TRANSPARENCIES
a monthly newsletter from Integral Care
a monthly newsletter from Integral Care
Recognizing the need to solve our community’s homeless crisis, the Integral Care Board has created an Ad Hoc Committee on Housing and Homelessness to develop an Integral Care housing plan. The vision is to integrate a housing lens across all services in order to prevent and end homelessness. About 20% of Integral Care clients are either marginally or literally homeless. Many more clients live on the edge of homelessness – one crisis away. To begin to solve homelessness, we must prevent it from happening. So stabilizing housing for clients who are one crisis away from homelessness is key.
We are taking a systems approach that monitors and addresses gaps and racial inequities in services and housing for the people we serve. We have begun the first step of this process. We are screening all clients to determine their housing stability. Our vision is to deploy prevention efforts to stabilize their existing housing by creating or finding flexible in-kind resources and funding and/or connecting to external referrals to stabilize their existing housing. This work is in addition to our 28 housing and homelessness programs that support people in our community who experience homelessness.
Press conference outside Terrace at Oak Springs
Having a home is the basic foundation for maintaining both physical and mental health. We are proud to collaborate with the city, county and other housing and homelessness experts across the city to reach a goal of housing 3,000 members of our community over the next 3 years. As outlined by the Summit to Address Unsheltered Homelessness in Austin, over a third of those people will be provided permanent supportive housing (PSH) like that offered at our 50-unit Terrace at Oak Springs (TAOS).
Not only does PSH save lives, the evidence-based housing approach saves the community significant dollars in the overutilization of public resources. A recent return on investment study for TAOS revealed that in one year, we saw $725,000 in community savings. That’s almost $14,500 per resident. These savings are a result of a
City and County leaders recently outlined a $515M investment plan for housing and services across the spectrum of needs for individuals experiencing homelessness. More than 75% of funding is in place, a large chunk of it from the American Rescue Plan stimulus package.
Right now, Integral Care is working with the City of Austin to convert a hotel into 60 PSH units, set to open in 2022. In 2023, thanks to a significant investment from Travis County, the Travis County Supportive Housing Collaborative, which includes LifeWorks, SAFE Alliance, Caritas of Austin, Family Eldercare, A New Reentry, Austin Area Urban League, and Integral Care, will start work toward developing 1,000 new affordable and PSH units. And those are just two examples of exciting initiatives to ensure healthy living for everyone in Austin-Travis County. When we work together to provide everyone a home, the entire community grows stronger.
David Evans
Chief Executive Officer
This week, KVUE highlighted the Mobile Medical and Mental Health Care Team (M3), a collaboration between Integral Care, CommUnityCare, and Dell Medical School. This team removes the walls of the clinic, bringing health care to campsites, bridge underpasses, and homes – anywhere someone needs care. M3 serves people experiencing chronic homelessness, that have a chronic health condition, a substance use disorder, and serious mental illness. See how the team impacted one woman who formerly experienced homelessness.
Yesterday, Integral Care and Caritas of Austin co-presented a community forum focused on Evidence-Based Solutions to Homelessness. Our panelists talked about what contributes to homelessness, the process for getting affordable housing, the permanent supportive housing model and ways to get involved in the fight against homelessness. Watch the forum replay video here.
Integral Care is growing! We’re hiring for positions across the agency – Child and Family, Housing and Homelessness, Crisis, Adult Behavioral Health, Substance Use Disorder, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and more. Clinical, administrative and other positions are open. Apply today and take advantage of the current $2,000 sign-on incentive.
October 2021: Language Access & Racial Equity
September 2021: Treatment & Addiction Psychiatry at Integral Care
August 2021: Returning to School plus the Legislative Wrap-up
July 2021: Creating Lasting Change for BIPOC Mental Health
June 2021: Facts & Resources This Pride Month
May 2021: Mental Health Month
April 2021: How do we help Austinites experiencing homelessness?
March 2021: Growth and Positive Change
February 2021: How Do We Create a Better Future?
January 2021: Looking Ahead to the Legislative Session
December 2020: Supporting Your Mental Health This Winter
November 2020: How do we rebuild health and well-being during a pandemic?
October 2020: With Collaboration Comes Innovation
September 2020: Success Stories of Recovery and Suicide Prevention
August 2020: A Back to School Season Like Never Before
July 2020: Minority Health Disparities & COVID-19
June 2020: Stronger Together
May 2020: Surviving and Thriving During Uncertain Times
April 2020: Persevering During COVID-19
March 2020: Collaborations and Initiatives to Improve Health for the IDD Population
February 2020:Solutions to Health and Health Care Disparities
January 2020: Sucicide Prevention a Local Effort
December 2019: A Year of Thriving Care & Collaboration
November 2019: Teamwork and Collaboration Impact Homelessness in Travis County
October 2019:Making Strides for World Mental Health
September 2019: Taking Steps to Recovery Support
August 2019: Working Together for Child & Youth Mental Health
July 2019: Legislative Wrap-Up – Some Bipartisan Wins for Healthcare
June 2019: Strengthening Access for Veterans and the Entire Military Family
May 2019: Women and Mental Health
April 2019: Legislative Session Status Report
March 2019: Making Opportunities for Recovery More Accessible
February 2019: Recovery is Possible
January 2019: Stronger Outcomes Through Collaboration
December 2018: Looking ahead to the 86th Texas Legislature
November 2018: How Tech is Changing the Face of Mental Health
October 2018: A Few Questions Could Help Save a Life
September 2018: Anyone Can Save a Life
August 2018: A Milestone Moment
July 2018: Equity in Mental Health Care for All
June 2018: Expanding Services for Veterans
May 2018: Your Mental Health Toolkit
April 2018: Time of Terror Calls for Increased Emotional Support
March 2018: Stopping the cycle of incarceration for individuals with mental illness
February 2018: Equity in mental healthcare for everyone
January 2018 : Improving Mental Health Through Partnership & Collaboration
December 2017: Strength Through Community
November 2017 : Healthy Lifestyles Improve Well-Being
October 2017 : National Child Health Day
September 2017 : Strengthening Families and Communities