Categories: New York State
07.26.2013
Up to 4,000 individuals may move to Supported Housing
After nearly a decade of litigation, New York State announced on July 23 that it has reached an agreement with the Department of Justice to provide the opportunity for 4,000 mentally ill people living in adult homes to move into OMH-funded scattered-site Supported Housing or other housing that is the most integrated setting appropriate to the individual.
Under a consent decree, the state will offer assessments to at least 2,500 residents of 23 large adult homes in New York City. This process will determine whether residents are capable of moving into supported housing or other housing that's most appropriate for that individual. As part of the decision, the state agreed to create and subsidize at least 2,000 new scattered-site Supported Housing units to meet the expected increase in demand.
Health Homes or Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plans will perform comprehensive assessments of the residents' physical and behavioral health needs. They'll also work with individuals to arrange for needed services and recommend the appropriate housing options.
The NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) will contract with housing providers to conduct in-reach in adult homes. These sessions will help individuals make informed choices about whether they should move into Supported Housing or other housing that's most appropriate to fit their needs.
The agreement named mental health expert Clarence Sundram as an independent reviewer to oversee the implementation of and compliance with the agreement. The agreement is set to expire in five years.
Governor Cuomo released the following statement: "The State has reached an agreement that will improve service and quality of life for New Yorkers with mental illness living in adult homes. Today's result demonstrates New York's commitment to providing the best treatment possible for residents with mental illness and upholding the principles of the Supreme Court's 1999 decision in Olmstead v. L.C. As we have for the last two and a half years, our State will continue to reform how we provide care and housing for all vulnerable New Yorkers to ensure they are getting treatment and support that best fits their needs."
The Network joins many of its colleagues in serving on the State's Transitional Adult Home Workgroup. We will continue to work with the state to monitor implementation of this long-awaited initiative to ensure that adult home residents will be given access to a range of housing models appropriate and responsive to their needs.