Family Supportive Housing

Family Supportive Housing (FSH) is part of a multidisciplinary team of providers located at the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development in Brattleboro. The Family Supportive Housing (FSH) program aims to reduce the incidence and duration of child and family homelessness in Vermont by supporting homeless families with minor children to transition to and sustain affordable housing. The Office of Economic Opportunity administers the Family Supportive Housing Program through partnerships with local community-based nonprofits throughout the state.

FSH is:

  • A program that supports families, with at least one child under six (6), who are chronically homeless, in imminent danger of losing housing and/or other HUD (Housing and Urban Development) definitions of homelessness, transition to and sustain affordable housing through targeted provision of case management, service coordination and coordinated access to affordable housing.
  • Intensive, customized, case management (weekly or bi-weekly meetings required) services and service coordination for an average of 2 years depending on family’s needs and progress with goals

FSH can:

  • Accept referrals from community partners with a family’s verbal consent through the coordinated entry system or directly from a family in need.
  • Guide families though the housing process – complete and submit applications, review and examine ways to improve housing history, pursue available housing vouchers and coach clients on how to be good tenants.
  • Collaborate with families to develop a healthy financial plan and/or provide referrals to community resources around financial planning.
  • Work with families to meet their educational and employment goals.
  • Help participants save money! Participants have an opportunity to participate in a savings incentive plan and make mini goals to earn incentives.

Eligibility

We work with families in the following towns: Athens, Brattleboro, Brookline, Dover, Dummerston, Guilford, Halifax, Jamaica,
Marlboro, Newfane, Putney, Somerset, Stratton, Townshend, Vernon, Wardsboro, Westminster, Whitingham, and Wilmington.

  • Applicants must be homeless families with minor children staying in a local emergency shelter, domestic violence shelter or state-funded motel.*
  • The parent(s) must want to participate in the program, agree to engage with services offered, set goals, and actively work towards them.

* Up to one quarter (1/4) of families served through a local Family Supportive Housing initiative need not meet the definition of literal homeless if they meet all of the following conditions:

  • The family is at or below 30% of area median income with minor children in the household.
  • The family will be homeless within 14 days absent supports that can reasonable be provided through the FSH initiative.
  • The family is likely to be able to retain affordable or subsidized housing through the Family Supportive Housing initiative.
  • The family has had at least one documentable episode of homelessness in the past 24 months.
  • All partners (services, housing, shelter) agree to this model and reflect it in the MOU.

Prioritization

  • Families that have had multiple shelter stays or multiple state-funded motel stays.
  • Families that are open for services (have an active case) with DCF Family Services.
  • Families with a child under the age of six.

For more information please contact Kerri Beebe, Intake Coordinator

Phone: 802-257-7852
Email: kerri@winstonprouty.org