Pathways DC

For Doleores Montgomery, it’s the air conditioning. And the certainty that she can “jump in that tub anytime I get ready”. At one time she lived on the street; right outside the church Pathways calls its DC home for now. Police found her there and checked her into Washington’s St. Elizabeths Hospital. Today, she’s out of the hospital and living in her own place. It’s an apartment in Northwest, with air conditioning, tub, TV, radio and a phone she says she’ll use to “call my kinfolks” back in Chicago and Mobile when she feels like it, budget permitting.

Miss Montgomery is one of eleven mentally ill substance abusing folks DC’s Pathways to Housing program has helped move off the street and into permanent housing since it opened in April 2004. Three more are waiting for places and at least 3 new clients are expected to be enrolled each month. Housing will be located throughout the DC area and is being provided by the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness.

Pathways is “based on some very simple principles” says Linda Kaufman, Director of Adult Services at DC’s Department of Mental Health . “Everybody deserves housing and the support in order to maintain it. So we have to provide both the housing and the support. From what I’m seeing here people are getting housed and I believe they’ll be able to keep it.” “It’s the most effective way of moving people out of homelessness and into stable housing” Kaufman says. “I’ve seen the numbers. I’ve seen the research.”

The Pathways model -- known as “housing first” -- is based in the idea that choice is a powerful incentive. “Choice is something we all value and don’t get enough of “observes Day. “It’s a breath of fresh air to be able to deliver what the consumer really wants” Team Leader Sarah Stanton reports. “To give housing as a right up front is so important, and garners incredulous responses from consumers.”

Pathways to Housing was founded in New York by Director Sam Tsemberis in 1992 and currently houses 500 clients. Why DC? Tsemberis recalls, “it was both painful and ironic to walk over homeless people on the streets when I would come to DC to attend meetings on how to end homelessness. Once we figured out that people could go directly into housing it became unbearable for me to see people suffering with mental illness living on the streets. I knew their suffering was unnecessary, there was a solution.”

DC DMH’s Linda Kaufman credits Pathways’ success in large part to an authentic sense of commitment among the people who work there. “It’s some combination of Sam’s craziness and the willingness of staff to say ‘we’ll do anything’.” Kaufman notes that DC is in the midst of adopting a plan to end chronic homelessness and the Pathways program is one model being put forth. Nationwide, the White House’s Interagency Council on Homelessness www.ich.gov headed by Philip Mangano recently provided $35 million dollars to implement a 'housing first' approach. Eight of the 11 cities funded modeled their programs after Pathways to Housing

Pathways to Housing DC
101 Q Street, NE  Suite G
Washington, D.C. 20002
phone: (202) 529-2972
fax: (202) 529-2976

Linda Kaufman
Chief Operating Officer

Christy Respress, MSW
Director of Programs and Development

Josh Greene, LICSW
Clinical Director