1. Child Welfare & Homelessness: Housing Ensures a Solid Foundation
Or Housing Promotes Permanency
Child Welfare & Homelessness: Housing Ensures a Solid Foundation
July 2017, Washington, DC
National Alliance to End Homelessness

2. Child Welfare: A Primer
Primary goals in Child Welfare: Safety & Permanence
Homelessness is a significant barrier to family reunification
Youth do not age out into homelessness
Preparing youth for independence
Providing “Youth Aftercare” services

3. Child Welfare: A Primer
DC is unique
Youth age out at 21
Separate unit for youth: Office of Youth Empowerment
Coming out of receivership
Operates in a complex and high cost housing market

4. DC CFSA’s Approach to Preventing Homelessness
Strategic focus and a Strategic Plan
Big, mission driven goals
Data driven decision making
Partnerships and Collaboration
Funding: Creativity and Leverage

5. Alignment with CFSA’s Principals

6. Strategic Plan OUTCOMES Revamped Rapid Housing program
Executed formal MOU with DC Housing Authority
Secured additional FUP vouchers & administrative support
Developed two housing projects
Expanded Transitional Housing provider relationships
Launched new housing unit and increased staff
Embraced formal partnership with Department of Behavioral Health
Enhanced working relationship with Department of Human Services with dual jacket families

7. Big, Mission Driven Goals
CFSA aspires to a goal of zero tolerance of homelessness
Big goals are followed by an investment in resources
Homelessness does not target a family for being vulnerable to having children taken into care. CFSA works with families to secure homelessness so that children can be returned or united with kin

8. Data Driven Decision Making
Identified numbers of families and youth served
Evaluated the impact of dual/triple jacketed families
Cross – matched families with Housing Authority, DHS

9. Partnerships & Collaboration
Public/Private Partnerships
Private sector housing providers essential
Heavy reliance on non profit agencies--CoC
Formal inter-agency MOUs
Pooling resources (programmatic & regulatory authority)
Tapping agency expertise
Allows for a comprehensive approach
Leveraged Funding
Capital Funding
Operational Funding
Partnerships are multi lateral, complex, and takes time to form
For housing production, not all agencies have capital funds that allow them to use the funds to build units
Not for profits need operational funds to provide wrap around services
Typically, deep subsidies are needed to
Being able to charge to medicaid will be critical for the future

10. CFSA: Actively Participates on the Interagency Council on Homelessness
Youth Subcommittee
Outcomes over the last two years:
First ever DC sponsored Youth Census
Improved PIT youth count
Implemented Coordinated Entry and a common assessment tool
Increased Street Outreach programs, crisis beds, designated LGBTQ beds
Launched “Solid Foundations: Comprehensive Plan to End Youth Homelessness”
On the Horizon:
Youth Rapid Rehousing
Improved training for youth serving case managers
Improving registry and prioritization systems

11. Funding Multiple sources Diverse uses Public combined with private
Allowable layering
Creative strategies
Innovation---mandatory
Foundation support helpful

12. Improving Youth Aftercare is Key to Preventing Youth Homelessness
Less intensive planning begins at age 14
Transition planning intensifies by age 16
Completed 4 hours of training in housing search, landlord-tenant law, obtaining utilities
By age 21, youth is applying for permanent housing assistance
By age 23, youth is transitioning from Aftercare support and is stably housed

13. Wayne Place: Transitional Housing
Population of focus: Aged out of CFSA and/or DBH consumer
22 shared apartments serving up to 44 transition aged youth
Utilized a master lease funding strategy
Embraced Transition to Independence Process (TIP) model
Partners: DC Child and Family Services, Department of Behavioral Health, DC Department of General Services, Med Developers, Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative

14. Genesis: Intergenerational Housing
Population of focus: Parenting youth exiting foster care and active elders
Based on Generations of Hope model
27 units of two bedroom apartments
Partners: CFSA, Mi Casa, Generations of Hope, Latin American Youth Center, Office of Aging, DC Department of Housing and Community Development, Vida Senior Centers

15. Thank you for your attention and interest. Kimberly T
Thank you for your attention and interest. Kimberly T. Henderson (202)