Alliance, Inc. Awarded Veteran Housing Assistance Grant

Program to Serve 400 At-Risk Veterans in and around Baltimore

 
Baltimore, Md., October 3, 2011 -- Alliance, Inc., a non-profit community-based provider of behavioral health treatment and rehabilitation services, has been awarded a grant from the Veterans Administration valued at $1 million to promote housing stability among Veterans with low incomes and their families. Under the one-year grant, Alliance will provide outreach, case management, and assistance in obtaining benefits to 400 Veterans who lack housing or who are at risk of losing housing. Alliance is partnering with two Baltimore-based non-profit organizations, Baltimore Crisis Response, Inc. and Project PLASE, to provide broad geographic coverage throughout the metropolitan area.
The grant, awarded through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, allots 30% of funds ($300,000) directly towards housing expenses such as rent payments, utility payments, security deposits, child care, and moving costs. Remaining funds will cover costs associated with case management and benefit linkages, including ten full-time staff positions at Alliance and its partners. Outreach began on September 24, 2011 at Operation Stand Down in Baltimore. Services will begin on October 15, 2011 and will be coordinated through Alliance headquarters in Dundalk, Md.

“Alliance has been striving for some time to expand its services to Veterans, and this grant allows us to use our knowledge and expertise of linking individuals in need to housing supports,” said Charlotte Exner, Ph.D., chair of Alliance’s board of directors. “Projects like this that focus on community-based delivery of services to Veterans where and when they need them are vital to preventing and ending homelessness among Veterans.”

For more information about these services, contact Alliance at 410-282-5900 ext. 3333. or visit http://www.allianceinc.org/index.php/Veterans-Services.html. 

   
Alliance, Inc., a private, non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, provides community-based services to individuals with disabilities. With headquarters in Dundalk, Md. and locations throughout central Maryland, Alliance has served the Baltimore community for more than 25 years. It has received the highest level of accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for eight consecutive three-year terms, demonstrating its consistent conformance to the highest industry standards possible among community-based mental health providers.

New Grants Funded in Baltimore and Harford Counties

June 21, 2011 -- Beginning on July 1, 2011, Alliance will begin providing two new services at the detention centers in Baltimore and Harford Counties specifically designed to assist inmates with mental illnesses. A grant valued at more than $120,000 from the Baltimore County Bureau of Behavioral Health will assist inmates at the Baltimore County Detention Center who have a documented mental illness to plan for re-entry into the community upon release from jail with access to resources such as housing, employment, and continued treatment. In addition to re-entry services, Alliance will provide Trauma, Addictions, Mental Health, and Recovery (or TAMAR) services to inmates. TAMAR is an evidence-based model that provides special counseling for victims of trauma, such as sexual assault, who have been arrested and require treatment to break unhealthy patterns of behavior related to the traumatic event.

Amy Axel, Director of Alliance's Behavioral Health Division who will oversee the project in Baltimore County, noted, "It's a tragic reality that many people with mental illness end up in jail because they can't or don't get the help they need. With these funds, we'll be able to assist extremely vulnerable individuals and link them with resources to increase their chances of success upon their release from jail.” 

Alliance has also been selected by the Harford County Office on Mental Health to provide TAMAR services to inmates at the local detention center through a grant valued at $43,000. Alliance has been providing re-entry services to inmates at the Harford County Detention Center for more than ten years. Stacy Fair, Director of Alliance’s Case Management, who will oversee the project in Harford County added, “We’re excited to begin offering TAMAR. It’s a natural extension of our forensic case management services. Trauma victims are disproportionally-represented in the criminal justice population and TAMAR is a proven model designed to reduce re-arrest."

Alliance Receives $58,700 Grant from Maryland Affordable Housing Trust

December 8, 2010 - Alliance announced today that it has received a grant in the amount of $58,700 from the Maryland Affordable Housing Trust.

The funds will be used to provide affordable housing to people with disabilities in East Baltimore. “This award could not have come at a better time,” said Chris Iweha, manager of Alliance’s residential rehabilitation program in East Baltimore. “The quality of the housing we provide is very important to us, and these funds will help ensure that our residents are safe, secure, and comfortable.

Alliance owns 13 homes in East Baltimore to provide housing to 38 people with serious mental illness, many of whom are transitioning to community living after long-term hospital stays. The Alliance residential program not only provides housing, but also teaches important life skills needed to manage a household and foster independence. Alliance also operates residential rehabilitation programs in Baltimore and Harford Counties providing housing for more than 150 individuals per year. The grant funds will be used to cover costs of maintaining the homes.

The Maryland Affordable Housing Trust was established in 1992 to make affordable housing more available throughout the State of Maryland. The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees and staffed by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. www.dhcd.maryland.gov

November 1, 2010 - Alliance Receive CARF's Highest Award

Alliance, Inc. has been awarded a three-year accreditation by CARF, the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission. Alliance has received this distinguished award continuously since 1989. This achievement is an indication of Alliance’s dedication and commitment to improving the quality of the lives of the persons served. CARF is a private, non-profit international accreditation organization that promotes quality rehabilitation services. According to the survey report, “the dedication, skill, and passion of the personnel are evident in observing interactions with the persons served as well as in the overwhelming positive feedback from individuals about the benefits of the services they receive and how these services have changed their lives.” The report further states that “the staff of Alliance is extremely motivated toward removing barriers in order to continue growth as an organization and works diligently to discover innovative ways in which to reach persons in need of services.”