Mental Health Association Oklahoma

PROJECT PURPOSE

Mental Health Association Oklahoma has been advocating for Oklahomans since 1955. We are dedicated to promoting mental health and equity of access to mental health care for individuals impacted by mental illness, homelessness, substance use, and justice involvement. With offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa and partnerships across the state, we work tirelessly to connect vulnerable individuals to the resources they need to increase their self-sufficiency. While fragmented systems of care struggle to meet their complex needs, our mission is designed to reduce barriers to accessing affordable housing and mental health care in one collective effort. Our housing program and wrap-around services position us to meet the mental health care needs of the most vulnerable members of our community. We are proud to report that we continued these vital services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but suffered a significant loss of revenue (decreased rental income, contributions, and investment income) and increased costs that were not reimbursed (PPE, sanitization supplies, COVID-19 testing, virtual meeting subscriptions, and other pandemic adaptation). These are the losses we have identified upon initial review and do not include future losses. A full analysis of our losses will be included in our Department of Commerce application, as allowed.

EVIDENCE

Despite lost revenue and increased expenses, we continued providing critical services using evidence based practices including the Housing First and peer-to-peer recovery models. Housing First prioritizes providing housing to people experiencing homelessness with studies showing that its participants are more likely to remain stably housed and engage with supportive services. The peer-to-peer recovery model is delivered by individuals with shared life experiences and has been proven to improve the quality of life and mental health of participants. It is critically important that non-profits have the financial resources and stability necessary to provide services like these that are needed now, more than ever.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Research shows that individuals who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk for homelessness, whether currently housed, sheltered, or unsheltered, tend to have higher rates of poor health generally, face greater risk of community virus spread, as well as being at greater risk of hospitalization and other more serious health outcomes, including death, as a result of COVID-19. In addition to the number of individuals already included in this highly vulnerable population, many Oklahomans are having a hard time making rent payments due to economic strain and lost employment resulting from the pandemic, increasing their risk for homelessness at a time when the demand for affordable housing has never been higher. Mental Health Association Oklahoma (the Association) is uniquely positioned to identify and connect with this highly vulnerable population in order to address the risks they face. The Association uses the Housing First model to ensure individuals experiencing homelessness are provided with permanent supportive housing, establishing a stable platform from which they can pursue other wrap-around services including mental health resources, substance abuse recovery, and employment assistance. Recovery of lost revenue will help us continue to meet the increased needs of some of the most vulnerable Oklahomans.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

We utilize the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) ?Sharelink? and our own property management software to maintain tenant and participant records. These systems, along with intake forms, pre- and post-tests, and other evaluation methods for our wrap-around services enable us to collect, analyze, and report all required data. Association services are evaluated regularly via the Performance and Quality Improvement plan to track identified measures, identify trends, and compare performance over time. The Strategic Planning and Accountability Committee reviews the data to check for integrity, focusing on best practices and policies to ensure effective data analysis and program effectiveness.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding