What are the Different Mental Illness Housing Options?

In many places, mental illness housing is a significant challenge. Depending on the community, these options may include nursing homes, residential treatment centers, and private housing with supportive services. The ability of a homeless person with a mental illness to find and maintain a suitable home often depends on the mental illness housing options available in the person's local area, as well as the individual's financial resources.

The mentally ill often make up a significant percentage of a local area's homeless population, and even if not homeless, their housing situation may be insecure. Family members may be unable to cope with the needs and challenges of a mentally ill family member, and if the individual is unable to work, he may not be able to afford to buy or rent housing for himself. In some communities, residential treatment centers exist that provide a safe place for mentally ill people to live and get ongoing care and treatment for their condition. However, not every mentally ill person needs or can afford such intensive treatment. For individuals who are stabilized with medication but who cannot care for themselves, a long-term care facility or nursing home may be an option.

Not everyone with mental illness requires such a high level of supervision or care, however. For these people, mental illness housing options are more varied. In some communities, group homes for the mentally ill exist that allow residents a degree of privacy and independence, but also provide basic services and case management. Some of these facilities provide residents with their own apartments, while others offer a more home-like setting, with residents having their own bedrooms but sharing a kitchen and living space. Trained workers live on the premises to provide care for the residents and help with medication management and referrals to medical and mental health professionals.

In some cases, a mentally ill person may wish to live in on her own in private housing as opposed to designated mental illness housing. Some communities may be able to offer a mentally ill person assistance with paying her rent as well as supportive services. These services may include case management by a social worker who can visit regularly to assess how well she is doing, as well as help from a personal care provider who can provide help with housekeeping, shopping, and household budgeting. Independent living services are usually coordinated through government and private agencies that specialize in the treatment of the mentally ill.