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Alternatives To Shelter

Alternatives To Shelter. Ending Homelessness for Women A Collaborative Model In Portland. National Alliance to End Homelessness Annual conference July 17-19, 2006 Liora Berry, City of Portland, Oregon Bureau of Housing & Community Development. Home Again.

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Alternatives To Shelter

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  1. Alternatives To Shelter Ending Homelessness for Women A Collaborative Model In Portland National Alliance to End Homelessness Annual conference July 17-19, 2006 Liora Berry, City of Portland, Oregon Bureau of Housing & Community Development

  2. Home Again A 10-year plan to end homelessness in Portland and Multnomah County

  3. Three Principles • Focus on the most chronically homeless populations; • Streamline access to existing services to prevent and reduce other homelessness; • Concentrate resources on programs that offer measurable results.

  4. Key Action Steps In the 10 Year Plan • Move People into Housing First • Stop Discharging People into Homelessness • Improve Outreach to Homeless People • Emphasize Permanent Solutions • Create Innovative New Partnerships • Make the Rent Assistance System More Effective

  5. “Downsizing Shelters”What to Consider • What are the resources in the community? • Are the shelters effective? All of them? • What do people want and need who use the shelter? • What can be fixed? Will it be enough? • What is the cost? • What is possible? Is this the right thing to do?

  6. The Women’s Shelter • 34 Bunks • Night “wet” shelter • Toilets, showers + coin washer/dryer • No linens, no storage • No services offered • 1 night at a time rule

  7. Question: What are the resources in the community? A) Homelessness in Portland …women B) Funding for Homeless Services in Portland …women

  8. Homelessness in Portland 17,000-18,500 served in FY 04-05: • 11,224 adults without children • 7,442 persons in families: - 4,316 children under 18 - 2,456 persons served in domestic violence system • 436 unaccompanied youth (under 18) • 1/3 of those living on the street are women

  9. Homeless Funding Total FY 02-03 funding: $32 million from federal, state, local and private resources* *An additional $16 million was allocated in FY 02-03 for the construction of transitional and permanent housing for homeless persons.

  10. Question: What are the resources/services in our community? • Is the shelter meeting the goals in the 10 Year Plan? • What do the women want and need who use the shelter? • What do the women want who don’t use the shelter but are living on the street? • What can be fixed?

  11. Evaluating the Shelter • Serves approximately 500 women per year • Uneven occupancy rates & outside queuing • Majority had been living at the shelter: 18 for over a full year & one for over 4 years • High rates of untreated mental health & chemical dependency • Listening to the women - a shared vision

  12. 1st Year - Trying A Fix 1) Provision of Technical Assistance 2) Changes to Operations at the Shelter Site 3) Adding in Services - Partners with an array of services and housing

  13. Improvements 2004-05 Outcomes... • 494 Women Stayed in the Shelter • Uneven Occupancy (74 to115 per month) • 251 of the Women Served via New Partners • 67 women placed into stable housing • 19 into transitional & 48 into permanent housing

  14. Is this good enough? • Half of the women connecting …and half are not • 19% of the women who connect with the partner agencies are placed into housing …and 81% are not • 10% of the shelter women are placed into permanent housing…and 90% are still are on the street or in unstable short-term housing

  15. More Improvements Are Needed • Addressing Philosophical Differences • Evaluating the Outcomes • Exploring the Options • Bringing People Together • Making the Decision • Cutting the Funding - Bumpy Roads • Implementing the New Model

  16. WESC: Women’s Emergency Services Collaborative • 4 Experienced High Performing Partners • Transition Projects - Shelter & Services • Cascadia - Behavioral Health & Housing • JOIN - Street Outreach/Housing First • Northwest Pilot Project - Homeless Seniors • Funding & Support- City of Portland

  17. The Model • 15 SRO Units of Wet Housing Within a Mental Health Transitional Housing Site • On-Site & Community Services • Focus on Permanent Housing Placement • 1 Year of Retention Services • Flexible Client Assistance Funds • Harm-Reduction Relationship Focused

  18. Emergency Housing Private SRO Unit 2 Meals Per Day Transportation Assistance Mental Health Assessments & Services Medication Support Groups Social Activities On-site 24-Hour Staffing Coordination with Partners Individualized Support Housing Placement & Retention Support Client Assistance Flexible Rent Assistance Help Applying for Benefits/SSD & More... Support in Employment Efforts Family Reunification Furnishings/Supplies What is possible? Make it happen!

