Those who have been following the news around federal funding for behavioral health and housing lately know that things are shifting and shifting fast. For years, federal policy has followed the Continuum of Care, the federally established process to assist people who are living homeless by providing greater coordination in responding to their needs, which can be especially effective for people who are also living with co-occurring behavioral health conditions. This approach recognizes that finding stability and recovery isn’t a single moment in a person’s life but a journey that looks different for everyone, an approach that Transitional Resources has been implementing since the beginning and is a key part of why our programs remain so effective.
Right now, the priorities of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are changing rapidly under the Trump administration, and organizations like TR are navigating uncertainty in real time about what federal support will look like in the months and years ahead. Federal changes to HUD housing standards are moving away from Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and “Housing First” models that have anchored the sector for nearly the past two decades. For TR, this shift has real consequences, as our model relies strongly on the efficacy of the Continuum of Care and PSH. Our clients include people who are managing symptoms of serious mental illness, finding stability after years of chronic homelessness, enrolling in or receiving federal assistance, and who are all working toward stability. The people TR serves are exactly who PSH programs and the Continuum of Care were designed to help. Shifting away from proven models and priorities threatens to further increase the gap between TR and the resources we need to keep our clients housed and connected to care. Both Seattle and King County have stepped up to provide contingency funding for these programs, but this is only a temporary solution. Those we serve need more than a single crisis response, they need consistency, structure, and a community that doesn’t give up on them. That’s what TR has always provided, and that’s what we’re committed to protecting.
When faced with a growing challenge like homelessness and behavioral health, questions will naturally come up about whether the Continuum of Care model works. Nearly five decades of outcomes at TR prove that it does. In this time, we’ve adapted, advocated, and kept showing up for people living with serious mental illness, and we will continue to do so now. We hear each day from the many people we have served and their families how much more stable and connected they are to their lives and to recovery through our programs. We stand by our method and are committed to ensuring our clients have access to the behavioral health treatment and supportive services they need to lead safe and meaningful lives in the community.
Your support is what makes our consistency possible; the gap between federal funding and our community needs is already very real and will likely continue to grow over time. We hope you will continue to support our work during this critical time.