The Bodhi House was created in 2015 and is a respite home provided by AHH, with the primary goal of offering men who are awaiting placement or in the process of a way of getting off the street. People wanting to get off the street often times do not meet the prerequisites for various programs or have to wait some time on a waiting list to get into their desired program because the program is currently full. The Bodhi House is a place for them to stay, away from the chaos of the streets, during this waiting period. It is a clean and sober residence with 24/7 surveillance that houses up to 11 men at any one time. All the basic needs are provided free of charge; food, clothing, personal hygiene items, prescription medicines, etc. There is no charge to stay at the Bodhi House and there are no requirements for anyone to be employed. The men who stay there pass the time by eating as much food as they want, watching tv, reading books, participating in other charitable activities coordinated by AHH, planning their next steps, or just relaxing without the daily struggles of life on the streets.
Most people suffering from chronic homelessness deal with addictions and mental health challenges and the Bodhi House is structured to address and deal with this. Transportation services are provided to get people to court commitments and other pressing obligations while they are awaiting longer-term placement. People have access to the medicines they require, which is distributed out under strict staff supervision. Staff is available around the clock to assist everyone with resolving any other issues that they may have as it relates to the moving forward with their next steps.
By providing a place to stay with basic needs met free of charge, while case workers from other agencies provide wrap-around services and assist with longer-term placement solutions, the Bodhi House boasts an 80% success rate for men moving on to be placed in a treatment program or housing solution, a very high success rate for this population.Respite Bed Program
One reason for high homeless recidivism is that clients are living on the street while recovering or pending housing or program placement. Currently, there is a two-week wait list for Inpatient Treatment. On the street, the opportunity for relapse is significant, as is the likelihood of infection, loss of medications and failure to adhere to treatment regimens. The program and Salvation Army – MOSOS created a program to provide respite housing for 19 clients in the MOSOS facility. All clients relied heavily on urban core hospitals, including Saint Luke’s. A social worker from hospitals and other organizations worked with each throughout their stay.
Currently (Jan 31, 2015), most (74%) are housed or in inpatient treatment programs.
| Inpatient | 4 |
| Transitional Living | 4 |
| Own Place | 3 |
| Nursing Home | 3 |
| Mental Health Respite | 1 |
| Bodhi House | 1 |
| KCRM | 1 |
| Street | 1 |
| Unknown | 4 |