Employment Strategies for Ending Homelessness: Evidence, Principles and Implementation

1. Employment Strategies for Ending Homelessness: Evidence, Principles and Implementation Utah Homeless Summit October 10, 2013

2. National Transitional Jobs Network The National Transitional Jobs Network (NTJN) exists to ensure that policies account for the hard-to-employ, that programs are able to effectively serve as many individuals as possible, and that best practices and technical assistance are widely shared and implemented throughout the network. Activities include: • Technical assistance and field building • State and federal advocacy • National conferences and convenings The NTJN is a project of Heartland Alliance in Chicago, IL

3. Working to End Homelessness Initiative (WEH) • Launched in 2011 with support from the Butler Family Fund to: • Highlight the importance of employment in addressing homelessness • Showcase what works in workforce solutions to homelessness • Identify systems and policy challenges to service delivery • In 2012 we began fielding training and technical assistance requests from around the country.

4. WEH Briefs for Providers • Employment Program Models for People Experiencing Homelessness - Different approaches to program structure  • Employment Program Components - Considerations for modifying programming for people experiencing homelessness • Service Delivery Principles and Techniques - Helping people experiencing homelessness engage in services and succeed in work • Populations Experiencing Homelessness - Diverse barriers to employment and how to address them   • A directory of providers in the WEH community of practice and descriptions of their program models Download able for free at www.transitionaljobs.net

5. Why Employment? Evidence and Experience Supporting Employment as an Anti-Homelessness Strategy Employment + Housing ENDS HOMELESSNESS

6. Most people experiencing homelessness want to work. People experiencing homelessness consistently rank paid employment alongside healthcare and housing as a primary need.* People experiencing homelessness often attribute their homelessness to unemployment and insufficient income.** *Burt, M.R., Aron, L.Y., & Lee, E. (1999). Homelessness: Programs and the people they serve. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute. **Mojtabai, R. (2005). Perceived reasons for loss of housing and continued homelessness among homeless persons with mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 56:172-178

7. Employment is an important factor in preventing and ending homelessness. Numerous studies find that increased income is a strong predictor of a person exiting homelessness.* Earned income and current or recent employment are associated with shorter duration of homelessness.** *Zlotnick, C., Robertson, M.J., & Lahiff, M. (1999). Getting off the streets: Economic resources and residential exits from homelessness. Journal of Community Psychology, 27(2), 209-224. **Caton, C.L., et. al. (2005). Risk factors for long-term homelessness: findings from a longitudinal study of first-time homeless single adults. American Journal of Public Health, 95(10), 1753-9.

8. Employment impacts wellbeing, health and quality of life. Employment and income are associated with improved quality of life among people experiencing homelessness.* Income from work improves access to food, clothing, housing, and healthcare-increasing personal, family, and community wellbeing.* Employment shows promise in supporting recovery from mental illness and addiction†, reducing recidivism, and reducing reliance on public benefits.†† *Lam, J.A. & Rosenheck, R.A. (2000). Correlates of improvement in quality of life among homeless persons with serious mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 51:116-118. †Schumacher, J.E. et. al. (2002). Costs and effectiveness of substance abuse treatments for homeless persons. Journal of Mental Health Policy Economics, 5, 33-42. ††Redcross, C., Bloom, D., Azurdia, G., Zweig, J., & Pindus, N. (2009). Transitional Jobs for ex-prisoners: Implementation, two-year impacts, and costs of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Prisoner Reentry Program. New York, NY: MDRC.

9. Employment services for people experiencing homelessness are cost-effective Employment services offered within supportive housing are cost-effective; benefitting tenants, funders, and society* through increased employment and earned income and lower dependence on benefits.** *Long, D.A. & Amendolia, J.M. (2003). Next step: jobs. Promoting employment for homeless people. Cambridge, MA: Abt Associates. **Long, D.A., Doyle, H. & Amendolia, J.M. (2003). The next step: jobs initiative cost-effectiveness analysis. New York: Corporation for Supportive Housing.

10. People experiencing homelessness can manage barriers and maintain employment. Evaluation research shows that individuals experiencing homelessness can manage or surmount obstacles, find a job, and maintain it when offered access to a menu of options for individualized employment, housing, and supportive services.* *Trutko, J.W., Barnow, B.S., Beck, S.K., Min, S., & Isbell, K. (1998). Employment and training for America’s homeless: Final report of the Job Training for the Homeless Demonstration Program. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor.

11. Key Factors in Planning Employment Approaches

12. Be aware of barriers to employment

13. Populations aren’t mutually exclusive Consider the varying needs of diverse populations experiencing homelessness

14. Who is “ready to work?” Explore a“Housing First”approach to employment Nearlyeveryonecan work if given the appropriate supports Meet people where they are with regard to their readiness for employment Cultivating a spectrum of program models can help accomplish this

15. Promising Models and Practices

16. Promising employment program models

17. “Attachment to work” approaches Transitional Jobs • Combines time-limited, wage-paying subsidized jobs, skill development, and supportive services to transition individuals to employment • Proven to get people with significant barriers successfully working, reduce recidivism after release from prison, and reduce reliance on public assistance.

