St. Rose and CSH Assist in Creating Housing

Local groups gathered yesterday at Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican to begin a six-month training that will lead to the creation of supportive housing for some of Nevada's neediest individuals. Supportive housing (affordable rental housing + intense case management + tailored services such as healthcare) is demonstrating the ability to stabilize very vulnerable people, providing them with a home of their own, keeping them housed while offering access to services that improve their lives and lead to self-sufficiency.

Jointly sponsored by St. Rose Dominican and CSH (Corporation for Supportive Housing), this new training for local developers, housing agencies, project managers, providers, advocates and management teams in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada is officially known as the Frequent User Supportive Housing Institute.

“Supportive housing has been a critical need for those vulnerable populations in southern Nevada for a very long time and we’re here to help,” said Brian Brannman, SVP of Operations for Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican. “We at St. Rose are extremely pleased to be a sponsor of this important program.”

CSH -- the national leader in promoting, financing and helping communities create supportive housing -- is active in 40 states, including Nevada, and the District of Columbia.

“We are excited to see such a strong interest in the Institute and supportive housing in this region,” said Deborah De Santis, President and CEO of CSH. “Southern Nevada needs more affordable housing and support services, which is why we our grateful for our partnership with Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican and what they are adding to these trainings.”

According to De Santis, CSH efforts nationally have demonstrated how affordable housing and access to comprehensive healthcare is crucial to changing the trajectory of those facing difficult lives, including unstably housed and homeless people, who have lacked preventive and specialized attention for years.

”The Institute will focus on frequent users of emergency rooms and other crisis care because destitute and desperate people who frequently use such services can realize better health if they find stability in permanent housing with access to consistent, person-centered care,” said De Santis. “Supportive housing also shows promise in reducing healthcare costs, especially amongst those with histories of frequently using emergency care services.”

The Institute offers participating groups access to CSH financial and technical assistance and aims to bolster local teams that can develop, operate, manage and sustain supportive housing. Later this year, the Institute will include a peer-to-peer exchange and dialogue with a group from the Phoenix, Arizona area.

The following local organizations are participating in the Institute:

• Amerigroup
• Anthem
• Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson
  
• Blue Cove Homes
• Caridad
• City of Henderson
• City of Las Vegas
• Clark County Social Services
• CSH (Corporation for Supportive Housing)
• Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican
• HELP of Southern Nevada
• HELP USA
• Hope Home Foundation
• Nevada Department of Health Care, Financing & Policy
• Nevada HAND 
• Nevada Health Centers
• Nevada Housing Division
• Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health
• The Salvation Army
• United Healthcare
• The United Way
• U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
• U.S. Veterans Initiative
• Veterans Village
• WestCare Nevada
• Willing Hands