Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma (LASO)

PROJECT PURPOSE

Families who have children of any age living with them who experience mental health and/or substance abuse challenges are more likely than others to experience homelessness. Additionally, during times of stress or crisis, children are less likely to be engaged in mental health and substance abuse support services-times when their families need help the most. Often, these children may act out by being loud or engaging in destructive behavior while symptomatic on the property. These behaviors may result in families facing eviction and homelessness. This program, in partnership with ODMHSAS, will equip parents/caregivers, the family peer support workers and mental health and substance abuse use professionals with the legal knowledge and skills that they need through LASO assigned attorneys to assist families who are experiencing homelessness and/or to protect them from this traumatic experience before it occurs.

EVIDENCE

ODMHSAS will validate the proposed interventions. Also, see, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, "A Place of My Own-How the ADA creates Housing Opportunities for people with Mental Illnesses.,(2014)" and "What Fair Housing Means for People with disabilities (2018)" and British Medical Journal, "Mental Health Problems of Homeless Children and Families: longitudinal study (1998)"

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

The pandemic stressors include lost jobs, shuttered business, and positive COVD tests of individuals and Family members. The impact of these stressors magnify in the face of mental health and substance abuse challenges. This project will focus on children and families and members of such who deal with mental and/or substance abuse challenges that then complicate life such that housing is at risk thus threatening further downward spiral. The benefit will be a new focus on access to civil legal services interventions to simultaneously stabilize housing and allow the Family to take full benefit of ODHMHSA care services.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

LASO will enter all outcome data onto its case management system to create a database. LASO will track the delivery of legal services and the impact of such services on both individual and on ODMHSAS capacity. LASO will track not only Landlord tenant and foreclosure matters but also housing discrimination and ADA/Olmstead accessibility issues as well as accommodations/modifications, segregation and exclusion.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma