SUMMARY 
Providing housing and services associated with supportive supervised housing to clients referred by the Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health for out-of-custody competency restoration

BACKGROUND
Homelessness presents a significant challenge to out-of-custody competency evaluation and restoration.  Many defendants remain in custody during the competency process because releasing them, without a stable place to live, would not be conducive to positive restoration outcomes, and may exacerbate behavioral health conditions.  Temporary, or transitional housing, of the type that would benefit a justice-involved population, is a resource gap statewide.   SAFER presents an opportunity to meet this need in Arapahoe County.  

ELEMENTS
Providing safe, continuous hotel sheltering, onsite clinical counseling, case management, peer coaching, LPC-level care, EMDR, AcuDetox, QMAP, motivational interviewing, biopsychosocial evaluation, HMIS data entry and VI-SPDAT assessment, interfaith spiritual support, social work services, public benefits enrollment, and 24/7 staff supervision.  

PROGRAM STAFF
Fines funding partially supports several staff positions to provide the program elements listed above.

CAPACITY
25 clients at a time

ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
Decrease in individuals who require admittance to the state hospital for competency restoration; Decrease in time to reach competency outcome

STANDOUT ASPECTS
This program utilizes hotel rooms, rented in blocks by the program, to establish a staffed, supporting living environment.  This program will show the potential to establish supportive living for this client base without incurring the capital expense of establishing a dedicated housing facility.  

FUNDING
$2,007,500 for one year