Featured Organization: Horizon House, Inc.

You are here

Home » Knowledge Center » Newsletters » PsyR Connections » Featured Organization: Horizon House, Inc.
PsyR Connection 2015 Issue 2
July 31, 2015

PRA: Can you give us an overview of the organization, the services the organization provides and its mission?

Horizon House: Since its inception in 1952 as a support group for former mental hospital patients, Horizon House has expanded to address the needs of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, mental illness and those who are homeless. Horizon House was one of the first psychiatric rehabilitation programs in the county. We serve over 5,000 people across Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Today, our 1,250 staff provides community-based services including residential, crisis, treatment, vocational and educational supports.  Our mission is to work in partnership with individuals and their families to advocate and provide comprehensive, community-based rehabilitative services. All programs at Horizon House create opportunities for those served to live and thrive in the community.

PRA: Who are the main beneficiaries of your organization? What are the primary age ranges your organization helps? 

Horizon House: The main beneficiaries of our services includes individuals with a variety of challenges including a mental health diagnosis, intellectual disabilities, substance abuse, and homelessness; primarily adults age 18 and older. 

PRA: Can you describe one of your organization’s proudest accomplishments over the past year?

Horizon House:  The ability to provide a full array of services at the highest quality. 

This may not sound like a significant accomplishment, but in a rapidly changing environment with ever-increasing pressures associated with individuals’ needs, available resources, and system changes, the ability to navigate the system without reducing the volume or quality or even eliminating services is, in itself, a significant accomplishment.

PRA: What do you consider to be the biggest challenge to organizations providing the services your organization provides?

Horizon House: Increasing pressures on staff providing services to embrace a new environment of productivity.  Many individuals who dedicated themselves to providing high quality services never intended to be faced with productivity, documentation, and other administrative standards that exist today.  The Agency supports them as they navigate those changes while maintaining quality; that is the biggest challenge. 

PRA: How many clients do you currently serve and how does your organization measure its success in terms of individuals it serves?

Horizon House: Horizon House serves over 5,000 individuals annually. Success is measured in terms of what the individual wants to accomplish.  It ranges from finding permanent housing, finding and keeping competitive employment, completion of a certificate or degree program, remaining clean and sober, recovery from a mental illness with a reduction in symptoms and an increase in community life with a job, social relationships, and decent housing.  Overall, our programs’ mission is to increase recovery and level of independence.

Success is measured by the participants’ view of their progress and satisfaction with services and progress on their individual plans. More specific outcomes are measured based on the services the individual is receiving.

PRA: How do you envision the future of your organization evolving to meet current and future needs?

Horizon House: The integration of primary health care. The integration of primary health care as a fundamental component of how we support individuals in our services is critical, not only from the perspective of organizational growth and change but also ensuring that those we support are not forgotten as the health care world continues to evolve.  The ability to retain the values associated with our psychosocial roots during this transition will need to be central to our planning.  

Arlene Solomon, Director, Employment Services, Horizon House, Inc. (left)