connecting the dots: technology & coordinated …...connecting the dots: technology &...

Connecting the Dots: Technology &

Coordinated Assessment to Enhance your PIT

Ana Rausch


Coordinated Assessment to

Enhance your PIT Ana Rausch



Ana Rausch

Cities that Fit into Houston & ETJ Comparison

From: Knudson,LP www.knudsonlp.com



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Houstonia Feb 2016



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Coordinated Access Houston Highlights

Access Points

• 12 Hubs

• Shelters, drop-in centers, ministries

• Outreach Teams dedicated to CA

• Call-in option

Assessments

• Match to PSH or RRH

• Consent is electronic

• Vulnerability tools prioritize populations

• Navigators

• 13184 clients assessed

HMIS

• All matching

• Bed availability

• PSH & RRH Waitlist prioritization

• Referral outcomes

• 1200 to PSH

• 1003 to RRH

As of 4/12/17



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CA Fact Sheet



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• On January 29, 2015, there were 4,609 people experiencing homeless in Houston/Harris County – 1,950 (42%) staying in a place not meant for human habitation

– 2,659 (58%) staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing

– 14% decrease compared to 2014

– 46% decrease compared to 2011

• Increase in number in PSH – 140% since 2011

• Approximately 1 in 7 identified as chronically homeless

• Only 3 chronically homeless families identified

• 2 in 5 had substance abuse problems

• 2 in 5 had mental health issues

• 1 in 8 was a veteran

Homeless in Houston (2015 PIT)



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• Surface teams

• Specialized outreach teams

• Shelter count using HMIS

• Next day interviews to determine make-up

of population

2011-2015 PIT: Ways we counted



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Why the shift?

• August & September 2015

• 11 Houston City Council Districts

– Wanted info regarding panhandlers

• Homeless Engagement Initiative (mini PIT)

– Outreach Teams & Volunteers

– 622 Individuals Engaged

• 58 were Veterans



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Homeless Engagement Initiative

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Yes No Undefined

440

80 102

Homeless

Yes No Undefined



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0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Yes Likely No

180

98

344

Chronic

Yes Likely No



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0 50 100 150 200 250 300

SSI/SSD, Other

Panhandling, Job

Job

Panhandling, Other

Panhandling, SSI/SSD

Other

Job

SSI/SSD

Null

Panhandling

2

4

7

13

24

24

33

64

194

253

Income



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34

58

44

44 17

117

49

72 42 45 20

Numbers for Houston City Council Districts




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What we found

• Decrease in homeless numbers of 46%

since 2011 made switch more manageable

– Individuals were engaged and not just counted

• Concern about null values

– Paper forms hard to decipher & sometimes

damaged

– Took too long



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New Methodology:

• Request for a 3 day count was submitted to HUD &

approved in November 2015

• Count occurred January 26-28, during the day

• Shelter count remained the same and official “night of

the count” was January 25, 2016

• No more counting from vehicles.

Changes in the 2016 PIT



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New Methodology:

• New survey tool was developed

– Incorporated aspects of the Coordinated Access

assessment & the Youth Count Texas survey

– Attempts were made to interview ALL persons who

appeared to be experiencing homelessness

– Any person identified during interview as being

chronically homeless, a veteran, or youth (18-24) was

assessed for housing using CA on the spot

Changes in the 2016 PIT (cont.)



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New Methodology:

• Paper tool vs technology

– Decision was made to conduct survey electronically

• Previous years’ surveys hard to transcribe

• Change in methodology required interviews to move faster

• Weather could play a factor (leading to wet forms)

– Survey tool was placed on an app on tablets

• GIS location automatically recorded (reverse geocoding for

zip codes)

Changes in the 2016 PIT (cont.)



