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Safe Options Support (SOS) Teams

Generated from the gc-benefits catalog. It lists what the owner record states. It is not an eligibility decision; confirm current rules with the program.

The Safe Options Support (SOS) Teams connect with people experiencing homelessness to help meet their needs and support their access to housing. SOS teams follow the Critical Time Intervention (CTI) model. The goal of the teams is to quickly connect the individual to housing while providing person-centered care and ensuring that the member has solid ties to their support systems during this critical period of transition. Services include identifying and resolving immediate needs, expanding the individual’s circle of care, housing, identification and entitlements, and connections to medical and behavioral health services.

  • Owner record: ny/new-york-state-safe-options-support-teams
  • Jurisdiction code: NY
  • Frame: care_recipient
  • Review by: 2026-11-14
  • Authority: New York State Office of Mental Health
  • Also called: New York State Safe Options Support Teams; SOS Teams

Offering 1: housing_and_support_services

The Safe Options Support (SOS) Teams connect with people experiencing homelessness to help meet their needs and support their access to housing.

  • Availability (owner codes): {"intake": "unknown", "type": "unknown"}

Conditions:

  • All of these:
  • Fact rule: recipient.age ≥ 18
  • Any one of these:
    • All of these:
    • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "In New York City (NYC), currently street homeless, as defined by:"
    • Any one of these:
      • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "Unhoused and living on the street or subways"
      • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "Unhoused, assigned to a shelter, but spending most of their nights on street or subways"
      • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "Unhoused, assigned to a shelter, but spending majority of time in hospitals, Emergency Departments or Comprehensive Psychiatry Emergency Programs (CPEP)"
    • All of these:
    • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "In areas outside NYC, currently street homeless or in a temporary shelter setting, as defined by:"
    • Any one of these:
      • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "Unhoused and living on the street or other areas not intended for human habitation"
      • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "Staying at a temporary/emergency shelter location"
      • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "Temporarily placed in a motel through local Department of Social Services (DSS)"

Access route 1.1

  • Where: New York City
  • How: Referrals go through a central hub. Submit a referral by emailing Coordinated Behavioral Care or calling the 24-hour toll-free information line.
  • Url: mailto:[email protected]
  • Phone: 1-866-SOS-4NYC

Access route 1.2

  • Where: Rest of State (areas outside NYC)
  • How: Referrals are accepted directly through the provider program listed for the service area.
  • Url: https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/adults/sos/index.html

Evidence

  • /name: "# Safe Options Support (SOS) Teams" (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)
  • /authority: "# Office of Mental Health" (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)
  • /caregiving_effect: "The Safe Options Support (SOS) Teams connect with people experiencing homelessness to help meet their needs and support their access to housing. SOS teams follow the Critical Time Intervention (CTI) model. The goal of the teams is to quickly connect the individual to housing while providing person-centered care and ensuring that the member has solid ties to their support systems during this critical period of transition." (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)
  • /caregiving_effect: "* Identifying and resolving immediate needs\n* Expanding the individual’s circle of care\n* Housing\n* Identification and entitlements\n* Connections to medical and behavioral health services" (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)
  • /offerings/0/summary: "The Safe Options Support (SOS) Teams connect with people experiencing homelessness to help meet their needs and support their access to housing. SOS teams follow the Critical Time Intervention (CTI) model. The goal of the teams is to quickly connect the individual to housing while providing person-centered care and ensuring that the member has solid ties to their support systems during this critical period of transition." (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)
  • /offerings/0/rules: "Members aren’t required to have a serious mental illness or substance use disorder to enroll. However, priority is given to individuals with behavioral health needs. All members enrolled should meet the following criteria:" (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)
  • /offerings/0/rules: "1. 18 years of age or older\n2. In New York City (NYC), currently street homeless, as defined by: \n 1. Unhoused and living on the street or subways\n 2. Unhoused, assigned to a shelter, but spending most of their nights on street or subways\n 3. Unhoused, assigned to a shelter, but spending majority of time in hospitals, Emergency Departments or Comprehensive Psychiatry Emergency Programs (CPEP)" (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)
  • /offerings/0/rules: "3. In areas outside NYC, currently street homeless or in a temporary shelter setting, as defined by: \n 1. Unhoused and living on the street or other areas not intended for human habitation\n 2. Staying at a temporary/emergency shelter location\n 3. Temporarily placed in a motel through local Department of Social Services (DSS)" (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)
  • /offerings/0/access/0: "Referrals for the NYC SOS teams go through a central hub. You can submit a referral by emailing Coordinated Behavioral Care (CBC) or calling the 24-hour toll-free information line 1-866-SOS-4NYC." (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)
  • /offerings/0/access/1: "Referrals for the Rest of State (areas outside NYC) SOS teams are accepted directly though the provider program." (source, capture 2db9078407e22ce520d90cf21f6656a8a95d2f35dc983c272356cf489ac50b7c)