This webinar will explore strategies to target housing resources to assist people with serious mental illness in transitioning smoothly from jail or prison to their communities, achieving stability and support, and avoiding re-incarceration. The webinar will focus on strategies such as using Medicaid to cover housing-related transition and tenancy support services, using Mental Health Block Grant funds to finance housing subsidies for people re-entering their communities following incarceration, and using federal and state housing assistance programs to target housing subsidies to individuals with serious mental illness upon re-entry.  Martha Knisley will talk about housing barriers to successful reentry after incarceration, strategies to maximize housing resources through the 811 program, Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, and other federal subsidies including Housing Choice Vouchers and Continuum of Care; using bridge subsidies to facilitate transitions out of before people can secure federal subsidies; using Mental Health Block Grant funds, and using Medicaid to finance housing-related transition assistance and tenancy supports.  Bill Maroon will describe specific reentry housing initiatives including a new supported housing pilot program for returning citizens with serious mental illness in Philadelphia and a new peer crisis respite center for returning citizens.  Richard Cho will talk about how communities have used permanent supportive housing, Housing Choice Vouchers, and rapid re-housing to assist returning citizens who have serious mental illness.  Richard Cho will also discuss HUD's efforts to address housing needs of returning citizens including individuals with serious mental illness.

Presenters:
Martha Knisley, Richard Cho, Ph.D and Bill Maroon