GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions Morning Session

1. GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness SessionsMorning Session

2. Welcome and Introduction Session Objectives Update GHSH reforms (FACS) NSW Homelessness Action Plan (HAP) Evaluation Presentation (FACS) GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

3. Going Home Staying Home Reform Awareness Sessions

4. Innovation Fund • Focus on service redesign • EOIs closed 19 April 2013 • Successful projects announcement planned for June 2013

5. Industry Partnership &Industry Development Fund • Industry partnership established • IDF EOI closed on 26 April • IDF focuses on organisational and structural change • 17 Initial projects already approved

6. Streamlined Access Preliminary scope for the state-wide information and referral service Access Practitioner Advisory Group (PAG) established Assessment framework completed Testing and consultation on the information, referral and assessment tools to occur mid to late 2013

7. Better Planning & Resource Allocation Short term priorities finalised. A resource allocation model is being developed that identifies service gaps and recommends resource allocation levels by region

8. Industry & Workforce Development Workforce development alliance between Industry Partnership and SHS Learning and Development Unit Long term workforce development plan SHS Learning & Development activities continuing with a focus on reform

9. Contracting, Quality & Continuous Improvement Quality assurance system and implementation plan Scope evaluation strategy Contracting is the mechanism to embed reforms from July 2014 onwards. Next steps for contracting (with indicative dates): • Determine contracting approach (July 13) • Determine pricing approach (July 13) • Develop procurement plan (October 13)

10. Service Delivery Design Interim service delivery design guidelines completed First version of fuller guidelines being developed (by May 2013) Awareness sessions for SHS (May/June 2013)

11. For more information Website www.housing.nsw.gov.au/GHSH/ Email: goinghomestayinghome@facs.nsw.gov.au Phone: 8753 9215

12. NSW Homelessness Action Plan (HAP) Evaluation Strategy – Overview of Findings

13. What is the Homelessness Action Plan (HAP)? • The NSW Homelessness Action Plan 2009-14 (‘the HAP’) outlines the five year whole-of- government effort to reduce homelessness in NSW • The HAP aimed to drive reform of the NSW homelessness service system through: • Increasing the focus on prevention • Implementing new approaches to long term housing and support • Supporting coordination and collaboration between services

14. HAP Evaluation Strategy - Overview The HAP has approx 100 initiatives 55 projects are commitments under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) The challenge: large numbers of projects and diversity in service approaches

15. Evaluation Strategy – What we Did

16. Key Service Approaches - What Worked Local coordination groups comprising relevant agencies • Provided clients with a “no wrong” door approach • Enabled integrated case planning • Maximised the use of local resources • Responded to the range of needs of a client • Increased the capacity of staff and services • Coordination groups needs resourcing

17. Key Service Approaches - What Worked Access to flexible brokerage funding helped provide a tailored approach to client needs • Enabled a client centered approach • Facilitated the purchase, as required, of services (e.g. case worker) and goods (household furniture) as part of a case plan • Responsive, timely approach to resolving critical issues to move a client to housing stability (eg rent arrears) • Provided an incentive for service collaboration when combined with integrated case planning

18. Example – Coordination Groups Riverina Murray Rural Interagency Project 4 Coordination Groups Brokerage applied against areas in agreed case plan

19. Key Service Approaches - What Worked Providing support for the period and intensity that a client needed • Linked to an agreed case plan with clear goals • Staged support worked – intensity decreasing over time but capacity to increase if needed • Longer periods of consistent support with no one size fits all (e.g. 12 months of support) enabled clients to stabilise housing • Support needed to begin pre-exit for those in institutional settings • The quality of the relationship between worker and client was critical to success

20. Key Service Approaches - What Worked A whole of client/family perspective was needed to reduce the factors contributing to a client’s risk of homelessness • Inclusion of a child’s needs in the case plan of a parent/carer • This reduces the drivers of homelessness within the family such as a partner’s gambling

