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 [email protected]
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 MODELPREVIOUS MODEL
Service system that manages & shelters
homeless
Lancaster CountyLancaster County
NO.INDIVIDUALS
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
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 MODELPREVIOUS MODEL
Service system that manages & shelters
homeless
NEW APPROACHNEW 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
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” champions
The 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” champions
The 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
