THP-Plus: Providing Affordable Housing & Supportive Services to Youth Formerly in the Foster Care & Juvenile Pr

1. THP-Plus: Providing Affordable Housing & Supportive Services to Youth Formerly in the Foster Care & Juvenile Probation Systems California Alliance Training September 24, 2007

2. Overview of Presentation • THP-Plus Overview • Key Elements of Implementation Process • Role of THP-Plus Providers • Budget Update • Prop. 1C • Q & A

3. THP-Plus Statewide Implementation Project CDSS John Burton Foundation Corporation for Supportive Housing

4. What is THP-Plus? • THP-Plus is a program for former foster youth that provides safe, affordable housing and comprehensive supportive services. • THP-Plus allows youth to have the greatest amount of freedom possible to prepare them for self-sufficiency.

5. Nuts & Bolts of THP-Plus • Eligibility: Emancipated foster & probation youth 18 to 24 years old who meet ILP eligibility criteria • Duration: 24 months • Rate: 70% of average group home rate for 16 to 18 year-olds in the county as of June 30, 2001 • Funding: 100% state-funded; county share removed • Structure: Administered by CDSS, managed by county social service agency, operated by private nonprofit provider

6. THP-Plus Budget Developments

7. FY 07-08 Budget Allocation • Developed by CDSS • ACIN distribution: October 2007 • Up to $10.5 million to cover FY 06-07 costs

8. How do I become a THP-Plus provider?

9. Steps to Becoming a THP-Plus Provider • Confirm that County has a CDSS-approved THP-Plus Plan and is aware of LOI deadline • Determine County’s Provider Selection Process • Design Program • Develop & Submit Proposal & Provider Plan • Complete Certification Process & Enter Contract With County • Implement & Evaluate Program • Submit Monthly Invoices & Program Reports • Support Statewide Efforts to Expand & Improve THP-Plus

10. Becoming a THP-Plus Provider #1: Confirm that County has a CDSS- approved THP-Plus plan for FY 07-08 County LOI due to CDSS by 10/15/07

11. Becoming a THP-Plus Provider #2: Determine County’s Provider Selection Process Options: RFP, RF(S)Q, RFI, Single Source Contract

12. Becoming a THP-Plus Provider #3: Design Program • Provider Budget • Housing Model(s) • THP-Plus Supportive Services

13. Becoming a THP-Plus Provider #4: Develop and Submit Proposal & Provider Plan to County Elements of Provider Plan: • Purpose of the Program & Mission of Provider • Population to be Served • Services Provided • Rights of Participants • Policies of the Program • THP-Plus Rates & Service Levels • Reporting Requirements

14. Becoming a THP-Plus Provider #5: Selected Providers Complete Certification Process & Enter Contract with County Certification Process: • Welfare and Institutions Code • TILP Requirements • Tenant Rights • Housing Statutes • Employee Regulations • THP-Plus Supportive Services

15. Case management services System of payment for utilities, telephone and rent Job readiness training Food & necessity allowance Educational advocacy & support Assistance with pursuing post-secondary education Individual and group therapy (or referral) Services to build and support relationships with family and community Coordination with ILP Mentoring Apartment furnishings 24-hour crisis intervention and support Emancipation fund ($50/month) Post-program housing assistance Alumni services THP-Plus Supportive Services

16. Becoming a THP-Plus Provider #6: Implement & Evaluate Program • Housing • Education • Employment Status & Wages • Permanency

17. Becoming a THP-Plus Provider #7: Submit Monthly Invoices & Program Reports to County County Invoicing Options: • Fee for services: number of youth times actual paid rate • Invoice based on program budget: actual program expenditures

18. Becoming a THP-Plus Provider #8: Support Statewide Efforts To Expand and Improve THP-Plus • Contribute to advocacy efforts around annual budget allocation • Participate in statewide evaluation process

19. THP-Plus Counties 44 counties plan to implement in 07-08

21. Developing the “actual paid rate” • Total per youth cost annually: $20,881 • Actual paid rate: $1,740 • Ratio for parenting youth should be 1 to 8 • San Francisco County’s rate: $2,250

22. THP-Plus Housing Model Considerations Single-site Scattered-Site Host Family THP-Plus Programs can provide permanent or transitional housing

23. Single Site Scattered Site Additional Parts of the Continuum Host Homes College Dorms Emergency Shelter Permanent Transitional

24. Benefits • No time limits • High level of investment and program participation because youth keep apartment • Knowledge of community • Peer engagement • High service utilization • Efficient service delivery (for provider) • Lower travel expense • Fair housing requirements Challenges • Youth forgo benefits of being integrated into the community • Dynamics of single population housing • Program expansion requires additional capacity • Higher building maintenance & operations costs • Less responsive to housing market • Fair housing requirements Single-site permanent model (Example: Fred Finch in Oakland; Larkin Street in SF)

25. Scattered-site permanent model (Example: First Place in Oakland, Madison Street development with AHA) Challenges • Program expansion requires additional capacity • Less opportunity for peer engagement • Lower level of supervision • Issues related to mobile case management • Fair housing requirements Benefits • No time-limits • Community integration • High level of program investment • High level of independence • Knowledge of community • Responsive to housing market • Lower building maintenance & operations costs • Efficient service delivery (for youth) • Fair housing requirements

26. Scattered-site transitional model (Example: Project Independence in Alameda County) Benefits • Integration into the community • Higher level of independence • Responsive to housing market • Lower building maintenance & operations costs • Efficient service delivery (for youth) • No need to regularly add housing capacity Challenges • Temporary housing solution • Lower level of supervision • Less opportunity for peer engagement • Issues related to mobile case management • Tenants have fewer rights in transitional housing than in permanent housing

27. Host family model Benefits • Promotes permanency if actively pursued • Consistent with non-foster youth experience • Youth to live in family setting Challenges • Negotiating expectations between youth and family • Promoting independence • Promoting service utilization • Possibly a temporary housing solution • Less opportunity for peer engagement

28. Single-site transitional model(Example: St. Anne’s in LA) Benefits • Knowledge of community • Peer engagement • High service utilization • Efficient service delivery • Lower travel expense • Higher level of supervision • No need to regularly add housing capacity Challenges • Temporary housing solution • Youth forgo benefits of being integrated into the community • Dynamics of single population housing • Higher building maintenance & operations costs • Less responsive to housing market • Tenants have fewer rights in transitional housing than in permanent housing

29. Housing Development: Proposition 1C • Administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development through the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) • Funds cover new construction or acquisition/rehab • $345 million for MHP’s General Housing component • $195 million for MHP’s Supportive Housing component • $50 million for homeless youth, including emancipated foster youth

30. Key Lessons: • “One project” not the answer- transitioning youth in all projects • Develop a continuum in partnership with county social service agency • Partner with experienced affordable housing developers • Patience pays off

31. THP-Plus Statewide Implementation Project • Training and technical assistance • 46 counties • 200 community based organizations • Advocacy • County share of cost removed • $20 million budget augmentation • Research and Evaluation • First ever THP-Plus Annual Report released 10/07 • Statewide evaluation framework in development

32. For More Information Michele Byrnes THP-Plus Statewide Implementation Project John Burton Foundation (415) 693-1323 michele@johnburtonfoundation.org Amy Lemley THP-Plus Statewide Implementation Project John Burton Foundation(415) 693-1322 amy@johnburtonfoundation.org

33. Questions?