Permanent Housing

• At Helio Health, we apply a Housing First Model as a method of ending homelessness. Housing First is an approach to quickly and successfully connect individuals experiencing homelessness to permanent housing without preconditions and barriers to entry, such as sobriety, treatment or service participation requirements.
• Supportive services are offered to maximize housing stability and prevent returns to homelessness. For those choosing to engage in supportive services, program participants have access to Helio Health’s Integrated Outpatient Services (substance use disorder/mental health/gambling), detox, inpatient and employment services.
• The Helio Health Vocational Lab offers access to a work readiness counselor and various workshops including: resume building, interviewing skills, rebuilding credit, financial literacy, budgeting. Many program participants access all of their supportive services within the organization, so waiting times to access services are dramatically reduced.

Helio Housing First 

Helio Housing First (49 units) serves chronically homeless individuals with a qualifying disabling condition such as: substance use disorder, mental illness or physical limitations.

• Guidelines established by HUD and NY-505
• Individuals must meet the HUD definition of chronic homelessness
• Individuals must have a VI-SPDAT completed
• VI-SPDATS are done at shelters and homeless outreach teams

Individuals must be placed on HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordinated Entry list. All homeless providers in the community have access to this list, and individuals entering this program are selected from this list.

Rapid Rehousing

FAST Housing is a Housing First rapid rehousing project designed to serve a minimum of 20 homeless individuals annually with:

• Rental assistance (up to 24 months, average 12 months)
• Case management
• Care coordination

Staff assists residents in creating and achieving goals in an individualized service plan where the primary focus is self-sufficiency. Referrals to address medical, family, legal and employment/vocational goals can be made, if desired.

Permanent Housing for those with a Qualifying Disability

Helio Housing First (16 units) and KEES II (48 units) programs serve homeless individuals with qualifying disabilities (for example substance use disorder, mental illness, physical limitation). Helio Health will work intensively with residents, using a person-centered/motivational interviewing approach to encourage residents to participate in self-sufficiency goals. These goals may include:

• Applying for mainstream benefits such as SSI/SSDI
• Temporary assistance
• Medicaid and food stamps
• Connecting residents to supportive services
• Assisting with employment and education goals

Individuals entering this program are selected from the Coordinated Entry list.

Housing, Health, Employment & Education Program

This 16-unit scattered-site apartment program serves individuals identified as high Medicaid users who have co-occurring disorders. This program is designed to help:

• Reduce Medicaid costs while providing the necessary supports for housing
• Increase health and recovery stability
• Foster economic self-sufficiency
• Encourage community reintegration