Rental Assistance Program

As authorized under Neb. Rev. Stat. §71-812(3) and to meet the intent of Nebraska's Behavioral Health Reform (LB1083/2004 and LB40/2005), the Nebraska Legislature has directed the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health Services (Division), to contract with each Regional Behavioral Health Authority for the provision of housing-related assistance (LB40 / 2005) for adults with very low income who experience a serious mental illness.  As such, Region V Systems is established as the administrative agent responsible for the management and the coordination of the Region V Rental Assistance Program in serving sixteen counties in southeastern Nebraska.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the Region V Rental Assistance Program is to help eligible service participants obtain safe and decent housing at an affordable cost. The rental assistance funds serve as a "bridge" to other housing sources such as the Federal Housing Choice Voucher Programs (commonly referred to as "Section 8") or living in independent housing without rental assistance.  The Region V Rental Assistance Program will use the Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program as a model for program development with the intent that the transition from one program to the other will go as effortlessly as possible. 

Some program eligible service participants will not qualify for other housing resources, such as Section 8 vouchers, due to their personal history.  The Region V Rental Assistance Program will provide assistance to service participants who have been denied services or have been placed on a waiting list once written documentation has been provided. 

The Region V Rental Assistance Program is designed for people who are not capable of independent living without behavioral health services and supports in order to remain successfully in the community.  The service participant will have more supported services needs than just having a case manager checking periodically to see if the rent is paid.  Each service participant will have an Individual Service Plan (ISP) with a goal of independent living and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services funded behavioral health services.  This includes the service participant's willingness to participate in appropriate behavioral health service(s).

The Region V Rental Assistance Program follows the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Model.  This means that the funds are designed to help individual households afford housing costs.  The eligible participant receives assistance to cover Housing Related costs (such as rent, utility costs, security deposits, and/or utility deposits). The service participant chooses his/her own housing unit. The housing unit must meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS).  If the service participant decides to move, the assistance is moved to the new housing unit; the funding follows the service participant.  The Region V Rental Assistance Program also follows the Supported Housing program model and is developed to be consistent with:

-The intent of Nebraska's Behavioral Health Reform Initiative;

-The Federal definition of Supported Housing; as well as,

-The recovery values of service participant self-determination and choice.

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