Assessing Housing Barriers

Donna HarrisonCommunity Placement CoordinatorVirginia Department of Corrections

Welcome Home: Addressing Today’s Challenges in Homeless Services

June 2, 2009

Community Release UnitCommunity Release Unit

*Types of Releases

*About 14,000 offenders were released last year (2008).

*Growing number of GTRD/no parole law cases being released

*Increased need for specialized caseloads

*Increase in number of homeless offenders being released

Who are the homeless ex-Who are the homeless ex-offenders? offenders?

Females/males Females/males Young adults/elderlyYoung adults/elderly Healthy/physically disabledHealthy/physically disabled Substance AbusersSubstance Abusers Mentally illMentally ill Developmentally DisabledDevelopmentally Disabled Non-violent/violentNon-violent/violent Sex offendersSex offenders

Why are ex-offenders Why are ex-offenders homeless?homeless?

No family supportNo family support Financial burden for familyFinancial burden for family Lack of housing for ex-offenders Lack of housing for ex-offenders

directly from incarcerationdirectly from incarceration Lack of alternative housing for Lack of alternative housing for

violent/sex offendersviolent/sex offenders

Why are ex-offenders Why are ex-offenders homeless?homeless?

Limited financial resources to help Limited financial resources to help pay for cost of housingpay for cost of housing

Offenders do not qualify for many Offenders do not qualify for many housing assistance programs or low housing assistance programs or low income housingincome housing

Limited housing resources for Limited housing resources for medically and/or mentally disabled medically and/or mentally disabled offendersoffenders

Additional Barriers for Additional Barriers for medically and/or mentally medically and/or mentally

disabled offendersdisabled offenders Decrease in assisted living facilitiesDecrease in assisted living facilities Shrinking number of Medicaid/AG Shrinking number of Medicaid/AG

beds in assisted living facilities beds in assisted living facilities Nursing homes moving towards Nursing homes moving towards

rehab care and private payrehab care and private pay Criminal history Criminal history

With supportive transitional With supportive transitional housing…..housing…..

• Communities are safer Communities are safer

• Decrease in recidivism Decrease in recidivism

• Better coordination of medical and/or Better coordination of medical and/or mental health caremental health care

• Decrease in use of emergency Decrease in use of emergency services-hospital/ER visitsservices-hospital/ER visits

What is DOC doing?What is DOC doing?

► Education/vocational trainingEducation/vocational training► Treatment programsTreatment programs► Special transition housing unitsSpecial transition housing units► Transition planning programs Transition planning programs ► Developing programs that focus on Developing programs that focus on

reintegrating familiesreintegrating families

What is DOC doing?What is DOC doing?

►Separated units in DOC facilities based Separated units in DOC facilities based on special needs populationson special needs populations

►Agreements with other state agencies Agreements with other state agencies to apply for identity documents and to apply for identity documents and state and federal benefits pre-releasestate and federal benefits pre-release

► Jail re-entry programsJail re-entry programs►Specialized caseloads in CRUSpecialized caseloads in CRU

Successes/Positives

• Serve as mentors or leaders in re-entry and transitional housing programs, and substance abuse treatment programs

• Network with employers• Utilize job skills • Apply education

Give back to the community by being successful, active citizens and maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Community CollaborationCommunity Collaboration

*Shelter Plus program*Shelter Plus program

*Partnering with DSS, CSB, shelters, *Partnering with DSS, CSB, shelters, and private mental health providersand private mental health providers

*Private housing providers *Private housing providers partnerships with Probation & Parole partnerships with Probation & Parole DistrictsDistricts

Things to ConsiderThings to Consider

Is the community safer if ex-offenders are Is the community safer if ex-offenders are excluded from housing services?excluded from housing services?

Can there be a pre-screening system created that Can there be a pre-screening system created that will consider ex-offenders on a case-by-case will consider ex-offenders on a case-by-case basis?basis?

Can there be a hotel/motel option?Can there be a hotel/motel option? Is it possible to establish more transitional Is it possible to establish more transitional

housing programs for violent and non-violent housing programs for violent and non-violent offenders that are an extension of the shelter offenders that are an extension of the shelter program?program?

Can there be replication of successful models of Can there be replication of successful models of collaboration between DSS, CSB, Health collaboration between DSS, CSB, Health departments, and P&P Districts?departments, and P&P Districts?