Building the Path to Home

Understanding the Situation

This section helps you evaluate whether the person's housing and support system are stable--and if they aren't, what needs to be done to stabilize the situation.

Introduction: Thinking about the situation

Think about the person's living situation—what’s working and what isn't. People with a dual diagnosis will need co-ordinated support from a number of agencies (e.g., in the developmental services sector, mental health sector, education sector, health sector). 

The challenge is to decide what support is needed, get the support and co-ordinate all the pieces. Don't assume that something isn't supportive until you know enough about the situation. Ask questions like, "Do you like staff at the shelter." The answers can be informative, but remember that people with a developmental disability tend to want to please, so ask the question in different ways. Watch how the person reacts to a number of different questions, events and situations. 

Think about:

• what gets in the way of the person finding a place to live
• what happens that puts the person's current situation at risk.

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