Everyone needs a place to live. For people with mental health conditions, having a safe and affordable home is important for getting better. To help people recover, it’s best to live among others in the community. But access to secure housing is a problem for many people with mental illness due to:
Their income
Limited housing supply
Discrimination
The Office of Mental Health wants to help people with different needs find a good place to live. OMH funds and oversees a range of adult housing resources and residential housing programs in the state. Housing options are available to people 18 and older who have been diagnosed with a mental illness.
We recognize that:
Housing is a basic need and necessary for recovery from mental illness. Most people with mental illness want a permanent home that isn’t combined with support services. In other words, just a home.
A responsible system of care includes a limited need for housing with staff and short-term residential treatment programs.
The main goal of housing reform is to focus on the individual and make it easier for people to access to supportive housing. Recovery will be guided by principles that put the person first.
Recipient satisfaction and recovery are key.
We will continue to work with all members of the community to educate, inform and incorporate flexibility into housing funding, regulation, and oversight.
Learn more about housing resources and mental health services
OMH Residential Services provide access to housing opportunities, particularly for people with:
A history of repeated psychiatric hospitalizations
Homelessness
Involvement with the criminal justice system
Co-occurring substance abuse
We also provide housing to people leaving adult homes and to people receiving court-ordered Assisted Outpatient Treatment. Housing categories and availability and varies by geographic region.
Use the Find a Program App to locate programs in your area.
Licensed Support Programs Apartment/Support: An apartment-based residential program that helps people live as independently as possible. The goal is to move into more independent housing. Staff and residents meet on a flexible schedule, based on the resident’s needs and preferences.
Congregate/Support: A single-site residential program that helps people live as independently as possible. The goal is to move into more independent housing. Support depends on what the resident wants, can handle, and is willing to do. Staff is available on-site 24 hours a day.
Licensed Treatment Programs Apartment/Treatment: An apartment-based residential program with on-site support. The support is goal-focused, intense, and usually lasts for a short time. Residents and staff meet on a flexible schedule, based on what the resident needs and wants.
Community Residence for Eating Disorder Integrated Treatment Program (CREDIT): A community residence program for adults who have an eating disorder. This program is for people who need more support than family settings or other less restrictive programs can offer.
Congregate/Treatment: A group-living residential program that helps residents with specific challenges that make it hard for them to live in more independent housing. The help focuses on their goals, is intense, and short-term. Staff are on-site and available 24 hours a day to assist.
SRO Community Residence: This is a type of housing where people live in individual rooms for a long time. Residents get the support they need to live well in the community. Mental health services are available from program staff or outside providers, based on a plan made with the provider and resident. People can stay as long as they need the services offered.
Family Care Program : Family Care is a licensed residential service for people diagnosed with serious mental illness. The program places individuals who need a place to live (residents) with people trained to deliver residential care in their own homes.
Unlicensed Housing Supportive Housing: The goal is to help individuals find and secure housing they want and the support they need to live successfully in the community. Connections to a full support system, including case management, mental health care, and general health supports are available. Learn more about Supportive Housing Guidelines.
Supportive Single Room Occupancy (SP-SRO): A type of housing where people live in individual apartments long-term. It offers support services to help residents live successfully in the community. Mental health services are available from staff or other providers, based on a plan made with the provider and resident.
(STTR) Short-Term Transitional Residence: This is a new OMH housing model with increased staffing and supports. A SPOA Application is NOT required for admission to this residence. Admission is a screening-in process with presumed eligibility. Length of stay is short term and less than 120 days.
Access to Housing
To access most housing opportunities in New York State (except for NYC) an individual, advocate and/or mental health service provider must complete a Single Point of Access (SPOA) application in the County where the individual is seeking assistance.
The Single Point of Access (SPOA) program helps providers connect people with serious mental illness treatment, services and benefits. This program is a partnership between the Office of Mental Health and Local County Government Units (LGU). Each (LGU) has an individualized process on how to access housing opportunities through the SPOA program.
The County Mental Hygiene Directors oversee the SPOA process for housing services. Use the Directory of County Mental Health Directors Map to find your county’s mental health director.
Access to Housing in NYC (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond Counties)
The Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS) operates the SPOA program for housing opportunities in New York City. They make housing referrals and offer help with accessing supportive housing. This includes help completing the HRA 2010-e application.
The CUCS Housing Consultation & Resources team provides resources and guidance to individuals, families, and their advocates.
NOTE: The NYC SPOA Program does not complete the NYC Supportive Housing Application.
Reports
Data Collection Methods
The Residential Program Indicators (RPI) report presents data from the Child and Adult Integrated Reporting System (CAIRS). CAIRS is a secure and confidential HIPAA compliant information system developed and utilized by OMH to record, facilitate, monitor, and evaluate the process of managing and coordinating mental health services in New York State.
The accuracy of the data provided in the RPI report reflects the accuracy of information provided by the agencies for each admission and discharge entered in CAIRS.
Describes the priority admissions as a percentage of the total number of admissions for each program type for each program type by county for each region.
Describes the occupancy rate for each program type by county for each region.
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