Founded in 1992 in New York City, the Pathways Housing First program is based on the belief that housing is a basic human right.  Pathways moves people who are homeless and live with psychiatric disabilities directly from the streets into apartments in New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Vermont. Then combining that housing with supportive treatment services in the areas of mental and physical health, substance abuse, education, and employment, the Pathways model has consistently demonstrated an 85% success rate for housing people who have been homeless for years, and keeping them housed.  This success, along with its significant cost effectiveness, has enabled Pathways to help establish Housing First as the standard for ending homelessness in cities across the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan. www.pathwaystohousing.org

DESC was founded over 30 years ago as an emergency shelter for vulnerable homeless men and women living with mental illnesses, substance addictions, and developmental disabilities.  Today, it is the Northwest’s most comprehensive provider of services for chronically homeless adults, including shelter, housing, mental healthcare, addiction treatment, and employment support.  All DESC services are predicated on the concept of Housing First and the simple premise that clinical and social stabilization occur faster and are more enduring when the chaos of homelessness is eliminated from someone’s life.  A safe and healthy place to live should be the first treatment goal.  Through this model, DESC has helped thousands improve their housing stability and health status, and has demonstrated significant systems cost avoidance. www.desc.org