Housing and Residential Services

Everyone should have a safe and affordable place to live. For individuals with mental illness, housing is an essential component of recovery.

Research shows a person with stable housing is more likely to be engaged in their treatment and recovery process and less likely to use costly hospital and crisis response services.

The contracted behavioral health providers of the King County Integrated Care Network (KCICN) own or manage thousands of units of affordable and subsidized housing for adults with mental illness. These transitional and permanent housing units are located throughout King County. The KCICN does not own or operate any housing.

Most of the housing units have a rental subsidy. Tenants pay approximately 30 percent of their income for rent and utilities. The level of care within housing services ranges from independent living to housing environments where staff are on-site and available 24 hours a day to provide support. Many of the providers use a supportive housing model that includes on-site independent living skills training and case management services.

To apply for housing:

Unfortunately, there is not enough subsidized housing for everyone in need. Initially, you likely will be placed on a waitlist. Due to these waiting periods, BHRD advises applying for housing with multiple affordable housing providers in King County.

Community resources for accessing housing include the following:

• Contact your behavioral health agency about available housing options
• Go to Crisis Connections or call the Crisis Connections Information Line at 211
• Contact a Regional Access Point (RAP)
• King County Regional Homeless Authority
• King County Housing Authority
• Seattle Housing Authority

Housing and Recovery through Peer Services (HARPS) Program:

The HARPS Program provides time-limited housing placement and support services for people who are leaving a psychiatric or substance use disorder (SUD) inpatient treatment program. The HARPS Program can help participants find housing and connect to other community supports, such as behavioral health treatment, primary care, and employment services. Housing subsidies are available for temporary rental assistance, overdue rent, security deposits, housing application fees, reasonable storage costs, reasonable moving costs, and other housing related expenses.

• An individual is eligible for HARPS if they meet the following criteria.
• The individual is 18 years of age or older; and Is experiencing a behavioral health disorder; and
• Is being released from a psychiatric inpatient setting or SUD residential treatment program; and
• Is willing to participate in the HARPS program.

To apply for the HARPS Program: Complete the screening application found here. Forward completed applications to the email address or fax number listed on the application. Answer all the screening questions. Submit applications as soon as possible after entering inpatient treatment.

For more information about the HARPS Program, contact Charlotte Lefler at clefler@kingcounty.gov or (206) 263-3638.

Mental Health Residential Treatment

KCICN providers also offer specialized housing services known as Mental Health Residential Treatment. These services are targeted to adults experiencing severe and persistent mental illness who need a higher level of support to remain stable in the community. Services are focused on an individual’s strengths and promote recovery, resiliency, and movement towards the least restrictive community treatment option. Services can include staff that are on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, room and board, housing stabilization services, and medication monitoring.

The KCICN offers various Mental Health Residential Treatment options, based on medical necessity.

To apply for Mental Health Residential Treatment:

An individual can be referred to Mental Health Residential Treatment through a social worker from an inpatient hospital setting or from their outpatient behavioral health provider.

If you are not connected to an outpatient behavioral health provider and are interested in services, you can call the Client Services line to learn more at 206-263-8997 or 1-800-790-8049.