Hamilton receives funding for HOMES project
Jane Hamilton, PhD, MPH, associate professor in the Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, received a five-year, $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to continue her work delivering integrated behavioral health treatment to persons experiencing homelessness and struggling with serious mental illness or co-occurring disorders.
Hamilton began working to improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness in 2018, when she received an original $2.5 million grant for the project, “Treatment for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness,” through SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services, which leads federal efforts to promote the prevention and treatment of mental disorders.
She also received funding from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to work with local stakeholders across Texas to convene housing policy summits to improve housing stability for vulnerable and medically fragile populations.
Through the grant programs, she was able to create the UTHealth Houston Homeless Outpatient Mental Health Expansion Services (UTHealth Houston HOMES) program. The goals of the program are to promote long-term mental health recovery and reduce substance use, ensure access to needed primary medical care and psychiatric services, and address social determinants of health by linking patients to social services and permanent housing.
UTHealth Houston HOMES has served more than 500 people experiencing homelessness who have serious mental illness or co-occurring disorders since it was founded in 2017, and will serve an additional 500 patients with the new funding through 2028.
Treatment program activities are data-driven and tailored to individual patient needs and preferences. This is done through a shared decision-making process and includes assertive outreach, screening and referral, evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (trauma-informed and culturally responsive), peer support, and coordinated housing assessments to improve access to sustainable permanent housing.
With the new funding, UTHealth Houston HOMES will proved training for 410 behavioral health and homelessness service providers on the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care, and in trauma-informed care to help reduce health disparities and achieve health equity among people experiencing homelessness.
As part of the new UTHealth Houston HOMES project, Hamilton has initiated multiple partnerships within the community to better serve people experiencing homelessness. These include Bread of Life, Inc.; Temenos Community Development Corporation; The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual or Development Disability; and UTHealth Houston Harris County Psychiatric Center.
Hamilton says that she and her team collaborate with community partners to meet the patients where they are, which is vital to the program’s success.
“This is very rewarding work to participate in,” Hamilton said. “Houston is considered a model city for addressing homelessness. I’m grateful to work with such an amazing team and dedicated community partners to make a difference.”
Read more about the UTHealth Houston HOMES program here.