The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness stated that Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is an intervention for people who need housing assistance and supportive housing services to live with stability and independence in their communities. Many supportive housing programs use a housing-first approach and encourage the principles of the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Evidence-based Practice toolkit (USICH, 2014).
The Washington Legislature created the Office of Apple Health and Homes with the passage of HB 1866 (Chapter 216, Laws of 2022), re-focusing the state’s efforts toward increasing the capacity, quality and sustainability of affordable housing units dedicated as PSH. PSH is defined in RCW 36.70a.030 (31).
Within the AHAH-PSH Office, the new AHAH initiative is administered alongside other PSH-focused programs, which are underway or in development. The Office brings several programs together to align capacity building, supportive services, rent assistance, and operations/maintenance funding in order to improve and sustain the quality of PSH units throughout Washington.
Apple Health and Homes Initiative
Operating and Maintenance Funds Programs
Permanent Supportive Housing Advisory Committee
Community Behavioral Health Rental Assistance Program (CBRA)
Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Program
Resources
By recommendation of the Permanent Supportive Housing Advisory Committee, Commerce has partnered with BERK Consulting to produce a communications toolkit for advocates of permanent supportive housing. The toolkit is comprised of nine separate fact sheets that address the basics of permanent supportive housing, how to advocate for it, and what success stories sound like.
The toolkit is designed to be accessible to everyone. Legislators and other elected officials, local government staff, architects, builders, advocacy groups, and the general public will find valuable information and facts about this evidence-based housing intervention for people with complex needs.
Toolkit downloads
- PSH 101 – Factsheet (PDF)
- Benefits of PSH – Factsheet (PDF)
- Rural and urban considerations – Factsheet (PDF)
- Operations of PSH – Factsheet (PDF)
- Identifying your supporters – Factsheet (PDF)
- Amplifying the voices of people in need of PSH – Factsheet (PDF)
- The importance of messaging – Factsheet (PDF)
- Common community concerns FAQ – Factsheet (PDF)
- Lessons learned – Factsheet (PDF)
- Defining Permanent Supportive Housing — Factsheet (PDF)
- Washington’s state-funded rental subsidy programs (PDF)
- Foundational Community Supports (FCS)
- SAMHSA Evidence-Based Toolkit
- Governor’s Opportunity for Supportive Housing (GOSH)
- Housing and Recovery Through Peer Supports (HAPRS)
- Washington Alliance for Quality Recovery Residences (WAQRR)
- 1277 Advisory Committee
- Washington’s state-funded rental subsidy programs (PDF)
- Planning success as a PSH provider