PATH - Technical Assistance

	Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration The Center for Mental Health Services

"Identifying Best Practices in Public Housing For People who are Homeless and Have a Mental Disability: The Role of Engagement and Collaboration (A Survey of Public Housing Authorities in Four States)"

This paper was developed by the PATHNET Barriers to Mainstream workgroup paper. The workgroup surveyed over 150 Public Housing Authorities and over 150 PATH providers in Kentucky, Texas, Utah and Virginia in order to identify barriers, best practices, in public housing.

View here (331kb)

Cultural Competence Report

A workgroup of State PATH Contacts examined cultural competence by collecting and reviewing related documents from State PATH Contacts and other public and private agencies, convening teleconferences, and using e-mail discussions. This report includes a definition of cultural competence in the context of the PATH program, guiding principles for the development of culturally competent services, action steps to help implement these principles; and recommends self-assessment tools to help PATH programs judge the degree of cultural competence they have achieved.

View here (204kb)

PATH Evaluation

An independent evaluation of the PATH program

View here (762kb)

Continuum of Care Guidebook

"How To Be a Player in the Continuum of Care: Tools for The Mental Health Community" describes the Continuum of Care model, how it forms the basis of a Continuum of Care plan, and application at the provider level.

View here (261kb)

Managed Care Paper

"A Strategic Approach to Representing the Needs of Homeless People with Serious Mental Illnesses in Managed Care Systems: A Guide For State PATH Contacts", provides basic background information about managed care in public mental health systems and describes strategies to represent the needs of persons who are homeless and have serious mental illnesses in these systems.

View here (85kb)

Consolidated Plan Guide

A guide intended to help the mental health and homeless communities participate in the ConPlan process, with the goal of expanding federally funded housing approaches for people with serious mental illnesses and other disabilities.

View here

Interventions for Persons who are Homeless with Co-Occurring Disorders

This publication presents current research and program information on effective treatment strategies for homeless persons with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

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Outreach and the “Housing First” Model : Offering Housing During the First Contact by Outreach Workers

Call Transcript

PowerPoint Presentation

This national presentation described the essential components of the Housing First approach and the role that outreach staff can play in facilitating immediate access to permanent supportive housing for PATH clients.

Outreach teams must be directly connected to housing resources.

The presenters included: Sam Tsemberis, Executive Director, Pathways to Housing, New York City ; Sheryl Silver , ACT Team Leader, PATH program, Pathways to Housing ; and Ann Denton , Advocates for Human Potential, Austin, Texas.

Consumers as Staff Panel Discussion

In many PATH funded programs, consumers also work as staff. Those who have direct experience with homelessness, mental illness, and other problems bring a unique perspective on the challenges to recovery how to overcome them. However, consumers who choose to work as staff also face unique challenges and have a great deal to teach us about what it takes to successfully assume this new role.

In this panel discussion, consumers who are currently working as staff in PATH funded programs discuss their experiences. The panelists include: James Lloyd, Southwest Counseling and Development Services, Detroit MI, Dave Dixon, Homeless Authority of Savannah, GA and James Waldon, Johnson Mental Health, Chattanooga, TN.

Brief biographies of each panelist are posted below for your review.

Audio Files
Consumer Staff Biographies

teleconferece call continued:

Expert’s Form: Medication Management: An Interview with Dr. Peter Weiden

Phot - Dr. Peter Weiden One of the challenges facing staff working in PATH programs is helping people understand the effects of psychotropic medications and making informed decisions about compliance. This presentation by Dr. Peter Weiden provides a context and strategies for working with PATH clients on managing their medications and understanding the risks of non-compliance.

Peter Weiden, M.D. is Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry, and the Director of the Schizophrenia Research Program at SUNY Downstate Medical Center Brooklyn, NY.

Audio File
Powerpoint Presentation

Assisting PATH Clients' Applications for SSI/SSDI Benefits - July 8, 2003

This national teleconference identified strategies, staffing and resources to help PATH SSI/SSDI applicants with serious mental illnesses. Too often, applicants are unable to provide the needed documentation. However, agencies can adopt strategies and use their resources, including PATH funding, to address delays. Presenters reviewed how agencies can provide necessary assistance to determine disability.

The questions below are designed to assist you in reviewing your program’s structure, policies and procedures in five key areas identified by SSA staff as being crucial to success in the SSI/SSDI application process. Each area was discussed on the call, followed by questions.

Links to relevant materials are below:

"Motivational Interviewing" Applications for PATH Services Providers

This national presentation described the basic principles and practices of Motivational Interviewing with a special emphasis on how to apply this approach with persons who are homeless and have mental health and substance abuse problems.

Call Transcript

Materials:

Overview
Presentation Slides

Informational Links:

"Outreach to People Experiencing Homelessness: A Curriculum for Training Health Care for the Homeless Outreach Workers”.

Expert’s Forum:
Accessing Mainstream Programs: An Interview with Carol Wilkins

Carol Wilkins, Director of Intergovernmental Policy at the Corporation for Supportive Housing, works to develop and support policy solutions to end long-term homelessness for people who have complex health needs and multiple barriers to employment. During this interview, Ms. Wilkins discusses how to access traditionally under-utilized mainstream programs for PATH clients, especially in these times of fiscal constraint.

Link to the audio file
Accompanying Slides

Working With Trauma Survivors Who Are Homeless

This teleconference provided information to assist people who are homeless with mental illnesses and/or co-occurring disorders who experienced psychological trauma. It included an overview of common effects of trauma on survivors, suggestions for recognizing the effects of trauma in PATH clients and recommendations for what to do to help.

Transcript of Call

Additional Information:

  Intro To Trauma Issues
  Connections Fall Newsletter
  Suggested Readings
  Teleconference Slides

Informational Links:

The Sidran Institute
Trauma Information Pages

Interview with Pat Deegan, PhD

Photo of Pat Deegan Dr. Deegan is a clinical psychologist, a nationally recognized expert and champion on the subject of recovery. During this interview, she describes personal experiences that lead to her life’s work and the importance of recovery for people with psychiatric disabilities who have experienced homelessness. Dr. Deegan also outlines important roles that PATH workers can play in supporting the process of recovery.

Hear the interview here
Other Articles and Resources by Pat Deegan can be viewed here

Teleconference Call "Work as a Priority"

This national presentation provides concepts, practical strategies, and approaches to providing employment options for people who are homeless and have mental illnesses, or co-occurring mental illnesses and substance use issues with a number of expert panelists.

Links to audio files: Part 1 Part 2

Other links:
Overview of the National Presentation

Work As A Priority draft publication

Audio presentations . . .

of workshops from the December 2001 national training conference, "We Can Do This! Ending Homelessness for People with Mental Illnesses and/or Substance Use Disorders" are now available on line.

Click here for more information and to access the audio files.