We are building a new path to healing with on-site therapy services. Clare Housing Behavioral Health Program Manager, Carmen Tomaš, began 2025 by surveying the people who live at Clare Housing — and the results were illuminating. More than half (56%) of our residents shared that they would welcome on‑site therapy, highlighting a powerful opportunity to expand support for the people we serve.
“We know housing is foundational for people, and once they arrive at Clare Housing, they can begin to stabilize,” Executive Director Phoebe Trepp says. “With this pilot project, people will receive access to mental health services right in their apartment building, helping them grow and heal, and move beyond simply surviving.”
Later in 2025, Carmen attended the Corporation for Supportive Housing biennial conference, where she encountered an inspiring new model for integrating housing and behavioral health. With the voices of our residents fresh in her mind, she returned energized and ready to bring this innovative approach home to Clare Housing.
After many months of groundwork and planning, we are thrilled to share that Clare Housing will soon launch its first-ever on-site behavioral health counseling pilot, designed specifically for residents living with HIV/AIDS who have experienced homelessness. By offering therapy where residents live, we can remove major barriers — such as transportation difficulties, provider shortages, and missed appointments — and open the door to more consistent, accessible care.
Carmen will provide Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), an evidence-based, goal‑oriented approach that centers on building skills. “This approach acknowledges and capitalizes on those resiliencies that people naturally have,” Carmen explains.
SFBT is a short‑term and highly targeted type of individual therapy. This will allow Carmen to support more residents while still offering referrals to external providers for specialized or intensive care as needed.
Launching therapy services at Clare Housing for the first time calls for careful planning and the creation of new systems. One key step is implementing a modern electronic health record system with helpful features like text‑message appointment reminders that make it easier for residents to stay engaged in their care.
By investing time now in creating strong documentation processes, policies, and Medicaid billing systems, we are creating a solid foundation for a sustainable, effective program.
Once the infrastructure is fully in place, Clare Housing will start offering SFBT to five people living at Marshall Flats. This property was chosen for the pilot because many other properties already have robust services, while Marshall Flats is an independent living site.
We will start the pilot working with the type of health insurance that most of our residents have. Starting small with one health insurance plan and five residents will allow us to collect data and understand the impact and outcomes before refining and expanding the service.
“I’m glad that people are excited about it,” Carmen says. “We want to do it right and make sure that all the pieces are in place.”
This project is another step towards optimizing the health of people living with HIV/AIDS - and we are proud to be among the first to integrate housing and therapy services in this way. If the pilot is well received, Carmen’s hopes to expand the team and manage clinicians who can provide on-site individual therapy at other Clare Housing properties.
