The Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) Program at the Helen Ross McNabb Center works to assist individuals in the community who are homeless or in immediate danger of losing housing. The program specifically focuses on those homeless individuals that suffer from some type of mental health diagnosis, or report or exhibit possible symptoms of a mental health illness. This can include individuals who may suffer from Depression, an Anxiety disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or any number of other persistent mental health disorders. The primary end goals of the PATH Program are to identify and outreach to these individuals in the community, and to assist qualifying individuals with obtaining housing, as well as mainstream mental health services.
To be eligible for the PATH Program, clients must be in Knox County, must qualify under the above mental health criteria, and must have an individual income of less than $1,000 per month. An individual’s eligibility for enrollment in the PATH Program is determined by an initial screening and assessment, and qualifying individuals are assigned immediately to a PATH Case Manager, who works alongside PATH clients until the client has obtained housing and has been transitioned to mainstream mental health services. Some specific services PATH Case managers perform include…
- Linking clients to mental health services; identifying eligibility, scheduling intakes at local mental health providers, making sure clients are getting to mental health appointments
- Identifying client’s barriers in obtaining housing, as well as developing a plan to overcome any obstacles in terms of obtaining housing
- Assisting clients with obtaining documents needed for housing
- Assisting clients in the housing application process
- Linking clients to available emergency shelters and other resources available to the homeless
- Assisting clients in accessing available funds needed to obtain or maintain housing
The PATH team also employs a SOAR Case Manager, who is specifically trained to assist eligible individuals in applying for Social Security Disability benefits through an expedited process.
Walk-In Days:
Every Thursday 9:00-11:00 & 1:00-3:00
Helen Ross McNabb Center
205 West Springdale Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37917