When one door closes, another opens. This is how many of the parishioners at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Guelph talk about their recent leadership gift to the Home for Good campaign.
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is an evidenced-based and cost-effective solution for people who are chronically homeless and/or highly vulnerable because of long-term disabilities such as mental illnesses, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, substance use disorders, and chronic health conditions.
PSH can be further understood by considering each component:
Permanent – Leases are held by tenants without limits on length of stay (PSH is not intended to be transitional or temporary).
Supportive – PSH links rental financial assistance with access to individualized, flexible and voluntary supports to address needs and maintain housing stability. Supports are typically provided by on-site staff and can be accessed 24 hours / 7 days a week.
Housing – PSH usually includes independent units, so people have their own private space, with common spaces that are in one home or building, or in a scattered-site arrangement in which tenants who receive support services live through out the community in housing that can be agency-owned or privately owned.