Grants are the latest in the 25-year history of the Creating Homes Initiative
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) is releasing $5.2 million in grant funding to create safe, quality, affordable housing for people living with mental illness, recovering from substance use disorder, and re-entering communities from incarceration.
TDMHSAS awarded grants from the Creating Homes Initiative (CHI) to 12 non-profit agencies across the state. In total, the agencies committed to create 101 new beds with the funding.
Since 2000, the Creating Homes Initiative has leveraged more than $1.3 billion in federal, state, local, foundational, and other funding sources to create more than 36,000 housing opportunities. The Creating Homes Initiative takes seed money from a recurring state investment and creates a system for writing grants and leveraging additional sources of funding to create housing for people living with behavioral health challenges. The initial model serving people with Serious Mental Illness proved so successful that Governor Bill Lee expanded it twice to support the housing needs of people in recovery from substance use disorder and re- entering the community after incarceration.
“We are so excited to offer this latest round of grants through the Creating Homes Initiative. For 25 years now, CHI has created safe, quality, affordable housing for some of Tennessee’s most vulnerable residents. It’s no surprise that shelter is an essential part of a person’s journey of mental wellness and recovery, and CHI has met that need and supported tens of thousands of people to live the lives they always dreamed of,” said TDMHSAS Commissioner, Marie Williams, LCSW.
Grantees will be creating new housing in Davidson, Knox, Madison, Obion, Overton, Shelby, Sullivan, Sumner, and Washington Counties. The timelines for completion range from six months to a year.
A key feature of the Creating Homes Initiative is the team of Regional Housing Facilitators across the state. These men and women partner with agencies to write grants, seek out additional funding sources, and gather community support. To find the Regional Housing Facilitator for your area or to learn more about the Creating Homes Initiative, visit this link on TN.gov: TN.gov/behavioral-health/chi
