There are numerous successful permanent supportive housing models across the country. AIDS Services of Dallas originally intended to develop housing and use the supportive services available from local providers. However, ASD quickly realized that this arrangement could not adequately meet its residents' needs, because off-site service providers were not able to quickly respond to the cyclical nature of the disease. ASD began to provide supportive services, including home health care, food services, social work, nursing case management, and child and adult recreation. ASD decided to develop several multifamily developments nearby to ensure the delivery of high quality services in a coordinated and cost effective manner.
Plans are also underway to construct a residence for families one block away.
This proximity allows the buildings to easily share staffing and services and reduces the cost of operations. ASD met the changing needs of its residents by designing a flexible program in which services ebb and flow according to residents' needs. Residents determine the level of services they wish to receive, which range from basic social support to 24-hour care for those in the terminal phase of the disease. This model enables residents to benefit from a home-like environment and have access to a continuity of care at a significantly lower cost than a hospital or nursing home. CHA has developed and currently manages 61 units of scattered-site housing for people with chronic mental illness in 37 buildings across the city.