Leaves Changing Along with Lives

As affordable housing becomes increasingly scarce in Austin, more of our neighbors are being displaced from their homes daily. Caritas of Austin (Caritas) is dedicated to assisting individuals and families in need, providing essential resources and guidance on the journey to permanent housing and rebuilding well-being.

Here’s a snapshot on how Caritas provides supportive and safe housing while continuing to make Austin more vibrant for all – from initial intake to successful exit.

  1. To be a client at Caritas, people experiencing homelessness must complete the Coordinated Assessment via the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO). The Coordinated Assessment is the community’s centralized housing assistance application. This assessment allows anyone experiencing homelessness in Austin/Travis County to apply for the majority of our community’s housing programs.  
  1. When the assessment is completed, a vulnerability score is calculated. This score represents how likely the person is to lose their life while on the streets. That score determines where the client is on the list (most-likely to pass away to least-likely)  and what program is most suitable for them:  
  1. Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) (long-term housing)
  2. Rapid Rehousing (RRH) (short-term housing)
  1. Once there is availability, the individual or family is then referred to an organization or programs that can best fit their needs. If referred to Caritas, they are assigned a case manager to assist them with finding stable housing and the resources needed to begin to rebuild their well-being.
  1. After the initial conversations with their new client regarding their needs, the case manager then analyzes their situation to create a tailored solution for finding stable housing. After this, the searching process begins.  
  1. Once the client is placed into stable housing, they then create a Personalized Case Management Plan which includes:
  1. Individual Education Plan
  2. Employment Plans
  3. Food Service Needs
  4. Behavioral Health Needs (counseling, substance use counseling, and prescription needs)

Based on their plan, the client then works with the appropriate programs to work toward rebuilding their well being – for example, food pantry access, financial literacy, life skill classes, and workforce development.   

  1. The case manager and client continue to work together to achieve the initial goals. Once the client has made significant progress or met their goals in their plan and can contribute 50% of their income towards rent, they can successfully exit the program.

Caritas is proud to say that 97% of our clients that enter the long-term housing program remain in stable housing and do not return to homelessness.  

Navigating homelessness can be an overwhelming journey, but with the support of Caritas of Austin, individuals and families can find a path toward stability and hope. 

Join us in making a meaningful impact in our community! Caritas of Austin is dedicated to providing vital resources to our neighbors in need, and you can be a part of this important mission. 

Whether it’s volunteering your time, donating supplies, or spreading the word, every action counts. To discover how you can get involved and support our mission, visit https://caritasofaustin.org/donate-give/ today. 

Together, we can make a difference and make Austin a more vibrant community!