This is a long term solution to a short term problem. The transitional home industry has been booming lately, with people creating alternative lives for themselves after terrible situations in the outside world.
Many people have a need for a safe, healthy place where they can get away from everyone and everything and learn new things, as well as be surrounded by friends and family members who are also trying to heal from past situations and/or support them in their current healing.
This is a great way for you to help support this community! You can start small, or you can go all out, depending on how much you feel you need to heal. There are no doctors or hospitals involved in the transitional home industry, only fellow recovering individuals who understand the needs of recovering people.
This article will talk about how to start a transitional home, how to run your transitional home and what functions it needs to survive on its own so that others can use it as an entry point into this incredible industry.
Contents:
Find another co-founder for your transitional home
If your business needs a little help finding its feet, start a smaller business to find a few more people to join you. You can always expand when there’s demand for your services.
Many large companies are looking for a little help. Find another business owner who shares your vision, who can keep an eye on the books and the bottom line. You will also need someone to answer questions about the service, of course!
If you need some help running your business, look into starting a company or programs to support yourself and your new venture. There are many internet sites that offer this type of support, like PODSP (Planned Optionary Data Systems) or local equivalents that offer “startup grants”.
Research local transitional homes
When you are ready to start a transitional home, the first step is to learn more about it. What type of home does it operate in? How many patients need treatment there? How long they treat each patient? These questions will help guide you in creating your own transitional home.
At the very least, look up local transitional homes to see if they have been successful and determine if they are a needed treatment environment for residents. If not, you can start your own!
Then, find a place to put your transitional home. Many people start them on their own family property, but if you have to go somewhere else, make sure it is safe and secure. If you have trouble securing enough funding for your transition htamp;home, start looking into foundations and donors so that those who need treatment can access them.
Lastly, train yourself as an operator of a transitional home. When people come out of the woods and need help, will they come to you or another facility? Will they trust you with their care Enough time has gone by for this person to become disinterested in treatment that you have changed or that this environment has changed over the years.
Contact former clients of transitional homes
If you are starting a transitional home, the best thing to do is contact former clients. You can ask questions and see what they did and if it worked for them.
Some people go through transitional homes because they do not have a place to stay while they look for housing or recover from substance abuse or addiction. Others use it as a way to complete their resale license and get into the market. Still others just like the location and feel of the home and want to start a new life.
Ask about any hard times the person may have had at the home, such as family troubles or life challenges. You want to make sure you can create a safe space where people can come back to find inner peace and self-confidence.
Speak with the management of existing transitional homes
Seek out existing transitional homes to teach you how to start your own home. Many local governments and community centers have vacant homes they are willing to allow people to use as their own.
These homes may be too large or too expensive for most of the average people looking to start a home, but could be a great place for someone with mental health or housing instability to live.
Since these homes are typically for very needy individuals, you can petition the management team to ensure your needs are met. Review any prior users to make sure there were no problems and that your needs are met.
Make sure you know your rights as an individual under the housing code.
Consult your family and friends
If you are looking to start a new home, consult with your family and friends about what kind of person you are, and what kind of home you are looking for.
We all have different needs in a safe environment, and people with those needs should look to join a group or contact other residents to see if it works. A transitional home is a great way to reunite old and new neighbors and friends after a period of separation.
It is also important to keep an eye out for any warning signs that something is wrong. If someone has major changes in their behavior, communication, or self-image, it is important to get them help right away.
Keep tracking any changes in your health and health care providers will tell you whether or not something else is the problem.
Create a website and social media accounts
This can be a website or social media account, but having one gives you more access to networks and services later on.
On your website, you can put up ads for transitional homes and/or for services such as legal consultation, parenting education, etc. They can then connect you to people who want to use their home or who need its services.
By having a website and social media accounts, you have more ways to connect with people when they are looking for a home or need a service. You can post your ads and/or invitations on websites, Facebook groups, and/or Twitter accounts.
Look into these sources before you start advertising because some may not be welcome if the space is not right.
Obtain insurance
Before you start any new project, you should acquire insurance that meets all local and federal requirements. Meet the local fire, water, and legal requirements, as well as any requirements for emergency evacuations.
Depending on your location, there may be more regulations for transitional housing than for other housing. So look up local ordinances to see if there are special rules for your home.
In most places, liability is a major concern when starting a home for people with severe mental or physical disabilities. So if someone gets hurt or homeless people move in, the liability team can easily cover your home.
There are several ways to get insurance on your home: through a company that insures homes with mentally disabled occupants, through a government program that insures homes with occupants who are liable in case of an emergency, or through your own personal coverage.
Create a mission statement
Your transitional home needs to be defined by what it is meant to be used for. What problems it solves, how it solves them, and what it stands for.
This can be important to have in case someone comes and visits your home, they know what they are looking for. By having a clear mission statement, you will have more confidence in telling the authorities if your home needs to be condemned or reclassified.
The authorities will likely look at your home with care, because there are people living there who may need help.