Recovery Housing: Ohio s Efforts to Expand Policy and Financing

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1 Recovery Housing: Ohio s Efforts to Expand Policy and Financing Lori Criss, MSW, LSW Associate Director The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers Housing Policy Barriers for People with SUDs Addiction is not recognized as a disability by the Social Security Administration. People disabled solely or primarily by substance use disorders do not have access to: o Medicaid and Medicare o Project Based Section 8 Housing for the disabled o Income Benefits (SSI) o Vocational Rehabilitation Services o Collateral Sanctions 1

2 Ohio s Historical Approach to Affordable Housing Policy for People with Disabilities Many state agencies have programs, policies and financing to support housing, including capital funding, rent subsidies, and operating funds. Ohio did not traditionally targeted resources to housing specifically designed to meet the needs of persons recovering from substance use disorders. Most notably, in 2009, Ohio adopted the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Framework as a mechanism to end homelessness and institutionalization for chronically homeless persons and families with significant, long-term disabilities. Building a Flexible Array of Housing Options for People with Substance Use Disorders Requires: affordable, mainstream housing where people can be safely housed and motivated toward recovery at their own pace recovery-focused housing where people who are actively seeking sobriety can find safety in an alcohol- and drugfree setting 2

3 Who is Recovery Housing for? actively working to daily live alcohol- and drug-free lives. desire a safe and structured living environment with others who share recovery social norms including the goal of sobriety. want to engage in support, services, or treatment to further their recovery. at-risk of homelessness because they are exiting treatment, incarceration, military duty or are living in a home or neighborhood that puts them at risk for continued substance use. From Vision to Reality: Building Recovery Housing Policy in Ohio 2012: Ohio Council, OhioMHAS, peers, treatment providers, housing partners, local government began planning for policies & resources for recovery housing 2013: Ohio Council publishes Environmental Scan of Recovery Housing in Ohio Individual Recovery Housing Properties in Ohio 2014: Recovery housing included in Ohio law, first grants provided for recovery housing, and Ohio Recovery Housing founded as Ohio s affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences 2015: ORH begins inspecting and certifying recovery housing in Ohio as meeting quality standards 3

4 Recovery Housing and Ohio Law 2014 Recovery Housing means housing for individuals recovering from drug addiction that provides an alcohol and drug-free living environment, peer support, assistance with obtaining drug addiction services, and other drug addiction recovery assistance. RH is a required element in local continuum of care Must be owned and operated by community addiction services providers or other nongovernmental organizations Requires protocol for administrative oversight, quality standards, policies and procedures including house rules for its residents to which residents must agree to adhere State must submit a plan for a resource hub on RH in Ohio to Ohio General Assembly New investment of $10 million National Alliance for Recovery Residences Comprehensive nomenclature National standards to promote quality Certification program 19 state affiliate organizations 4

5 Recovery Residences: 4 Levels of Support Peer Elected Peer Monitor Staff Supervised Residential Treatment 5

6 Why Recovery Housing? Why Now? Despite challenging social and economic trends, several factors offer opportunities to support and expand recovery housing. Moving from acute care to chronic disease model Health reform, Medicaid expansion Payment reform, integrated care Increasing attention to opiate crisis and need for extended recovery environments Contact: Lori Criss