crisis stabilization services
• wellness management and recovery education
  

The services provided to support the residents are:

• Flexible: Services will be designed to respond to individual needs and respect the unique culture and heritage of the individual.
• Intensive: Services are available when needed on-site 24/7. Services are tailored to meet crisis situations as well as help the individual with ongoing daily living needs and personal wellness goals.
•  Empowering: Services will assist individuals to achieve maximum independence according to their personal goal
• Community- and family-centered: Services will be provided to help individuals create a warm home-like atmosphere to reduce to reduce isolation and loneliness

All residents in supportive housing have private bedrooms and, to the extent possible, a choice regarding their housemates. They are involved in the selection of furniture, household items, and the overall furnishing of the home. 

The CSPNJ supportive services team will ensure that residents have access to available qualified professionals meet the medical, dental, and mental health needs. If residents return to the hospital for any reason, their housing will be held open for them as long as possible, providing they continue to pay rent and abide by the terms of their lease.