Providing Quality Housing for Recovery

It’s amazing how much ground I’ve gained in recovery from having a secure environment. I’ve been positive symptom-free for a year and the negative symptoms have improved. I had trouble even watching tv and now I am again reading voraciously and enjoying life. Instead of thinking how can I get through this day, I am thinking what sort of work would I like to do. And I always come to the conclusion that I want to help others with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

So my husband and I want to give back to the community now that I am stable. We have an idea we would like feedback on… I’d like to know if others have similar experiences with symptoms abating after a change in lifestyle to decide if investing in a board and care would be the best use of funds to benefit our community.

There is so much need for housing for people who get such meager incomes from social security. When I went to a day program in California I met people like me living in horrible conditions and I have wanted to help others ever since.

We are considering starting out buying a cabin near our favorite place on Earth - Yellowstone National Park. And then advertise all over the country to move people from terrible conditions to enjoying hiking, fishing, and the easy life to live in the cabin in a group home setting. A disability check would go much further in Montana or Idaho or Wyoming.

Cabins can house 12-15 people comfortably, so if everyone paid $600 a month we would eat well and be able to afford a van to take us to the amazing recreational activities near Yellowstone. Instead of living in slums we would be living in a vacation paradise where cabins like the one we would stay in rent out for $500 a day!

We know that people on disability generally can’t afford to move but we have a lot of frequent flyer miles…

If this was successful then we would buy larger property - a ranch and expand. Or perhaps we would find that the home setting is best and simply buy more cabins. After we enjoy some success we could save up to get nonprofit status or turn it into a cooperative.

The place I am considering is Island Park, ID. The only problem with the location is the distance from Idaho Falls community health services. We might find that locating closer to Idaho Falls or Bozeman Montana preferable. However, we will have 2 vehicles and there is a local hospital for emergencies.

Could anyone with an opinion weigh in? Please don’t think I am offering a place now though - it will be 2 years until we are in a position to buy a cabin. But putting this together will take time.

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If you figure that an average RCF or nursing home with take in around $4,500 from Medicaid plus all of your SS income except $30, your awesome plan sounds cheap. There is just too much money in poor people in the United States. People deserve freedom. This could become a marketable timeshare concept. Finally, someone suffering from the disease takes massive action to help others with the same disease. I don’t think the American medical industrial complex can compete with this. Intentional living communities are awesome. You could have a few staff nurses that provide the medication as well as an organic chef, daily mediation classes and exercise. The potential is unlimited. I can’t wait to here more from you. Thanks!!!

I’m on a waiting list for Supportive Housing.

Factor in insurance costs. You’re going to find that your venture presents several very high risks that insurers will be averse to.

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If the cabin is remote, would you be near enough to a city with adequate medical and mental health care available?

Thank you @BlueOwl248. I am researching companies now that help set up a supportive living complete with helping you with licensing and insurance (yes, I imagine liability problems…) I read the law in Idaho and it said that if you only provide a bed, food, and transportation then you would not need a license but realistically some people are going to at some point or another need help and so I am considering setting up a licensed home. It’s going to take awhile to figure all this out.

I thought perhaps like an intentional community to start with a few core people to start and that could be more a roommate situation so I wouldn’t have to worry about liability while we work out the concept.

Thanks @Moonbeam for pointing out that yes there is potentially a problem with needing a long ride for routine mental health care but a hospital is very close for emergencies in the area I am looking at - Island Park, ID. There IS a mental health clinic on the outskirts of town but I will have to find out if they take medicaid. Plus, I have personal experience with decompensating in Yellowstone and the clinic handled me so well I am not worried about emergencies. But routine care would have to be worked to save the most gas.

These cabins are not really remote. In fact, the cabins sit mostly on 1/4 acre - 1 acre of land and we will likely be able to see our neighbor’s cabin from the front porch. The more remote cabins don’t have winter access.

The location is by no means set in stone. It might be better to get a cabin near Idaho Falls or near Bozeman, MT.

Sorry - I just have to gush… I am so excited at thought of living where I consider paradise, helping others like me and enjoying the company of my peers. The pricing of the cabins in this area is really exciting. There is a hot spring fed swimming complex nearby with reasonably priced season passes. It is considered by some to be the world’s best place for catching trout. Many cabins come with access to Henry’s Lake and it would be possible to own a small boat for fishing. I love hiking with snowshoes and cross-country skiing is wonderful in this area. Snowmobiling is vastly popular in the winter here but expensive to rent and frightens me but maybe some would choose to save up for the experience.