Senate Enrolled Act No. 242 Summary

• Establishes the Indiana Housing First Program administered by the Indiana housing and community development authority to provide housing and support services for individuals with serious mental illness, chronic chemical addiction, or both conditions resulting in housing crisis.

• Requires the authority to establish policies and procedures by January 1, 2018 that provide affordable housing through rental assistance in both dedicated supportive units and existing market-rate units in communities.

• Mandates support services including employment assistance, job training, substance abuse treatment, educational assistance, life skills training, and mental and physical health treatment using harm reduction approaches to addiction rather than mandating abstinence.

• Creates the Indiana housing first account within the state general fund to receive appropriations, investment earnings, grants, donations, and other public or private funding sources, with non-reverted balances carrying forward year to year.

• Requires annual goals to reduce individuals cycling through addiction programs, provide long-term supports for dually diagnosed individuals, increase housing stability, and improve health indicators through partnerships with nonprofits, government agencies, healthcare providers, businesses, and other community entities.