  19. Back to the Shelter …A Housing Placement Blitz • Leveraging Community Resources • Agreement on Low-Barrier High Tolerance • Telling the 34 Women: August 29th 2005 • Lucky vs. Unlucky • Successful Engagement

  20. WESC Is Born Oct. 1 2005

  21. WESC - Outcomes For Year 1 • 192 Women Households Served • 210 people; partners, family members and 16 children • 78 met the definition of chronically homeless • We planned on serving 200 women (a year) • 31 Women Provided Emergency Housing at SRO’s • 19 exits (12 into PH, 6 into transitional, 1 to Psych facility) • We planned on serving 65-75 • 90 Women Households Placed into Permanent Housing • 110 people; partners, family members and those 16 children • 89% Remain Stable in Permanent Housing (6 months+) • Tracking outcomes at 3, 6 and 12 months after placement

  22. What About the Women Who Were At the Shelter? OF THE 34 BEDS AT THE DORM…. • 30 women engaged • 30 placed into housing • 27 into permanent housing • including 3 of 6 placed into transitional housing • 89% remain in permanent housing (24) • & continued efforts at engaging all of the women

  23. Profiles • 40% Chronically Homeless • 60% Mental Health Issues • 46% Substance Abuse • 18% Had Children Under Age 18 • Only 1 out of 5 were eligible to regain custody • Of Those Entering SRO Units • 65% Chronically Homeless; 84% Mental Health Issues; 90% Substance Abuse

  24. Personal Profiles- JOIN • Psychiatric hospital, denied state MH referral, placed into Cascadia MH transitional housing. • In permanent housing since September. Linked with workforce agency and received subsidized housing via CDN Partner. • In permanent housing since September. Attending school and has a new job. 6 months clean & sober. Reconnected with her mother. • In permanent housing since September. Working full-time & working towards renewing teachers license.

  25. Personal Profiles - Cascadia • 26 year old zero income chronically homeless mentally ill, mother of young daughter. 5 1/2 months in emergency SRO. • Assistance: Linkage with MH Services; restraining order related to a DV assault; applications for benefits, securing of PSH unit; reestablishing relationship with daughter and coordinating with DHS.

  26. WESC: Overall Outcomes 1st Year Outcomes • None return to the street: 63% to permanent housing • 47% of households, and 52% of people assisted are in permanent housing 1st Year • Fewer women served with emergency housing • Big increase in the rate of success for all “touched”

  27. What is the cost? • 2003-04 Original Program $164,000 • 2004-05 The “Fix” • + .75 FTE Case Manager via Reunited Partner • + .50 FTE Mental Health Case Manager Leveraged • 2005-06 “Closing the Dorm, WESC Born” • Transfer the 1.25 FTE to WESC • 2.25 NEW FTE Using Existing Funds • Almost $60,000 for Client/Rent Assistance (1/2 for relocation of the women in the dorm)

  28. …and the good news continues • $75,000 of County funds added for Safety off the Streets program for women + more funds for rent assistance for WESC • $1.4 Million awarded for KNAC programs • $284,000 KNAC program for CH women • Outcomes demonstrate “Housing First” works • 240 formerly homeless women (258 people) • 34% Reduction in adult shelter wait list

  29. WAS IT THE RIGHT THING TO DO? …the outcomes say yes

  30. Thank you Copies of the 10 Year Plan and outcome reports are available online at: www.portlandonline.com/bhcd Liora Berry, Ending Homelessness Team City of Portland, Oregon Bureau of Housing & Community Development lberry@ci.portland.or.us 503-823-2391

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