Retooling Transitional Housing Using a Systems

PerspectiveKari Murphy, Building ChangesSheila Morley, City of Spokane

Tess Colby, Pierce County Community Connections

Workshop Objectives

Increase understanding of what retooling is and why communities are retooling their transitional housing

Increase knowledge of how 2 counties in Washington State are retooling transitional housing to more effectively reduce homelessness.

What is Retooling?

Changing the use of current homeless housing resources to help more people access permanent housing faster.

Retooling involves: contract changes with funders programmatic changes (removing time limits, eligibility criteria,

program rules, and policies and procedures)

For example: TH RRH TH Shelter

Retooling Approach

System AND project analysis to determine need & opportunities

Why Retool?

Current resource allocation isn’t ending homelessness

HEARTH performance measures Refined focus on ending the immediate housing

crisis, not on ending poverty Match resources with need Cost effectiveness

HEARTH Performance Measures:

Reduce the number of people who become homeless Reduce the amount of time people spend in

homelessness Reduce returns to homelessness

Source: Data from 14 Continuums in seven states that prepared Evaluators for National Alliance to End Homelessness Performance Improvement Clinics in 2011-2012 compiled by Focus Strategies

ShelterTransitional

HousingRapid

Re-Housing

Performance on HEARTH Measure: Exits to Permanent Housing

Match Resources with Need

Temporarily homeless Long-stayers Episodically homeless families

Average Cost Per Exit for Families with Children in 14 Communities

Permanent Housing Exits

Source: Data from 14 Continuums in seven states that prepared Evaluators for National Alliance to End Homelessness Performance Improvement Clinics in 2011-2012 compiled by Focus Strategies

All Exits

Cost Effectiveness

Background & Context

www.piercecountywa.org/cc11

Vision for Pierce County Family Homeless System

• A right-sized system that has something for every family, when they need it

• No wait list, and no unsheltered families

• Diversion Program• Short LOS = turnover =

no unsheltered families

www.piercecountywa.org/cc12

Current System

• 43% of system interventions in transitional housing, using 55% of resources

• Allocated 26% of our resources to rapid rehousing, which will provide 42% of the housing slots

www.piercecountywa.org/cc13

System Performance

• Length of Stay– Shelter: 4.2 mo– Transitional Housing: 13.5 mo– Rapid Rehousing: 3.8 mo

• Exits to Permanent Housing– Shelter: average 45%– Transitional Housing: av 78%– Rapid Rehousing: 4% return to

homelessness

• Exits with increased income– Transitional Housing: av 20%

Spokane County- approx 475,000 residentsSpokane County- approx 475,000 residents• 210,000 within the City of Spokane210,000 within the City of Spokane

1,763.79 square miles1,763.79 square miles

Median household income, 2007-2011 $49,257Median household income, 2007-2011 $49,257

Persons below poverty level, percent, 2007-2011 Persons below poverty level, percent, 2007-2011 14.4%14.4%

Average rental vacancy rate: 4.3%Average rental vacancy rate: 4.3%

2014 Point in Time: 1149 Total Persons2014 Point in Time: 1149 Total Persons

US Census Bureau 2007-2012 reports

Spokane County FactsSpokane County Facts

Goal of Spokane’s Homeless System Goal of Spokane’s Homeless System

•Easily accessible, responsive system for families and Easily accessible, responsive system for families and individuals in a housing crisisindividuals in a housing crisis

•Allows for a consistent assessment of clients needsAllows for a consistent assessment of clients needs

•Appropriate level of service and housingAppropriate level of service and housing

•Provide permanent low-barrier housing optionsProvide permanent low-barrier housing options

•Shortest Length of stay possible in homeless systemShortest Length of stay possible in homeless system

Current Strategies in Place to meet this goalCurrent Strategies in Place to meet this goal

• Coordinated Assessment System for FamiliesCoordinated Assessment System for Families

•Prioritize Permanent Housing Options : Prioritize Permanent Housing Options :

•Permanent Supportive Housing- for those with the Permanent Supportive Housing- for those with the highest barriershighest barriers

•Rapid Re-housing for those who have lower service Rapid Re-housing for those who have lower service needsneeds

• Diversion Focus– Ensure that clients entering the system Diversion Focus– Ensure that clients entering the system have exhausted all other resourceshave exhausted all other resources

•Targeted prevention assistance Targeted prevention assistance

Current Strategies: Prioritization of Funding for Permanent Housing Options

Current Strategies: Shift in Homeless Housing Inventory

• From 2011-2013– The distribution of beds shifted from temporary housing to

permanent housing

Compiled from Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) Point in Time data 2011, 2012, and 2013

Why Retool?

www.piercecountywa.org/cc

Misaligned System

Background on Decision to RetoolBackground on Decision to Retool

•Retooling conversation started in 2011

•Stakeholders attended 2-day NAEH workshop

•Developing a Coordinated Assessment system was identified as the top priority from that workshop.

