Final Phase 2 Moving Forward-Strategic Plan 511...

A Strategic Plan

for Preventing and Ending

Family Homelessness in

King County

Moving Forward

August 2010 MOVING FORWARD Page 2

Acknowledgements

In an effort to capitalize on the excellent work being done locally and nationally to improve

homeless housing and service systems for families, this plan relies heavily on research and tools

produced in our community and in communities across the country, especially the work of the

National Alliance to End Homelessness. This plan has been influenced by several important

resources including:

• The many homeless housing stakeholders in King County

• The previous and ongoing work of the Committee to End Homelessness King County

• The work done by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Particular thanks are due to the members of King County Family Homelessness Workgroup for their

contributions and their time.

o Andrea Akita - City of Seattle Human Services Department

o Meghan Altimore - Hopelink

o Humberto Alvarez - Solid Ground

o Bill Block and Gretchen Bruce - Committee to End Homelessness in King County

o Nathan Buck - Neighborhood House

o Ranita Jain - Building Changes

o Jason Johnson - City of Kent

o Debbie Thiele - City of Seattle Office of Housing

o Kristin Winkel - King County Housing Authority

o Terrie Yaffe - Child Care Resources

o Debbi Knowles, Rebekka Goldsmith, and Janet Salm - King County DCHS (Project Staff)

Additional advisors during this planning process: the Economic Opportunities Steering Committee to

SkillUp Washington, the Coordinated Entry and Assessment Work Group, and United Way of King

County.

Funding for the development of this plan was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and

United Way of King County. For additional information please contact:

Debbi Knowles

206-263-9088

[email protected]

Department of Community and Human Services

Community Services Division - Housing and Community Development Program


CONTENTS

Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... 2

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 4

Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 8

Background .................................................................................................................................. 9

Landscape Assessment ............................................................................................................... 11

Housing Stabilization: A New Approach ...................................................................................... 17

Key System Changes ................................................................................................................... 21

Goal #1: Coordinate Entry and Assessment ......................................................................... 23

Goal #2: Prevent Homelessness for Families Most at Risk.................................................... 29

Goal #3: Help Families Move Quickly to Stable Housing ...................................................... 33

Goal #4: Focus Support Services on Housing Stability .......................................................... 38

Goal #5: Increase Collaborations with Mainstream Systems ................................................ 45

Washington Families Fund Systems Initiative Partnerships .......................................................... 49

System Realignment ................................................................................................................... 51

Resources ................................................................................................................................... 55

Evaluation .................................................................................................................................. 58

Next Steps .................................................................................................................................. 60

Appendix A - Definitions ............................................................................................................. 61


Executive Summary

This plan, “Moving Forward: A Strategic Plan for Preventing and Ending Family Homelessness” puts

forth a series of strategies to shift the family homelessness system in ways that will more effectively

serve families facing or experiencing homelessness. New thinking nationally and locally emphasizes

prevention and rapid access to housing, and deemphasizes the traditional continuum of shelter to

transitional housing to permanent housing. This approach focuses on “housing first” rather than

“housing readiness,” empowering families to regain stability and address their needs and goals

while in the security of their own “non time-limited” housing. Services are delivered primarily

following a housing placement and the goal is housing stability.

In the fall of 2008, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation challenged King County to develop a plan to

dramatically revise the way in which family homelessness is addressed. The planning process began

in 2009 and included: conducting a landscape assessment of existing resources and systems already

in place to address the needs of homeless families; identifying specific strategies to fill gaps and

enhance systems; and developing an implementation plan to realign the family homeless assistance

network to be consistent with this new approach. Over the following months, a broad array of

funders, provider agencies, client representatives and community members provided input.

The result of these efforts is a framework for a more streamlined, accessible system designed to

prevent families in crisis from becoming homeless, rapidly house those who experience

homelessness, and link families to the services they need to remain stably housed.

While the focus of this document is on bringing about countywide systems change towards this new

approach, increasing the supply of affordable housing remains a priority for our community.

Through the Committee to End Homelessness in King County (CEH), the community is working to

increase federal, state and local resources to increase the supply of affordable housing and is also

exploring ways of making market rate housing more accessible for homeless families. In other

words, the Moving Forward initiative aims to increase the efficiency with which our existing

affordable housing resources are delivered to homeless families; the equally critical work of creating

new affordable housing will continue through the efforts of CEH and our advocacy partners.

The initiative provides an opportunity to realign the family homeless assistance network with

promising practices and local, state, federal and philanthropic funding opportunities. This new

direction is consistent with the McKinney-Vento Act (now the Homeless Emergency Assistance and

Rapid Transition to Housing or HEARTH Act) and the State’s proposed Consolidated Homeless Grant

Program, both of which emphasize a shift towards more targeted prevention and rapid re-housing

models. The plan reaffirms and builds upon the goals of the CEH Ten-Year Plan to End

Homelessness, as well as many other city, county and community planning processes.


Housing stability is established as the core of the family homelessness system. The new housing

stabilization approach:

• Builds on strengths in the existing homeless housing and services system.

• Focuses on housing stability.

• Emphasizes appropriate housing stability services to meet level, intensity, and immediacy of

housing need.

• Supports client empowerment and choice, while fostering client accountability.

• Engages and reaches within communities to create equal access to housing services and

supports for all families who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

• Realigns policies and dedicates funding and resources to support implementation of

practices consistent with the housing stabilization approach.

• Connects families to mainstream service systems and community supports to sustain long-

term housing and economic security.

Our local network of homeless housing and services for families is not organized in a systematic way

that makes it easy for families experiencing crisis to find their way to the housing and services they

need. They often experience many disruptions while waiting for permanent housing and may end

up in a program/housing that is not the most appropriate for their needs. The series of strategies

outlined in this document are designed to shift current family homelessness services to more

effectively serve families facing or experiencing homelessness. By building on existing strengths,

bringing successful programs to scale, coordinating efforts with community-based groups, and

integrating services and programs, a system will be developed that can reduce the number of

families who experience homelessness and reduce the length of time families spend homeless.

