Housing First
A Home for Everyone Conference
July 16th and 17th, 2014
West Central Wisconsin Community
Action Agency, Inc.
M
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To take action against poverty by
developing the social and economic
assets of low-income families and their
communities and by working to create a
more just and sustainable society.
Serving 7 Wisconsin Counties
Barron
Chippewa
Dunn
Pepin
Pierce
Polk
St. Croix
What services are provided?
Housing
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Apartment Rentals
Homeless Prevention
Homeownership
Weatherization
Energy Assistance
Food (Access & Resources)
Transportation (JumpStart)
Skills Enhancement
Literacy
Housing Assistance
Housing counseling and financial assistance for homeless
persons, renters, and homeowners
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Homeless Prevention Program
Tenant Based Rental Assistance
Rapid Re-Housing
Transitional Housing
Permanent Supportive Housing
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Dunn, Pierce, and St.
Croix Counties
Homebuyer Education and Assistance
Foreclosure Intervention Counseling and Assistance
The Old Way vs. The New Way
Are you “ready” for housing?
Are you compliant with shelter staff?
 Are you employable?
 Do you have a serious mental illness or
substance use disorder?
 Do you have a history of violent criminal
charges?
 Do we think you have a high chance of
success?
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So Why Change?
Most vulnerable not being helped
 Continued utilization of other community
resources (ER, CPS, Crisis line, Shelter)
 Homeless numbers not declining
 Research based evidence for Housing
First model
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◦ Better housing retention
◦ Lower rate of return to homelessness
What is Housing First?
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Philosophy of providing housing
◦ Housing is a right, not a reward
◦ Housing provides stable environment to
address other issues
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Program Model
Immediate focus on housing
◦ Minimal barriers to obtaining housing
◦ Targets the most vulnerable
◦ Supportive services offered, not required
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Housing First Model in Practice
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Program Entry
◦ VI-SPDAT to prioritize most vulnerable
◦ Participant understanding of program model
◦ Finding housing
 Working with landlords
 In-home case management
 Be up front about participant barriers
Housing First Model in Practice
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Program Participation
◦ Supportive services offered, but not required
 PSH v. RRH v. TH
◦ Regular home visits are an expectation
◦ Harm reduction approach
◦ Program moves with the client if an eviction
occurs
◦ Program termination is rare
Housing First Model in Practice
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Case Management
◦ Initial focus: overcoming housing barriers and finding
safe, appropriate housing
◦ Once housed: focus on long term goals, support to
maintain housing, and connection to community
resources
◦ Goals are developed by the participant, NOT case
manager
So how do
we make
the change?
Getting Everyone on Board
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Board of Directors
◦ What is their role in your agency?
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Program Staff
◦ A paradigm shift in program philosophy and service
provision
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Local CoC members
◦ This changes how referrals will be made
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Landlords
◦ Developing new and deeper relationships
Impact on Case Managers
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Paradigm Shift
◦ Housing Stability v. Rules
◦ Harm Reduction v. Abstinence
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New role as Team Leader
◦ Coordinating participant, therapists, sponsors,
psychiatrists, family, and many more supports
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Morale may be affected
◦ Feeling unskilled/unprepared
◦ Ethical dilemmas
Financial Impact of Change
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Planning for supportive services
◦ High barriers, low community connection
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Plan for moving costs
◦ Security deposits, cleaning, damages
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Training costs for staff
◦ Mental health interventions, crisis intervention,
Motivational Interviewing, trauma-informed services,
Wellness Recovery Action Plans, harm reduction
Impact on Management
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Clinical Supervision
◦ Manager
◦ Contract with mental health professional
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Weekly Staffings
◦ Help clarify roles
◦ Help staff recognize housing problems as symptoms
of the clinical issue
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Address Morale Issues
◦ Reframing situations
◦ Addressing compassion fatigue
Questions?
RESOURCES
Back to Basics: What Exactly Is Housing First & Rapid Re-Housing? (OrgCode
Consulting)
http://www.orgcode.com/2012/05/15/back-to-basics-what-exactly-is-housing-firstrapid-re-housing/
The Applicability of Housing First Models to Homeless Persons with Serious
Mental Illness (HUD)
http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/hsgfirst.pdf
VI SPDAT (100,000 Homes Campaign)
http://100khomes.org/resources/the-vi-spdat
Affordable and Supportive Housing Research (USICH)
http://usich.gov/usich_resources/research_and_evaluation/affordable_and_supporti
ve_housing_research/
Pathways to Housing
http://pathwaystohousing.org/
Contact Information
Robyn Thibado
Associate Director
West CAP
rthibado@wcap.org
Corin Tubridy
Homeless Prevention Programs Manager
West CAP
ctubridy@wcap.org