Our Work

Integrating Homelessness Response and Behavioral Health Systems

We transform homelessness response so communities can build robust systems of care to effectively solve homelessness and not just manage it.

Targeted Transformation

Integrating Homelessness Response and Behavioral Health Systems

Dallas integrated its homelessness and behavioral health systems to deliver faster care and better outcomes.

With support from the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, North Texas Behavioral Health Authority and Housing Forward North Texas partnered to streamline services for people living unsheltered. Most were connected to community-based support at encampment sites and in shelter, while those with the most complex needs gained access to higher levels of care—ensuring stability and continuity instead of cycling back to the streets.

Core Information

Location: Dallas, TX
Client: Housing Forward North Texas & All Neighbors Coalition
Dates: 2023-Present

Strategy 1:

Downtown Focus

As Dallas was reaching an effective end to street homelessness downtown, partners came together to close a recurring gap: people with serious mental illness living on the streets, cycling between institutions and the streets. The pilot connecting 27 people to treatment or higher levels of care with a long-term plan, as part of a larger effort that served 257.

Strategy 2:

Deploy Mental Health Teams to the Streets and Into Housing

The community deployed nine Assertive Community Treatment and Intensive Case Management teams—bringing psychiatric care, substance use treatment, medication management, and crisis response directly to encampments and into housing. These teams ensure continuity from street outreach through long-term stabilization.

Strategy 3:

Eliminating Red Tape by Securing a Waiver from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development

Dallas secured a first-in-the-nation HUD waiver, giving new flexibility to blend housing and behavioral health funding. This policy shift eliminated barriers and allowed coordinated care to reach more people at scale.

Transformational Outcomes

We Get Results

decrease in individuals experiencing homelessness

decrease in families experiencing homelessness

News + Press

We've Made Headlines in Dallas

North Texas is coordinating homeless and mental health response

Dallas Morning News | December 7, 2024

What They're Saying in Dallas.

“In 2019, CHIP worked with Clutch Consulting to restructure and position the Indianapolis CoC to advance the goals and strategies in the Indianapolis Community Plan to End Homelessness. Clutch supported our efforts to reimagine and strengthen our governance and implementation infrastructure, elevating our collective impact and expanding our rehousing efforts. While we could not have foreseen the impending COVID pandemic, the work we did with Clutch became vital to our ability to quickly respond to the crisis as a coordinated, homeless response system, to secure and leverage over $7 million in CARES Act funding, and to significantly increase permanent housing choices and exits. Working with Clutch gave us the vision, tools, and operational model to react strategically, intentionally, and as a system with a strong housing focus. Indianapolis is now building on this work to continue to scale permanent housing and rebalance our system. Clutch empowers communities to realize their vision for change and to organize for greater impact.”

Dr. Chelsea Haring-Cozzi
Executive Director CHIP – Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention

“Clutch has been an invaluable extension of our City staff, augmenting our system’s capacity and expertise. In the early phases of our system transformation, Clutch’s collaborative assessment identified adjustments that we would not have been able to develop on our own. Since then, they have been a steadfast partner as we began to implement priority projects including a major governance redesign and a strategic rehousing pilot to address a surge in chronic, unsheltered homelessness”

Aubrey McDermid
Assistant City Manager, City of Oklahoma City

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Integrating Rehousing

Integrating Homelessness Response and Behavioral Health Systems