FUNCTION

The programs of Services to End and Prevent Homelessness (SEPH) have a common vision: access by all people to safe, affordable housing, and opportunities to improve quality of life. The mission of SEPH is to make homelessness a rare, brief, and non-recurring event by operating from a Housing First philosophy. Housing First recognizes that people are most successful when they have a choice in housing and seeks to eliminate barriers such as sobriety requirements or treatment compliance. SEPH provides a full continuum of services including housing stabilization, homeless diversion, and permanent housing; and employs evidence-based and promising practices. SEPH programs collaborate with public and private partners through the Interagency Commission on Homelessness. Special needs populations include: veterans; both individuals and families; persons with behavioral health challenges; individuals with developmental disabilities; transitioning youth; and seniors with disabilities experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Program Descriptions

  Admin - Services to End and Prevent Homelessness

This program provides leadership and direction for the administration of Services to End and Prevent Homelessness and advises the Interagency Commission on Homelessness (ICH) and Montgomery County Continuum of Care (CoC)....

  Homeless Services for Single Adults

Homeless Services for Single Adults provides emergency shelter, street outreach, and transitional housing to adults experiencing homelessness. All services are housing focused with a goal of connecting adults with permanent housing as quickly as possible by removing barriers such as poor credit, criminal history, limited or no access to behavioral...

  Homeless Services for Families

Homeless Services for Families provides emergency shelter and transitional housing to families with children. Services include intake and assessment, case management, and housing location to link families experiencing homelessness to housing, behavioral health, financial, and legal programs. All services are housing focused with a goal of connecting families with permanent...

  Prevention

Prevention provides conflict resolution, mediation, financial assistance, housing location, and case management to County residents at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The program's focus is to partner with families and individuals to resolve their housing emergency through creative problem-solving. State and County grants are provided to prevent evictions and utility...

  Healthcare for the Homeless

Healthcare for the Homeless provides medical and dental services to individuals experiencing homelessness in emergency shelters, street outreach, and transitional housing. Medical services are also provided to individuals and families served in permanent supportive housing programs. Healthcare for the Homeless is committed to reducing the health disparities for people experiencing...

  Rapid Rehousing

Rapid Rehousing (RRH) is an intervention program designed to help individuals and families to quickly exit homelessness, return to housing in the community, and not become homeless again in the near term. The core components of a rapid rehousing program are housing identification, move-in and rent assistance, and rapid rehousing...

  Housing Initiative Program

The Housing Initiative Program is a Housing First permanent supportive housing program serving individuals and families with disabilities. Program participants are quickly connected to permanent scattered site units without any preconditions and offered intensive wraparound support services. The rental assistance is provided by the Department of Health and Human Services...

  Rental Assistance Program

The Rental Assistance Program (RAP) provides a shallow subsidy to individuals and families at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness. The target populations for this program are seniors, people with disabilities, and others on a fixed income....

  Interagency Commission on Homelessness

The Montgomery County Continuum of Care (CoC) coordinates the community's policies, strategies, and implementation of a housing and services system to prevent and end homelessness through a collaboration of public and private sector groups. Responsibilities include promoting a community-wide commitment to ending homelessness, providing funding for efforts to promote community-wide...

  Coordinated Entry

Coordinated entry is a process developed to ensure that all people experiencing a housing crisis have fair and equal access to remedies and are quickly identified, assessed for, referred, and connected to housing and assistance based on their strengths and needs. Within a Coordinated Entry System, each person is prioritized...

  Permanent Supportive Housing

Permanent Supportive Housing is an evidence-based practice that provides immediate access to a permanent housing subsidy and long-term, wraparound support services to households with disabilities. All programs use a Housing First approach that offers housing without preconditions such as sobriety, treatment compliance, or participation in services....