Permanent Options for Recovery-Centered Housing: Year 1 Annual Report

This report describes baseline characteristics for individuals who enrolled in the Permanent Options for Recovery-Centered Housing (PORCH) program during the first 12 months of program services (May 2011 through April 2012). PORCH is a permanent supportive housing (PSH) program offered in Pierce, Chelan and Douglas counties. PSH is typically defined as affordable housing combined with services that are provided to chronically homeless individuals with substantial mental, physical or behavioral health barriers to maintaining housing. The combination of affordable housing and services is expected to encourage progress towards mental health and substance abuse recovery goals, and minimize spells of homelessness. PORCH is a partnership between the Washington State Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR), the Optum Health-Pierce County and Chelan-Douglas Regional Support Networks (RSNs), the Washington State Department of Commerce and several local mental health and housing providers. This is the first of several reports that will monitor PORCH participants over a five-year period. An outcome evaluation in year 5 will identify the impact of PORCH on housing stability, employment, and health after one year of PORCH participation.