Overview
The Housing Supports Program is a set of housing services created to ensure Medicaid/NJ FamilyCare members can live in safe, healthy, and affordable homes. The program is designed to provide critical support to some of Medicaid’s most vulnerable members, including those with complex medical or behavioral health needs who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Purpose and Principles
Housing is a key driver of health and quality of life outcomes, particularly among racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations. As one of the primary social determinants of health, inadequate or unstable housing has been shown to create significant barriers to wellness and drive higher health care costs.
In 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began allowing states to include housing services as part of their Medicaid programs. When the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) prepared its 1115 waiver renewal, it seized the opportunity to leverage this CMS flexibility by incorporating Housing Supports services into the waiver.
For many Medicaid beneficiaries, lack of affordable and appropriate housing remains a critical barrier to health and stability. Without stable housing, individuals are more likely to experience unnecessary hospitalizations, institutionalization, negative clinical outcomes, worsening of chronic conditions, and difficulty achieving important life goals.
Program Goals
DMAHS has established two primary goals for the Housing Supports Program:
- Access to Housing Supports – Provide services that help homeless and housing-insecure members secure and maintain housing, thereby improving overall health outcomes.
- Integration of Housing and Health Care – Strengthen connections between the housing and health care ecosystems by integrating member care coordination, managed care organization (MCO) support, and Medicaid funding into the housing system.