•Retooling Transitional Housing to Permanent Housing identified as 2nd priority.

•May 2011- Moved into planning stage for Coordinated Assessment System with Implementation goal of 2012

•Coordinated Assessment for Families Implemented in 2012.

•ScreeningScreening

•DiversionDiversion

•AssessmentAssessment

•Referral to rapid Referral to rapid

re-housing re-housing •RRH for all RRH for all

populationspopulations

•SSVFSSVF

•RRH for specific RRH for specific

geographic areasgeographic areas

•Referral to Referral to

preventionprevention

•Housing Housing

placement placement

How our system looks nowHow our system looks now

All entry points All entry points provide:provide:

HFCA- The HFCA- The Salvation Salvation

ArmyArmyPhonePhone

Walk-InWalk-In

EmailEmail

Rural Rural OutreachOutreach

VOA- youth VOA- youth provider provider

families with families with hh under 18hh under 18

DV DV providerprovider

Rapid Rapid Re-Re-

housing housing providerprovider

Coordinated Assessment System for FamiliesCoordinated Assessment System for Families

www.piercecountywa.org/cc

Approach to Retooling

www.piercecountywa.org/cc

Retooling Process

• Data• Best Practices• Consultants

– Transitional Housing– System Right Sizing– Centralized Intake

• Homeless System Projection Tool• Performance Improvement

Calculator

Our Approach to RetoolingOur Approach to Retooling

•Lots of conversation, information and data provided to Community Stakeholders:

HFCA Learning Community MembersHomeless Program ManagersContinuum of Care Advisory CommitteeDecision Makers

•Data from coordinated asssessment, PIT, cost per service, length of stay, recurrence, client data

•Stakeholders have developed short and long-term goals for retooling system

What we have learned from Coordinated AssessmentWhat we have learned from Coordinated Assessment

•54% of families accessing the system don’t ever have to enter the system

•Most families coming through the system have low barriers and need a short term housing and service interventions- 85%

•Very low recurrence rate- Families aren’t entering the homeless system after exit

•Role of Emergency Shelter had changed- Emergency Shelter units had become a holding place for clients who needed Rapid Re-Housing •Housing inventory and the identified need is misaligned.

Retooling to….

www.piercecountywa.org/cc29

Projected Distribution of Resources

www.piercecountywa.org/cc

Vision for Pierce County Family Homeless System

Family Experiencing Housing Crisis

Diversion/Prevention Screening

Centralized Intake Interim Housing Schools

YES: Same Day Referral to Diversion Provider

NO: Same Day Entry to Interim Housing Provider

Interim Housing Stay - Average 20 Days* Permanent Housing Assessment

* Light Case management* Housing Search and Placement

Rapid Rehousing Permanent Supportive Housing

Retooling Strategies: Short TermRetooling Strategies: Short Term

•Moving from ES / TH units to Interim Housing Model. All programs will take any household in need of temporary housing and adjust their service delivery to that households need

•Changes in Service Delivery

•Integrating RRH methodologies into interim housing programs- shift service component to reducing immediate barriers to housing and housing search

•Increase partnership with local DSHS and RRH case managers for integrated housing and employment case plan

Results of Short Term Strategies: Results of Short Term Strategies: Length Of Stay In Interim HousingLength Of Stay In Interim Housing

Compiled from Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data. Date Range 4/1/12 - 9/30/13

Results of Short Term Strategies: Results of Short Term Strategies: Rate Of Exits To Permanent DestinationRate Of Exits To Permanent Destination

Compiled from Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data. Date Range 4/1/12 - 9/30/13

Retooling Strategies: Long Term Retooling Strategies: Long Term

Long term solutions:

•Adjustments to Inventory to meet need •Continued shifting of resources to permanent housing options•Continued adjustment to Service DeliveryQuestions to be answered:

•What populations should be served in our Transitional Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing units

•Can we re-tool current non-facility based TH programs to RRH

•How do we ensure the changes made won’t effect the current efficiencies in the system

•How do local funding priorities need to be adjusted to complete the re-tool of the system.

Tools needed for Retooling Tools needed for Retooling DecisionsDecisions

DATA!Continued review LOS, Exit and Recurrence Data within system

Performance Improvement Calculator

STAKEHOLDER INPUT!Continued conversation and input with CoC Advisory Committee, program level staff and ultimately decision makers

Questions?

Contact Information

Kari MurphyBuilding Changes206.805.6125kari.murphy@buildingchanges.org

Sheila MorleyCity of Spokane, Human Services Department (509) 625-6052smorley@spokanecity.org

Tess ColbyPierce County Community Connections(253) 798-6139tcolby@co.pierce.wa.us