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New Survey Tool The Way Home Point-in-Time Survey (Youth + Adults)

Track 2: Survey completed

Has another volunteer asked you the same questions on either January 24th or 25th? (if yes then stop interview)

1. What is your name?

2. What is your DOB? Month: _ _ Day: _ _ Year: _ _ _ _

3. Do you identify as? a.□ Male b.□ Female c.□ Transgender: M to F d.□ Transgender: F to M e. □ None or Other f. □ Refused

4. Are you a legal US Resident?

a.□ Yes b.□ No If no then what country are you a citizen of? _____________

5. Where did you sleep on the night of Monday, January 23rd?

a. □ Street/Sidewalk b. □ Bridge/overpass c. □ Bus or train station/Airport d. □ Woods, park, or outdoor encampment e. □ Abandoned building f. □ Vehicle g. □ Refused h. □ Other _______________

i. □ Emergency shelter j. □ Hotel or motel paid for with voucher from a church or social services agency k. □ Transitional housing l. □ Domestic violence shelter/Safe haven m. □ Hotel or motel paid with own funds n. □ Staying with family or friends o. □ Couch surfing p. □ Mental health facility q. □ Substance abuse treatment center r. □ Corrections facility (including juvenile) s. □ Hospital t. □ Foster home or group home u. □ Permanent supportive housing v. □ Subsidized housing (Sec 8, VASH, etc.) w. □ Own home or apartment

If any option from 2h – v is selected, then interview stops unless it’s a youth (under 24).

6. Is the individual currently panhandling? (do not ask, observational only)

a.□ Yes b.□ No

7. What part of town do you normally sleep in? a.□ Downtown b.□ Midtown c.□ Near Northside d.□ near NRG e.□ Galleria f.□ Other g.□ Don’t know h.□ Refused

8. Where did you become homeless? a.□ Houston b.□ Pasadena c.□ Conroe d.□ Harris County (outside city limits) e.□ Fort Bend County f.□ Montgomery County g.□ None of these h.□ Don’t know i.□ Refused

9. Including today, how many times have you been in an emergency shelter and/or on the streets in the past 3 years (since January 2014)?

a. □ first time b. □ 2-3 times c.□ 4 or more times

d. □ Don’t know/Refused

10. Including today, how many months have you been in an emergency shelter and/or on the streets in the past 3 years? (since January 2014)

a. □ less than 12 months

b. □ 12 or more months

c.□ Don’t know/Refused

11A. Do you have any of the following health conditions? (check all that applies)

a. Alcohol abuse or addiction f. HIV/AIDS b. Other substance abuse g. Mental illness c. Developmental disability h. Physical disability d. Traumatic brain injury i.□ Don’t know j.□ Refused e. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

11B. Do any of these keep you from holding a job?

a.□ Yes b.□ No c.□ Don’t know d.□ Refused

Hello, my name is and I’m a volunteer with the Coalition for the Homeless. We are conducting a survey to count homeless people in order to provide better programs and services. Your participation is voluntary and your responses to questions will not be shared with anyone outside of our team. I need to read each question all the way through. Can I have about 10 minutes of your time?

Can the survey be completed? Yes (proceed with track 2) No (proceed with track 1)

Track 1: Survey not completed

Why? a.□ Client refused b.□ Not safe c.□ Not homeless/pandhandling

1. Age Range (observe) a.□ under 18 b.□ 18-24 c.□ 25-34 d. □ 35-44 e.□ 45-54 f.□ 55-60 g.□ 65+

2. Gender (observe) a.□ Male b.□ Female c.□ Transgender: M to F d.□ Transgender: F to M e. □ None or Other f. □ Refused

3. Race (observe) a.□ White b.□ Asian c.□ American Indian or Alaskan Native d.□ Black/A.A. e.□ Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander f.□ Mixed g. □ Don’t know h. □ Refused

4. Is individual currently panhandling? (observe)

a.□ Yes b.□ No



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Recruiting Volunteers

• Surveyors

– CoC Housing Providers

• MOUs implemented during NOFA

• Needed more provider participation

– All Coordinated Access Staff Members

– Specialized Outreach Teams

– Service Providers

– Veteran’s Administration

• Non-Surveyors

– Schools/Student Groups

– Faith-based community

– Public Officials

– Homeless & formerly homeless clients



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Training

• 150 surveyors

• 4 training dates

– 3 surveyor specific trainings

• tablet use

• log-ins

• practice

– 1 community volunteers

• Overview of the count



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Mapping:

• Jurisdiction was divided into 3 areas:

– Inner 610 loop (first day)

– West of the loop (second day)

– East of the loop (third day)

– Map assistance from local provider (Key Map)

– Maps in each key map square were subdivided

Days of the Count



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Days of the Count (cont.)



