Connecting Homeless Jobseekers to Work: Essential System Elements and ApproachesNational Transitional Jobs Network Conference Baltimore, Maryland April 12-13, 2012

Presented by: Marcelle Wellington, Workforce Development Council Seattle-King County Patrick Burkhart, Maricopa County Human Services Department David Raymond, Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust

The best defense against homelessness is a job that pays enough to afford a place to liveBarriers: Homeless Jobseekers - Criminal history, employment gaps, bad

debt, physical illness, mental illness, substance abuse, working while homeless, increasing set-asides for veterans

Workforce system - Numerous and stringent performance measures,

low knowledge base of how to serve this special population Both systems: Cross-system cultural differences, lack of partnerships, limited/reduced funding

Best practices, Inspire and educate, Open One-stop system to morehomeless jobseekers, Serve them more effectively.

Learning Objectives What worked and what didnt work in five cities: Portland, OR Houston, TX Seattle, WA Miami, FL Phoenix, AZ

Common and Essential System Elements and

Approaches

Staying in Your Own LaneWorksystems and Portland Housing Bureau (Oregon)

Successes

Wrap around services with On-the-Job-Training, employment Prosperity Planner Invested in two organizations that focus on homeless youth services Fund and support technology for regional homeless youth/family provider Maintain relationships with multiple homeless service organizations System alignment/collaboration Integrated planning efforts Merge housing with redevelopment Ensure the right questions are asked at intake (E.G., have you ever been in foster care?) Pursue and partner for targeted grants/set-asides -- E.G., Ending Chronic Homelessness, Homeless Vets, navigator and liaison services Mapped area agencys spending on homelessness; found $150 million in resources ($15 million from workforce system) Redefined WIA eligibility, enhancing access for homeless individuals Deemphasized WIA performance - Eliminated performance standards since it takes people who are homeless longer to achieve standards, and employers wont or cant compromise Emphasized employment as key strategy in 10 year plan Member of local Coordinating Committee to End Homelessness

Challenges Declining WIA resources, rise in demand 6,000 served in 2008 65,000 served in 2010 A lot of recipients have exhausted benefits 65% tested below a 9th grade level

A lot of homeless youth (16-21 years)

Essential System Elements and Approaches Regional shared vision and goals Emphasize employment as key strategy in 10-year plan Multiple cross-system partnerships

System alignment: Stay in your own lane, support dont

duplicate

Flexible funding - public and private sources Innovative services Policy support - Redefine WIA criteria, deemphasize performance (focus on outcomes)

Whatever it TakesHouston-Galveston Area Workforce Council and SEARCH Homeless Services

Integration of knowledge and resources

Successes Combined deep knowledge and the resources of both

the Workforce Council and SEARCH Increased customer success Increased access to employment services, and leveraged training Increased flexibility to meet customers abilities and needs 44 % Employed at 90-day follow-up

Challenges Overcoming cultural differences between systems Understanding homeless customers unique needs in

Workforce system More higher-need customers required more intensive services; produced lower Return on Investment Many homeless customers exhausted benefits (e.g., TANF) Employers willing to work with homeless customers and ex-offenders

Essential System Elements and Approaches Planned time to build and enable collaborations,

operating environment Improve cross-functional knowledge, communication and collaboration between partner systems Innovative services, increased access Flexible funding - public and private sources Employer relationships, awareness, supports

Practical AdvocacyWorkforce Development Council Seattle-King County Committee to End Homelessness Building ChangesSeattles 10-Year Plan to End H0melessness Homeless Intervention Project Homeless Employment Navigator

Successes

Seattles 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness 3 years to draft Early focus only on housing and treatment Employment added in 2007

Homeless Intervention Project (HIP) 1988 to present Housing assistance Intensive case management

Job Training, Placement, Retention 56% Employed at Exit & Upgraded Housing 50% Increased Income from Employment

Homeless Employment Navigator Embedded into the 10 Year Plan Public/Private partnership Improved cross-functional knowledge, communication

and collaboration between systems Culture of sustainability Better utilization of existing resources Workforce system training (300+) Enhanced access/delivery to WIA services Support to engage early/often in employment services 58% enrolled in job training or search program

Challenges

State of the economy, profile of current jobseekers,

returning veterans, lack of affordable/available housing Enrolling clients in Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs: Barriers/immediate needs had to be addressed first Upon entry to housing, participants were not yet ready or

committed to pursue training DSHS cutbacks impacted childcare and food benefits Exhaustion of 60-month TANF limit before training was completed

System Restrictions: Workforce: Adherence to outcome measurements

Homeless: Implementation of employment component Data: No common data source or definitions Need longer-terms to evaluate client success

Essential System Elements and Approaches Regional shared vision and goals Emphasize employment as key strategy in 10-year plan

Multiple cross-system partnerships Improve cross-functional knowledge, communication,

collaboration with partner systems Flexible funding - public and private sources Innovative services

Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust and South Florida Workforce

Successes

8,000 homeless people served each day (system-wide) 63% Move to higher level of care 24/7 Homeless Helpline Employment counselors at Homeless Assistance Centers Mobile Workforce Units (fully equipped with technology)

travel to Homeless Assistance Centers DMV visits One-stops monthly Participants earn additional services/benefits the longer they stay in the system. (E.G., 30 days earns a wage increase of $1 per hour) Government-owned surplus property converted to Permanent Supportive Housing with: 22 acre organic farm, Farmers Market, On-the-Job-Training Law passed to prevent day-labor abuses

Challenges Funding: Performance measures are a barrier Integrated Intake: Needed a customized system to

determine if applicant is homeless Time to reassess program effectiveness

New directions New partnerships

Essential System Elements and Approaches Innovative services, increased access Regional shared vision and goals Planned time to build and enable collaborations,

operating environment Policy support Common data source

Strategic OpportunismMaricopa County Human Services Dept. and Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc.

Convergence

Successes Distributed services model for WIA programs -Access

Point Network Enhanced NPO workforce services Regional vision and non-parochial operating environment leveraged capabilities of all member organizations (Maricopa Human Capital Collaborative) Human Services Campus delivers continuum of care to homeless individuals and families

Challenges

Building a cohesive regional workforce culture Staying focused on achieving the greatest good - Willingly paid a

price on performance without relaxing measures Building trust to enable collaborations Took 18 months to achieve Support, dont duplicate

Employer Market Penetration LinkedIn Apprenticeship programs

Integrating the WIA as a supportive player: Recognizing the limits of local WIA expertise Add value/enhance effectiveness of existing NPO providers

Geography and transportation - cant reach everyone Be where we could not be - extend/leverage core services, expand

presence Access to other networks (E.G., National Guard) MOUs with homeless providers and Homeless Connection sites

Essential System Elements and Approaches Regional shared vision and goals Plan 12 to 18 months to build trust and enable

collaborations, operating environment Multiple cross-system partnerships Innovative services Employer relationships, awareness, supports Policy support - Redefine Workforce Investment Act criteria, deemphasize performance (focus on outcomes)

More Information Portland Prosperity Planner Houston-Galveston Area Council , SEARCH Homeless

Services Seattle-King County Navigator Report, HIP Miami-Dade Homeless Assistance Centers, Mobile Workforce Units Maricopa County Human Services Campus

QUESTIONS

Join Our Community of PracticePlease share your Best Practices and Essential

System Elements and Approaches.Are you inspired ? Do you feel more educated about how to open your One-stop system to more homeless jobseekers and to serve them more effectively? Tell us what youre doing.

mwellington@seakingwdc.org