SUPPORT SERVICES
The Coalition provides individualized support services for its clients as needed, in order to create a stable environment and to keep those that were once homeless in housing. This includes rental assistance; help navigating the “red tape” often required to obtain public benefits like Medicaid; connections to jobs, employers or employment resources; dedicated case-managers; and customized mental health and substance treatment approaches.
Rental Assistance
The Coalition provides transitional, Section 8, and permanent housing assistance to homeless families and individuals. Services include housing referrals, counseling, landlord/tenant advocacy, housing search assistance, life skills training, and on-site housing quality inspections.
If you are a landlord with a property for rent, and would like to list it with the Coalition, click here.
Benefits Acquisition
For those persons experiencing homelessness, accessing public benefits for which they are eligible is often a difficult but essential step to securing housing. The Coalition’s Benefits Acquisition and Retention Team (BART) is a nationally recognized program that is funded by the City & County of Denver. In 2007 BART helped close to 100 individuals and families secure social security benefits. The Coalition works to expedite these processes. As a result, some benefits are awarded within one week of application. Once a benefit-eligible disabled person receives the entitlements they can obtain housing and healthcare and their homelessness ends.
Employment Counseling
The Coalition helps homeless individuals meet their vocational goals, obtain the income they need to overcome homelessness and regain their places as contributing members of their communities. We work collaboratively with community agencies and employers to ensure success. Services are highly individualized in order to define meaningful goals, develop effective strategies and action plans, utilize available resources and gain the personalized skills and tools needed to seek and maintain employment.
Housing First
The Coalition has adopted an approach designed to help chronically homeless individuals move immediately off the streets or out of the shelter system. Called “Housing First” it includes crisis intervention, rapid access to housing, and follow-up case management and therapeutic support services to prevent the recurrence of homelessness. Housing First is designed to respond to the most acute need of chronically homeless individuals with disabilities – housing – and through the provision of housing, to provide the other services necessary to maintain that housing and to improve health. learn more
ACT
The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model is integrated into Housing First program delivery to improve the overall health of participants and to increase their residential stability. ACT is designed to provide 24/7, comprehensive, community-based treatment and support to persons with serious and persistent mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
Professionals representing a mix of disciplines provide case management; initial and ongoing assessments; psychiatric services; employment and housing assistance; family support and education; substance abuse services; and other services and supports essential to an individual’s ability to live successfully in the community. An evidence-based practice, ACT has been has been researched and evaluated and has proven cost and clinical effectiveness.