Rebuilding Lives, Sharing Knowledge, Shaping Systems NAEH Conference: Targeting Interventions for Homeless Families and Individuals July 28, 2008 Suzanne Wagner

Targeting Considerations  Targeting requires not just a tool but a process as well  Targeting can be done for a single resource such as PSH or can be done for multiple resources (e.g., program shelter, TH, rapid re-housing)  Common elements of systems targeting strategies include:  Assessment/application Process  Prioritization Criteria  Eligibility Determination  Housing/Program Referral Process  Need to engage community and look at your data to determine local needs, gaps, priorities and targeting process and tools 2

Targeting Considerations (2)  Targeting strategies generally strive to:  Be transparent and fair  Be simple and consumer-friendly  Effectively triage to ensure that limited resources are properly allocated  Take advantage of technology for gathering, sharing, and processing data  Identify priority population/s to be served and eligibility criteria  Evaluate current inventory of housing (including program models and specialization)  Involve an objective entity to determine eligibility and/or priority  Include input from relevant entities in design (e.g., funders, public agencies, consumers, providers)  Accommodate consumer and provider preferences  Comply with applicable regulations and laws regarding information sharing, fair housing and the ADA 3

Assessment and Prioritization Factors Common Information collected includes: Demographic Information Income/Entitlements Housing and Homeless History Housing Barriers Education and Employment History Service (medical and/or mental health) and emergency shelter utilization Prioritization Criteria Length of homelessness High Need – medical, BH vulnerability Service/System Utilization – hospital, jail/prison, foster care 4

Dayton – Front Door Assessment for Shelter System Assessment: Conducted at front door of shelter to determine placement in all housing options.  Collects information on: housing history, opportunities and barriers, income/entitlements, vocational/educational, social/family supports, medical, mental health, substance use, legal, ADL.  Includes Initial Triage Assessment and Housing Opportunities Assessment. Assessment Process:  Conducted at the Gateway shelters by professional case managements staff  Initial Triage Assessment evaluates: homeless status, diversion options, immediate needs related to medical, behavioral health or DV  Within 14 days of shelter entry, a preliminary housing opportunities assessment is done to identify clients to be rapidly placed into housing.  Within 30 days a full assessment is conducted  Assessment staff use other data sources, including: collaterals, records from hospitals or other treatment providers, data from HMIS 5

Dayton – Front Door Assessment for Housing System Triage/Placement:  The tool uses a scoring metric to quantify consumer need level.  Based on score and on resource availability appropriate applicants will be housed or wait-listed at: an acute care or residential treatment facility, a rapid re-housing or other housing subsidy program, a programmatic shelter, TH, or PSH  Homeless people who do not require supportive services will develop a housing plan to access other affordable housing 6

Chicago – Rental Housing Support Program Assessment: Determines eligibility for scatter site permanent supportive housing program. The Housing Service Needs Assessment is conducted once someone is accepted into the program.  Chicago Rental Housing Support Program Qualification form collects information on: Referral information, Household Demographics, Income, and Current services  Housing Service Needs Assessment collects information on: Demographic information, housing history/assessment, housing preferences, income, medical assessment, special needs assessment, stages of readiness, analysis and recommendations Application Process  Referral sources (Transitional housing, shelters and outreach teams) complete the Chicago Rental Housing Support Program Qualification and submit to the County Department of Human Services (DHS) 7

Chicago – Rental Housing Support Program Eligibility/Prioritization  Eligibility determination conducted by County Department of Human Services which includes verification of homeless history and income.  Priority for initial lease up was homelessness for one year or more.  Currently eligibility determination takes approximately three days. At initial lease-up of units, eligibility determination took up to several months. Placement  Once applicants is determined eligible, DHS refers client to one of two service agencies for housing and services. Consideration given to geographic preference.  Service agencies reach out to applicant to engage in services. 8

Hennepin County Housing Barrier Assessment for Rapid Exit Program Assessment: Determines level of housing barriers for homeless individuals and families for placement into Rapid Exit program.  Collects information on: barriers to housing, education level, vocational history, rent history, credit history, substance use, mental health, legal, physical health, relationships, family of origin  Scored on a scale from 1-5; Level 1 indicates very few housing barriers, 5 indicates severe barriers Application Process  All homeless families are referred to screener within 2-3 days of entry into shelter.  Homeless individuals are screened at drop-in centers or shelters.  Assessment conducted by County contracted not-for-profit staff; info on criminal and eviction history checked on public database and then Rapid Exit Screener meets in person with the family or individual  If eligible, screener refers applicant to participating service providers 9

Hennepin County Housing Barrier Assessment for Rapid Exit Program Eligibility  Requirements determined by Housing and Homeless Initiatives, Human Services and Public Health Department.  Screeners determine eligibility Families: All levels except Level 1 accepted into program. Level 1 families may receive some financial assistance. Individuals: Score of higher than a 3 - referred to PSH or more intensive housing Housing Placement  Rapid Exit providers locate housing for referred individuals and families and provide services for at least 6 months  Factors considered once deemed eligible: caseload (how many openings, on which caseloads), special skills of the agency (e.g. pregnant women, brain injury, etc), and geographic location (suburban, city)  Singles program is pilot, so not mandatory for all 10

Neighborhood Partnership Fund - Bridges to Housing PSH for Families, Portland-Vancouver Assessment: Used to assess for family housing first program with intensive case management  Homeless Families High-Resource Users Screen collects information on: substance use, mental health, foster care involvement, corrections, physical and cognitive health issues, DV, homeless history, mainstream resources involvement.  The tool is scored on a 30-point basis with 10 or more points indicating a very high resource user. Created by the Coalition for Homeless Families  Assessment conducted once families are accepted into the program and is conducted over time. The assessment helps provider decide on what services will be provided. Information collected: income, education, children’s needs, employment, entitlements, housing and credit history, transportation, disability, mental and physical health. Common screening and assessment tools are used across four counties and two states. 11

Neighborhood Partnership Fund - Bridges to Housing PSH for Families, Portland-Vancouver Application Process  The referral source completes the screening tool and forwards on to the one local participating provider for that area. Referral sources differ for each of the counties; in one case, there is a central phone number for all homeless services, in another case, the Mental Health and DV departments of the counties make the referral themselves. Eligibility Families have been properly screened by the time they reach the participating provider, so no one is turned away once they are referred. However, the provider agency does make the final formal approval. Placement  Once families are referred to the participating provider, families are often housed within two weeks 12

Questions? Contact Suzanne Wagner, Director CUCS Housing Resource Center 198 East 121 st Street, 6 th Floor New York, NY