To improve health outcomes for Missoula residents experiencing homelessness and require frequent, high-cost medical services, the Missoula Supportive Housing Collaborative partnered with the Missoula Housing Authority to establish the Housing is Health Care initiative’s first single-site supportive housing units at Cornerstone.

As part of the Housing is Health Care initiative, the Collaborative used FUSE (frequent user system engagement) to identify and prioritize people in the community most in need of supportive housing services. The system compiles data from community organizations that interact with people experiencing homelessness, such as hospitals, mental health centers, homeless shelters, and corrections facilities. The individuals with the highest number of interactions with these organizations qualify for supportive housing units.

Cornerstone opened its doors in December 2020. The site has 12 available units, and six units have been filled by people identified through the FUSE system.

We continue to help the Missoula Supportive Housing Collaborative think through what support services are needed to help keep individuals housed and healthy. We are also working with them to configure innovative billing models to integrate Medicaid and ensure the project’s sustainability.

“Cornerstone has created an opportunity to house some of the most vulnerable in the community. The security of housing has provided the foundation for individuals to start engaging in medical and behavioral health care.”

– Anna Nilles, Partnership Health Center, FUSE Program Development Manager