21. Key Service Approaches - What Worked Short term investment up front when a tenancy is at risk • An average of 4 months support for clients at risk of eviction helped stabilise their housing • Brokerage funding was critical to supporting clients out of a critical situation • Case plans which included financial management and a repayment plan builds the capacity of clients to sustain housing

22. Key Service Approaches - What Worked Strong relationships with the private rental market (both landlords and agents) • Case management approach is not enough to secure housing in the private rental market • Targeted strategies are needed with landlords and real estate agents to build good communication and understanding of the issues • Evidence that these relationships lead to more referrals to services and less evictions

23. Key Challenges in Implementation • Availability of affordable housing – problems with support period ending without permanent housing (especially for young people and people exiting institutions) • Access to specialised services in regional locations, particularly mental health and alcohol and drug services • Workforce development, recruiting and maintaining staff in regional areas • Commitment to integrated case management takes time and resources • Late referrals meant services often worked with Aboriginal people already in crisis 23

24. Next Steps Findings to inform the future directions for homelessness (National arrangements and Going Home Staying Home): How? • Evaluation reports on HNSW website • Evidence notes on service approach findings • Standard power point presentation • Briefings for key stakeholders • Summary of findings to inform GHSH Innovation Fund and Industry Fund planning • Distribution to Commonwealth and other jurisdictions

25. SERVICE DELIVERY DESIGN CLIENT Prevention and early intervention Intensive responses for complex needs clients Rapid re-housing Crisis and transition response GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

26. What makes it different from the current situation? Responses are not tied to crisis beds & allows a SHS to provide a range of care to their clients Allows a shift to early interventions Articulates the breadth of existing service approaches and allows for future innovations Consistent understanding of good practice that can be embedded across SHS service system GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

27. WHY? Consistent with the evidence of good practice whereby: intervening early to prevent homelessness is often the best outcome and a more effective use of resources rapidly re-housing people where possible reduces the time a client spends homeless crisis and transition responses will always be needed but there can be more effective ways of doing this & follow-up post-crisis support must be embedded into practice targeted and specialized approaches to people with complex needs can break the cycle of homelessness GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

28. A CLIENT CENTERED APPROACH Fundamental to the new service delivery design Responses built around the needs of the client rather than programmatic responses Client at the centre of their own care Recognises that individual needs change over time so support must be flexible and portable GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

29. TOOLS TO FACILITATE CLIENT CENTERED APPROACH Service Integration Multi-agency coordination groups Trauma informed practice model Case management CLIENT Pivotal role of case worker Consumer choice & client involvement Facilitating access to services outside SHS Duration and intensity of support Brokerage funding GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

30. PREVENTION & EARLY INTERVENTION - SHS Prevention aims to increase awareness of homelessness; and avoid the emergence of risk factors that may ultimately lead to homelessness. Early intervention aims to address individuals and families who are at imminent risk of homelessness through assisting them to maintain personal and housing capacities before a crisis is reached. GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

31. TYPES OF APPROACHES: Prevention Community awareness / Early identification Promote awareness of the causes of homelessness & the early warning signs Collaborative or partnership approaches to identify people at risk of homelessness early and appropriately respond GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

32. TYPES OF APPROACHES: early intervention Tenancy support – what are elements of good practice? Effective relationships with housing providers Brokerage support arrangements Affordable debt repayment arrangements Portable support arrangements & outreach strategies Effective case management and service coordination arrangements Emphasis on learning budgeting & financial management skills GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

33. TYPES OF APPROACHES: early intervention Post crisis – what are elements of good practice? Ensuring client remains a client after exit Providing outreach through visits, phone calls, emails, text message & social networking sites Importance of on-going relationships GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

34. TYPES OF APPROACHES: early intervention Assisting women and children affected by domestic and/or family violence to stay in their homes, where it safe to do so: interagency cooperation and service coordination provision of outreach services & court support development of individualised safety plans increased safety and security measures in the home personal support services

35. TYPES OF APPROACHES: early intervention Exit planning – what are elements of good practice? Participate in pre-exit planning Provide case management support tailored to individual needs Staged approach to service delivery (i.e. initial intensive support if required which is phased gradually down to minimal support) GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

