Leveraging Resources: Cross Systems Partnerships for Rapid Re-Housing

1. Leveraging Resources:Cross Systems Partnerships for Rapid Re-Housing Washington Low Income Housing Alliance 24th Annual Conference on Ending Homelessness Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

2. Ending Family Homeless Project Goal: The intent of the Ending Family Homelessness is to reduce homeless for households with children who are unsheltered or living in shelters and motels by 50 percent by 2015 • Rapid re-housing targeted for TANF households with immediate needs • Progressive engagement - matching resources to need through ongoing needs assessment • Active coordination with DSHS and WorkSource

3. INRODUCTION Presentation in 5 Segments • Roles in Partnership • Project Partnership • Integrating into agency’s service delivery • What we have learned • Case Studies Time for Clarifying Questions between segments and Q&A at the end of the presentation

4. How Families Access HFCA All entry points provide: Rapid Re-housing provider Rural Outreach • Screening • Diversion • Assessment • Referral to rapid re-housing • RRH for all populations • SSVF • RRH for specific geographic areas • Referral to prevention • Housing placement waitlist HFCA- The Salvation Army Phone Walk-In Email VOA- youth provider families with hh under 18 DV provider

5. Housing Placement • HFCA • Maintains Waitlist for Family Housing Programs • Using Assessment Tool places families into appropriate housing • Works with all providers in placement process Various scattered site rental assistance programs Interim Housing Programs 155 units PSH units for families 91 units

6. Panelist: Marci Sweet, Rapid Re-housing and Vocational Program Coordinator St. Margaret’s Shelter Catholic Charities of Spokane. Lori Hunley, Spokane WorkFirst Supervisor Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Shannon Booth, WorkFirst Supervisor WorkSource Spokane

7. Roles in the Ending Family Homelessness Project

8. Catholic Charities • St. Margaret’s ShelterWe aim to embody an environment where families have the physical, emotional, and spiritual resources they need, to create beneficial changes in their lives in order to find and maintain stable housing in the larger community • Services Provided – Housing Focus-Emergency Shelter-Transitional Housing-Permanent Supportive Housing-Rapid Re-Housing * Ending Family Homelessness Pilot Project

9. Catholic Charities • Receive all EFH referrals via HFCA and eJAS • Conduct secondary screening over the phone -TANF eligible -Engaged in WorkFirst activities -Literally Homeless • Complete eligibility paperwork • Provide housing search resources and assistance • Progressive engagement housing stabilization services and financial assistance • Connect with DSHS case worker, and employment service provider assist in developing a joint case plan

10. DSHS • Case managers complete Comprehensive Evaluation on TANF clients • Develop Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP) for each TANF client • Identify barriers for barrier resolution • Social workers complete Pregnancy to Employment Assessment and Barrier Assessments on clients • Case managers & Social workers refer clients to Salvation Army co-located staff or clients can go directly to Salvation Army

11. WorkSource • Assessment, employment preparation and job search activities • Generally a 12 week Program • Individualized coaching and mentoring services • Barrier resolution • Coach provides job referrals and job leads connecting parents with employers

12. Project Partnership

13. Goals • All partners have the same basic goal: “eliminate homelessness, and secure income” • We had to learn that each partner agency has agency specific goals as well: • DSHS – Provide benefits, and monitor WorkFirst compliancy • ESD – Provide employment support services and secure employment • St. Margaret’s – Find permanent affordable housing • Once we had an understanding of each agency’s individual goals, it was easier to partner knowing the parameters we could all work within

14. Learning about the Partners • Met with partners individually to learn about each of partner’s role • Building collaboration • Partners met on a monthly basis, rotating locations • Educated staff about partner roles and services

15. Partner Coordination & Communication • Partners met on a monthly basis at different sites to learn more about each of partners service delivery • Within the monthly meeting Case Staffing took place as well as on-going review of joint customers being served • We all shared staff directories • Providers received E-Jas

16. Integration

17. St. Margaret’s – Integration between the Partners • Educated our staff about the pilot program, including goals, outcomes, and model of service • Amended our EFH Case Plans to include making verbal contact with DSHS case manger • Amended our Case Plans to include copies of client’s IRP in each file

18. DSHS - Integration between the Partners • Co-location of Salvation Army housing provider in DSHS local CSO • Having housing provider at DSHS, clients and staff have more knowledge of housing opportunities and communication with each other. Clients are being serviced quickly; first contact

19. WorkSource - Integration between the Partners • Providers attend the Monthly WorkFirst Meeting • Co-location of Housing Provider in DSHS

20. Moving Forward

21. Communication between Partners • What are we learning about communication between Partners? • It takes building rapport and connections • Education about each agency culture • Job descriptions and responsibilities • Partner’s specialties • Partner’s resources

22. How to keep buy-in • Continue to communicate with Housing agencies • Keep staff informed with updated housing outcomes • We all have same goal for our clients

23. Trust in each Partner’s expertise • Each of know that we can pick up the phone or e-mail at anytime for partner expertise and or information that will help our mutual customer • We all have a very collaborative attitude towards our goal to help the parent succeed

24. Outcomes & Benefits Outcomes based on May 2013 - April 2014 data.

25. Client Benefits • Barriers reduced • All client providers communicating • Wrap around services and support

26. Case Study #1 Single father parenting twins • On TANF 7 months, exited TANF with full-time employment • CPS case closed and full-participation in all his required activities • Found housing and was enrolled in the EFH program in November 2013, currently has received 7 months of subsidized rent, and was able to contribute over half his rent for May 2014 • Worked with Career Path Services and secured full-time employment in April 2014 at a convenience store • On track to exit the EFH program in July 2014

27. Case Study #2 Single mother parenting four children • On TANF 20 months, exited TANF with full-time employment • Found housing and was enrolled in the EFH program in May 2013, was exited in April 2014.  Received a total of 11 months of subsidized rent • Worked with DSHS case worker, social worker, and housing case manager closely to tailor her IRP requirements regarding her specific mental health barriers • Secured full-time employment in March 2014 as a receptionist at a local health care provider

28. Case Study #3 Single mother parenting three children • On TANF 4 months, exited TANF with employment • Found housing in December 2013, and was exited in January 2014, stating she had secured full-time employment and was no longer in need of assistance • Worked with ESD, and WorkSource and secured employment as an in-home health care provider

29. Questions or Comments?