Supportive Housing Services

The Supportive Housing Programs provide comprehensive support for individuals and families that are homeless. FACETS offers a continuum of services, including both permanent and transitional supportive housing, as well as assistance for people who lost their home and are living in motels or are otherwise precariously housed. FACETS’ social workers strengthen and support vulnerable adults and children by offering basic needs assistance and comprehensive case management support to individuals who are homeless in Fairfax County.

Programs include:

• Home Connections Transitional Supportive Housing Program
• Home Connections Permanent Supportive Housing Program
• Emergency Housing and Motel Program
• Shelter Waitlist Outreach Program
• Extended Contact Program

Home Connections Transitional Supportive Housing Program

Home Connections Transitional Supportive Housing Program provides a rental apartment and social work services for approximately two years. Individuals and families have the skills and commitment that, with support, will enable them to live independently after that time. The homeless individual/family works intensively with a FACETS social worker on setting and reaching goals that lead to a successful result. This part of Home Connections was initiated 8 years ago. Currently, FACETS operates seven Transitional Supportive Housing apartments, which houses 24 individuals. This incredible program provides families with housing, supportive counseling, and the tools and opportunities individuals need to get their life back on track.

Home Connections Permanent Supportive Housing Program

The Permanent Supportive Housing Program provides long-term housing and social work services for individuals and families that are currently homeless. The families and individuals are chosen using a “Housing First” approach, which focuses on developing a positive and trusting relationship with a FACETS social worker and the community. Goals are established that yield the maximum degree of independence for the participant(s). Although this is a new program, it builds on FACETS’ experience with the Transitional Supportive Housing Program, which provides individuals and families with housing and social work services for approximately two years, as well as the Hypothermia Prevention Response Program, which provides shelter and meals for individuals throughout the winter.

Program Highlights:

• Participants work with a volunteer mentor
• Participants contribute 31% of their income for rent
• Participants pay off debt/save approximately 10% of their income

Since March 2008, FACETS has moved 16 people out of homelessness and into homes! Thanks to the generosity of more than 100 Home Connectors, these individuals no longer have to spend their nights sleeping in the woods or on pavement, but can sleep in their own beds. For information about how you can help support this important program, please contact Tycie Young at 703-272-3710.

Emergency Housing and Motel Program

The Fairfax County family shelters do not have immediate space available to the 80+ families on the unified waitlist.  To promote stability prior to entering shelter, families are referred to FACETS for case management and support services that may include the Emergency Housing and Motel Program, available to no more than 15 families at a given time.  Clients in this program receive meals from FACETS Hot Meals program and are assigned a FACETS social worker who visits the clients at least twice weekly and develops a service plan, outlining specific goals to work on while they are living in the motel. Individuals work with their social workers to find jobs, improve their budgeting skills, and may transition to one of the FACETS Home Connections programs to receive housing.

Shelter Waitlist Outreach Program

Case management and support services are provided to 24 precariously housed families on the Fairfax County Unified Family Shelter Waiting List. These are families that are able to find temporary shelter with friends and family while they are in the waiting list for one of the area homeless shelters. The wait to get into a shelter averages five months, so during this time individuals work with their FACETS social worker to find jobs, improve their budgeting skills, and maximize their use of shelter services and/or move into stable housing.

Extended Contact Program

When a household receiving services from FACETS secures housing, social workers provide follow-up services for three years to help maintain stability in housing and to prevent recidivism of homelessness.