Ending Homelessness Project
County DDD’s program to serve homeless individuals with developmental disabilities is part of a larger effort by the County Department of Community and Human Services to address the issue of Homelessness. County DDD funds the Survival Services program at the The ARC of King County. This program provides services to individuals with developmental disabilities who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. These services are provided in the homeless individual’s first language and with respect for the person’s cultural background.
Clients of this program often have no family or other social supports. They are extremely vulnerable to crime and exploitation, especially when forced to live on the streets. These services help teach clients the skills necessary to achieve the highest possible level of personal responsibility. The program has served hundreds of individuals with a success rate of 85% on average in maintaining long-term housing stability for these vulnerable people.
The program helps clients to advocate for themselves, secure and maintain financial assistance, and communicate with other local organizations to locate affordable housing and other support services. Once the individual has stable housing, the program also provides on-going referrals to the appropriate services and supports as needed. As a part of this program, The ARC of King County will also assist individuals at risk of criminal prosecution by educating attorneys, judges and others.
For more information visit the ARC of King County- Survival Services Program, or call 206-364-6337.