18. Transitional Jobs “Attachment to work” approaches Core TJ program components: • Orientation & Assessment • Job Readiness/Life Skills Classes • Case Management Support • Transitional Job - Real Work Experience • Unsubsidized Job Placement & Retention • Linkages to Education and Training

19. CARA Cleanslate,Chicago, IL • Social enterprise specializing in neighborhood beautification and property maintenance • High emphasis on participant motivation and peer support • Video

20. “Attachment to work” approaches Supported Employment (IPS) • The standard evidence-based model for helping individuals with mental health issues transition to employment • Supports rapid entry to the competitive labor market integrated with support services as soon as the participant feels ready

21. Supported Employment “Attachment to work” approaches Core principles of Individual Placement & Support: • Commitment to employment in the competitive labor market • Eligibility based on consumer choice rather than assessment • Rapid job search rather than work-readiness training • Placements individualized to participant preference and strengths • Indefinite and individualized follow-along supports • Integration with mental health and other supportive services • Benefits counseling to secure income and overcome disincentives

22. Central City Concern, Portland, ORwww.ccconcern.org Provides rapid access to employment for individuals experiencing homelessness with primary addiction disorders and felony convictions Placement in sectors including construction, business and professional services, hospitality and tourism, and retail Ongoing support including on-the-job training Integrated service team including supportive housing, primary health care, addiction treatment, and peer case managers Video

23. Alternative Staffing • Brokers temporary entry-level job placements for at-risk populations • Shows promise in helping individuals learn workplace skills, build confidence, and leverage temporary placements to permanent jobs

24. Chrysalis Enterprises, Los Angeleswww.ChangeLives.org Offers both transitional jobs in a work-crew setting, and alternative staffing placements in light industrial, hospitality, retail, warehousing, construction, janitorial and special event jobs Comprehensive support services include mentoring, life-skill classes, communication services, work tools, and retention support groups. 400 participants served per day Video

25. “Attachment to work” approaches Customized Employment • Helps participants begin self-employment or negotiate restructured job positions that meet their strengths and the employer’s needs • Shows promise in helping at-risk populations including people with a physical disability carve out work that meets their needs

26. Advancement Strategy Examples • Contextualized Basic Adult Education • Employs real-life materials, situations and issues that are relevant to the learner’s life to illustrate lessons • Sector-based training • Delivers occupation-specific “hard skills” training in high-demand, high-growth industries • Adult Education Bridge Programs • Combine basic skills instruction with sector strategies to give low-income workers access to jobs with advancement and benefits

27. Core components of employment services – across models Assessment Work-readiness and soft skills training Employment-focused case management and supports Job development and job search assistance Retention services and incentives

28. Promising program design features Promising program design features include Person-centered assessment Social support Work readiness skills building Enhanced job development Intensive retention services Reemployment services Linkages to housing and supportive services

29. Re c y c l i n g Adapted from Norcross, Krebs, & Prochaska (2010) Facilitate the process of change • Develop supportive relationships that engage and develop trust • Foster purpose, confidence and commitment—action is most likely when participants express commitment to change • Help plan and prepare with an individual, flexible employment plan • Consult and support through coaching and case management

30. Help facilitate the process of change in transitioning to employment through supportive staff-participant relationships with: • motivational interviewing • flexible employment plans • multiple chances to try again

31. Next Steps for Employment Program Implementation What you can implement now, and what you can plan for the future

32. What you can do now at little or no additional cost • Incorporate employment goals into existing counseling and case management activities • “Vocationalize” the organization by applying workplace standards and prioritizing employment • Identify and partner with employment service providers in your area • Public workforce system: “One-Stops” • Community-based organizations

33. What you can do in the near term at little cost • Co-locate employment and housing services • Provide on-site work readiness training and job search assistance • Offer participants on-site transitional employment in maintenance, reception, etc. in supportive housing buildings • Create facilities/areas to support job search such as phone banks, computers, and professional clothing

34. Long-term planning for best-practice programming • Determine service delivery model • Based on population needs, current organizational capacity and expertise, funding, and sustainability • Key planning considerations: • Staffing: job developer, retention specialist, etc. • Facilities & equipment • Employer partnerships and outreach

35. Long-term planning for best-practice programming, continued • Apply best practices: • Make multiple employment and training options available • Provide long-term engagement with retention follow-up • Include employment-focused case management and support services to remove barriers • Make employment a system priority by writing employment service objectives into plans to end homelessness and other systems agendas

36. Potential Funding Sources • CDBG • SNAP E&T • TANF • SAMHSA • DOL Veteran’s Initiatives • Private foundations and donors

37. Get Connected. Stay Connected. Sign up for newsletters: www.transitionaljobs.net Email us: ntjn@heartlandalliance.org Follow us: National Transitional Jobs Network @tjprograms