36. RAPID RE-HOUSING Responds quickly to fast track client into affordable, long term, suitable housing options including private rental, social housing or quality boarding houses Generally works for people who have previously lived independently in permanent housing Usually combined with low-level support and some follow-up but is not suitable for people with complex needs GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

37. Rapid re-housing – what are elements of good practice? Strategies to identify people as soon as they become homeless Establishing ‘business’ relationships with real estate agents and effective relationships with local Housing NSW and community housing providers GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

38. Rapid re-housing – what are elements of good practice? Response/case plans developed immediately which focus on finding accommodation firstly Case management to support client to maintain tenancy & access range of services they need or ensure another service undertakes this role GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

39. CRISIS & TRANSITION RESPONSES Safe & affordable crisis or transitional accommodation with case management support Crisis responses which do not include crisis accommodation such as outreach for couch surfers or interventions to prevent a family breakdown Emphasis on exiting clients into long term arrangements with post crisis support GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

40. CRISIS & TRANSITION RESPONSES (cont) General support (advice, advocacy, living skills, court support), personal support for families and relationships, financial and employment support and basic support (meals, showers and transport) Support to access broader service system & programs that promote education, employment and independent living skills (such as a Foyer Model approach) Address the underlying cause of homelessness CHCCH16B, CHCCH24A and PRXPD33A Feb 2009

41. INTENSIVE RESPONSES FOR COMPLEX NEEDS Aim to stop the cycle of homelessness Multidisciplinary & aim to integrate client into broader service system over time Consistent with Housing First philosophy Encourage community and family to play a role GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

42. TYPES OF APPROACHES: intensive responses for complex needs Assertive outreach or street to home models for rough sleepers– what are elements of good practice? Persistent & practical outreach in situ which focuses on long-term goals & outcomes Multidisciplinary teams - generalist outreach workers, health workers, mental health workers, living skills counsellors Provide assessment, care planning and ongoing support in situ to clients with the ultimate goal of transitioning the clients to mainstream supports over time Emphasis on accessing long-term accommodation options GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

43. TYPES OF APPROACHES: intensive responses for complex needs What are elements of good practice? Focus on quickly transitioning clients into safe, secure, affordable, long-term housing (i.e. Housing First approach) Wrapping support around the client and assisting them to navigate the service system Establish multi-disciplinary case coordination group/s (if required) Trauma informed approach GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

44. TYPES OF APPROACHES: intensive responses for complex needs What are elements of good practice (continued) Flexible brokerage funding (such as paying to move young people back home or removalist costs or buying in services) Support clients in their journey towards social inclusion over time Training & skills development to enhance self-esteem & provide participants with interpersonal, educational, practical, tenancy and vocational skills GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

45. PANEL PRESENTATION Panel members will discuss significant/innovative changes/models within their organisation This is an opportunity for service providers to give real examples of how best practice approaches work in the field and what were the success factors GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session

46. PANEL PRESENTATION (continued) The presentation will include: Models that demonstrate good practice. What was the impetus for change How the changes were achieved Innovative models Some of the challenges providers experienced Successful outcomes Questions and discussion with panel members Think about what is considered good practice and what opportunities we have to strengthen our response to homelessness GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session

47. GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness SessionsAFTERNOON Session

48. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION Describe your organisation’s current service delivery practices that are similar to each of the core responses? Describe what are the success factors/successful approaches? What would you do differently to make this approach work more effectively? GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

49. REFLECTION Where to from here? Think about what aspects of your current work is consistent with best practice and those that could be improved or reconfigured to be consistent with GHSH reform Discuss further in your staff meetings What further information would you like? GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session

50. Reflection (continued) We will be developing an eLearning resource that will contain further Going Home Staying Home Reform information. This resource will contain information from these workshops and good practice examples of what services are doing in the homelessness sector. Webinar in 7 weeks to follow up What are your suggestions about ways to share information concerning GHSH reform? GOING HOME STAYING HOMESHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session