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Massachusetts’ Efforts to End Family Homelessness

John A. Wagner, CommissionerMA Department of Transitional Assistance (Welfare)

National Alliance to End Homelessness Annual ConferenceWashington DC

July 17, 2006

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Department of Transitional Assistance

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Background

• MA Department of Transitional Assistance = Food Stamps, TANF, cash assistance, homeless shelters– $35M for individuals– $74M for families

• Broken sheltering system for serving homeless families– Hotels at front-door (lack of capacity)– Little up-front case management or assessment– Over-reliance on deep-end, high-cost emergency shelter– Lack of good data (MIS) system– Lack of attachment to other systems (mainstream benefits)

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Department of Transitional Assistance

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Strategies—What We Did (2002-04)

1. Stabilized sheltering system• Implemented ~5-6 pilots focused on reforming the

sheltering system• Improved tracking (e.g., BEACON then HMIS)• Gov’s Executive Commission (2/03) and MICHH

providing a broad-based framework

2. Tackled an Identifiable Issue (“Tipping Point”)

• Families in hotels, peaked Aug. 2003, eliminated Aug. 2004

3. Legislative Response• FY05 legislative changes, increasing eligibility for

shelter

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Department of Transitional Assistance

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What We’re Doing (2005-present)

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Department of Transitional Assistance

• Short-Term Focus on Expanding Capacity– >250 units 6/04 to 5/06– 2/05 implemented “Toolbox”, $4-6K for prevention and/or

placement. Prevention ended 12/05; 1/06 total capped at $2K

• Long-Term Focus on Reforming System– Issued RFI for input– Assembled advisory group (lead advocate, national

researcher, United Way, H&HS staff) guiding agency planning– Further research and analysis

• System inventory, cost analyses• Caseload demographics, LOS data, entry/exit data• Stakeholder meetings (providers, regional housing

authorities, CBOs, CoCs

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What We’re Doing (2005-present) cont.

– Guiding Principles:• Community-based to leverage community strengths and

resources;• Prevention-focused, with rapid attachment to housing;• Governed by a tripartite responsibility (between the family,

state, community provider, all committed to maximizing a family’s economic opportunity and self-sufficiency);

• Seamless and coordinated, to facilitate access, monitoring, and improved management;

• Research-driven, performance-based and focused on results

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Department of Transitional Assistance

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Department of Transitional Assistance