using organizational change strategies to create a ...using organizational change strategies to...
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Using Organizational Change Strategies to Create
a Systemic Approach to Ending Homelessness
Conference on Ending Family and Youth Homelessness New Orleans
February 18 & 19
Participating in a systemic approach to ending homelessness challenges service providers to rethink
many aspects of their programming. Organizations may have to change their internal policies, their organizational structure, and in some cases, their founding mission and
components of their programming to better fit the broader community’s needs. This workshop will examine
the use of the learning collaborative model to help organizations adapt to system-level changes while creating smooth transitions for staff, funders, and
consumers
Using Organizational Change Strategies to Create a Systemic Approach to Ending
Homelessness
The Audience
Using Organizational Change Strategies to Create a Systemic Approach to Ending
Homelessness
Presenters
Kathy Robertson -Associate Director of Homeless and Special Needs Housing for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
Kay Moshier McDivitt –Technical Assistance Specialist for the National Alliance to End Homelessness
Katie Chlan- Executive Director of HomeAgain, a nonprofit in Richmond, Virginia
Using Organizational Change Strategies to Create a Systemic Approach to Ending
Homelessness
The Virginia Learning Collaborative Model
Using Organizational Change Strategies to Create a Systemic Approach to Ending Homelessness
Reducing Family Homelessness in Virginia: A Rapid Re-Housing Approach
Virginia’s System Transformation
Using Organizational Change Strategies to Create a Systemic Approach to
Ending Homelessness
National Alliance to End Homelessness February 19, 2014, New Orleans, LA
Virginia’s Transformation
Governor Bob McDonnell issued Executive
Order #10
Called for Housing Policy Framework with a focus on addressing needs of homeless Virginians
Advisory Committee convened and co-chaired by Senior Economic Advisor, Bob Sledd; Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Bill Hazel
Overall Goal: Reduce Homelessness By 15% by 2013
Strategies
Increase the number of permanent supportive housing units in the Commonwealth.
Increase flexibility of funding to prevent homelessness and support RRH for individuals and families.
Increase statewide data collection and system coordination.
Increase access to SA and mental health treatment. Evaluate, develop and ensure implementation of
statewide, pre-discharge policies for the foster care system, hospitals, mental health facilities and correctional facilities.
Strategy # 2
Increase flexibility of funding to
prevent homelessness and support rapid re-housing for individuals and families
Gradual Process
Prior to FY 2008 – formula allocations FY 2008 – FY 2010 supportive services and
utilization added to formula FY 2011 – competitive application FY 2011 – redirected $350,000 to 4 RRH/
transition-in-place programs FY 2012 – redirected additional $1M for 21
RRH programs FYs 2013 & 2014 – over $4.5M toward RRH
through competitive application (68 providers)
Stars Aligned
Changes at federal level Political will at state level
Collaborative initiative between the
National Alliance to End Homelessness, the Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Freddie Mac Foundation
Collaborative Initiative
Reducing Family Homelessness in Virginia: A Rapid Re-housing Approach Opening events Rapid re-housing workshops Funders collaborative Homeless Outcomes Coordinator Community / organizational change grants High barrier pilot projects Data prototype Learning collaboratives
Decrease in Homelessness
9080
8816
8424
7625
6500
7000
7500
8000
8500
9000
9500
2010 2011 2012 2013
16% Decrease in Total Homeless Individuals
2.9%
9.5%
4.4%
Decrease in Homelessness
3742
3585
3340
3093
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
2010 2011 2012 2013
17% Decrease in Persons in Households with Adults and Children
4.2%
6.8%
7.4%
Decrease in Homelessness
2047
1854
1733
1443
1510
1571 1531
1262
1291
1356 1413
1197
881
719
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2010 2011 2012 2013
Homelessness by Subpopulation
Chronic Substance Abuse
Chronically Homeless Individuals
Severely Mentally Ill
Veterans
30% decrease
16% decrease
7% decrease
18% decrease
Additional funding
$500,000 for RRH in 2013 and 2014
$1M PSH in 2013; $500,000 in 2014
Housing Trust Fund
Proposed $500,000 for RRH (total $1M) for
2015 and 2016
Proposed funding for build out and
implementation of data prototype
Continuing the momentum
New administration CoC/local planning group based
application Improving data
Performance clinics
Contact Information
Kathy D. Robertson Associate Director
Homelessness and Special Needs Housing Virginia Department of Housing and
Community Development 804-225-3129
The Virginia Learning Collaborative Model
Using Organizational Change Strategies to Create a Systemic Approach to Ending Homelessness
Phase One: Statewide meetings introducing the shift to rapid re-housing strategies to reduce family homelessness
Phase Two: Statewide trainings on rapid re-housing basics
Phase Three: 7 Regional Learning Collaboratives across the state
Organizational Change Opportunities: 3 Phases
• Designed to close the gap between what we know about housing homeless families and what we do as a homeless assistance system in Virginia.
• Opportunity for participating organizations to learn from each other and from trainers, while setting and achieving bold goals for themselves.
