Lessons from Columbus, Ohio

1. Lessons from Columbus, Ohio Holly S. Kastan Advisory Board Community Shelter Board Barbara Poppe Executive Director Community Shelter Board bjpoppe@csb.org 614.221.9195

2. Overview • CSB model • Initiatives • Rebuilding Lives • Prevention • Managing for results • Closing thoughts

3. The Community Shelter Board • The Community Shelter Board was created in 1986 to respond to the growing needs of homelessness in Franklin County. • "It is unacceptable for anyone in our community to go without food or shelter for even one night." Mel Schottenstein, CSB Founder

4. CSB’s Founders • Public/Private Partnership: • City of Columbus • Franklin County Commissioners • United Way of Franklin County • Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce • Metropolitan Area Church Council • ADAMH Service Board • Columbus Foundation • Leo Yassenoff Foundation

5. Mission • CSB, by coordinating community-based efforts, fostering collaboration and funding services, assists families and individuals in Central Ohio to resolve their housing crisis.

6. collaboration with other systems raise and distribute money advocacy community education regarding homelessness assure accountability coordination with partner agencies practice fiscal conservancy continue research and data analysis for effective planning Organizational Methods

7. Funders Public • City of Columbus (40%) • Franklin County (26%) • Ohio Housing Trust Fund (5%) • Other (2%) • HUD SHP (1%) Private • Fundraising (13%) • United Way of Central Ohio (13%)

8. Framework • Prevention • Diversion • Minimize shelter stay • Move to appropriate housing quickly • Create permanent supportive housing • Measures results and manage for outcomes

9. Initiatives • Rebuilding Lives • Prevention

10. Rebuilding Lives A new strategy to end homelessness

11. Rebuilding Lives • Rebuilding Lives has two goals: • To provide long-term, permanent housing solutions to end the cycle of long-term homelessness • To maintain an emergency shelter system for people with short-term crises.

12. Rebuilding Lives Results Improved safety net • 3 new emergency programs • Resource centers operational in all adult shelters • Improved coordination among programs New housing • 372 units of permanent supportive housing • Serves most chronically homeless from streets/shelters New thinking • Housing is solution not shelters

13. Supportive Housing Tenant Profile (7/1/02-6/30/03) • Where did they come from? • 100% experienced long-term homelessness • 44% came from emergency shelter • 35% came directly from streets • Who are they? • 95% male • 78% 35-54 years • 65% black; 29% white • 60% had no income at intake to housing • 21% Veterans

14. Supportive Housing Results (7/1/02-6/30/03) • Tenants • 475 housed • Average cumulative length of stay = 397 days • > 80% maintained housing for year or more • Shelters • Despite economic downturn, shelter utilization has not increased

15. Supportive housing is cost-effective Rebuilding Lives Funder Summit, March 2003

16. Rebuilding Lives PACT Team Initiative(RLPTI) • Collaborative Initiative to Help End Chronic Homelessness • Comprehensive approach – multi-agency, multi-disciplinary • Housing First – scattered site permanent supportive housing • Access to Health Care and Income – replication of PACT model and Maryland SSI Outreach project

17. RLPTI Target Population • Experienced chronic homelessness – living on streets and in shelters • Serious mental disabilities with co-occurring substance abuse disorders and/or physical disabilities • Estimate of annual prevalence of target population = 410 persons

18. System ADAMH Board Community Research Partners Community Shelter Board Continuum of Care Steering Committee County Department of Job/Family Services Rebuilding Lives Funder Collaborative Providers Chalmers P. Wylie VA Outpatient Clinic Community Housing Network Corporation for Supportive Housing Metropolitan Housing Authority Neighborhood Health Centers Southeast, Inc. RLPTI Local Collaborative

19. Replicating Best Practices with a Columbus Twist • Pathways to Housing • Low demand, scattered sites rental housing and public housing • Evidence-based practices -- PACT (Program of Assertive Community Treatment) multi-disciplinary treatment team plus IDDT (Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment) for persons with dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse • Multi-Agency PACT team services which includes VA, Neighborhood Health services, and housing provider

20. Replicating Best Practices with a Columbus Twist • Maryland SSI Outreach Project • Outreach, record collection, application completion and advocacy • SSI/SSDI and/or Veterans benefits • County Department of Jobs/Family Services SSI unit will be benefits coordinator

21. Planned RLPTI Client Outcomes • 156 adults (47 Veterans) participate in initiative {impact = 40% of target pop.} • 80% remain in housing for 12+ months • 90% increased income w/in 12 months • 60% improved behavioral health w/in 12 months

22. Planned RLPTI Community Results • Reduce chronic homelessness • Improved transition of target population from homeless-specific services systems to mainstream systems of support • Improved collaboration among housing/service providers and mainstream agencies

23. Homelessness Prevention Closing the front door to homelessness

24. Prevention • Coordinated services with centralized fiscal agent • Satellite partners provide housing counseling, landlord advocacy, financial planning, and assistance with applications • Client financial assistance to avoid eviction or move to more affordable housing

25. Prevention Results Ends homelessness • 95% of households receiving financial assistance resolve crisis. • 98% do not subsequently enter shelter Cost effective • $432/hh served

26. Managing for Results

27. Managing for Results • Measure progress - HMIS • Client • Provider • Funder • Community • Outcomes-based funding • Leverage community resources • Communicate the successes

28. Benefits of CSB Model • Public/private partnership • Increased system planning, service coordination, accountability • Ability to establish community-wide policy • More effective monitoring of programs to ensure high quality services • More effective communication

29. Challenges to ending chronic homelessness • Permanent Supportive Housing • Stable operating subsidies • Stable services funding • Capital development grants • Systems Integrations to Prevent Homelessness • Cooperation among local, state and federal agencies • Re-entry policies that prevent discharge to homelessness

30. Lessons from Columbus, Ohio Holly S. Kastan Advisory Board Barbara Poppe Executive Director