2000 Best Practice Awards

1. Description of the Best Practice

Community Support Programs, Inc. (CSP), a private non-profit organization, was founded in 1990 to serve persons diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness by providing them transitional shelter. CSP's core belief is to provide individualized services and foster independence, which has resulted in programs designed to fit the individual. CSP's nine-member Board of Directors is voluntary and visionary. CSP employs sixty-six effective and highly motivated staff members, forty of whom are part-time. The agency's mission is "...to serve the client/family and to enhance each person's opportunity to live successfully in the community". Through the provision of advocacy, direct and indirect service, housing, and coordination with other social service providers, CSP today offers thirteen unique and innovative programs. The four CSP programs nominated for a Best Practice Award are successful, model programs that utilize residential properties the organization purchased from HUD's Real Estate Owned inventory.

1.	CROSSROADS
	In 1990 CSP contracted with the State of Louisiana, Office of Mental Health, to establish CROSSROADS, a forty-five day emergency shelter for homeless (or those at risk of becoming homeless), chronically mentally ill adults. CROSSROADS is located at 526-528 Kirby Street, Shreveport, Louisiana, the first property CSP purchased from HUD's REO inventory in 1990. CROSSROADS is entering its tenth year of providing room and board, medication education and monitoring, skills training in activities of daily living, and linkages to available housing, employment and other community resources and support. Staff work with clients to identify and work on goals with an emphasis on mental health stabilization and treatment compliance and securing permanent or transitional community housing.
2.	PORTALS
	In 1996 CSP contracted with the Louisiana Department of Social Services, Office of Community Services (OCS), to provide supportive services to adoptive and foster families. The PORTALS program utilizes a facility located at 105 East McCormick, Shreveport, Louisiana purchased from HUD's REO inventory in 1996. The PORTALS program provides a resource center, planned and crisis respite, as well as support and preservation services. Significant research is a part of this program in an effort to establish which services promote permanency of placement and reduce neglect and abuse.
3.	PORTICO
	In 1998, the Louisiana Department of Social Services, Office of Community Services, contracted with CSP to provide preventive interventions and support services to families who are in danger of having their children removed from their home. Referrals come through OCS and the Families in Need of Services (FINS) program. The PORTICO program provides planned and crisis respite, counseling, parent training, family activities, support groups, mentoring and self-help resources. Additional partners in this program are the YMCA and Louisiana State University in Shreveport. The program also uses the former HUD REO property located at 105 East McCormick, Shreveport, Louisiana.
4.	TRANSITIONS
	In 1992 CSP was awarded a grant through HUD for a transitional housing program. This program provides six two-bedroom apartments for homeless individuals who suffer from a chronic mental illness and who have documented limitations in daily independent living skills. TRANSITIONS offers individualized services based on clients' identified needs with specific focus on effective mental health management, training in independent living skills, and linkages to available community resources and supports. Examples of client services include, medication education, symptom recognition, budgeting, bill payment, meal preparation, grocery shopping, utilization of public transportation, employment preparation, substance abuse education, coping skills, etc. HUD not only provided the grant, but the two residences were also purchased from HUD's REO inventory. These properties are located at 345 Rear Topeka and 159 East College, Shreveport, Louisiana. The two-year program is designed to assist the participant in gaining independent living skills. Many participants who successfully completed the program have obtained vocational training and employment skills.

2. What makes this Best Practice unique, and what creative techniques were employed
    to implement the Best Practice?

This project is unique because it:
a.	Demonstrates the use of effective partnerships by individuals, community organizations, and state and federal governments to provide housing for a those with special needs.
b.	It enables individuals with mental disabilities to live independently in a supportive atmosphere.
c.	It created affordable housing stock in the area for people that are mentally disabled.
d.	It provides a services those that are mental impaired to create self-sufficiency.
e.	It provides services to the entire local community –including those living outside the property.
f.	It uses technology to train program participants.
g.	It monitors the progress of its participants.
h.	It established partnerships to lower the cost of operation.

3. Who benefited from the Best Practice, and how were they impacted?

4. What challenges were encountered and how were they overcome?

5. What steps are necessary to replicate the Best Practice?

6. What Newspapers should be notified if you are a winner? Contact information?

"The Shreveport Times"
222 Lake Street,
Shreveport, LA 71101
(318) 459-3200

Content Archived: April 20, 2011