The Moving Forward initiative focuses on creating change in five key areas that will have the most

significant impact on an overall system change. These areas of focus are detailed by objective below

and further expanded upon in the “Key System Changes” section of this document.

1. COORDINATE ENTRY AND ASSESSMENT

To give families a convenient and standard way to find the services and housing they need as

quickly as possible.

a. Create a centralized and universally assessable process for families to seek and

gain housing stability assistance, including prevention.

b. Enable the system to uniformly assess families and match them with housing

resources and services that best fit their circumstances and preferences.

c. Use system-level data to inform planning and funding of programs based on a

more accurate understanding of the true scope of family homelessness in King

County.

2. PREVENT HOMELESSNESS FOR FAMILIES MOST AT RISK

To keep families who are on the edge of homelessness housed and quickly connect them to

the services they need.


a. Target and expand services available for families who are at highest risk of

homelessness in order to stabilize housing.

b. Make prevention resources more flexible to meet family needs.

3. MOVE FAMILIES QUICKLY TO STABLE HOUSING

To help families regain stability by moving into non-time limited housing as quickly as

possible.

a. Restructure the homeless housing system to shift from housing readiness to the

housing stabilization approach.

b. Maximize capacity and use of housing resources.

4. FOCUS SUPPORT SERVICES ON HOUSING STABILITY

To provide individual families with the right services at the right time and connect families to

services they need and want to maintain housing stability and self-sufficiency.

a. Align case management practices to focus on housing stability.

b. Tailor services to be flexible and responsive to the needs and priorities of

families.

c. Maximize linkages to economic and educational opportunities to increase

financial security.

5. INCREASE COLLABORATIONS WITH MAINSTREAM SYSTEMS

To assist families in accessing the services, housing and income supports they need to

maintain housing stability.

a. Improve access to mainstream benefits and services for homeless and at-risk

families.

b. Build a working collaboration between the family homeless system and

mainstream service systems for children.

This represents a large-scale shift. Currently services focus on “housing readiness,” mixing a broad

range of support services and training programs with housing stability efforts. The initiative focuses

primarily on creating housing stability. Families who are stable in their housing may or may not still

need other types of long-term services and supports in such areas as education, employment and

counseling. Under this redesigned system, families will be linked to the mainstream systems and

agencies that support families in these areas. (Note: “mainstream” refers to other publicly funded

systems that provide benefits, services and supports to families based on eligibility criteria that does

not explicitly incorporate housing status or homelessness. These benefits, services and supports are

not targeted or designed to address the specific needs of homeless families. ) The homeless

assistance network will not duplicate those mainstream supports if they are available; instead its

focus is housing stability.

During initial implementation, emphasis will be placed on system-wide transformational change

across the homelessness system, and launching the strategic activities indentified in the plan. This

will require engaging homeless housing and service providers in new ways, focusing first on training

and education of the new approach and improving the response to homelessness through a new


Coordinated Entry and Assessment system. In addition, during this initial phase, the plan calls for

outreach and engagement with mainstream systems.

The King County region has a long and successful history of addressing the needs of families

experiencing homelessness. Our region is fortunate to have a variety of programs, community

based organizations and informal community groups that, for many years, have compassionately

and competently served families who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness, helping many

families to move forward out of homelessness and to flourish. Public and private funders recognize

the importance of addressing family homelessness, and have consistently advocated for and

dedicated resources to this end. There is a strong foundation to build on. The Moving Forward

initiative represents our community’s renewed commitment to ending family homelessness.


Introduction

In fall 2008, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation challenged King County to develop a plan for

dramatically revising the ways in which our community addresses family homelessness. Over the

following months, a broad array of funders, provider agencies, consumer representatives and

community members provided input to develop a comprehensive strategic plan.

The Moving Forward initiative establishes housing stability as the core focus of the family

homelessness system. This represents a large-scale shift. Currently, homeless programs primarily

focus on moving families through the continuum to become “housing ready,” mixing a broad range

of support services and training programs with our housing stability efforts. The initiative focuses

directly on creating housing stability. Once a family has housing stability, they may still need help in

educational advancement, job training, ongoing counseling and all the other support systems

needed to increase independence and promote self-sufficiency. The homelessness system must link

families to the mainstream systems that support such long-term advancement (which may include

contracts within a single agency), but the homelessness system should not duplicate those

mainstream supports. Its focus is housing stability.

The plan identifies five key areas for improvement and change in order to realize the new

envisioned approach. For each of these areas, this document identifies the context, the objectives

of restructuring, the strategies to be used in achieving those objectives, and the intended concrete

results of those strategies.

As with any system change, the initiative will require a number of years to implement, and it

concludes with an outline of how its components will be phased. The implementation plan will

include specific timelines, resource, roles and responsibilities, and desired outcomes for

implementing the strategies identified in this plan.

The initiative has been reviewed and endorsed by a broad array of local stakeholders and is one of

the key priorities for the Committee to End Homelessness in King County. Although change is never

easy, the level of support has been extremely encouraging, and the community is clearly united in

its intent to ensure that as few families as possible ever experience homelessness and that those

who do move rapidly back to stable housing.


BACKGROUND

In December 2008, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and United Way of King County awarded

King County a planning grant to evaluate the local homeless housing and service system for families

and identify strategies to prevent and reduce family homelessness.1 Building upon lessons learned

from the Sound Families Initiative and national research on family homelessness, the Bill & Melinda

Gates Foundation identified five promising approaches that have proven effective, individually, in

reducing family homelessness in a number of communities across the United States: coordinated

entry, prevention, rapid re-housing, tailored programs and linkages to economic opportunities.

