Supporting positive mental health and providing mental health treatment is fundamental to the HOST approach. The stress and anxiety of living in poor neighborhood and housing conditions, worrying about paying the rent, and not having enough to eat can be part of daily life for many low-income families, particularly residents of public and subsidized housing.
Over the three-year HOST demonstration, residents’ mental health needs were cast into sharp focus. In the three demonstration sites, adults experienced elevated worry, depression, and anxiety at rates that exceeded national averages, often by 20 percent or more.
How did I get to be 50 years old and no one ever told me I was bipolar?
A mother from the HOST site in Chicago
Given the need, the HOST approach includes mental health supports for participating families. Local partners adapt these supports to fit residents’ needs and to match local resource availability.