Older Adults and People with Disabilities
Highrise Social Services
Fostering health and stability in community housing
About
Highrise Social Services provides older adults and people with disabilities with services that help people remain safely in their own homes, by delivering support that honors the diversity of people’s lived experience and takes place where people need it most – in their home and community. Teams of compassionate, dedicated community health workers and social workers serve older adults and people with disabilities in 40 Minneapolis Public Housing Authority buildings and Village at Franklin Station, an affordable housing property in Minneapolis owned and operated by Volunteers of America Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Eligibility
Have a documented disability of disabling condition
Ages served
18+
Genders served
All genders
Payments accepted
Most services are free to residents living in Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Highrises; Community Health Worker and Housing Stabilization Services are billed to Medical Assistance
Referral needed?
No
Housing Support
Community Health
Building bridges to housing stability and health
High-quality, stable housing is central to the health and well-being of all individuals and families. Yet what we have learned is that without supporting all the critical needs of residents, housing alone is often not enough. What is needed is access to supportive housing that couples affordable housing with onsite service supports to enable individuals and families to remain stably housed and live healthy lives in the community.
Our compassionate community health workers and social workers office on-site and offer expert guidance to older adults and people with disabilities who need support to thrive while living independently. Our dedicated community health workers help the people they serve self-manage chronic health conditions, improve connections to community services, navigate and access health systems, address transportation barriers, and, when desired by the resident, attend doctor appointments to assist with translation and advocacy. Our social workers help the people they serve navigate complex systems, such as economic assistance, physical and mental health systems, financial concerns, housing needs, and personal crises.
Every person is unique, which is why we never use a one-size-fits-all approach. We collaborate with each person we serve to determine what services are needed, create pathways to access needed services, and help coordinate supports to work effectively together. The voices of the people we serve are at the center of the plan, and shape the assistance offered at every step.
Our team strives to meet residents where they are, including culturally and linguistically. Bilingual Somali team members are available to meet the language and specialized cultural needs of Somali residents. Our team also works with remote translation services to meet the language needs of all residents.
Our team can help with:
- Housing
- Health
- Finances
Commonly Asked Questions
If you are interested in living in an MPHA building, we recommend contacting the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority at 612-342-1400, during their regular business hours: Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm. Their main office is located:
1001 Washington Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1043
If you have hearing impairments, TTY numbers are also available, as follows:
-
Public Housing: 612-342-1415
-
Section 8: 612-342-1472
Yes! Many Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) buildings have resident services that are unique to each building. Services may include food delivery, postal service, grocery buses etc. These services are coordinated and monitored by the highrise social service team at MPHA.
CHWs are frontline public health workers who are trusted members of, and have a unique understanding of, the experience, language, culture, and socioeconomic needs of the community served. CHWs serve as a liaison/intermediary between individuals, communities, and health and social services to facilitate access to care, improve the quality and cultural responsiveness of service delivery, and address social determinants of health.