Permanent Options for Recovery-Centered Housing

The Permanent Options for Recovery-Centered Housing (PORCH) program is a partnership between the Washington State Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, Optum Health-Pierce County and Chelan-Douglas Regional Support Networks, Washington State Department of Commerce and local mental health and housing providers in Pierce, Chelan and Douglas counties. PORCH’s goal is to increase housing stability and encourage independent living among adults with a history of mental illness and housing instability or homelessness. This is the second report in a series about the program and provides an update on those served in the second year, plus preliminary findings for those who remained enrolled in PORCH services 12 or more months. We find that since May 2011, PORCH has served 162 participants in two sites, and maintains an active caseload of about 100 participants (50 at each site). Two thirds of enrollees completed one or more years of services. For those enrolled at least 12 months, more than half had an improved recovery scale score, and housing stability and satisfaction improved substantially between the baseline and 12-month follow-up periods. A final report at the end of the five-year grant period will examine the impact of PORCH on participant housing, employment and arrest outcomes.