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Staging Areas: – 4-5 each day

– Coalition staff

– Centrally located in each divided area as a meeting place

– Maps, tablets, supplies distributed

Teams:

• Approximately 56 teams each day

– 4 people per team




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Driver:

• Drive teams safely around the map area assigned & find parking

(community volunteers)

• Also walked the assigned area with the other team members

Navigator:

• Used the map(s) to help the driver navigate around the assigned

search areas

• Kept track of and marked those areas on the map which have been

searched (community volunteers)

Spotter: • Looked for homeless persons on the streets

• Could also be a surveyor




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Surveyor: • Completed the survey form on the tablets (service provider)

• Some teams had more than one depending on location

Coordinated Access Assessor:

• Some teams had a Coordinated Access trained Assessor

• These Assessors were placed on teams going to known hot spots

• Assessors conducted housing assessments with targeted

populations:

– Veterans

– Chronically homeless (based on survey responses)

– Youth ages 18-24




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• Assessments were observed online in real time

• Each staging area was observed separately

• App had option to complete entire assessment

or observe only (not safe or client refused)

• Exact longitude & latitude was captured for each

survey

• Results (reports) were shown immediately

• No transcribing from paper needed

New Technology



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New Technology (cont.)

Data can be used to identify “hot spots”



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New Technology (cont.)



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• 3,626 persons experiencing homeless were counted

1,050 (29%) staying place not meant for human habitation

2,576 (71%) staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or

safe haven that evening.

• Expanded definition* - 5,726 individuals

• 2016 PIT count represents:

21% decrease compared to 2015

58% decrease compared to 2011

• Increase in number in permanent housing

161% since 2011

• Significant percent have mental health and/or substance

abuse issues *Expanded definition includes unsheltered, those in ES, TH, safe haven and those in jail who were homeless

before incarceration (Catherine L. Troisi, Ph.D., UTHealth School of Public Health)

Results



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0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Sheltered

Unsheltered

Total 8,538

Total 7,356

Total 6,359

Total 5,351

Total 4,609

Total 3,626

Results (cont.)

(Catherine L. Troisi, Ph.D., UTHealth School of Public Health)



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Sheltered Harris Co, 2513

Sheltered, Ft. Bend Co, 63

Unsheltered Ft. Bend Co, 4

Unsheltered Harris Co, 1046

2016 PIT – Geographic area




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18-24 years 6%

25-34 years 13%

35-44 years 24%

45-54 years 30%

>55 years 27%

<18 years 0%


Age Group (Unsheltered)



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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Sheltered

Unsheltered

Total population

* only those in ES or unsheltere * Adults only

Subpopulations 2016




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• On 25 January 2016, there were 3,626 people

experiencing homelessness in Houston/Harris County.

• ~1 in 5 identified as chronically homeless

• No unsheltered and 2 sheltered chronically homeless

families identified

• ~1 in 3 had substance abuse problems

• ~2 in 7 had mental health issues

• ~1 in 6 was a veteran; lower than expected

Houston 2016 PIT



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Thank You!!

The Coalition for the Homeless leads in the development, advocacy, and coordination of community strategies to

prevent and end homelessness.

The Way Home is the collaborative model to prevent and end homelessness in Houston, Harris, Fort Bend, &

Montgomery Counties. For more information visit www.thewayhomehouston.org

Ana Rausch 832-531-6005

[email protected]

connecting the dots: technology & coordinated …...connecting the dots: technology &...

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