Pathway Homes, Inc.

Specific Need

Flexible operating funds fuels Pathways’ vision by addressing the needs to protect the health and well-being of those we serve.  This would allow us to continue to develop affordable permanent supported housing for the most vulnerable of our citizens, which will enable them to meet the most basic safety need for shelter. 

Mission

Pathway Homes embodies the spirit of recovery: embracing an attitude of hope, self-determination, and partnering with each individual on their personal journey toward achieving self-fulfillment and realizing their dreams.

We fulfill our mission by making available to individuals with mental illnesses and co-occurring disabilities a variety of non-time-limited housing and services to enable them to realize their individual potential.

Profile

Pathway Homes serves over 2,000 low-income single adults with serious mental Illnesses and other co-occurring disabilities each year. Most were previously homeless and experienced frequent psychiatric and medical hospitalizations, or incarcerations. Since engaging with Pathway Homes, these individuals have reclaimed their lives and relationships, participate in community activities, and lead productive lives. Such recovery is virtually impossible without stable housing and support services. Our PSH design makes recovery possible. Studies have shown that vulnerable populations have better outcomes in places where they remain integrated within families, workplaces and communities. Each year, at least 96% of the individuals we serve remain housed, at least 92% remain out of psychiatric and medical hospitals, and less than 3% are incarcerated.  Additionally, there is a consistent decline in emergency room visits after individuals engage with Pathways compared to prior years.  Numerous qualitative accounts have also shown the impact of such services; people can define and achieve important life goals despite ongoing symptoms. In addition to helping the individuals served stay housed, experience reduction in hospital stays and incarcerations, we save the community money. It costs approximately $35 a day to serve someone in a Pathways PSH program. In contrast, it costs the community $2,000-$4,000 a day to serve someone in a psychiatric hospital, $230 per night in jail, and $850-$1,941 for an emergency room visit. Pathways programmatic components of wellness include economic stability and self-sufficiency, health care access, skill acquisition, and social/community integration, all key social determinants of health.

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) is continuing its investment in expanding state-funded PSH beds and Pathways continues to be the only non-governmental agency contracted to do this is the state.  This is resulting in a time of dynamic growth and expansion in our programs and services.  Coupled with our exploratory work in Washington D.C., and Arlington County, we are on the cusp of additional growth and expansion beyond our current geographic footprint.  At the same time, we recognize the importance of addressing the unmet need of housing those individuals who do not meet the strict eligibility criteria for these government-funded PSH beds.  Fundraising to increase our private funds is more pressing than ever, especially in the face of increasing pressures for us to meet operational funding gaps not fulfilled by government funds.