Managing a sheltered housing initiative

Any sheltered housing initiative (SHI) wishing to carry out activities in the Brussels-Capital Region, which by virtue of its organisation cannot be considered as belonging exclusively to the French Community or the Flemish Community, must be recognised by the Common Community Commission (the COCOM). 

A sheltered housing initiative is understood to mean: the accommodation and support of persons who do not require full-time hospital treatment and who, for psychiatric reasons, need help in their living environment to acquire social skills and for whom appropriate daytime activities need to be organised. 

Staying in a sheltered housing initiative can only be justified if the person concerned cannot yet be fully reintegrated into society.

Conditions

The sheltered housing initiative must be based upon a recognised partnership of psychiatric institutions and services, as referred to in Chapter II of the Royal Decree dated 10 July 1990 establishing the standards for the recognition of partnerships of psychiatric institutions and services.

The conditions for accreditation are also set out in the Royal Decree dated 10 July 1990 establishing the standards for accreditation of sheltered housing initiatives for psychiatric patients.

Action to be taken

Every application for accreditation must be addressed to the services of the United College, accompanied by an administrative file.

If the file is complete and the service can operate under conditions compatible with the required standards, provisional approval will be granted for a period of six months, renewable without limitation. It will take effect from the date of application.

During the period of provisional accreditation, the Administration will check that the sheltered housing initiative is functioning in accordance with the required standards.

The Advisory Board will then issue an opinion in relation to the application for accreditation.

Finally, the competent members of the United College will grant or refuse approval. Accreditation will be granted for a period of up to six years and may be renewed.

Cost

Free