Unified Shelter Model Mary Frances Kenion Suzanne Wagner March 13, 2019

Agenda Introductions What is a Unified Shelter Model? Why Implement a Unified Shelter Model? Best Practices in Emergency Shelter Implementation of a Unified Shelter Model in Arlington County, Virginia Discussion

What is a Unified Shelter Model? Standardized approach across programs and agencies to delivering services to homeless people Includes standards for practice – assessment, housing planning, housing access, case mgmt and connections to community resources Common performance outcomes Standardized policies and procedures Common contracting requirements What is a Unified Shelter Model?

Why implement a Unified Shelter Model? Equity – consumers receive similar services no matter what agency they are served at Ensure consistency in level and approach to service Reflect community norms, priorities and values Adopt best and evidence-based practices and improve performance and results Levels the playing field Why implement a Unified Shelter Model?

Best Practices in Shelter Housing focused services and Housing First approach Shelter rules that mimic/simulate standard lease obligations Provide education on tenancy skills and how to comply with a lease Connect to housing, income, community services and natural supports – assist with self-resolution Person-centered, trauma-informed and uses motivation-building and other evidence-based practices Best Practices in Shelter

History In 2008, the Center for Urban Community Services published Recommendations for Re-Designing the Emergency Winter Shelter In 2009, the Homeless Emergency and Rapid Transition to Housing Act (HEARTH Act) outlined administrative, planning, governance and performance requirements for the nation’s Continuums of Cares (CoCs) In 2010, Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness was presented to the Office of the President and Congress In 2014, Housing Innovations, LLC visited Arlington to learn about local priorities, programs and processes and meet key stakeholders in an evaluation of the extent to which current shelter models in the County were well aligned under the HEARTH Act and local and federal strategic plan goals

HEARTH Act Reduce Improve Reduce the average length of time people are homeless Reduce Reduce returns to homelessness Reduce the number of families and individuals who are homeless Improve the employment rate and income amount of families and individuals who are homeless Improve Reduce the number of families and individuals who become homeless for the first time HEARTH Act

Opening Doors Finish the job of ending chronic homelessness by 2015 Prevent and end homelessness by veterans by 2015 Prevent and end homelessness for families, youth, and children by 2020 Set a path to ending all types of homelessness Opening Doors

Crisis Response System Transformation Transform systems and programs that are not effective and/or efficient Preserve Preserve intensive interventions for people with the highest need Move away Move away from housing readiness models and towards Housing First models Invest in Invest in shelter diversion and rapid re-housing strategies Use Use Evidence-Based Practices (Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, Critical Time Intervention, etc.) Implement Implement an outcome/performance driven approach to achieve goals Focus Focus shelter services on securing housing placements and increases in income and benefits for homeless clients Crisis Response System Transformation

Establish core purpose that drives all funding decisions, contracts, performance expectations, program activities, and policies and procedures

Housing Focused Approach Clearly establish housing placement as the primary responsibility for the shelter case managers Establish a shelter diversion program Limit shelter rules to a clear, brief list of containing only those rules that are both necessary and enforceable Avoid rules requiring service participation Align staff and client schedules to enable completion of housing focused case management Expand exit options

Housing Focused Case Management Be timed strategically to conserve scarce resources Focus on resolving the most critical barriers as quickly as possible Create clear goals and time frames Identify needed resources Clarify roles of the client and the case manager Track progress and make course corrections Include supervisory review Focus on the hardest to place Include post placement follow-up

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) An approach to performance management, starting with the belief that any service can be improved, regardless of how effective it may currently be, and rely on data-driven decisions to inform continual, strategic efforts to make services better.

Coordinated Access Streamline access for those experiencing homelessness Use a standardized assessment process to assess housing needs, preferences and vulnerability Use assessment to target inventory of community housing resources and services for prioritization Make referral to an appropriate intervention based on prioritization

It’s hard work, but the benefits are far reaching If you think you’ve involved all stakeholders, continue to search beyond who you already have at the table Build out a schedule of ongoing training to maintain fidelity to the model and its implementation Take your time during implementation Connect with other communities before, during and after the changes All staff may not be onboard with changes and it is okay to part ways

Eliminated “waiting lists” for shelter Reduced average shelter utilization to approximately 75% Recidivism has decreased over a 3-year period from 25% to 16% Exits to permanent housing increased from 17% in 2015 to 45% Reached and sustained “functional zero” for Veterans In the final stretch of reaching “functional zero” for chronically homeless individuals