Trillium’s Permanent Supportive Housing Program Amy Modlin

Who is Trillium??? Trillium Health Resources is a managed care organization (LME/MCO) that manages mental health, substance use and intellectual/developmental disability services in a 24-county area in eastern North Carolina. We are responsible for managing state and federally funded services for people who receive Medicaid, are uninsured or cannot afford services.   

Trillium’s Housing Commitment In support of our mission Trillium is committed to the goal of collaborating with the community to provide safe, decent and affordable housing for persons in our catchment area who live with mental illness, developmental disability and/or substance use disorders.

Trillium’s Belief Trillium believes until an individual has stable, safe, and affordable housing, even the best treatment and rehabilitation services won’t be effective.

Permanent Supportive Housing

What is Permanent Supportive Housing??? A combination of housing and services intended as a cost-effective way to help people live more stable, productive lives. Works well for those who face the most complex challenges – individuals and families confronted with homelessness and who are also very low income and/or serious, persistent issues that may include substance use disorders, mental health, HIV/AIDS, chronic illness, diverse disabilities, or other serious challenges to stable housing. Supportive housing can be coupled with such social services as job training, life skills training, alcohol and substance use disorder treatment, community support services, and case management to populations in need of assistance. Supportive housing is intended to be a pragmatic solution that helps people have better lives while reducing, to the extent feasible, the overall cost of care. As community housing, supportive housing can be developed as mixed income, scattered site housing not only through the traditional route of low income and building complexes.

Trillium’s PSH Programs Trillium’s PSH program is funded through HUD’s Continuum of Care Program. Provides rental assistance to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness and have a disabling condition. Can provide supportive services to households if they choose to participate. Goal is to house people who are homeless because the answer for people who are homeless is housing.

Trillium PSH Programs 2 PSH Programs: Trillium PSH#1 – 81 units

Trillium’s Housing Staff 1 Housing Director 1 Housing Manager 2 Housing Coordinators 3 PSH Coordinators 1 Administrative Assistant PSH Program: 1 PSH Coordinator covers Northern & Central Regions 2 PSH Coordinators covers Southern Region

Trillium’s PSH coverage area?? Beaufort Jones Bertie Martin Camden Northampton Carteret Onslow Chowan Pamlico Craven Pasquotank Currituck Perquimans Dare Pitt Gates Tyrell Hertford Washington Hyde

Regional Committees’ Trillium’s PSH program stretches over 4 regional committees’ within BoS. Region 9 (8 county)* Region 11 (10 counties) Region 12 (5 counties) Region 13 (5 counties) *Although, region 9 has 8 counties Trillium covers Northampton county only.

Referral Process Individuals/Families can access the PSH program through several portals. One of the entry points is Trillium’s Call Center. Referrals are sent to our 2 Housing Coordinators. Housing Coordinators take referrals to regional Coordinated Entry committees to case conference.

Our Housing Philosophy….. HOUSING FIRST

Our Model…..Housing First Housing First is an approach that centers on providing homeless individuals/families with housing quickly and then providing services as needed and desired by the individual/family. NO SERVICES ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN/OBTAIN HOUSING! Brian, has explained previously so no need to spend a lot of time here.

How Trillium administers PSH using Housing First PSH Staff are not clinically trained…..we are Housers. PSH Coordinators offer choice where individuals/families want to live…….give them the power. Do NOT refer to individuals/families enrolled in our PSH program as clients but as tenants…..it’s a housing program. PSH Coordinators never push services on any tenant but always have resources available if needed. PSH Coordinators make regular contact with tenants.

Service Providers Services of any kind are never required under Trillium’s various housing programs. Trillium, through contracts and relationships, has access to the resources and services tenants may need and choose to participate in. As tenants choose to participate, or not, in services Trillium PSH coordinators are always involved in one way or another

Benefits of using the Housing First model Be able to house individuals/families quickly Decreasing homelessness Individuals receiving medical, behavioral, and/or substance use care for the first time…….recovery! Reunification with family and friends Employment/School/Training opportunities Personal sense of success and accomplishment

Challenges of using the Housing First model Refocusing Staff Rehousing tenants multiple times Negotiating with landlords Watching tenants lose housing or relapse With all good things come some challenges. The challenges do not mean the model is not successful but if you work thru the challenges and keep in mind its someone’s life that depends on it…it will work!

Questions. Amy Modlin Housing Director 866-998-2597 Amy Questions??? Amy Modlin Housing Director 866-998-2597 Amy.Modlin@trilliumnc.org