Email UpdatesThe Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration issued a new guide for Expanding Access to and Use of Behavioral Health Services for People at Risk for Experiencing Homelessness. “This guide highlights strategies for behavioral health and housing providers to conduct outreach and engage with individuals experiencing homelessness, initiate use of behavioral health treatment as they wait to receive stable housing and retain them in their recovery efforts once housed.[1]”
With five chapters designed to be brief and accessible, this guide is intended for an audience of program administrators, clinicians, direct care staff, and community partners. It “provides strategies and implementation considerations to engage people currently experiencing homelessness, build strong relationships with these individuals, offer effective mental health and/or substance use disorder treatments, and improve retention in recovery efforts. [1]”
For more information on helping to prevent and end homelessness among people with mental or substance use disorders, please see:
- Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration – Homelessness Programs and Resources
- U.S Department of Health & Human Services – Homelessness Resources and Programs
[1] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Expanding Access to and Use of Behavioral Health Services for People Experiencing Homelessness. SAMHSA Publication No. PEP22-06- 02-003. Rockville, MD: National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2023. Accessed January 20, 2023.