Supportive housing mental health and substance use disorder services support an individual's transition to community integrated housing and support the individual to be a successful tenant in a housing arrangement.
(1) A behavioral health agency that provides supportive housing services must have knowledge of and provide housing related collaborative activities to assist individuals in identifying, coordinating, and securing housing or housing resources with entities such as:
(a) Local homeless continuum of care groups or local homeless planning groups;
(b) Housing authorities that operate in a county or city;
(c) Community action councils;
(d) Landlords of privately owned residential homes; and
(e) State agencies that provide housing resources.
(2) A behavioral health agency that provides supportive housing services must:
(a) Ensure all staff members who provide direct services for supportive housing are knowledgeable and familiar with fair housing laws;
(b) Conduct and document a housing assessment in partnership with the individual that includes housing preferences, affordability, and barriers to housing;
(c) Conduct and document a functional needs assessment in partnership with the individual that includes independent living skills and personal community integration goals;
(d) Assist the individual to create an individualized housing acquisition and maintenance plan that focuses on the individual's choice in housing;
(e) Assist the individual to locate housing opportunities that are consistent with the individual's preferences, goals, and interests;
(f) Provide any outreach, tenancy support, and independent living skill building supports at a location convenient to the individual;
(g) Provide the individual with information regarding the requirements of the Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and Washington state antidiscrimination law, and post this information in a public place in the agency; and
(h) Ensure the services are specific to each individual and meant to assist in obtaining and maintaining housing in scattered-site, clustered, integrated, or single-site housing as long as the individual holds a lease or sublease.