Just do it: The Ties that Bind: How to Develop and Maintain Lasting Relationships

1. Just do it: The Ties that Bind: How to Develop and Maintain Lasting Relationships Establishing partnerships with various state, quasi-state and private entities Alice Minervino

2. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Established April 7, 2004, by Executive Order of Governor Leaders of eleven State and quasi-State agencies – housing, behavioral health, human services, children & families, public health, veterans affairs, corrections, workforce Chaired by Secretary of Office of Policy and Management Originally met quarterly, now meets monthly

3. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Duties of the Council: Policy reform to decrease homelessness by: including housing in discharge planning improving access to mainstream resources expansion of permanent supportive and affordable housing

4. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Vision: People in crisis will no longer have to cycle through institutions and spend months or years without a home and appropriate services People with chronic health conditions being released from hospitals, jails, or treatment programs have immediate access to adequate housing and services in their communities Children do not spend extended periods in foster care because their parents do not have adequate housing and services Scarce public dollars for health care, child welfare services and institutional care will be spent more appropriately and with much better results

5. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Getting Agencies to Agree Group should be led by someone respected by (or has influence over) all the agencies Program concept needs to include something helpful to each agency Agencies not asked to take on more than they are prepared to handle Set concrete goals (ex: 1,000 housing units in 3 years) and get agreement on basic program guidelines

6. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Sustaining Agency Interest Commissioners, governors, legislators, agency staff change over time – continuous re-education needed (presentations, site tours, lunches sponsored by philanthropic funders, etc.) Document results, use written MOUs and RFPs to protect against institutional memory loss Recognize that change is incremental, builds on past experience – have a series of successes Someone must play the role of “keeper of the flame” – nudging, setting out visions, reminding

7. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Getting Started Whom to invite What motivates them to come What motivates them to stay Next Steps

8. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Whom to invite What State agencies are most critical to financing of an initiative Keep the it small and manageable, let it grow gradually over time Not everyone has to be at the table in order to contribute

9. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Whom to invite Aim high (at commissioner level), but often have to start at staff level – go as high as possible without getting into the “no callback” zone Usually career agency people who have direct access to commissioner Enlist their help to get to commissioner – set up a presentation, tour of a site, lunch with philanthropic funders, etc. Watch for hidden agendas, “survivor” syndrome (no risk taking), lack of access or trust

10. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness What motivates them to come The Vision, Goals and Outcomes Other Agencies Involved Good Timing Reasonable Cost

11. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness The Vision, Goals and Outcomes The program concept may not be the same for everyone, but needs to include something appealing to each agency Talk to agencies individually at first to determine if there is a match between their top priority problems and the proposed solution

12. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness The Vision, Goals and Outcomes Develop a concept paper – present the vision, goals, concept for achieving them, and implementation strategy 50% should be presentation – Power Points, one-sheets, tours are helpful Don’t compromise the basics just to please everyone – stay true to target population, permanency of housing, needed service levels

13. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness The Other Agencies Involved The “chance to work together” is rarely a motivation with government agencies Who else is already at the table may influence whether an agency wants to join

14. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness The Other Agencies Involved Go with strongest allies first – those who will stick with it because they really believe in the results Get strong allies to invite others Have allies engage someone who others will accept an invitation from (such as Governor or state budget chief)

15. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Good Timing Be “planful”, but jump on opportunities as they arise Don’t ask agencies to do more than they can at any one time Use recession time to advance plan since housing production takes a long time

16. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Reasonable Cost Agencies are not being asked to dish out money they don’t have or are not psychologically prepared to give Timing and sources of funding are key considerations

17. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness What Motivates Them to Stay Who sits at the head of the table – must have stature, be trusted leader A clear plan for moving forward Knowing they have quality help (private agencies, such as CSH assist) Establishment of a working group

18. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness What Motivates Them to Stay Memorandum of Understanding Fun and games – tours of sites (especially out of state, if possible), kick-off events, good press, accolades

19. CT Interagency Council on Supportive Housing and Homelessness Next Steps Recognition and awards Program evaluation and quality assurance Time to prepare for the future

20. Provider level Focus: providers of mental health, addictions, AIDS and homeless services in Connecticut • Regional trainings on supportive housing fundamentals • Regional priority-setting forums • Collaborative workgroups (13 in all) to plan and develop actual projects • Met monthly for over a year • Step by step planning process

21. Impact of Provider Collaboration • Each group developed strategic plans identifying target population, service strategies, housing approaches, local partnerships, and production goals • Created natural advocacy base to push for funding • Could hit the ground running when funding became available

22. State level Pilots Advisory Committee • Representatives of 7 state agencies – budget, behavioral health, housing (2), human services, corrections, children& families • Providers from each region • Consumers • Statewide homeless coalition

23. Pilots Advisory Committee • Established vision and goals for the program • Advised on provider capacity-building strategies • Advised on selection process for funding • Conduit of info back to the regions • Met every other month for 2 years

24. Interagency Taskforce • Small, working group comprised of funding agencies only (budget, behavioral health, human services, housing) • Who is on the group is important – high level career agency people who have direct access to their commissioners

25. Interagency Taskforce • Formed by legislative mandate, organized by Office of Policy and Management • Role: Develop plan and timetable to create 650 supportive housing units; work out respective roles and responsibilities in funding; issue funding RFP • Took over as lead group once funding was appropriated

26. Key to State-level planning: Program Concept • Committees can set overall goals - number of units, target populations, etc. , BUT • Someone has to take the lead to draft up a program concept that puts the it all together • Serves as a springboard for discussion and decision-making

27. Concept Paper • Vision • Goals of program • Concepts for achieving goals • Guiding principles • Funding approach • Implementation strategy

28. Developing the Program Concept • Meet with agencies individually – if and where there is a match between top priority problems and the solution • Agencies go with their strengths, do what they do best; each taking a piece is easier to swallow than one agency footing the whole bill