Shelters in the HEARTH era

The Lyceum,Hartford, CTApril 7, 2014

Katharine Galekgaleconsulting@sbcglobal.net

www.focusstrategies.net

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Overview

• Quick review of HEARTH highlights

• Where are we now?• The critical role(s) of shelter• Discussion

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What happened before HEARTH?

• Programs developed locally in response to a growing crisis

• 1983 - FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter • 1987 - Stewart B. McKinney Act - More than 20

programs in seven different Federal agencies• Mid- 90’s - Introduction of “Continuum of Care”

approach• Late 90’s/early 00’s - greater movement toward

PSH and 30% set aside in NOFA• 2000’s -HMIS and Point in Time counts

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From the HEARTH Preamble

“…to establish a Federal goal of ensuring that individuals and

families who become homeless return to permanent

housing...within 30 days”

HEARTH Act Purposes – Sec. 1002(b)

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Top Five HEARTH Act Changes

5. Creation of the Federal Plan to End Homelessness - National goals4. Changes to ESG Program (Solutions, adds rapid re-housing, deeper prevention targeting, HMIS)3. Creation of CoC program from three programs (SHP, S+C, SRO – with more flexibility for change)2. New coordination and administrative functions (Collaborative Applicant, coordinated entry, Board structure, standards for assistance, etc.)1. Performance Measurement Criteria!

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First Out of the Box: A Federal Plan

Opening Doors, mandated by

HEARTH, is the first federal Plan to end

homelessness

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Objective for Local Communities

“Transform homeless services to crisis response systems that prevent

homelessness and rapidly return people who experience homelessness

to stable housing”

- Opening Doors

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What does it mean to be a system?

Different functions … working together toward the same end. In a strong system, it’s clear: Who the client or customer is

What the product or result is

What resources go into making the product/result

How each part of the system contributes to result

…. And everyone in the system can answer the first four questions

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HEARTH Performance Criteria

• The number of people who become homeless• Length of time homeless• Returns to homelessness• Jobs and income• Thoroughness in reaching homeless population• Other accomplishments• Reduce overall homelessness!

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Where are we now?

• Interim regulations for both ESG and CoC require greater coordination and standards for who is offered what, including shelter

• Requirement for coordinated assessment

• CoC NOFA focusing more on outcomes and encouraging reallocation

• Greater cross department collaboration (e.g. VASH)

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Where are we now?

• HPRP, passed at same time as HEARTH, provided new information and models to the field- new roles for shelter providers

• Resource environment tight… but targeted investments still happening – public and private

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So… Role of Shelter

First - What is the housing crisis response system??Remember, in a strong system, it’s clear:• Who the client or customer is• What the product or desired result is• What resources go into making the product/result• How each part of the system contributes to result

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Role of Shelter

• Safety • Basic Needs • Springboard to Housing • Links to community-based services• Other?

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These things are critical!

• Safety – from the elements, from violence, from crime…

• Basic Needs – meals, beds, hygiene, phone, etc.

• Springboard to Housing –housing search and placement assistance, financial assistance, references…

• Links to• Services in the community that

support housing stability and meet other needs

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Culture ShiftFrom "come on in and let us get to know you"

to

"How can we help get you out of here?"(or keep you out in the first place?)

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Finding New Motivation for Staff

•Clients have shorter stays •Providing support as requested•Exits to housing•Making connections in the

community•Empty beds

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So, should shelters provide…?

•Child care?•Health care/ on-site clinics?•Mental health services?•Case managers?•Employment specialists?•Rapid rehousing resources? Diversion resources?

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A proposed lens • Does the person or household need this

now to be safe, have basic needs met, and/or to seek/gain housing?

• Would they chose it now?• Is it essential for shelter safety or

functioning?• Can this support be continued after they

leave or will they have to make new connections?

• Is providing it using resources that could be used to rehouse people?

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Example: Child Care

How does it fit under the lens:•Needed to meet shelter role/goals?•Wanted by the clients?•Essential for shelter functioning?•Continues after household leaves?•Best use of the resources dedicated to it?

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Example: Child Care

1. Child care center in shelter paid for by ESG and County general funds; only for children while in shelter

2. Child care center in shelter paid for by State Tobacco settlement funds; only for children while in shelter

3. Head Start program operates in shelter; for children while in shelter and up to a year after they leave

4. Child care program operated by shelter agency with a mix of funds in building next to shelter; serves neighborhood and has dedicated slots for sheltered children

5. Shelter has relationships with various child care and Head Start providers in communities that take children while family seeks housing and after

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Example: Child Care

Child care center in shelter paid for ESG funds; only for children while in the shelter

Child care center in the shelter paid for by Tobacco settlement funds; only for children while in shelter

Head Start program in shelter; serves children in shelter and after they leave they can come back for a year

Child Care and Head Start program next door shelter; serves children in shelter and children in the neighborhood

Relationships with child care and Head start programs throughout community who take children while in shelter

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Role of ShelterIn our crisis response system with coordinated assessment, how specialized should shelter be?

•Should shelters be able to screen out? On what?•Should there be shelters for special populations? Who? WHY?

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Shelter SpecializationSystem Lens:•Are all needs covered in the system?•Are beds in special programs frequently vacant?•Does this specialization contribute to the system goal(s)? (shorter stays, exits to housing, lower returns)•Does this specialization contribute to the component role? (safety, basic needs)•Are any additional resources used for this specialization balanced by improved outcomes?

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Conclusion

Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing

It’s got shelter written all over it!