The Washington Families Fund (managed by Building Changes), with the support of the Bill &

Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector funders, is expanding their work in King,

Snohomish and Pierce Counties order to test, in combination, these emerging new concepts.

The planning process King County is undertaking encompasses three distinct phases of work:

1. A landscape assessment report that contains a detailed analysis of the county’s existing

resources and systems for addressing the needs of homeless families.

2. A strategic plan that proposes specific strategies for improving county systems with

particular emphasis on the five promising approaches identified above.

3. An implementation plan that describes specific timelines, resources, responsibilities, and

desired outcomes for implementing the strategies identified in Phase 2.

This strategic plan represents the work done in the first two phases. It is the result of a

comprehensive planning process that combined a thorough assessment of existing local services

and resources, in-depth evaluation of local and national research, and multiple levels of community

engagement. In addition, this initiative reaffirms and builds upon the goals of the CEH Ten-Year

Plan to End Homelessness as well as multiple other city, county and community planning processes.

In 2005 the CEH launched the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County. It was developed

by a coalition of more than 30 housing and service providers, faith organizations, businesses, county

and city governments, people experiencing homelessness and homeless advocates. It offers a

blueprint for how regional stakeholders will create the housing and supportive services needed to

end homelessness for the thousands of men, women and children who currently live without a

permanent roof over their heads.

The proposed system change outlined in the plan will be achieved in coordination with a variety of

initiatives, including the ongoing efforts of the CEH and the five key strategies identified in the Ten-

Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County:

• Prevent homelessness

1The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation selected King, Pierce and Snohomish counties to participate in this process. This newly expanded work of the

Washington Families Fund is managed by Building Changes, a public-private partnership.


• Help people move quickly to stable housing with the necessary supportive services to

maintain that housing

• Build the public and political will to sustain our efforts and bring an end to homelessness

• Increase the efficiency of the existing systems to make the best use of our scarce resources

• Measure and report our outcomes.

The King County Family Homelessness Workgroup, established to oversee the planning process, met

twice a month for over a year to develop the plan’s guiding principles, evaluate national and local

research in relation to this planning process, identify gaps and challenges and create the framework

for the overall plan. The individuals participating in the King County Family Homelessness

Workgroup include:

• Andrea Akita - City of Seattle Human Services Department

• Meghan Altimore - Hopelink

• Humberto Alvarez - Solid Ground

• Bill Block and Gretchen Bruce - Committee to End Homelessness in King County

• Nathan Buck - Neighborhood House

• Rebekka Goldsmith - King County (Project Staff)

• Ranita Jain - Building Changes

• Jason Johnson - City of Kent

• Debbi Knowles - King County (Project Manager)

• Janet Salm - King County (Project Staff)

• Debbie Thiele - City of Seattle Office of Housing

• Kristin Winkel - King County Housing Authority

• Terrie Yaffe - Child Care Resources

As needs arose, small groups of funders, planners and service providers were formed to tackle

special issues like prevention, funding resources and coordinated entry. The coordinated entry

group met weekly during the fall of 2009 to develop the proposed design elements of a coordinated

entry system to serve families at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Project staff spent several months collecting and studying national best practice research on

prevention, rapid re-housing, housing first, continuum of care and coordinated entry and

assessment models, programs and outcomes. Staff also participated in national conferences and site

visits to learn more about programs in Minnesota, Chicago and San Francisco.

At each phase of plan development, stakeholder meetings were held throughout the county and

were attended by agency leaders, provider staff, and case managers, families experiencing

homelessness, local planners and funders. Input was used to inform strategies and modify the

overall plan.

The final phase of the planning process will include the development of an implementation plan

that will include timelines, resource, roles and responsibilities, and desired outcomes.

Overview of the planning process

August 2010

LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT

The first phase of the planning process was developing a Landscape Assessment

resources and systems that address the needs

King County. It also identifies gaps in the system and compares King County with national statistics

and trends. The resulting Landscape Assessment was completed in the summer of 2009.

following section summarizes key findings.

THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES EXPERI

Every night in King County there are over a thousand

stable housing. The 2009 One Night Count

identified 1,018 families, representing

housing in King County. This number

homelessness. This is a count of families curre

transitional housing program, and the

KEY INDICATORS OF FAMILIES AT

Poverty Families experiencing homelessness

population, or 181,451 persons live at or below the federal poverty level.

One Night Count Shelter Survey, 95

the area median income (AMI).3 Even if their incomes were competitive

many have barriers such as negative rental history (evictions, no prior rental history), or poor credit

2 King County Consolidated Plan Update 2010, reporting on ACS 2005

3 King County One Night Count Shelter Survey 2009

The complete Lan

www.kingcounty.gov/socialservices/Housing/ServicesAndPrograms/Programs/Homeless/HomelessFamilies

MOVING FORWARD

LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT

The first phase of the planning process was developing a Landscape Assessment to

resources and systems that address the needs of families experiencing homelessness throughout

It also identifies gaps in the system and compares King County with national statistics

The resulting Landscape Assessment was completed in the summer of 2009.

summarizes key findings.

.

THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

there are over a thousand families with children without permanent

The 2009 One Night Count Survey of Shelters and Transitional Housing Programs

families, representing 3,319 total individuals residing in emergency and transitional

This number understates the true number of families experiencing

families currently accessing services in an emergency

, and the number is limited by the capacity of the current system

Unmet need for housing is difficult to determine;

there is currently no system set up to capture the

unduplicated number of homeless families living in

the community, beyond those utilizing

Local data shows that shelter vacancy rate is very

low, and families may cycle through multiple

shelter programs before moving into transitional

housing. In addition, families experiencing

homelessness rarely live on the streets

national data show that families are likely to be

doubled up with families or friends while

permanent housing solutions.

