Montgomery County Mental Health Outreach to Homeless Individuals

At least three days a week, staff members at the Montgomery County Homeless Outreach Program lace up their sneakers and “go in the trenches” – in woods, under bridges and between muddy intersections – to provide intense outreach services for the area’s homeless individuals.

In July 2006, the Montgomery County Homeless Outreach Program opened its doors to offer community-based mental health outreach and engagement services to the most severe homeless population in the county. Since then, the program has achieved incredible results. Receiving referrals from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and other county-based service providers, the program has exceeded Montgomery County’s contractual specifications for serving homeless adults by linking them to housing, entitlements and mental health supports.

“Our goal is to empower individuals to change their lives,” says Program Director Jarrett Carter.

To ensure client success, the Montgomery County Homeless Outreach Program combines three main components: affordable housing, benefit assistance and mental health services. On-site services include: diagnostic assessments, psychiatric support, outreach services, transportation assistance, entitlement assistance/approval, community support, counseling and psychotherapy, case management, medication/somatic treatment, crisis services, referral support, discharge planning, life skills support, linkage to needed service or resources, and housing assistance.

These outreach efforts are intended to lead homeless individuals to accept shelter and mental health services and to learn independent living skills that will, ultimately, end their homelessness and promote successful reintegration into the community.

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13415 Connecticut Ave, Suite 203 : Silver Spring, Maryland, 20906 : 301-438-0092