New York State Announces Expansion of ‘Safe Options Support’ Program to the Southern Tier

The New York State Office of Mental Health today announced the successful launch of a new Safe Options Support or 'SOS' team to help bring stability to individuals who are experiencing chronic homelessness in two rural counties in the Southern Tier. Operated by the Monroe Plan for Medical Care, the new team is assisting individuals in Steuben and Chemung counties, including those with mental health and substance use challenges.

"The Safe Options Support program is bringing critical services to New Yorkers who are experiencing homelessness and have complex medical and behavioral health needs," Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. "Like the other teams operating across the state, the Monroe Plan for Medical Care team will help connect individuals to stable housing and ensure the necessary resources and supports are in place to become valuable members of their communities. The expansion of this successful program is yet another example of how Governor Kathy Hochul's mental health initiative is strengthening our state's system of care."

Monroe was awarded $5 million over five years to operate the program in Steuben and Chemung counties. The team had a soft launch this summer but is now fully operational and has already taken nearly 80 referrals.

Roughly 600 individuals are experiencing homelessness in the Southern Tier alone, according to recent point-in-time estimates. The newly established program will provide structured, personalized support. Teams will include peer specialists, housing specialists, and mental health professionals, to guide individuals through critical transition periods and connect them with long-term resources.

Altogether, these multidisciplinary outreach and referral-based teams are now serving 17 counties across the upstate region, including communities with sizeable populations of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. So far, the 10 teams operating in upstate and outside of New York City have enrolled nearly 300 individuals in the services they provide -including nearly 60 who are unsheltered -and have helped roughly 120 individuals into permanent housing.

The SOS program uses Critical Time Intervention, an evidence-based practice that helps connect vulnerable individuals in crisis to housing and supports, including critical mental health services. Teams work with individuals experiencing homelessness to strengthen their skills and support network so that they can be successfully housed, and their care can be transferred to community-based providers.

"This point-in-time estimate highlights the urgent need for comprehensive services to address homelessness in the Southern Tier," Monroe Plan for Medical Care Chief Operating Officer Kim Hess said. "With this grant from the New York State Office of Mental Health, we will be able to provide direct, life-changing support to individuals in the region, connecting them with housing, healthcare, and community resources."

Monroe Plan's team will work closely with local government agencies, shelters, housing programs, healthcare providers, and other community organizations to ensure the individuals they assist receive a full spectrum of care to achieve housing stability.

Initially provided $25 million in the FY 2023 State Budget, Governor Hochul expanded funding for the SOS teams to nearly $34 million last year, and then $35.2 million in FY 2025. This has allowed the program to grow beyond the first teams established in New York City in 2023 to incorporate nine teams in upstate New York and one on Long Island.

SOS teams are now covering Broome, Chenango, Otsego. Steuben and Chemung counties in the Southern Tier. In addition, there are teams now canvasing communities in Westchester, Orange, Dutchess, Sullivan, and Ulster counties in the Hudson Valley Region; Albany, Schenectady, and Saratoga Counties in the Capital Region; Monroe County in the Finger Lakes region; and Erie County in the Western New York Region.

In addition, the SOS program is funding 15 teams that are canvasing throughout the New York City area, including the subways and transit locations. These teams have helped find permanent housing for nearly 600 individuals, including 137 that were placed in OMH-licensed housing.