KEY INDICATORS OF FAMILIES AT-RISK OF HOMELESSNESS

Families experiencing homelessness have extremely low incomes. In King County, 9.9

population, or 181,451 persons live at or below the federal poverty level.2 As reported in the 2009

One Night Count Shelter Survey, 95 percent of homeless households earn less than 30

Even if their incomes were competitive with the local average


King County Consolidated Plan Update 2010, reporting on ACS 2005-2007 data.

r Survey 2009

The complete Landscape Assessment is available online at:

kingcounty.gov/socialservices/Housing/ServicesAndPrograms/Programs/Homeless/HomelessFamilies

Page 11

to identify existing

of families experiencing homelessness throughout

It also identifies gaps in the system and compares King County with national statistics

The resulting Landscape Assessment was completed in the summer of 2009. The

families with children without permanent

ousing Programs

emergency and transitional

understates the true number of families experiencing

ntly accessing services in an emergency shelter or

capacity of the current system.

difficult to determine;

there is currently no system set up to capture the

of homeless families living in

community, beyond those utilizing services.

helter vacancy rate is very

low, and families may cycle through multiple

shelter programs before moving into transitional

amilies experiencing

rarely live on the streets; local and

that families are likely to be

up with families or friends while seeking

In King County, 9.9 percent of the

As reported in the 2009

f homeless households earn less than 30 percent of

with the local average,


dscape Assessment is available online at:

kingcounty.gov/socialservices/Housing/ServicesAndPrograms/Programs/Homeless/HomelessFamilies

August 2010

ratings. According to Martha Burt of the Urban Institute,

poverty level are the most vulnerable to experiencing a homeless episode.

has had serious impacts on King County’s local economy and its more

Housing Cost versus Ability to PayAnother key indicator is severe housing cost burden

and Urban Development [HUD] as paying

substandard housing, or experiencing a

predictor of homelessness because it includes a subgroup

expense (like a medical bill) away from eviction.

• In King County, 57.3 percent of

have a severe housing cost burden, paying more than 50

(32,400 households in 2000).5

• Only eight percent of all market rate rental units t

families earning less than 40 percent

$800/month).6

The shortage of affordable housing makes it more difficult for families to be re

experiencing homelessness and increases the

risk of homelessness for vulnerable families.

Subsidized Housing WaitlistsCurrent affordable housing solutions aren’t

able to adequately address the scale of need

our community. King County, Seattle and

Renton Housing Authorities have closed their

Housing Voucher (Section 8) waitlists. During

their most recent two-week open enrollment

period in 2008, they received a combined total

of over 23,000 applications from families

requesting assistance from the Housing

Voucher Program.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILIES

Most families experiencing homelessness

Shelter Survey shows that 72 percent

homelessness in the past three years. Nationally, the vast majority (about 80

this situation experience single episodes of relatively short duration

4 Burt (2000)

5 HUD State of the Cities Report (SOCDS:CHAS 2000

6 King County Consolidated Housing Plan Update 2010

MOVING FORWARD

a Burt of the Urban Institute, people living at or below the federal

poverty level are the most vulnerable to experiencing a homeless episode.4 The nation’s recession

has had serious impacts on King County’s local economy and its more vulnerable residents.

Ability to Pay Another key indicator is severe housing cost burden (defined by the U.S. Department of Housing

and Urban Development [HUD] as paying 50 percent or more of income for rent)

or experiencing a housing foreclosure. Severe housing cost burden is a strong

predictor of homelessness because it includes a subgroup of families who may be one unexpected

away from eviction.

of extremely low-income households (defined as <30

have a severe housing cost burden, paying more than 50 percent of household income for rent

of all market rate rental units throughout King County are affordable to

percent of the area’s median income (rents of approx

The shortage of affordable housing makes it more difficult for families to be re-housed after

ng homelessness and increases the

risk of homelessness for vulnerable families.

Subsidized Housing Waitlists solutions aren’t

able to adequately address the scale of need in

King County, Seattle and

g Authorities have closed their

Housing Voucher (Section 8) waitlists. During

open enrollment

, they received a combined total

of over 23,000 applications from families

rom the Housing

CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

Most families experiencing homelessness are not homeless long-term. The 2009 One Night Count

percent of families in shelter report that this was their only

years. Nationally, the vast majority (about 80 percent

experience single episodes of relatively short duration.

HUD State of the Cities Report (SOCDS:CHAS 2000)

King County Consolidated Housing Plan Update 2010-2012

Page 12

living at or below the federal

The nation’s recession

vulnerable residents.

defined by the U.S. Department of Housing

) or living in

. Severe housing cost burden is a strong

may be one unexpected

income households (defined as <30 percent AMI)

of household income for rent

hroughout King County are affordable to

of the area’s median income (rents of approximately $600 -

housed after

2009 One Night Count

this was their only episode of

percent) of families in


Compared with single individuals

experiencing homelessness, adult members

of homeless families are much less likely to

have mental health and substance abuse

problems, are more likely to have completed

high school, more likely to have recently

worked, and more likely to have regular

contact with members of their social

network.7

Race and Homelessness Local data show that people of color are

overrepresented in the homeless family

population served in shelter. Eighty percent

of individuals in shelter and transitional

housing for families are people of color, while

only 31 percent of King County’s population is

people of color.

Children Experiencing Homelessness The profoundly destabilizing effect of a homeless episode is especially devastating to children’s

health, development and well-being.