Learning Collaborative Design
• Seven Learning Collaboratives established throughout Virginia
• Three to eight organizations with teams of 3 from each organization participated in each Collaborative.
• The seven Collaboratives were established based on Continuums of Care that compose geographic regions
Learning Collaborative Design
1. Pre-Work Stage - establish teams, prepare baseline data, and review orientation materials.
2. Session One – a one-day, interactive session with team reviewing materials and completing a “model for improvement.
3. Action Phase - teams began implementing their model for improvement, shared progress via monthly conference calls.
4. Rapid Re-Housing Challenge – a one-day session with teams building on changes, established ambitious 100 day goal to rapidly re-house families, followed by challenge
Learning Collaborative Design 4 Phases
1. Reduce length of stay from homeless system entry to exit to permanent housing
2. Increase the number of families being rapidly re-housed
3. Inclusive rapid re-housing programs that can serve anyone
Learning Collaborative Goals
Interactive Activities to Align with LC Goals
• Reviewed Best Practices
• Agreed on Collaborative Benchmarks
• Reviewed Organizational Practices for Alignment with Best Practice (Eligibility, Barrier Assessment Tools, Policies and Procedures, Job Descriptions)
• Established Organizational Action Plan with 30, 60, & 90 Day Benchmarks to Align with Collaborative Benchmarks
Learning Collaborative Design Session One
Implemented Changes
• New Job Descriptions with RRH focus
• Voluntary Services
• Revised Policies and Procedures
• Revised Barrier Assessments
• Accountability – monthly reporting to NAEH and each other
Learning Collaborative Design Action Period
94.0 93.9
63.3 55.5
47.6
0.0 0.0
All LC: Average length of time from entry into shelter to placement in unsubsidized permanent
housing (in days) per month
343 families housed in unsubsidized housing
October 17 2013 – January 24, 2014
Purpose: Reduce family homelessness by using the tools learned through the Learning Collaborative to rapidly re-house as many families as we can in Virginia over 100 days
Challenged organizations to be bold, be creative and to set truly ambitious goals to end family homelessness in Virginia.
Learning Collaborative Design RRH Challenge
RRH Challenge Creating Energy and Results
RRH Challenge Creating Energy and Results
Creating Energy and Focus Tweeting #housing challenge
Weekly focus emails
Weekly team meetings and incentives
Weekly “shout-outs” to recognize creatively, accomplishments, etc.
Final Event
RRH Challenge Creating Energy and Results
Creates Results 545 Families Housed in 100 days (plus 102 singles)
52% increase in rate of rapid re-housing
Depleted waiting lists
Leveraging new partners
Shifted organizational practice
The Learning Collaborative A Provider’s Perspective
Greater Richmond Continuum of Care
January, 2013 PIT Data* Greater Richmond CoC
999 individuals counted Of these, 885 were adults and 114 were children 829 were sheltered and 170 were unsheltered *Information reported by Homeward
Information about Richmond CoC
Well organized with strong CoC Lead Agency Strong data collection Active group of participating agencies who work well
together Challenges include: Redesigning Centralized Intake Process for large, diverse
geographic area Transportation Employment Making best use of limited dollars
HomeAgain
Incorporated in 1981 Budget just under $2,000,000 Operates a total of 127 shelter beds and 27 PSH beds Men’s Emergency Shelter – 20 beds Espigh Family Emergency Shelter – 27 beds Vets Transitional Program (per diem) – 26 beds INRICH Family Transitional – 54 beds
Prior to Learning Collaborative
Agency was functioning as a “traditional shelter model”
Staff and board believed households needed to be “ready” for housing
Shelters were providing very robust services and case managers were expected to find housing placements when households had “earned” housing
Changes Made During Collaborative
Hired housing specialist Hired Agency Change Consultant Examined EVERY funding source and made changes
where possible Looked at work load and roles/job descriptions of
every position Staff changes Board education and changes Communicating changes to shelter residents CHANGE IN AGENCY CULTURE
How the Collaborative helped
Peer Support – knowledge that it could be done because some in the room have actually done it
Technical assistance that was tied to best practice and not a specific funder
Real life examples, forms, processes Safe environment to ask questions and discuss
“failures” Accountability
A work in progress . . .
Still have cost of operating shelters Role of Development Agency culture Increased demand on Finance Department Honoring past while moving forward
Agency change in numbers
Prior to the Learning Collaborative . . . We had 5 landlords that we worked with Housed 6 households in the prior 100 days Average length of stay for Emergency Shelters was 75 days
Agency change in numbers
After the Learning Collaborative . . . We have 29 landlords that we worked with Housed 21 households during the 100 day challenge Average length of stay for Emergency Shelters is now 51 days
Contact Information
Katie Chlan, Executive Director, HomeAgain [email protected]
www.homeagainrichmond.org www.facebook.com/HomeAgainRichmond www.twitter.com/HomeAgainRVA
For More Information on the Learning Collaborative Model
Follow the Blog http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/learning-
collaborative-toolkit
Responding to Your Questions
Q&A