Lincoln Place: Addressing Mental Health & Homelessness through Permanent Supportive Housing

The former Immaculate Heart of Mary School on Lincoln Avenue now features 19 apartments, a community area, and laundry facilities.

Lincoln Place

Addressing Mental Health & Homelessness through Permanent Supportive Housing

There is new hope for those experiencing chronic homelessness in Rutland County, and it has an address: Lincoln Place.

Last fall, the Housing Trust of Rutland County announced their plan to purchase the former IHM School in downtown Rutland and transform it into 19 units of affordable housing. Lincoln Place will operate under the permanent supportive housing model, a proven solution to homelessness that pairs housing with on-site case management and mental health support. The $6.5M project is a collaborative effort between the Housing Trust, Rutland Mental Health Services, the Homeless Prevention Center, and Rutland Housing Authority.

“It was (retired HTRC Executive Director) Elizabeth Kulas who brought us all together,” recalls CCN Chief Services Officer, Laura Kass. “We talked about the fact that we wanted to create housing for people who were chronically homeless – essentially chronically mentally ill – with the least amount of barriers as possible, so that they could be successful in their housing. We talked about what a partnership might look like, with all the resources we bring to the table, and we all had the same vision.”

The four agencies went to work, outlining partner responsibilities, creating a vision statement, and providing input throughout the construction phase. “From the very beginning, there has been a deep IT’S INSPIRING TO BE A PART

OF A PROJECT THAT WILL

HAVE SO MUCH IMPACT ON

PEOPLE’S LIVES. IT’S ONE OF THE BEST PARTNERSHIPS

I’VE EVER BEEN A PART OF. ”

- Laura Kass, CNN Chief Services Officer

level of collaboration,” says Laura. “We all had thoughts, ideas and opinions about what the space should look like, and each person’s opinion mattered. It’s inspiring to be a part of a project that will have so much impact on people’s lives. It’s one of the best partnerships I’ve ever been a part of.”

The adult-only facility will be comprised of 7 one-bedroom, and 12 micro-units. 10 of those units will house individuals or couples who have been experiencing homelessness. The remaining 9 units are designated for the general income-eligible population. All residents will have access to on-site support and services.

As lead service partner, Rutland Mental Health Services is responsible for providing on-site case management and other supports for tenants. Kate Schirmer-Smith is Program Manager for Adult Outpatient Services, and is supervising the integration of supportive services.

“It is so hard for folks who maybe have had a difficult rental history, or maybe a criminal history, to even have a home, just to have a place to lay their head, to call their own. Part of the process has been to really work hard to make sure that the application process has more ease to it than what people are used to.”

The next step is to connect people with available resources. “A lot of the folks that we will be supporting have had pretty horrible experiences. Coming in homeless is traumatic enough, but many of them have complex service needs on top of that.”

Heather Curavoo is RMHS lead case manager at Lincoln Place. She has an office on-site and will be available 40 hours each week to assist tenants. Residents may seek her help addressing physical health, mental health, and substance use conditions, or assistance with other issues like applying for Social Security benefits or gaining employment. She also plans to provide different groups such as stress management, conflict resolution, or any other topic of interest to tenants.

“Heather is just a wealth of knowledge,” says Kate. “She really knows everything in this community that’s available for folks. And she has such a natural way of connecting with people and putting people at ease. I can’t think of a better person for this position.”

The vision for Lincoln Place is to create a vibrant living environment, where residents feel safe and supported, and part of the community as a whole. Kate describes that process of building community.

“One of the first steps, I really believe, is that we are not going to designate between tenants. We don’t want there to be any stigma attached. Heather is really there to provide support to everyone, whether they are a client of our agency or not.

“One of the most powerful things that builds a sense of community among people is making meals together and sitting and eating together. So, one of the things we’ve talked about starting out is offering a community dinner.

“Ultimately, we really want to involve the broader community. Maybe someone wants to come in and teach yoga, or come in and play music. Or maybe there are tenants who have special interests or talent. There’s a gymnasium, with a basketball court. And the stage is still there. So there’s plenty of space for people to come together and do just about any kind of enjoyable activity.”

“Everyone deserves a home,” says Kate. “Other good, positive things can really happen for people when they have a place to call home.”

“This is really going to help folks who have struggled with homelessness get into a supportive environment that can be their forever home,” says Laura Kass. “Getting housed and staying housed. That’s what Lincoln Place is all about.”

This mural by local artist LMNOPI is one of the many welcoming features that makes Lincoln Place feel like home.

THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HELP FOLKS WHO HAVE STRUGGLED WITH HOMELESSNESS GET INTO A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN BE THEIR FOREVER HOME. ”

- Laura Kass

Scan the code to take a video tour and learn more about Lincoln Place.