homelessness and housing – moving from policy to action - frank murtagh

Housing First ~ From Policy to Practice

Athlone

30th September

2013

Housing First

From Policy to Practice


FORMAT

Background to Significance of Housing & Independent Living for People

A Look at Some Evidence

Opportunities for Effective Policy Implementation

Success Factors

Practical Issues


BACKGROUND Community Integration Programme (Housing

NIHE) Learning Disability, Muckamore Abbey, Antrim Mental Ill-Health Older People Dem, Intensive Support & Multi Disciplinary Teams

Young People

Transforming Your Care is Current Guidance Tool

Community Care in Ireland

Reviews of Homelessness Services Carried out by M & P in 8 of 9 Regions in State Profiling Incidence and Responses

Addictions Work in Ireland


WHAT IS INDEPENDENT LIVING/HF?

Social Inclusion Measure/Intervention Freedom, Choice, Dignity & Control In Society & Live

Ordinary Life Place Of Your Own Privacy Simple Dignities of Life & Self Determination Make Your Own Meals Own Front Door (rather than Other Collectives) Right to Fail

Captures changing paradigm of service provision from control to freedom.

Core to supported living is the belief that “every person has the right to lead their own life – determine how they live, with whom they live, who provides them with help and support and how they live their lives” (Kinsella 1993)

Permanent Housing & Type is an Essential


RATIONALE SUMMARY

People Want a Place of Their Own

Independent Living as Pre-Requisite to Addressing Health, Social & Occupational Needs & Precedes it

Housing Before Treatment – victimising the victim

Early Intervention (Longitudinal Studies Young People etc)

Improved Tenancy Sustainment

Ideally Dispersed Randomly Throughout Community


GLASGOW RE-PROVISIONING Longitudinal Study - 1 and 3 years After

Implementation of Re-Provisioning from 2 Large Hostels

Significant Impact on Quality of Life Outcomes General and Mental Health Improvements Better Personal Finance Management Decrease in Drinking and Drug Use Improved Social & Emotional Support Relationships – Family and Friends High Tenancy Sustainability & Few Returned to

Homelessness Some Loneliness & Few People Working


LOCAL STRATEGIC OUTCOMES

8% - 14% of People Who Access Services Are Settled

Approx 4% of Dedicated Statutory Funding for Settlement

Residents Access Emergency Services Too Often and Stay for Too Long

Housing First Strategy in its Infancy in Ireland

Sometimes Adopted as an Exceptional Option Rather than a Cultural Shift eg Allocated Houses by LAs, Demonstration Projects etc

Good Policies are Important and Necessary … but are not Sufficient


SUGGESTED SUCCESS FACTORS Predicated on Homelessness as Persistent

Event

Transformation of Service – Housing First Culture

Effective Partnership Arrangements HATs etc

Person Centred Rather than Services-Led Throughcare

Primary Focus – Exit Emergency & Temporary Housing into Permanent Housing with Independent Living with Supports Key Working

Floating Support – Defines Independent Living

Identify, Research and Apply Controllable Factors


ONGOING LEVEL OF HOMELESSNESS

No Evidence that Incidence of Homelessness will Desist – People’s Homelessness Will End, Pressure on Resources

Emergency Accommodation and Responses Will Always be Required – Pathways, BCAT, GSC etc

Implementation of Housing First Focus & Culture Will Determine the Effectiveness of Response

Assumption of Ending Incidence of Homelessness Leads to Poor Planning Resources Management & Staff Effectiveness


TRANSFORMATION OF SERVICE Services Configuration Where Local

Structures/Culture Conform or Approach to HF/IL Criteria Carlow - HAT, RAS, LA Dedicated Settlement Officer Kilkenny - HAT, RAS, GSC Midlands - HAT, RAS, 4 Settlement Workers, LA Focus

Focus on Prevention Housing People Expeditiously From Emergency

Accommodation Supporting Residents with Proactive Personal Plan


HOUSING & COST RELATIONSHIP

Midlands North West

North East

South East

Mid East South West

West Dublin Total (8 Regions)

€0

€2,000

€4,000

€6,000

€8,000

€10,000

€12,000

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Relationship Cost & Housing Outcome (M & P 2013)

Cost PP pa % People with +ve Housing Outcome


EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP Key Partners include:

HSE Local Authorities (DoEC&LG) Emergency Accommodation Providers Settlement/Tenancy Support Workers Probation Service Addictions Services

Is There Sufficient Housing Input?

