Public Notice for Funding Award - FFY 2012 (SFY2013)

Projects for Assistance in Transition From Homelessness (PATH)

OVERVIEW:

In 1988, the Federal Stewart B. McKinney Act was enacted into legislation to address the crisis of homelessness among the nation's population of individuals who are homeless and who have serious mental illness. In 1991, this Block Grant evolved into a federal formula funding award titled Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH).

Under the governance of The Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, Federal PATH awards are annually granted to the fifty States and six Territories, upon submission and review of an application process.

In 1988, Illinois' original eight PATH awardees were determined from a competitive Request for Application (RSP) process, released by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Under written guidelines, applications were ranked on determination of need, based on the prevalence of certain variables including homelessness and risks for homelessness in a given geographical area, under employment/unemployment, limited housing stock and percentage of individuals below poverty. Since the early 1990's, Illinois has increased the number of PATH programs from eight (8) to twenty (20) - which are located in the cities of Rockford, Joliet, Chicago, East St. Louis, Carbondale, Springfield, and Cairo.

Individuals and families who meet criteria for PATH eligible services must be homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, have a serious mental illness - and may have a co-occurring substance use disorder. In FFY 2012 (SFY 2013), the Illinois PATH program will report services to more than 3,400 (unduplicated) eligible individuals.

Based on the environmental landscape of the service providers' respective communities - a variety of strategies are utilized to identify and access individuals and families who are vulnerable and underserved including: Participation on a Mobile Health Team (and) two (2) Mobile Assessment Units, conducting outreach and engagement in the streets, parks/forest preserves/encampments, libraries, shelters, food pantries, prisons, hospitals, drop-in centers, abandoned buildings (and) collaboration with colleagues to staff Homeless Connect Resource Fairs/Stand-Downs/Open Door Days and Re-Entry Summits.

PATH SERVICES AND RESOURCES:

• Outreach and Engagement, distribution of hygienic kits
• Community mental health services, intensive case management and crisis intervention
• Screening and diagnostic assessments
• Individual/Family Counseling and group therapy
• Access to community resources (e.g.: dental, vision, clothing, food pantries, bus/train cards)
• Transportation to doctor appointments, benefits representatives and related activities
• Referrals/linkage to primary healthcare services and substance abuse treatment programs
• Trainings: PATH Teams, fellow providers of homeless services and community stakeholders
• Securing personal documentation (e.g.: birth certificates, state ID's and social security cards)
• Assistance in obtaining employment, public entitlements/benefits acquisition
• Linkage w/landlords, one-time security deposits/rental payments to avoid eviction.

Comments or questions regarding the Federal PATH formula grant award, Intended Use Plans for service coordination (or) to request an alternative format for accessibility purposes, please contact Tahtia K. Smalling, State PATH Coordinationator; Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health (IDHS/DMH) via email at tahtia.smalling@illinois.gov.