Beyond Shelter: Addressing the Invisible Trauma of Housing Instability in Columbus
The persistent narrative surrounding homelessness often focuses on the tangible – securing shelter, providing food, and addressing immediate physical needs. But a quietly expanding partnership in Columbus, Ohio, between Home for Families and Hidden Roots Mental Health, signals a growing recognition of a critical, often overlooked component of housing insecurity: the profound and lasting impact of trauma. This isn’t simply about adding another service to a list; it’s a strategic shift toward embedding mental healthcare within the process of achieving housing stability, and the implications extend beyond the individuals directly served. While headlines announce “free on-site counseling,” the deeper story is about a deliberate attempt to dismantle barriers to care for a population facing complex, interwoven challenges.
Drawn from dispatch.com.
Since January 2026, Crystal Gary, a licensed social worker with Hidden Roots, has been providing individual and virtual counseling sessions directly at the Home for Families office. This isn’t a novel concept – co-location of services is increasingly touted as best practice – but the scale of unmet need makes this particular initiative noteworthy. Beth Fetzer-Rice, president and CEO of Home for Families, notes that “an overwhelming number of our families are in need of mental health support,” and that experiencing homelessness is “very often the most traumatic experience someone has faced in their life.” This statement isn’t hyperbole. Research consistently demonstrates a strong correlation between housing instability and rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. What’s different here is the proactive approach to address these issues before they become insurmountable obstacles to maintaining housing.
The financial model underpinning this partnership is also significant. Hidden Roots bills Medicaid for its services, meaning the counseling is provided at no cost to either Home for Families or its clients. This circumvents a common barrier to access – the financial burden of mental healthcare – and allows resources to be directed toward other essential services. Melissa Humbert-Washington, vice president of programs and services at Home for Families, spearheaded the initiative, recognizing the logistical and emotional weight of navigating separate systems for housing and mental health support. As she explained in a press release, long waitlists for care and the comfort level clients already feel at Home for Families made on-site services a logical and impactful solution. The goal, as Fetzer-Rice succinctly puts it, is to make access “low-barrier and easy.”
However, it’s crucial to understand what this partnership doesn’t yet represent. Currently, Crystal Gary is the sole mental health professional embedded within Home for Families. While Hidden Roots intends to expand its presence in Columbus, adding case managers and potentially more therapists, the current capacity serves a fraction of the estimated need. Home for Families is one of the largest providers of non-shelter housing in central Ohio, serving low-income families, single mothers, and young adults. The demand for mental health services within this population is demonstrably high, and a single clinician, however dedicated, can only address a limited number of cases. Furthermore, the success of this model hinges on continued Medicaid funding and the ability of Hidden Roots to recruit and retain qualified professionals in the Columbus area.
The Generational Weight of Trauma and Housing
The partnership specifically aims to address trauma stemming from “generational poverty, chronic housing insecurity, recent shelter stays, or experiences with domestic violence.” This acknowledgement of the cyclical nature of trauma is vital. Housing instability isn’t simply a consequence of individual failings; it’s often a symptom of deeply rooted systemic issues and intergenerational patterns of adversity. Gary, who previously served as senior director of Continuum of Care (CoC) housing at Home for Families, brings a unique understanding of these complexities. She observes that clients are routinely “dealing with trauma on a day-to-day basis” simply by virtue of their housing instability, which then manifests as depression, anxiety, and food insecurity. This interconnectedness highlights the need for a holistic approach that addresses not just the immediate crisis of homelessness, but also the underlying factors that contribute to it.
Looking Ahead: Measuring Impact and Expanding the Model
The immediate impact of this partnership will be measured by tracking client engagement with mental health services, assessing changes in reported levels of trauma and distress, and monitoring housing retention rates. However, a more nuanced evaluation will require longitudinal data – tracking clients over an extended period to determine the long-term effects of integrated mental healthcare on their overall well-being and stability. A key question moving forward is whether this model can be replicated and scaled to other organizations serving similar populations. Could this approach, with its emphasis on accessibility and trauma-informed care, become a standard practice for housing providers across Ohio and beyond?
The success of the Home for Families and Hidden Roots partnership isn’t just about providing counseling sessions. It’s about fundamentally changing the way we approach housing insecurity, recognizing that true stability requires addressing the invisible wounds that often accompany it. As Columbus continues to grapple with affordable housing challenges and a growing need for mental health services, the coming months will reveal whether this innovative model can serve as a blueprint for a more compassionate and effective response. Watch for data released in late 2027 detailing client outcomes and the feasibility of expanding the program – will the initial enthusiasm translate into sustained impact, or will systemic barriers limit its reach?
