Behavioral Health Bridge Housing

The BHBH Program provides quality, affordable housing for individuals who may have few, if any, alternatives. To reach this goal, TMHA will work alongside with the Behavioral Health Department to implement an array of support services assisting tenants in achieving needed residential stability and, whenever possible, necessary linkages with their families, and the community at large.

The main objective is to establish a setting where residents can cultivate a feeling of home and:

  1. Increase the housing options and services for individuals facing homelessness with severe behavioral health issues;
  2. Prevent a relapse into homelessness; and
  3. Improve personal mental health and overall wellness.

Who is eligible?

An individual is eligible for the SLO Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program if they are currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless (for purposes of the BHBH Program, homeless is defined in pages 12-15 of the  ECM Policy Guide) and have a severe mental illness or a co-occurring disorder (severe mental illness and substance-related disorder).

Verification and documentation of homelessness and behavioral health conditions are required to be considered. See definitions of “homeless” and “substance use disorder” and “severe mental illness” below.

Please Note: By enrolling in the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing program applicants agree to receive services from County of San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health, and it's contracted partners, for serious mental health or substance use disorder treatment.

Is there a charge for this service?

For rental assistance units, Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA) will calculate rent contribution based on 30% of adjusted gross income.

Clients residing in the licensed housing beds will pay a flat rate, as determined by TMHA, and agreed upon in admissions agreement. Individuals with no income are eligible to participate in the program.

When and where is this service offered?

This service is available throughout the year to eligible individuals. There are currently two facilities offering Bridge Housing within the city of San Luis Obispo.

Please note: there is a referral process to be completed prior to securing housing. Do not show up at either location before completing the intake process.
For information on the application process and bed availability please reach out to Mark Lamore, Director of Homeless Services, at Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA) by calling (805) 540-6500.
Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Unit

FAQs

Bridge Housing is defined as short- and mid-term residential settings with a goal to connect individuals to long-term housing stability. Supportive services, housing navigation, and clinical services are also available to Bridge Housing clients.

An individual is eligible for the SLO Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program if one of the following apply:

  1. They are currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless (for purposes of the BHBH Program, homeless is defined in pages 12-15 of the  ECM Policy Guide) and
  2. They have a severe mental illness or a co-occurring disorder (severe mental illness and substance-related disorder).
Verification and documentation of homelessness and behavioral health conditions are required to be considered. See definitions of “homeless” and “substance use disorder” and “severe mental illness” below.

For purposes of the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program, the definition of "homeless" is based on the definition used in the Enhanced Care Management program (ECM Policy Guide, September 2023, pages 11-13), as outlined below.

An individual or family experiencing homelessness is defined as meeting one or more of the following conditions:
  • Lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;
  • Having a primary residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;
  • Living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter, designed to provide temporary living arrangements (including hotels and motels paid for by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, congregate shelters, and transitional housing);
  • Exiting an institution into homelessness (regardless of length of stay in the
  • institution);
  • Will imminently lose housing in [the] next 30 days;
  • Fleeing domestic violence, . . . sexual assault, stalking, and other dangerous, traumatic, or life-threatening conditions relating to such violence;
  • Unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other Federal statutes.

For purposes of the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program, the definition of "serious behavioral health condition" is defined by if an individual has one or more of the following:

  1. Significant impairment, where “impairment” is defined as distress, disability, or dysfunction in social, occupational, or other important activities, including education and family relationships.
  2. A reasonable probability of significant deterioration in an important area of life functioning
AND

The individual's condition, as defined in a and/or b, is due to either of the following:
  1. A diagnosed mental and/or substance-related or addictive disorder, according to the criteria of the current editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD)
  2. A suspected mental and/or substance-related or addictive disorder that has not yet been diagnosed
OR

The individual has at least one of the following:
  1. At least one diagnosis from the current edition of the DSM for Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders, with the exception of Tobacco-Related Disorders and Non-Substance-Related Disorders.
  2. At least one suspected diagnosis from the current edition of the DSM for Substance Related and Addictive Disorders, with the exception of Tobacco-Related Disorders and Non-Substance-Related Disorder
There are 18 beds total allocated to the Bridge Housing Program.10 beds are a State Licensed Social Rehabilitation Facility and certified by as the State as a Transitional Residential Social Rehabilitation Program. The remaining 8 beds are rental assistance beds.
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) allocated funding to county behavioral health agencies & tribal entities to operate bridge housing settings to address the immediate and sustainable housing needs of people experiencing homelessness who have serious behavioral health conditions, including a serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorder (SUD).

