PathForward

The Permanent Supporting Housing (PSH) Program provides housing and case management for people who were chronically homeless prior to placement, and who have a disabling condition. PSH clients receive help with such things as transportation, budgeting and money management and activities of daily living. 466 people have been housed to date.

The Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) and Rapid Re-housing Program (RRH) began in October 2009 through funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The aim of the program is to prevent people who are facing homelessness from reaching the streets or to rapidly re-house those who are already homeless. By limiting the time someone spends on the street, it reduces their exposure to risk factors such as deteriorating health, and decreases their chance of becoming chronically homeless. Clients meet with the RRH Case Manager at the Homeless Services Center. The Program's Housing Locator helps service providers throughout Arlington County locate housing and place their clients into it.

Homeless Services Center (HSC) - The HSC revolutionizes homeless services by housing all of the programs in one facility so that clients can access services at one central location, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Our programs include Street Outreach, Shelter Program, Medical Services, and Day Program. PathForward's services start with Street Outreach, as staff seeks out homeless people living on the streets. Staff distributes items such as blankets, food, water, and socks while we encourage people to visit the HSC. The Shelter Program is available year-round and provides up to 50 shelter beds, 5 medical respite beds, and 25 additional beds during Hypothermia Season (November through March). Within the Center, clients can access showers, laundry, receive three meals a day and can meet with case managers. 29,850 meals are served annually through the HSC. PathForward provides free Medical Services for homeless Arlington residents at the HSC and through the Mobile Medical Program which meets clients on the streets. The Medical Respite program provides 5 beds for patients who require additional recovery after discharge from the hospital or undergoing extreme treatments such as cancer. Our medical team assists in over 810 medical visits annually. The Day Program provides low barrier access to case management, medical care, eviction prevention, referrals for medical and mental health services, and important resources like showers, laundry, three meals per day and clean clothing.

Sibert House - During 2019, PathForward purchased real estate property in Arlington, Virginia. The building has capacity to house 8 individuals who do not otherwise qualify for government subsidies. Sibert House provides a foundation that helps clients achieve better health, overcome substance abuse and mental illness, obtain job security, and so much more. Sibert House is PathForward's bold new step that provides Arlington with a housing solution for its most vulnerable - those homeless individuals who require the most oversight, additional onsite care, and a dedicated apartment building where this type of enhanced support can transition people from Streets to Stability.

PathForward is very focused on healthcare equity. The Mobile Medical Program (MMP) delivers free medical care to people who are street homeless. COVID underscored the importance of providing access to free healthcare for our community's most vulnerable, whose medical conditions can rapidly deteriorate until they become crises, and access to medical care can be the difference between life and death. The MMP brings together an outreach case manager (CM) and Registered Nurse (RN) who go together to overpasses, bridges, woods, etc. where people live. The CM regularly conducts street outreach to deliver food, water, socks, clothing, blankets, and personal care items. The RN has a "medical backpack" containing items needed to check blood pressure and other vitals, treat wounds and skin conditions, test and/or vaccinate for COVID-19, test blood glucose levels, and administer and teach others to administer NARCAN for opioid overdose. We can also provide over-the-counter medications and deliver prescriptions. We quickly realized that the MMP had to do more to meet behavioral health needs. In FY23 we allocated funding toward a part-time Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) to provide mental health care, specifically focused on trauma, to all clients we serve. In FY24, we have increased this position to full-time. While people experiencing homelessness have always been in need of mental health services, this need increased during the pandemic. Mental health therapy for underserved populations became harder to access. Many providers do not see uninsured and Medicaid patients. Even for self-pay and insured patients, waiting lists are long. It is difficult to house someone with an untreated mental illness, and it is even harder to keep them housed. Unsheltered people are not likely to schedule and keep appointments for mental health care. Once a person finds themselves living on the streets, a mental health condition can rapidly deteriorate until it becomes a crisis. Too often, this results in police intervention and emergency room visits. It is our goal to increase the capacity of the MMP to full-time with a team of three including the RN, CM, and LCSW during 2024.