It is not hard to see how homelessness has become a widespread issue throughout New York City. In response to this epidemic, the Reisenbach Foundation has partnered with Fountain House to target one of their most vulnerable populations: homeless individuals with serious mental illnesses.
The Hardest to Serve Initiative, focuses on homeless people who have been chronically homeless and have a co-occurring disorder. The first year of this pilot program worked with 10 individuals, 9 of them are expected to receive permanent housing this month. Throughout the duration of the program, Fountain House learned that it was not only the free offerings that proved most impactful to those served, but also the connections they gained while participating in the program.
Clients were required to compose their own individual recovery plan with the guidance of Fountain House’s peer specialists. The role of these peer specialists is to provide an extra layer of support to these ten individuals and to assist them with obtaining much needed service like public benefits, employment assistance, and healthcare.
To learn more about the great work Fountain House does in the area of homelessness, visit their website: fountainhouse.org