• Homeless children have twice the rate of learning disabilities and three times the rate of

emotional and behavioral problems of non-homeless children.9

• Half of school-age homeless children experience anxiety, depression, or withdrawal

compared to 18 percent of non-homeless children.10

• By age eight, one in three homeless children has developed a serious emotional

disturbance.11

• Many families are forced to separate when they become homeless. Nationwide,

approximately one-third of children in foster care have a homeless or unstably housed

parent.12

• Forty percent of sheltered homeless children in King County are under age four, and 57

percent are school aged.13 According to the Washington State Office of the Superintendent

of Public Instruction, the number of homeless children attending King County public schools

in academic year 2007-8 was 3,401.14

7 Culhane et al, 2007.

8King County One Night Count Shelter Survey 2009, ACS 2005-07, King County Family Snapshot Survey, National Center on Family Homelessness Fact

Sheet on Family Homelessness. 9 The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2005. Facts on Trauma and Homeless Children. http://www.nctsnet.org/nctsn_assets/pdfs/

promising_practices/Facts_on_Trauma_and_Homeless_Children.pdf. 10

Ibid. 11

Ibid. 12

The National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2004. Fact Sheet: Research on Homelessness and Child Welfare.

http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/general/detail/1043. 13

One Night Count Shelter Survey, 2009. 14

http://www.k12.wa.us/

Typical Homeless Family in King County8

Single mother with two

children

82% of homeless families served by

shelters in King County are headed

by a single parent, 79% by a single

female

Has young children 40% of homeless children in King

County shelters are under age 4, and

57% are school aged

Is headed by a woman

of color

80% of persons in homeless families

in shelter are persons of color,

compared with 31% of King County

residents

Likely has limited

education and is not

working full-time

33% of homeless heads of household

in shelter have no high school

diploma or GED

67% are either unemployed or

working less than 50% time with no

sick leave, health or retirement

benefits


Domestic Violence Domestic violence is common among homeless families. It is not only a leading cause of

homelessness for women, but it is also a key reason why families become separated from their

extended support systems. The effects of violence in the home severely impact every aspect of

stability for both children and parents, and it often takes years for the family to regain a sense of

safety. The National Alliance to End Homelessness reports that 13 percent of homeless families left

their last place of residence due to abuse or violence in the household.15

Refugee and Immigrant Families In King County, refugee and immigrant families are being seen in increasing numbers. They have

many issues that affect their housing stability, including limited English proficiency, lack of

documentation, medical issues and lack of formal education. In addition, the eligibility criteria for

most subsidized housing programs prevent undocumented families from accessing housing

assistance.

HOW FAMILIES INTERACT WITH THE LOCAL NETWORK OF HOMELESS SERVICES

The current service delivery model was developed to move a family through a series of

interventions (a continuum of care) to become “housing ready.” An example scenario might be: A

family experiences homelessness and enters the “system” through a shelter � later, moving into

transitional housing where they receive a broad array of services to improve their life skills � once

the family successfully completes the transitional program, they “graduate” and move into

permanent housing (either with or without a subsidy) � case management services typically end

when as a family moves into permanent housing.

15

The National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2010. Fact Sheet: Domestic Violence.


Local System Strengths The King County region has a strong commitment to ending family homelessness, and a long and

successful history of developing programs that address the needs of families experiencing

homelessness. Current system strengths include:

• Strong interagency collaboration

• A variety of community based agencies and informal supports for families that do not access

the conventional homeless services and programs.

• Family emergency shelter programs that provide families with safe, private individual

units/bedrooms, unlike other cities, where congregate/dormitory style shelter for families is

used; King County has 213 emergency shelter units for families

• A substantial stock of transitional housing units (891 transitional housing units for families)

providing families a secure place to live with professional case management while they

address issues that may have contributed to their housing crisis

• Families successfully exiting transitional housing before reaching the maximum length of

stay, usually upon receiving subsidized housing.

In spite of the strengths, the delivery of services in King County is fragmented. In reality, it may look

more like this:


Current System Challenges The local network of homeless housing and services for

families can be complicated and inefficient. Key gaps

include:

• Access for families is difficult; there are many

points of entry, and families must make multiple

calls to multiple agencies for several weeks to

find shelter. In most cases they are served in a

“first come, first served” fashion, regardless of

their level of need

• Many immigrant and refugee populations

experience difficulty accessing programs and

services

• Families who are at-risk of becoming homeless have limited services available to them to

prevent homelessness. Often they must become homeless in order to receive assistance

• Shelters are full; there is limited funding and shelter space. As a result, sixty percent of

homeless families report spending three or more months homeless before entering an

emergency shelter

• Program-defined time limits on shelter stays mean that some families must move from

shelter to shelter while others may find themselves homeless again

• Families receive intensive and effective services while they are residing in emergency and

transitional housing programs but little stabilization support after they exit

• Mainstream systems such as the Department of Social and Health Services (TANF, Basic

Food, CHIP, Disability Lifeline), K-12 schools, health care, mental health and chemical

dependency services, Veterans Administration and employment and training are not well

coordinated with the homeless service system.

The local network of homeless housing and services for families is not organized in a systematic way

that makes it easy for families experiencing crisis to find their way to the housing and services they

need. They may experience many disruptions, and may end up in housing that is not appropriate to

their needs.

This plan lays out a framework for a more streamlined, accessible system designed to prevent

families in crisis from becoming homeless, rapidly house those who experience homelessness, and

link families to the services they need to remain stably housed.

The Continuum-of-Care model was

supported by HUD and mandated by

the McKinney-Vento funding process

dating back to the 1990s. The

approach is based on the premise that

homelessness is not just caused by a

lack of affordable housing but involves

a variety of underlying, unmet

household needs that must be

addressed before a family can

maintain stable permanent housing.


HOUSING STABILIZATION: A NEW APPROACH

Currently, families experiencing homelessness are placed in a succession of emergency and

transitional housing programs, while providing them with a variety of services designed to prepare

them for moving back into permanent housing. Evidence across the nation and here locally

indicates that a more effective method to ending homelessness is to move families quickly to

housing.

The core reason that families are homeless in this community is a lack of access to affordable

housing. This approach centers on providing families experiencing homelessness with housing

quickly and then providing services as needed—this “housing-based” approach provides an

immediate and primary focus on helping families quickly access and sustain permanent housing.

