Christine Gibson Peer Support House

The Christine Gibson Peer Support House (CGPSH) is part of a wide-ranging initiative from the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) that aims to reduce justice involvement for people with mental health illness by decreasing their length of stay in jail or in a hospital, minimizing reincarceration, and improving connections to services. It provides at-risk Philadelphians with a holistic means of returning to the community from jail or hospital. This holistic approach utilizes peer-driven residential services to cultivate empowerment, deliver psychological support, and provide rapid connections to treatment, housing, and other resources. The focus on peer-driven services is especially important as the CGPSH offers residents the opportunity to be empowered and guided by Certified Peer Specialists who have lived experience with mental health illness, substance use, and/or legal system involvement. The house, named after the late Christine Gibson, will provide residential supports, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.