PORTSMOUTH — The Counseling Center, Inc. (TCC), Portsmouth, OH would like to announce the award of $116,100.00 from the Ohio Department of Development’s 2010 Homeless Assistance Grant Program.

This funding will provide supportive housing for homeless men, homeless women, and homeless women with their dependent children in Portsmouth.

TCC Supportive Housing is comprised of congregate facilities accommodating approximately 70 beds. The target population consists of adult individuals with a primary chemical addiction and who have completed a primary treatment program for their addiction and fall below 35 percent of area median income.

The majority of the target population that benefits from this housing is unemployed, have been unemployed for over two years, or have had inconsistent employment.

The goal of this project is to move individuals and families from homelessness to permanent housing by providing services i.e. financial literacy, parenting, life management skills and case management services that support recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs.

Supportive Housing includes services that assist in the removal of individual barriers i.e. felony charges that limit public housing options, poor credit history etc. that ordinarily lead to independent living and permanent housing.

This funding award, underwriting the rent expense of the program for two years, will secure the effort that supports people who have reached a pivotal milestone in their lives and are poised to become productive citizens in the community.

On an average, an individual will live in transitional housing for about 5 months.

TCC coordinates services and communicates with our local homeless shelter, Operation Safety Net, to ensure that the homeless who are suffering from drug and alcohol addictions are treated and linked with Supportive Housing.

The Counseling Center works with The Portsmouth Metropolitan Housing Authority to advocate for recovering addicts who have achieved recovery through addiction treatment, and have past drug charges, debt and who are not eligible for subsidized housing.

In addition, as active participants of the Scioto County Housing Continuum, TCC stays informed and up to date about the state of housing in the county.

For more information regarding this important award for housing assistance please contact Transitional Services Program Director, Robin Stanley at 740-353-0441 or by email: rstanley@thecounselingcenter.org .