The new approach will have one primary charge- -to get and keep families stably housed. The

homelessness system will also, as an integral part of its work, seek to link families to community

supports and the mainstream programs that will allow them to address issues of education,

employment and job advancement, health, mental health and chemical dependency treatment and

other factors that affect their ability to stabilize and prosper.

Families enter program through direct

contact with individual program

System-wide coordinated entry and

assessment matches families to services

Families reside in a succession of

emergency & transitional housing

programs

Immediate focus is to find non-time limited,

long-term housing as quickly as possible for

families

Agencies provide appropriate services to

prepare them for moving back into

housing

Appropriate services are provided following

placement to keep families housed

Families finds permanent housing

This plan outlines housing stability as the key driver to ending family homelessness and shows how

strong integrated links to other service systems provide supports that families need to progress

towards and ultimately maintain stable housing. By focusing strategies on housing stability, this

approach establishes the platform from which families can address and overcome the obstacles and

difficulties that contributed to their housing crisis.

Current Approach New Approach


“For most homeless families,

lacking a permanent place to

live is a temporary condition; a

crisis through which they will

pass successfully given the right

support and assistance. It is

neither a permanent state of

being nor a permanent

characteristic that defines the

family or its members.” -

Educating Children Without

Housing, Third Edition, ABA

Commission on Homelessness &

Poverty

Seven principles frame this work:

• Build on strengths in the existing homeless housing and services system

• Focus on housing stability

• Emphasize appropriate housing stability services to meet level, intensity, and immediacy of

housing need

• Support client empowerment and choice, while fostering client accountability

• Engage and reach within communities to create equal access to housing services and

supports for all families who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness

• Realign policies and dedicate funding and resources to support implementation of practices

consistent with the housing stabilization approach

• Connect families to mainstream service systems and community supports to sustain long-

term housing and economic security.

Although the housing stabilization approach seeks to place people into housing rapidly, the reality is

that locating an appropriate unit takes time and in the meantime, families need somewhere to stay

– interim housing fills that role. While in interim housing, families receive assistance to help them

locate housing in the least restrictive setting possible and case management to assess their

circumstances and identify other service needs. As much as possible, a family’s service needs should

not delay entry into non-time limited housing. The goal is for families to be in interim housing for

the absolute minimum time necessary to access permanent housing.

The graphics on the next two pages illustrate how the proposed approach will work and how

families at risk of or experiencing homelessness would be served by this approach. As illustrated, a

housing stabilization focused system begins with coordinated entry and assessment. The goal of

coordinated entry is to identify those families who need housing

stability support (whether they are currently housed or are

experiencing homelessness) and provide tailored supports and

services to create that stability. As housing stability is achieved,

the homelessness system, as an integral part of its functioning,

must link that family to the community supports and

mainstream services that will allow the family to progress and

advance. Once those linkages are made, however, the

homelessness system defers to the mainstream systems,

including community supports, in the provision of those

services.


The first diagram is the broad representation of this approach.


The second diagram is an annotated version of the first, explaining in detail how each of the

elements functions.

August 2010

Key System Changes

System realignment will require a fundamental cultural shift for all levels of our family homeless

assistance network: agencies serving families facing a housing crisis; funders providing resources

that support the homelessness services system; and mainstream service systems supplyi

term supports to families before and after their period of housing instability. This strategic plan

builds on current efforts of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County and the momentum

that exists in our community to realign our fami

experiencing homelessness. By building on existing strengths, bringing successful programs to scale,

integrating services and programs and coordinating community efforts

number of families who experience homelessness and reduce the length of time families

homeless.

The following pages provide further background

implemented throughout King County.

above identified headings. Each section

change, then describes the strategies

results of a successful systems change.

The chart on the next page outlines key initial system changes

MOVING FORWARD

Key System Changes

uire a fundamental cultural shift for all levels of our family homeless


that support the homelessness services system; and mainstream service systems supplyi


current efforts of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County and the momentum

that exists in our community to realign our family homeless assistance network.

• Coordinate entry and assessment

• Prevent homelessness for families most a

• Move families quickly to stable housing

• Focus support services on housing stability

• Increase collaborations with

systems.

This section outlines a series of strategies that will

produce the most significant system

will result in better serving families facing or

By building on existing strengths, bringing successful programs to scale,

ntegrating services and programs and coordinating community efforts, the system can reduce the

number of families who experience homelessness and reduce the length of time families

provide further background and detail on prioritized strategies

implemented throughout King County. The strategy sections of this plan are categorized by the

above identified headings. Each section begins with a description of the context of the system

the strategies required to bring about the desired change and the expected

results of a successful systems change.

tlines key initial system changes.

To accomplish these goals, the

system realignment will:

Page 21

uire a fundamental cultural shift for all levels of our family homeless


that support the homelessness services system; and mainstream service systems supplying the long


current efforts of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County and the momentum

oordinate entry and assessment

r families most at risk

quickly to stable housing

ocus support services on housing stability

ncrease collaborations with mainstream

section outlines a series of strategies that will

system-wide shifts that

families facing or

By building on existing strengths, bringing successful programs to scale,

the system can reduce the

number of families who experience homelessness and reduce the length of time families spend

strategies that will be

The strategy sections of this plan are categorized by the

of the system-wide

required to bring about the desired change and the expected

To accomplish these goals, the initial

system realignment will:


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August 2010

Goal #1: Coordinate Entry and Assessment

CONTEXT

National research identifies centralized intake as a key component in effective homeless programs

because it improves the quality of client screening and assessment, and provides for better

matching of clients with appropriately

resources more efficiently.16 The goal

resolving their housing crisis without having to enter shelter, thereby avoiding homelessness

altogether.

