The Hidden Key to Home: Mental Wellness

Affordable housing and homelessness

Research states 72,000+ are homeless in Los Angeles; the largest contributor to becoming unhoused is lack of affordable housing; & 78% of unsheltered homeless adults have a mental health condition. The trauma of being unhoused plus the traumas leading to their homelessness often result in untreated mental health crises. Creating cyclical and chronic patterns, this leads to substance use and co-occurring disorders. Without addressing housing and mental health to navigate traumas, that can lead to re-traumatization, harm to themselves or others, a return to the streets, criminalization or worse. Homeless recovery must go hand in hand with access to housing and to services to support mental health. The Hidden Key to Home: Mental Wellness (The Key) gives participants tools and resources to improve their health and mental state, thus avoiding a return to homelessness and maintaining a life of stability for themselves.

In addition to safe housing, residents in permanent supportive housing (psh) receive evidence-based & trauma-informed mental health & wellness services. Aided by LAFH staff, residents create a housing/mental health plan-making them personally invested in attaining stability. They’re given on-site case management services and a curriculum of educational & social activities. Traditional & Nontraditional therapies and activities are group/individual counseling, medication management, crisis intervention, & household safety classes. Psycho-therapy techniques to grow awareness of symptoms & clinical wellness groups based on topics such as depression & anger management are provided. Warm referrals to legal aid, domestic violence treatment, & mental health/substance use treatment facilities also strengthen engagement through collective impact. Informed by residents’ unique needs, activities include gardening to support self-expression, healing, & stress management; & mindfulness practices + peer support to empower them to manage their emotional health + grief & develop resilience + coping skills. Utilizations & assessments are tracked into a regional database to support the residents’ progress. The Key’s approach lowers barriers to trust; rebuilds personal agencies & self-identities; & regulates stress & social ties. This wraparound method equips residents with resilience, self-worth, & community support needed to maintain housing.

While our ultimate goal is to permanently end homelessness, we know housing must be coupled with ongoing services that are flexible to the participants’ immediate and changing needs. The Key can transform L.A. County by eliminating barriers of access, easing strain on emergency rooms + hospitals, & reducing rates of criminalization + homelessness. Residents: 1) become better equipped to deal with everyday stressors; 2) develop skills to maintain employment; 3) have a greater desire to enjoy their life and maintain healthier relationships; 4) have a positive sense of agency and self-identity, resulting in a healthy self-expression; & 5) become better at socializing and building stronger community bonds. Through this program, participants have reported they no longer have stigmas about mental health, nor feel a sense of separation from their community. They can see a future for themselves and their families.

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)