A Bridgeville-based human services nonprofit continues to grow after expanding its housing support initiative last year.
Chartiers Center’s Recovery Living Services aims to meet the growing need of housing instability by providing integrated housing support, mental health services and substance use treatment across nearly 250 households.
According to the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, the number of people considered “unsheltered” last year increased by 44%, and there was an increase in shelter use among both adults and families with children.
Emily Winsand, housing services coordinator, said Chartiers Center has operated its Hestia, Atlas and Vesta homeless provider programs for more than a decade. Hestia serves people with a mental health diagnosis. Atlas serves people with any disabling condition, and Vesta serves those with a substance use diagnosis.
Hestia and Atlas offer permanent, supportive housing. Vesta offers “rapid rehousing,” meaning participants can only reside in their homes for up to two years, Winsand said.
In 2024, Chartiers Center was awarded a contract to create Athena, which opened for referrals in July of last year, Winsand said. Athena, which offers permanent housing, serves those who have or had criminal justice system involvement and a mental health diagnosis.
“Recovery Living Services provides rental assistance to each participant, as well as ongoing case management,” Winsand said. “The ultimate goal is that each individual or family served becomes self-sufficient and able to maintain their housing independently. Participants are also connected to other services that may benefit them in areas such as income, employment, physical health, mental health, substance use treatment, parenting, budgeting, etc.”
Also, in 2024, Chartiers Center opened its Salus program, which provides financial assistance for professional cleaning of participants’ rental units affected by hoarding.
The five programs operate under “Recovery Living Services.”
Referrals for all Recovery Living Services programs come from Allegheny Link, Winsand said. Once Chartiers Center gets a referral from Allegheny Link, its goal is to have every participant housed within 30 days of entry into the program.
“Often, the program is able to assist participants with locating and securing an apartment of their own within a matter of one to two weeks after entry,” Winsand said. “Once housing is obtained, the Recovery Living Services team assists the participants with setting up utilities, getting furniture, and learning about and connecting with their communities. Participants also receive assistance with addressing physical health needs, mental health needs and substance use treatment.”
Hestia, Atlas and Athena are federally funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Vesta is a Penn-Free Bridge Housing Program and is state-funded.
Winsand said the Recovery Living Services team uses a “housing first and harm reduction” philosophy when working with people to obtain or maintain housing.
“The Recovery Living Services team uses a person-centered approach, meaning they ‘meet participants where they are’ and allow participants to make decisions on their own, whether that’s deciding what goals they want to achieve or where they would like to live in Allegheny County,” Winsand said.