Currently, there is no “system-wide

should receive when they are at-risk of or have become

a family initially seeks assistance, which program has an opening, and the el

establishes a consistent process for families to access

providers to link families to the resources they need.

calls and endless trips from agency to agency,

levels of service simply because that was the first

include:

• Coordinated defined entry p

• Additional outreach and support to

immigrant and refugee populations

• Standardized strengths

and tools including an accurate and uniform assessment in order to connect families with

appropriate programs at a system

16

US Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2009.

MOVING FORWARD

oordinate Entry and Assessment



ng of clients with appropriately targeted services and resources, thus utilizing scarce

he goal of a coordinated triage approach, is to assist families in

housing crisis without having to enter shelter, thereby avoiding homelessness

wide” approach for determining what kind of assistance

risk of or have become homeless. The response

a family initially seeks assistance, which program has an opening, and the eligibility criteria for the

program. This randomness leads to inefficiency for

the families and the providers. Families don’t

necessarily end up in the program with

appropriate level of support; sometimes they receive

too much service and sometimes they receive too little.

Of special concern are families with high needs and

barriers who may be screened out of certain housing

programs. Additionally, there are many families who

don’t access the services in the first place.

families and many others who do not receive assistance

may be lost to the system because families turned away

from programs are not currently tracked.

Coordinated entry into the housing stabilization system

for families to access prevention and homeless services and

providers to link families to the resources they need. Families will be spared multiple daily phone

calls and endless trips from agency to agency, and avoid placement in programs with

simply because that was the first or only open slot available. Key components

Coordinated defined entry points into our local housing delivery system

Additional outreach and support to eliminate potential barriers for families of color and

rant and refugee populations

strengths-based, culturally appropriate screening and assessment protocols


appropriate programs at a system-wide level

US Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2009. Centralized Intake for People Experiencing Homelessness.

Page 23



and resources, thus utilizing scarce

is to assist families in

housing crisis without having to enter shelter, thereby avoiding homelessness

for determining what kind of assistance families

The response depends on where

lity criteria for the

leads to inefficiency for both

the families and the providers. Families don’t

necessarily end up in the program with the most

; sometimes they receive

metimes they receive too little.

amilies with high needs and

out of certain housing

Additionally, there are many families who

don’t access the services in the first place. These

others who do not receive assistance

families turned away

from programs are not currently tracked.

into the housing stabilization system

homeless services and enables

multiple daily phone

avoid placement in programs with inappropriate

Key components

delivery system

eliminate potential barriers for families of color and

based, culturally appropriate screening and assessment protocols



• Assessments conducted by qualified staff specialists in order to:

o Evaluate the risk of homelessness for families in unstable housing situations

o Identify immediate barriers to housing stability for those families at-risk of or

experiencing homelessness

o Prioritize interventions depending on need and make the appropriate referral

• Support for interagency collaboration and coordination among providers

• Ability to capture data on the number of homeless families, the needs/barriers of these

families

• Identification of system gaps.

The King County Family Homelessness Workgroup drafted a set of guiding principles for a

coordinated entry system shift. During the spring of 2009, these principles were vetted and widely

supported at a series of stakeholder meetings. The guiding principles require the system to:

• Start with families but be scalable and

adaptable over time to respond to

needs of other populations as

funding/opportunities arise

• Focus on homeless housing and

services

• Be easy to use for families so they can

easily understand how to access the

system and have a clear path to find

out about housing and services

• Ensure processes are culturally

appropriate and accessible

• Be client focused - always aiming to

provide value to the client

• Be efficient and respectful

• Include the use of uniform intake and

assessment tools

• Allow for choice (client and agency)

and fluidity but with realistic

parameters and expectations

• Be built on a system of adequate

capacity (services and housing) to

support clients now and in the future

• Connect to existing infrastructure as

appropriate, including Safe Harbors,

211, Day One Program and auxiliary

services

The Process A coordinated entry and assessment system begins with screening through 211, both for those who

seek help on their own and those who are reached through targeted outreach. One of the major

shifts in the system will be the end of “walk in” entry where families drift from agency to agency

seeking housing assistance. There will be an alternative pathway for special populations that might

have difficulty navigating or reluctance to engage in the 211 entry on their own, such as new

refugees. Special outreach efforts will engage those groups.

The 211 system will do a screening to establish whether a family needs a housing stabilization

assessment or simply needs information and referral to other community services, such as linkage

August 2010

to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

housing stabilization is definitely required, but only

for example, a family seeking only help with a utility bill may reveal that it is also behind on medical

bills, has lost a job, and has not paid rent for the last month.

might identify enough issues that the

If referred to assessment, the family

regional coordinated entry office. Designated staff

specially trained in the process will

upon the initial screening information to

family’s housing barriers and strengths using a

uniform assessment tool. While the

part of an existing agency, the intake specialists will

be part of the coordinated entry system, trained a

supervised centrally.

Families will be referred to programs based on their

recommended level of housing and service assistance needed to obtain or maintain housing

stability. If there is capacity, the family is connected to the most appropriate progr

stability services. If capacity is not available, families will be put on a placement list, which can be

sorted by level of service need, eligibility

Agencies will contact the placement co

appropriate referral based on date of intake.

and large numbers of households in crisis, it is anticipated that there will continue to be waitin

periods for shelter and housing placement

capacity to serve those households at high

Agencies will receive all data collected by the intake specialists via

Management Information System

data with their own program assessments as desired.

The intent is to stabilize housing for families, either by

housing. Some families, however, may require a period of time

secured. Interim housing will be used in those rare cases. In addition, although by no means

preferred, the system must recognize that until sufficient

needed to house families until long

they are “housing ready,” however, will no longer be part of the system.

Prior to implementation, additional analysi

pathways for (1) immigrants and refugees who have limited English language background and may

require assistance in bridging cultural barriers that might keep them

and (2) survivors of domestic violence

and confidentiality are addressed. Initially,

shelter will utilize the existing Day One Program system, not

MOVING FORWARD

emporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). 211 will not make a determination that

housing stabilization is definitely required, but only whether a further assessment is needed. Thus,


bills, has lost a job, and has not paid rent for the last month. In that situation, the 211 screener

ght identify enough issues that the family is referred for a housing stabilization assessment.

