Building Community Support Building Community Support for Preventing Homelessness for Preventing Homelessness

Kay Moshier McDivittLancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness150 North Queen Street, Suite 610Lancaster, PA 17603kmcdivitt@co.lancaster.pa.us

Community Support for Preventing and Community Support for Preventing and Ending HomelessnessEnding Homelessness

The Lancaster County ExperienceBefore

• Lancaster Interagency Council for the Homeless

– Primarily made up of service providers

– Focus on sheltering

– Often front line staff with limited organizational or community leveraging

– Largely networking with small group of “volunteers” responsible for the Continuum of Care submission

After• Lancaster County Coalition to

End Homelessness

– Combined the former ICH, the CoC planning process and the 10 year plan under one umbrella

– Focus on prevention and ending homelessness

– Led by a Leadership Council made up political and community leaders, chaired by the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners

Before Model – Lancaster ICHBefore Model – Lancaster ICH No political leadership nor buy in

Neither the Mayor of the City nor the County Board of Commissioners “owned” the issue

Most services located in the city; those experiencing homelessness from rural areas came into the city

Fragmented system Programs sprang up around organizational agendas/goals

rather than clear response to identified needs or strategies: Many “Silo’s

Lacked strategy on how to prevent (front door strategies) and plan for ending homelessness

Resources dedicated to sheltering and managing Limited HMIS utilization meant limited understanding to target

prevention resources

PREVIOUS MODEL

Service system that manages & shelters

homeless

Lancaster County

NO.INDIVIDUALS

0100200300400500600700800

1994 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

537 545 561 589

738

YEAR

707

384

Identifying the “right” champions Identifying the “right” champions for your system changefor your system change

What do you need to affect change?What do you need to affect change?

Who has the largest circles of influence?Who has the largest circles of influence?

Who needs to be brought to the table?Who needs to be brought to the table?

Getting Local Political LeadershipGetting Local Political LeadershipThe “BUY IN” of WHYThe “BUY IN” of WHY

Community Impact Steering Committee (started 10 year planning process) recognized need for political leadership and champions to make “shift” happen

• “Champion” - has trust and respect of the community

– “if they believe this matters, then I do”

• Political Leadership - critical to bringing together a fragmented system and shift toward common goal

• Community Leadership- key for widespread support– Local business leader with “clout” who could engage the

political leader(s)

Lancaster’s Journey

Mobilizing the Community -The “BUY IN” Mobilizing the Community -The “BUY IN” of WHYof WHY

• Basic shared principals part of the messaging– Shift from system that “shelters and manages” to system

that “prevents, diverts, rapidly re-houses”– County wide issue translates to county wide strategies– Use data – cost effectiveness

• Develop clear communication strategy– Develop the “elevator speech” with key message– Tweak presentation to fit the audience/key targets – Identify who takes the message to whom

Next Step… Garner community buy-in through shared vision and education

PREVIOUS MODEL

Service system that manages & shelters

homeless

NEW APPROACH

System of: Prevention Diversion Rapid re-housing Permanent Housing

Goal: To provide the opportunity for a full and dignified life in the community for every resident of Lancaster City and County through a comprehensive, coordinated effort to prevent and end homelessness in the next decade.

Lancaster CountyThe System Shift

Identifying the “right” championIdentifying the “right” champion The result: A “system” changeThe result: A “system” change

2009: Commissioners established the Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness resulting in:

– The Continuum of Care, the Homeless Service Provider Network (former ICH ) and the 10 Year Plan in coordinated and collaborative effort

– Preventing and ending homelessness are key components

– The LCCEH Leadership Council of key community leaders invited personally by the Commissioners to serve - they said “yes”

– Community Homeless Advisor Position

Identifying the “right” championsIdentifying the “right” championsThe ResultThe Result

We are talking “to each other” instead of about each other

Shift to “front end” approach as a system Central intake system for prevention Partnering with shelter providers

Include in planning for prevention Support of the Board of Commissioners

keeps the issue on the front lines Commissioners used a system wide alignment

of HPRP funding with 10 year plan goals

Identifying the “right” political championIdentifying the “right” political championThe BenefitsThe Benefits

Established a county office as the “lead agency” HMIS now overseen by the county’s lead office

• Data vastly improved Providers sitting at the same table creating system

wide prevention strategies and tools Includes Faith based, non HUD funded

Resolutions passed:• All proposed affordable housing projects seeking

funding must set aside 10% of units • All strategies and funded services must align with

HEARTH Act goals and Open Doors Plan

Identifying the “right” championsIdentifying the “right” championsThe BenefitThe Benefit

2010 Point in Time Count 2% decrease overall

7% decrease in family homelessness

FIRST overall decrease since beginning the count

In spite of 3% increase in unemployment during same period

Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts

Identify the “right” Political Champion Identify the “right” Community Champions to help

obtain commitment Keep message of shift to prevention at the forefront Key strategies for engagement

– Coordinate all systems under one umbrella– Strong communication strategy– Keep political leadership informed of all issues

Be prepared for challenges: change is hard Success breeds success: build on small victories