system wide housing first: the columbus experience barbara poppe community shelter board presented...
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System Wide Housing First: The Columbus Experience
Barbara PoppeCommunity Shelter Boardwww.csb.org
Presented at The National Conference on Ending Family HomelessnessFebruary 9, 2007Washington, DC
Sponsored by the National Alliance to End Homelessness
Overview
Principles & FrameworkImpactInitiatives
Front Door Shelter Family Housing Collaborative Tier II Shelter
Created in 1986
Non-profit intermediary
Funder
Planner
Coordinator
“It is unacceptable for anyone in our community to go without food or shelter for even one night."
Mel Schottenstein, CSB Founder
Guiding Principles
Housing is basic human need – must be affordable and safe.
Families are better off in “home-like” settings.
Basic needs met first – recovery, parenting, education follow
Guiding Principles (cont.)
Families can set own goals, manage their homes, and take charge of their lives.
Services should be focused on families and individual members of the family.
Healthy families create health communities and healthy communities support healthy families.
Housing 1st Philosophy (vs. Housing 2nd)
Housing 1st Housing placement with services available
Housing 2nd Mandatory treatment/rehab with housing upon completion
System Framework
Prevention & diversion
Minimize shelter stay/move to appropriate housing quickly
Measures results and manage for outcomes
Franklin County Family System
First contact between
YWCA Family Center and
family:
Triage Referral Assessment Services Guidance
Permanent housing, usually with Transition assistance (CSB)
Referral to direct housing:Family Housing Collaborative
(Salvation Army, CSB)
Diversion: Helping families stay in the housing they’re in, with support from community
programs, social service agencies, family and friends, and other community agencies.
Welc
om
e to
the F
am
ily
Cen
ter
Referral to Tier II shelter(Homeless Families Foundation, Volunteers of
America)
Referral to transitional housing (Amethyst)
Referral to permanent supportive housing
(2 years - permanent)(Community Housing Network, Amethyst,
Volunteers of America)
Perm
an
en
t hou
sin
g
Treatment programs for severe issues
(ADAMH agencies)
System Design Characteristics
Extensive housing partnershipsAccess to short-term rental
assistanceHighly collaborative
Regular system meetings MOA’s among agencies Shared resources
System Design Characteristics (cont.)
High accountability & transparency Shared HMIS Daily bedlistQuarterly indicatorsAnnual program evaluations
Impact: Family homelessness declined
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1995 1997 1999 2003 2005
Data from 2001-2002 is unavailable.
Impact: Increased housing outcomes
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2003 2004 2005
Data from 2001-2002 is unavailable.
Front Door Shelter
Single point of entry Supply expands to meet demand Triage before intake Housing First designCoordinated with all housing
resources
YWCA Family Center
YWCA Family Center
Supportive services Case management Resource center Life skills
Child & youth programming
Collaborative partnerships
Front Door Shelter Results
Reduces homelessness
50-60% of contacts don’t need to come to shelter
43% Decline in family homelessness since 1997
Successful in re-housing within short time
65% families sheltered move to next step housing
Average length of stay = 20 days
Achieves long-term success
Recidivism < 1%
Family Housing Collaborative
Direct housing Quick placement in permanent housing home-based case management transitional rent subsidy
Service Provider, Front Door Shelter, and Fiscal agent
FHC Target Population
Front Door Shelter clients desire an independent, stable apartment; have or will have, within 30 days, income and
community-based supports sufficient to be independent;
are appropriate for permanent housing; and are unable to obtain or maintain an
apartment due to barriers primarily related to income, employment, debt and/or previous evictions.
FHC Results
Quick re-housing Assessment and referral time shortened as the project
progressed – typically <10 days.
Successful housing outcomes 77-90% successful in securing permanent housing
Breaks the cycle of homelessness < 1% do not have subsequent shelter stay
Cost effective $1,065 FHC vs. $6,410 - Tier II shelter (per hh served)
Tier II Shelter
Referrals from Front Door ShelterHousing FirstNo sobriety/treatment requirements
for admissionFurnished apartments
Tier II Shelter
Individualized case management
Extensive children and youth programming
Collaborative partnerships
Tier II Shelter Results
Serves hardest-to-serve families
About one-half are actively using at time of admission
Multiple barriers to housing (credit, legal, etc.)
Successful in re-housing
87% families sheltered move to permanent housing
Average length of stay = 71 days
Achieves long-term success
Recidivism < 1%
Family System Successes
Seamless system for families Single point of accessClear admission practicesContinuity of services
Family System Successes
Shared values & shared goals100% commitment to housing outcomes
as primary purpose100% commitment to increasing
community resources for familiesResponsive & nimble to changesGenerally high trust among agencies and
CSB
Family System Successes
Problem solve well both outside and within the shelter system
Partnership with Columbus Public Schools has significantly reduced school mobility
New demonstration program provides wrap around services for children with severe needs
Challenges
Lack of affordable housingServices for actively using familiesDeclining household incomesFamilies with multiple episodes and/or
long-term homelessnessVery young mothers with limited skillsMobility of kids in schools
What’s Next?
New longer-term direct housing pilotHousing First supportive housing for
families Comprehensive system evaluation
and strategic plan
Wish List
More affordable housing and more transitional supports for families exiting shelters
More community prevention resources
Better paying jobs, quality education, and better community supports for families
System Wide Housing First: The Columbus Experience
Barbara PoppeCommunity Shelter Boardwww.csb.org
Presented at The National Conference on Ending Family HomelessnessFebruary 9, 2007
Oakland, CaliforniaSponsored by the National Alliance to End Homelessness