The Hearth Outreach Program
The Program Model
You can’t have health, if you don’t have housing. You can’t have mental health, if you don’t have a home.— Ellen Feingold, Hearth Founder |
Currently, the Hearth Outreach Program is working to increase the number of elders we serve from 250 to 350, including 50 elders at risk of homelessness. Of the elders who enter the program over a one-year period, 45% are considered chronically homeless, 50% have a physical disability, 32% suffer from a mental-health related disability, and as many as 51% struggle with some type of substance abuse.
The process to find permanent housing and ensure long-term success is challenging and can take as long as two years or more
to complete.
Step I: The Connection
Case Managers canvas 10 Boston shelter programs weekly to get referrals from shelter staff and meet shelter guests.
Step II: Housing Search and Case Management
Next, Hearth Outreach and their elderly clients navigate step by step through the arduous housing application process.
Step III: Placement and Stabilization
Once a safe and affordable permenant housing unit has been found, Outreach accompanies their clients to sign the lease.