Project Renewal, Parole Support and Treatment Program (PSTP)

Overview

Jurisdiction Level

State

Description

PSTP is a program for which parolees with chronic mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse disorders with a minimum parole term of six months may volunteer.


The PSTP is a collaborative effort between the New York Office of Mental Health (OMH), the New York Division of Parole (DOP) and Project Renewal, a New York City-based nonprofit that provides a variety of housing and support services for individuals with mental illness and/or substance abuse. Project Renewal will provide the supported transitional housing and case management for the PSTP, which will include 50 residential beds scattered among several locations. Project Renewal hopes to maintain groups of units to provide an element of peer support for program participants.


Program participants will be identified by the prerelease coordinators in conjunction with the OMH Central New York Psychiatric Center Satellite/Mental Health Units. Once involved in the program, a team of community-based mental health workers will work with a parole officer with a dedicated mental health caseload to ensure that necessary services, including basic life needs, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and housing, are supplied to the participant. Some program participants may require some period of transition before entering PSTP housing. Once the parolee is placed in PSTP housing, Project Renewal staff will provide supportive services at the housing site, as opposed to requiring the participant to access services from providers outside of the housing location. While involved in the program, the support team and the parole officer will work with the parolee to establish a long-term housing and services plan. Long-term housing options will vary for different parolees; some may be transitioned to congregate living facilities with in-house, 24-hour support, and some may be moved to less intensively supported housing.


In addition to its work with PTSP, Project Renewal administers a range of rehabilitation programs intended for homeless individuals in New York City. Starting with mobile medical and psychiatric outreach teams, Project Renewal workers reach out to homeless in the streets, shelters, and transit terminals. Once the homeless person is willing to accept help, the program provides services such as short-term and permanent housing, psychiatric and medical support, substance abuse treatment, and employment training/job placement. Completely renovated by 1995, Holland House in midtown Manhattan has become one of the nation’s only large scale permanent housing centers serving the homeless and the homeless with disabilities, including mental illness and HIV/AIDS. Approximately 35 percent of the 450 member staff of Project Renewal are formerly homeless clients, who help reach over 20,000 homeless and formerly homeless people each year.