HOMELESS SERVICES:A new approach

Ed Gemerchak, LISWAssoc. Director, Men’s Shelter

Services

Who are the Homeless?6,066 persons were served by Cuyahoga County Homeless Service System

in ‘09:1,380 People in Families (471 adults, 909 children)4,686 Singles

Women & Families29% of single homeless people are women22% of homeless persons are part of a family (9% of homeless households are families)Many other families are “doubled up” temporarily with family or friends, or move from

place to place.

Ethnicity14% White 72% African American 3% Hispanic 4% Several Ethnicities 7%

Unknown

Special needsDisability: Over 50% of single homeless adults self-report as having a disability or

special need: - Mental illness, - Alcohol or Drug Addiction, - Physical Disability, - HIV/AIDS, - Domestic Violence

Veterans: Approximately 20% of homeless persons are veterans.Chronically Homeless: 25% of those who are homeless are long-term, or “Chronically

Homeless”. These individuals have been homeless for more than a year, or multiple times over several years.

Paradigm Shift in Homeless Services

Ending homelessness vs. managing homelessness

Moving from shelter and program-based solutions to housing and community- based solutions.

Designing programs based on research about client needs, evaluations of existing programs and services, and best practices.

Ending Homelessness

Close the Front Door

to the Shelters

Open the Back Door

Reducing & Ending Homelessness Prevent and divert families from

entering shelter – short term rental/utility assistance

Rapidly re-house individuals & families in shelter- assess barriers to re-housing – provide mid-term subsidy or subsidized housing

Permanent Supportive Housing for long term, disabled homeless.

Housing First Philosophy Housing First is an service approach that

centers on providing homeless people with housing quickly and then providing services as needed.

Homelessness is perceived as an housing/financial emergency, not a behavioral emergency.

Housing First is consistent with what most people experiencing homelessness want and seek help to achieve.

HOUSING FIRSTMaslow’s

Hierarchy of Needs: A theory of human motivation. Abraham Maslow believed that people are motivated to fulfill unmet needs, and their efforts are dominated by satisfying the most basic unmet needs first.

Once they feel safe in housing, most people become motivated to achieve other goals.

HOUSING FIRSTLearning by doing

Households are not required to wait in temporary housing while they attend classes, acquire skills or otherwise demonstrate a given level of “housing readiness.” They move directly into permanent housing. If there are skills and information they must learn to sustain their housing, those things are learned in their own housing.

Cost Effective

HPRP – Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-housing Program

National Priority $1.5 Billion nationally in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act $14.5 million locally

Closing Front Door/Opening Backdoor

HUD HEARTH Act – Starting in 2011

HPRP is a Proven Strategy

Who is targeted for assistance?

Individuals and families in housing at risk of becoming homeless. “But for this assistance the household will become homeless”.

Individuals and families who are “literally homeless” – living on the street or in a shelter – who can obtain and retain housing with temporary assistance.

Prevention prior to Eviction

40,000 evictions take place each year in Cuyahoga County.

Cleveland Tenants Organization - reaches out to tenants facing eviction via mail contact

Cleveland Mediation Center – focuses on mediating conflicts between tenants and landlords, + focuses on preventing evictions from subsidized housing.

Shelter Diversion (closing the front door)

Central Intake function established at 2100 Lakeside and Community Women’s Shelter

Diversion to determine if there is any other place the household can stay. Short term assistance, family mediation, etc.

Triage + Housing Plans

Housing Barrier SummaryHousehold Income ____________________________________________________

Work History____________________________________________________ Housing History____________________________________________________

Health □ AOD: ______________________________________ MH: ________________________________________□ Physical: ____________________________________ Other: ______________________________________

Debts/Expenses____________________________________________________ Legal Issues _____________________________________________________

Family Status/Obligation_____________________________________________

Other Challenges (Immigration/Language/etc.)______________________________ Client Preference___________________________________________

Housing PlanREFERRAL to CMC? Yes No DIVERSION BY CI TEAM? Yes No

INTERIM HOUSING PLAN

Non-Shelter: Family Friends Detox Hospital Nursing Home Other ____________________________

2100 Shelter: (Check more than 1, if necessary) CI Emergency Passages Independence Sojourn Vet

Other Shelter: _______________________________________________________________________________________

PERMANENT HOUSING PLANNon-Shelter: Family Friends Detox Hospital Nursing Home Other ____________________________

Rapid Re-Housing

Transitional Hsg., then Rental: North Point PASS Railton Y-Haven Other _________________________

Housing for those with Disabilities: Gateway Team MHS: PATH, OPP Other ____________________________

Referrals made? Yes No If Yes, describe: ______________________________________________________________

DISPOSITION AT CI EXIT: Diverted same-day by: CI CMC Diversion in Process by: CI CMC Referred to Rapid Re-Housing

CI Bed Other Shelter Bed Referred to/On Waiting List at: _______________________________________________

Rapid Re-housing

Rapid Re-Housing is a bridge:

RRH is a bridge out “literal homelessness” to permanent housing.

Short-term subsidy Housing Location Assistance Follow-up Support

Central Intake: Path out of Shelter

Return to Housing

Family/Friend

Detox / Treatment

Hospital

CMC - Mediation- Subsidies- Other payments

MHS CENTRAL INTAKEComplete intake

Assess for diversion opportunityCreate Housing Plan (Short & Long term)Service Point entry for shelter bed Service Point referral to CMC or 2100 Community.

Bus out of town

Rapid Re-Housing

CI COMMUNITYStay working with CI staff (up to 30 days)

Stay until bed opens in other community (up to 2 weeks) Subsidized Housing

- S+Care, PSH, SRA, etc.

Transitional Housing

PERMANENTHOUSING

CI COMMUNITYStay while working with CMC (up to 30 days)

Emergency

Sojourn

Independence

Passages

Veterans

Annual Public Funding Streams