Housing and Accommodation Support for People with Mental Illness in Grand Rapids, MI

Living with a mental illness can make everyday tasks—like finding and keeping a safe place to live—more challenging. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, there are local housing and support services designed to help people with mental health conditions find stable accommodation and maintain their independence.

This guide focuses on housing and accommodation support for people with mental illness in Grand Rapids, MI, including local resources, programs, and practical steps you can take.

How Mental Illness Can Affect Housing

Mental health conditions—such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, and anxiety disorders—can affect:

  • Your ability to manage money and pay rent on time
  • Keeping up with household tasks
  • Communicating with landlords or roommates
  • Coping with stress, especially during Michigan’s long, cold winters

People with serious mental illness or a dual diagnosis (mental illness plus a substance use disorder) are at higher risk of:

  • Housing instability
  • Eviction
  • Homelessness

In this context, homelessness means not having a safe, stable, and secure place to stay—this could include living in a shelter, on the street, couch-surfing with friends, or staying in unsafe or temporary conditions.

Housing Support for People with Mental Illness in Grand Rapids

If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Grand Rapids and living with a mental illness, there are services that can help you access both short-term and long-term housing.

Types of Housing and Accommodation Support

In the Grand Rapids and Kent County area, mental health housing support may include:

  • Emergency shelters – Short-term, crisis accommodation
  • Transitional housing – Time-limited housing with support services
  • Supportive housing – Long-term housing with onsite or visiting support staff
  • Group homes or adult foster care – Shared living environments with daily support
  • Independent living with outreach support – Your own apartment with regular visits from mental health or housing workers

Many of these services are coordinated through:

  • Network180 – Kent County’s community mental health authority
  • Kent County Community Action
  • Local non-profit housing providers and mental health agencies

Community Mental Health and Housing Services in Grand Rapids

Network180 (Kent County Community Mental Health)

Network180 coordinates mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services for Kent County residents.

They can:

  • Assess your mental health and housing needs
  • Connect you with case management
  • Refer you to supportive housing or residential programs
  • Help you access Medicaid-funded mental health services

Contact Network180

Major Health Systems in Grand Rapids

Local hospital systems often connect patients from psychiatric units or emergency departments with community housing resources:

  • Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) in Grand Rapids
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
  • University of Michigan Health-West (Metro Health)
  • Mercy Health / Trinity Health

Ask your:

  • Hospital social worker
  • Discharge planner
  • Psychiatrist or therapist

about housing and accommodation support for people with mental illness in Grand Rapids before you leave the hospital or clinic.

Supported Residential Services and Rehabilitation

Supported residential and rehabilitation services help you stabilize your mental health and build skills for independent living.

These may include:

Community Rehabilitation Programs

Community-based rehabilitation can:

  • Support you after a hospital stay
  • Help you transition from a shelter or group home into your own place
  • Provide skills training for daily living

Services might involve:

  • Visiting you in your home or apartment
  • Helping you set up utilities and manage bills
  • Teaching cooking, cleaning, and budgeting skills
  • Supporting you to attend appointments at places like Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, or Metro Health

Residential Programs and Group Homes

In Kent County and the greater Grand Rapids area, there are:

  • Adult foster care homes
  • Specialized residential settings for people with serious mental illness

These settings provide:

  • A room or shared living space
  • Staff support with medication, meals, and daily routines
  • A structured environment to support your recovery

Access is usually coordinated through Network180 or a case manager.

Supportive Housing and Recovery-Focused Programs

Supportive housing combines affordable housing with mental health support services. This is especially helpful for people who:

  • Have serious mental illness
  • Have a history of homelessness
  • Need ongoing support to stay housed

A housing and recovery worker or case manager can help you:

  • Apply for Section 8 or other affordable housing programs
  • Search for apartments in Grand Rapids that accept housing vouchers
  • Communicate with landlords
  • Understand your tenant rights and responsibilities
  • Create a plan to manage your mental health symptoms at home

They may also:

  • Help you connect with local community centers and support groups
  • Support you in finding employment, education, or volunteer opportunities
  • Link you with local resources like Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health

Finding and Keeping Safe, Stable Housing

A key goal of mental health housing support in Grand Rapids is to help you:

  • Find safe and stable housing
  • Keep that housing long term
  • Live as independently as possible

Support services can help you:

  • Search for affordable housing in Grand Rapids, MI
  • Understand rental applications and leases
  • Learn how to budget for rent, utilities, and food
  • Set up automatic payments or reminders so your rent is paid on time
  • Develop routines that support your mental health (sleep, meals, medication, appointments)

Extra Support at Home in Grand Rapids

If you’re able to live in your own home or apartment but need extra support, there are in-home and community-based services available.

You can talk to:

  • Your GP (primary care doctor)
  • Your psychiatrist or therapist
  • Your case manager
  • A social worker at a Grand Rapids hospital or clinic

They can refer you to:

  • In-home mental health services
  • Peer support specialists
  • Home help for cleaning, cooking, or personal care (if you qualify)
  • Mobile crisis teams for mental health emergencies

Local resources include:

  • Kent County Health Department – Public health programs, vaccination, and community services
  • Grand Rapids Public Health / City of Grand Rapids – Local health and housing information
  • Neighborhood associations and community centers – Often provide support groups, classes, and social activities

Seasonal and Local Factors in Grand Rapids

In West Michigan, cold, snowy winters and shorter daylight hours can affect mental health and housing stability:

  • Winter can worsen depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
  • Heating costs can make housing less affordable
  • Icy sidewalks and roads can make it harder to get to appointments

Housing support services can help you:

  • Plan for winter utility costs
  • Access energy assistance programs
  • Arrange transportation to mental health appointments at clinics like Corewell Health or Trinity Health Grand Rapids

Support for Different Age Groups

Older Adults (50+ and 65+)

If you are an older adult in Grand Rapids living with a mental illness and need housing support:

  • Talk to your doctor or case manager about aging and mental health
  • Contact Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan for housing and in-home support options
  • Explore senior housing, assisted living, or in-home support depending on your needs

Young Adults and People with Disabilities

Younger people with mental illness and disabilities may qualify for:

  • Supported employment programs
  • Independent living skills training
  • Transitional housing for youth and young adults

Ask your school counselor, college disability services office, or Network180 about youth-specific mental health housing supports in Grand Rapids.

How to Start Getting Help in Grand Rapids, MI

If you are experiencing mental illness and are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Grand Rapids, you don’t have to navigate this alone.

Step 1: Reach Out for Mental Health Support

  • Call Network180 Access Center: (616) 336-3909 (24/7)
  • If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department (e.g., Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital or Trinity Health Grand Rapids)

Step 2: Ask Specifically About Housing Support

Tell the person you speak with:

  • That you are struggling with mental health
  • That you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing
  • That you want help with housing and accommodation support for people with mental illness in Grand Rapids

Step 3: Connect With a Case Manager or Housing Worker

A case manager or housing and recovery worker can:

  • Help you complete applications
  • Attend appointments with you
  • Create a recovery and housing plan
  • Connect you with local Grand Rapids housing programs and mental health services

When You Need Immediate Help

If you are:

  • Feeling unsafe where you are staying
  • At risk of harm to yourself or others
  • Without a safe place to sleep tonight

You can:

  • Call 911 in an emergency
  • Go to the nearest hospital emergency department in Grand Rapids
  • Contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988)

Finding safe, stable housing while living with a mental illness can be challenging, but there are strong mental health and housing resources in Grand Rapids, Michigan ready to help. Reaching out is the first step toward safer housing and better mental health.