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12 Alameda Countywide Homeless and Special Needs Housing Plan Take a look at.... Exploring innovative and successful models in other communities Kerner.ScottHouse (Seattle, WA) In Seattle, the Downtown. Emergency Service Center (DESC) offers a "Safe Haven" housingprogramfor homeless people with serious mental illness who are not connected to or seeking mental hea/thservices. Kerner-Scott House was developed based on the idea that peop/e wouldfeelmorecomfortable and safer in low-barrier housing, rather than in a crowded and noisy shelter for their first step off the street. There are limited requirements for residents, and staff can bevery flexible. For example, one resident stayed on a chair in the hall for months before she felt comfortable to move into her own room. Active substance users can live at Kerner-Scott House as long as they do not useinsideJheJacility.. DESC's mental health outreach workers identify potential participants for the program, When a vacancy becomes available, the most vulnerable potentialparticipantisinvited to live there. Outreach workers brir'lgthe potential resident to visit the program, and slhe usually has about aweektothinkit over, although this can be extended up to three weeks ifprogress is being made. Residents signa rental agreement when they move in. Sometimes a resident will leave the program, often because they are paranoid or delusional. If that happens, outreach workers follow up with the person to find out why they left andwhether they will come back.lfthey do not want to come back, then they will be exited from the program. The outreach worker may work with the residentfor up to a month about returning, and will continue to work with the person if they do leave Kerner- Scott House. Kerner-Scott House provides 24-hour staffing and an integrated approach to support services,including clinical case management 7 days a week to engage with residents and develop service plans, two free meals a day, and activities such as games, groups, and field trips. Outreach workers stay involved with residents once they move in. These intensive services and investment of time have yielded remarkable outcomes Jar the participants, who are among the most vulnerable members of the homeless population and have often been homeless for a long time. Residents can stay as long as they want. Most leave to go to another DESC supportive housing program, while some move into their own apartment with Shelter Plus Care. Inathree-yearperiod,83 percent of residents either stayed at Kerner-Scott House 24 months or more, orexitedtbpermanenthouslng. For more information about DESC and Kerner-Scott House, visit www.desc.orglsupportive_hollsing.html.