Policy into Practice?


PERSON CENTRED Reference Points are Mainly Current

Services

We Know More About People’s Needs Now - Could be Reflected in Response Design & Implementation

Different Pathways for Different Groups – but Always Housing Focussed – Cluster, GSC etc

Determines Resources – Design, Type & Quantum


PRIMARY FOCUS (HF DETERMINANTS)

Prevent People from Entering Homelessness Services – Front Door Services (In and Out) Mediation Services Planned Referral

Out of Emergency & Temporary Housing into Permanent Housing with Independent Living with Supports

Sustaining People in Permanent Housing


FLOATING SUPPORT Role of Emergency Services &

Accommodation (Dependence)

Prevent Dependence

Minimise Dependence

Cost Effective (the more people supported by FS, more people will be sustained in IL)

Delivers Personal Development, Decision-making & Self Determination

Ensures Long-Term Support


CONTROLLABLES/UNCONTROLLABLES

From Planning, Management & Frontline Point of View

Uncontrollable Factors will happen anyway … Incidence of Homelessness – at some level Housing Type and Quantum Political Commitment & Social Views on Homelessness

Controllable Factors are Totally in Our Hands … Design of Services Focus of Strategy, Responses & Expected Outcomes Essential Partners and Working Relationships Job/Person Specifications Budget Priorities


HOUSING STOCK MIX (2011)

Tenure Type Ireland

England Scotland NI

Owner Occupied 70% 70% 64% 62%

Private Rented 22% 13% 11% 17%

Rented from Local Authorities 6% 9% 15% 12%

Housing Assoc (RAS, Vol S/T etc) 2% 9% 10% 3%


HOUSING DATA IRELANDNumber of:

2009 2010 2011 2009 – 2011Average

August 2012

Applications 48,888 43,301

36,968 43,052

Assessments 49,637 51,436

45,003 48,692

Home Visits 14,531 15,065 12,001 13,866

Allocations 10,416 8,771 8,774 9,320

Refusals 2,483 2,746 2,805 2,678

Waiting List August 2012 146,219


TARGETING

Tenure Type 2011

Owner Occupied 1,391,803 70%

Local Authority/Social Housing 129,033 6%

Private Rented 474,788 24%

Total Ireland 2011 1,995,624 100%


SUPPLY & DEMAND FOR HOUSING Demand for Housing

Homelessness (Incidence) ~ 5,000 Applications for Social Housing ~ 40,000 (2011)

Allocation of Social Housing ~ 8,770 (2011)

Supply of Housing Private Rented ~ 439,037 Local Authority ~ 129,033 Housing Associations, RAS etc ~

39,912 Owner Occupied ~ 1,391,803 No Major Developments Planned

Rental Availability Sept 2013 ~ 9,000 (+ NAMA Supply)


THE FUTURE Major Cultural Shift Required

What it Means for Current Configuration

Measure of the Effectiveness of the Service is Not the Elimination of Homelessness but the Efficiency of the Responses to Its Incidence

Prevalence and Incidence Measurements

Transfer of Resources to Settlement, Independent Living, Housing First … To Augment Existing Skillbase in the Current Service Configuration


THE FUTURE Practicals for Housing First

Housing Focus Underlying All Responses to Homelessness

Design & Implement Local ‘House Search’ Approach as Essential

Build Cross Sector Social Landlord Portfolio of Permanent Accommodation

Search for Appropriate Housing Configuration with the Person Central to the Personal Plan

Liaise with Landlords and Advocate for Person Continue Support for Person Redeploy Current Resources to Housing and Settlement

Focus

…. Some Things that Turn Policy into Practice …….


“When the Facts Change, I Change My

Mind. What Do You Do?

John Maynard Keynes


FINALLYPlease Write Down Three Things That You Might Do in Your Agency as a Result of Listening to the Conversation Here Today. Note Your Agency Type and Hand to Conference Administrators at Rear of Room.

1. .

2. .

3. .


Athlone

30th September

2013

Housing First

From Policy to Practice

homelessness and housing – moving from policy to action - frank murtagh

Business