The County of San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health Department was awarded $7.5 million to implement this program through June 30, 2027. This is a critical need, and the focus is on immediate and sustainable solutions.
The SLO County Behavioral Health Department has partnered with Transitions Mental Health (TMHA) to operate the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) and provide housing navigation and support services that will connect clients to stable housing, mental health and substance use treatment services, case management, harm reduction, and other services available in the area.

We will work together with TMHA's Bridge Housing Team to manage 10 beds in a licensed housing facility and 8 beds for rental assistance. Additionally, the Behavioral Health Department will provide clinical services for BHBH clients.
The County of San Luis Obispo released its 2024 Point-in-Time Count Community Report on the communitywide census of individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night. On the night of January 22, 2024, there were 1,175 individuals identified as experiencing homelessness in San Luis Obispo County.
Out of 510 unsheltered adults surveyed:
  • 5% were identified as having a Serious Mental Illness (SMI).
  • 13% of people experiencing sheltered homelessness identified as having an SMI.
  • Fewer than 7% of people in emergency shelters or transitional housing reported a Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
  • 53% of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness reported living with a SUD.
The Behavioral Health Department will collaborate with Transitions Mental Health (TMHA) to expand capacity and provide necessary supports and accommodations for individuals with serious behavioral health conditions. BHBH programs must be developed in a manner that provides for choice and provides for community integration in accordance with all applicable federal and state regulations.
There are two facilities currently offering Bridge Housing within the city of San Luis Obispo.
  • 10-Bed Licensed Facility: Located in City of San Luis Obispo
  • 8-Bed Rental Assistance: Located in City of San Luis Obispo
Please note: there is a referral process to be completed prior to securing housing. Do not show up at either location before completing the intake process.
For information on the application process and bed availability please reach out to Mark Lamore, Director of Homeless Services, at Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA) by calling (805) 540-6500.


 
The Beahvioral Health Bridge Housing Program (BHBH) provides both short-term (less than 90 days) rental assistance and mid-term (90 days to 2 years, with the possibility of a 1-year extension) rental assistance.
The program may provide short-term or mid-term assistance, dependent on the need of the BHBH client and the availability of sustainable housing.
CARE Act program participants receive top priority for tenant selection as Behavioral Health Bridge Housing beds become available, and do not have to be referred through Coordinated Entry.

Other prospective program participants are placed on a waiting list when all beds are full. Based on an assessment of each client's unique needs and circumstances, the agencies work together to add them to the list.
Transitions-Mental Health Association will maintain an ongoing waiting list when all 18 beds are occupied.

For rental assistance units, Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA) will calculate rent contribution based on 30% of adjusted gross income.

Clients residing in the licensed housing beds will pay a flat rate, as determined by TMHA, and agreed upon in admissions agreement. Individuals with no income are eligible to participate in the program.

For questions about pets in Behavioral Health Bridge Housing units please reach out to Mark Lamore at Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA) by calling (805) 540-6500.
For information on the application process and bed availability please reach out to Mark Lamore, Director of Homeless Services, at Transitions-Mental Health Association (TMHA) by calling (805) 540-6500.

Clinical Behavioral Health questions should be directed to:
Samantha Parker
County of San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health
Access and Crisis Services Division Manager
[email protected]. 
 
Morgan Torell
BH Bridge Housing Program Director/Lead
[email protected]

Josephine Price
BH Bridge Housing Program Manager
[email protected]