Mentally and physically ill 60-year-old brother needs housing.

We found PA to be generous with services.

Google in your county.
Call City Hall / government agency for referral
Google residential housing in your city / county.
It sounds like he may need to be in a locked facility / that he cannot wonder outside his residence without someone with him (?)

Gena / Touch Matters

Since he is "a handful", he probably needs to spend some time in an inpatient hospital setting to get his medication regimen adjusted. He needs to as calm and cooperative as possible - so no facility considers him a threat to other residents. When he is as stable as possible, the case manager/social worker can help you with placement.

MarieCarm17: Contact APS plus your locality's Council on Aging.

Sometimes called a "Board & Care" home or RCFE (residential care facilities for elderly).....

In Pennsylvania, residential care facilities, often called Personal Care Homes (PCHs), provide housing, meals, supervision, and assistance with personal care for individuals who need help with daily living tasks but don't require nursing home care. PCHs offer a variety of services, including help with eating, walking, toileting, bathing, and managing medications. 

Residential Housing Options with Psychiatric Support in Pennsylvania

Your brother may qualify for residential housing in Pennsylvania that includes on-site psychiatric nursing and support. These programs are designed for adults with serious mental illness and often co-occurring physical health problems. Options vary by county and level of care needed, but here are the main types of programs and providers:

1. Community Residential Rehabilitation (CRR) and Group Homes
These are 24/7 supervised residences with staff on-site, including psychiatric nurses, aides, and case managers. They assist with daily living, medication management, and ongoing treatment.
- Horizon House operates CRR group homes in counties like Philadelphia, Delaware, Bucks, and Lehigh. Staff includes psychiatric professionals and nurses.
- RHA Health Services offers CRR, Long-Term Structured Residences (LTSR), and Personal Care Homes across the state, all with clinical staff on-site.

2. Supported Living or Apartment-Based Housing
If your brother doesn’t need 24-hour care but still needs psychiatric support, supported living programs may be a good fit. These provide case management, psychiatric nursing, and daily check-ins.
- Horizon House’s SHORE program offers supported housing with psychiatric nursing, case management, and medication monitoring.
- RHA also offers Supported Living Services, where staff visit regularly but the client lives more independently.

3. Nonprofit Residential Services
Several well-known nonprofits in Pennsylvania offer residential services tailored for adults with complex needs:
- Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health operates residential homes and treatment programs with behavioral health staff and nursing.
- Barber National Institute provides group homes for adults with mental health or developmental disabilities, including behavioral and medical support. They serve regions including Philadelphia, Erie, and Pittsburgh.
- Hope Springs and other small programs listed on PA 211 provide residential settings with on-site psychiatric nursing, particularly in areas like Northampton County.

4. State and County Mental Health Programs
Pennsylvania counties are responsible for coordinating services for residents with serious mental illness. You can:
- Contact your brother’s County Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities (MH/ID) Office for an intake assessment and service planning.
- Ask for referrals to CRRs, LTSRs, or Supported Living programs.
- Explore Medical Assistance/Medicaid funding, which often covers these services if your brother qualifies.

5. Transitional and Crisis Housing
Some counties have short-term programs that help stabilize mental health before moving someone into a long-term residential setting. These include programs like:
- The Lodge (Lehigh Valley area) – A peer-supported residence for people transitioning from inpatient care.
- Short-Term Residential Services – Often run by nonprofits or county partners.

✅ Next Steps:
1. Identify your brother’s county of residence.
2. Contact that County MH/ID Office and request a behavioral health assessment.
3. Ask about:
 - Community Residential Rehabilitation (CRR)
 - Long-Term Structured Residences (LTSR)
 - Supported Living or Personal Care Homes with psychiatric support
4. Request a list of contracted providers, such as Horizon House, RHA, Devereux, or local nonprofits.
5. Confirm funding options (Medicaid, county funding, SSI/SSDI, etc.).

Wishing you and your brother the best as you explore options.

I'd suggest contacting N.A.M.I. I think there is at least one branch in each state but not certain on that! You could also call your local counseling agency and ask if they know of any good group/residential homes for folks with mental illness as well as physical diagnoses. Give them his age and let them know that he would need a home that has ON SITE , 24/7 mental health professionals on duty and a psych nurse available (if not physically present) for consult. I would also recommend that if you know of any psych hospital OR, hospital with a mental health unit in your area or within a workable driving distance, call them and ask if they have a social worker on duty you could speak to. They may have resources they recommend. If your brother is seeing a therapist or psychiatrist you could ask them first -- maybe compile a list of several places if available and call each one. I would also strongly suggest when you make these calls, have pen and paper to take notes on each call made, any appointment you've scheduled for you to meet the staff/view the facility if allowed, ask about waiting list for admission, and your impressions of the place from the initial phone call as well as cost! Do they accept Medicaid? Medicare? Private insurance/private pay? And have a list of all his diagnoses, his medications should they ask and his doctor's name and phone. Good luck!

Is he collecting Social Security Disability?

I would call your County Disabilities Department. Explain to them his needs. Tell them you can no longer care for him, its getting too much for you. I so hope he can get the help he needs. I was able to get help for my 35 year old nephew, who has physical disabilities, this way.

I think few caregivers here will be aware of what exists in PA. I hope I am wrong. This is something you will need to research yourself, and I think that the support team now doing some caregiving support would be the best place to start if you are the POA for your brother. You might call APS and your local council or agency for aging to ask for pointers in how to research this for yourself. I sure do wish you good luck. Such facilities seem to me rare as hen's teeth in a society that seems determined to abandon those in need of specialized care when aged or mentally challenged.