Community Housing
PRS Community Housing provides housing services to adults 18 years of age or older who meet diagnostic (DSM) criteria for major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, recurrent depressive disorders and/or clients with co-occurring diagnoses of mental illness and either a mild intellectual disability or a substance use disorder. Community Housing is funded through HUD and all referrals come from homeless service providers.
Length of stay in the program is not time limited. Residents are able to live in the housing if they adhere to the lease agreement, pay rent on time and are in need of skills teaching and support services to be successful with integrating into the community and avoid returning to homelessness and/or being hospitalized. Services are delivered to clients living in homes directly operated by PRS.
Residents must sign a lease with PRS and pay rent that is 30% of their income on a monthly basis.
Services:
Staff provide skills teaching to help residents learn independent living skills such as how to complete household tasks, menu plan, grocery shop, cook and prepare healthy meals, budget to cover monthly living expenses, how to schedule and keep various appointments with health care providers, manage medications and symptoms of illnesses.
Social and communication skills are addressed to learn how to get along with others, resolve conflicts and improve or build a social support system. The intent of the program is to assist residents to identify, learn and practice skills needed to be successful in not only getting but being able to get keep housing. Individual Recovery Plans are developed with each resident. Each resident has an active role in developing a plan that focuses on his/her unique needs, preferences and abilities.
Residents who are interested in getting a job are linked to resources such as supported employment.
Staff collaborate with other health providers and help residents acquire resources such as applying for benefits and entitlements they are eligible for in the community.
PRS Supported Housing
Residents of PRS Supported Housing live in three-bedroom townhomes in close proximity to the PRS Mt. Vernon Recovery Academy, Fairfax County community mental health centers, and other community amenities. Length of stay is determined on an individual basis with no time limitations. PRS has twelve beds in the Supported Housing Program that currently serves 9 men and 3 women. The project is funded by Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and requires homelessness to be eligible for the program.
Recovery-oriented services are planned and delivered based on strengths, preferences, needs and the functioning level of individual clients within each residence.
Staff provide an average of 10 – 20 hours of onsite supports to residents each week. Residents also receive mental health treatment, case management, and medication management through the Fairfax – Falls Church Community Services Board Mental Health Services.