If referred to assessment, the family will go to a

. Designated staff

ill access and build

pon the initial screening information to assess a

family’s housing barriers and strengths using a

hese offices may be

intake specialists will

be part of the coordinated entry system, trained and

referred to programs based on their


stability. If there is capacity, the family is connected to the most appropriate progr


el of service need, eligibility and client choice factors (geography, for instance

Agencies will contact the placement coordinator as availability arises, and will take the first

appropriate referral based on date of intake. In the short term, due to severe resource constraints

and large numbers of households in crisis, it is anticipated that there will continue to be waitin

periods for shelter and housing placement; limited prevention services and funding; and limited

capacity to serve those households at high-risk of homelessness.

collected by the intake specialists via Safe Harbors, our lo

ystem (HMIS). At program entry, agencies will be able to augment the

data with their own program assessments as desired.

stabilize housing for families, either by stabilizing existing housing or findi

housing. Some families, however, may require a period of time before long-term housing

. Interim housing will be used in those rare cases. In addition, although by no means

preferred, the system must recognize that until sufficient capacity exists, interim housing

needed to house families until long-term housing is found. The concept of keeping families until

” however, will no longer be part of the system.

additional analysis will be undertaken to develop potential alternative

immigrants and refugees who have limited English language background and may

bridging cultural barriers that might keep them from accessing needed services

survivors of domestic violence who will benefit from housing stability services once safety

and confidentiality are addressed. Initially, it is expected that families seeking confidential/safe

Day One Program system, not the Coordinated Entry system.

Page 25

. 211 will not make a determination that

whether a further assessment is needed. Thus,


In that situation, the 211 screener

housing stabilization assessment.


stability. If there is capacity, the family is connected to the most appropriate program for housing


, for instance).

ordinator as availability arises, and will take the first

ue to severe resource constraints

and large numbers of households in crisis, it is anticipated that there will continue to be waiting

limited prevention services and funding; and limited

Safe Harbors, our local Homeless

. At program entry, agencies will be able to augment the

stabilizing existing housing or finding new

term housing can be

. Interim housing will be used in those rare cases. In addition, although by no means

interim housing will be

term housing is found. The concept of keeping families until

otential alternative

immigrants and refugees who have limited English language background and may

from accessing needed services

housing stability services once safety

families seeking confidential/safe

the Coordinated Entry system.



KEY SYSTEM CHANGE: COORDINATE ENTRY AND ASSESSEMENT

STRATEGIES

a. Take steps to ensure that families can access coordinated entry regardless of their

circumstances.

b. Create culturally appropriate access for immigrant and refugee families and those with

limited English backgrounds. Ensure safe access for survivors of domestic violence.

c. Establish an outreach plan aimed at community and mainstream programs, agencies and

services to ensure access for all populations who need housing stabilization services

d. Create a public outreach campaign to inform the public about 211 as entry point for housing

stabilization services.

STRATEGIES

a. Establish a uniform screening and assessment process to gather information about a

household and their housing and service needs, administered by a cadre of specialists

trained and skilled in conducting assessments.

b. Create and adopt a scale that identifies families’ housing stability challenges (low through

high).

c. Facilitate assessment and sharing of agency program eligibility requirements and their case

management capacity in relation to the adopted scale.

d. Employ a placement process for connecting families to the most appropriate service

provider.

e. Engage with providers, stakeholders and large and small community groups to inform them

about new coordinated entry system, with particular attention to harder-to-reach and non-

service seeking populations.

f. Work with families already in emergency shelters and transitional programs, as the first step

of Coordinated Entry and Assessment.

OBJECTIVE 1 Create a centralized process with equal access for families to seek and gain

housing stability assistance, including prevention assistance.

OBJECTIVE 2 Enable system to uniformly assess families and match them with housing resources

and services that best fit their circumstances and preferences.


STRATEGIES

a. Task an advisory group with responsibility for regularly reviewing coordinated entry system

progress, including providing feedback on future direction and reviewing system level data

on trends.

b. Work with Safe Harbors HMIS to ensure that consistent system-level data is being collected.

EXPECTED BENEFITS

Fo

r

FA

MIL

IES

• Simplify the process for families to access services

• Support all populations to have equal access to services

• Help ensure that families get the right services

• Provide access to multiple programs/services through one process.

Fo

r

AG

EN

CIE

S

• Provide a consistent and ready source of appropriate client referrals

• Allow staff to spend more time serving clients and less time gathering

information and completing forms

• Support collaboration and coordination among service providers.

Fo

r th

e

SY

ST

EM

AS

A W

HO

LE

• Improve the efficiency, accuracy and consistency of the screening, assessment,

and referral process with trained and dedicated staff

• Make it possible to match families with the most appropriate services; target

resources more efficiently and accurately based on a standardized assessment of

families strengths and housing barriers

• Enhance the overall coordination and reduce system-wide fragmentation

• Improve the system’s ability to serve vulnerable families and to provide

accessible and culturally appropriate services

• Provide an unduplicated count of the number of families requesting assistance

• Better understanding of the families requesting assistance: housing size and

composition; housing and service needs; income and housing barriers

• Utilize data to influence system modifications/enhancements and provide a basis

for planning and advocacy.

OBJECTIVE 3 Use system-level data to inform planning and funding of programs based on a more accurate

understanding of the true scope of family homelessness in King County.

August 2010

Goal #2: Prevent Homelessness for

CONTEXT

The current local network of prevention

conventional one-time assistance

programs targeting higher-risk hou

management.

Research suggests that, while effective, most conventional

prevention programs target populations with household

characteristics that are quite different from

entrants and that many prevention programs may be missing

the households that really need assistance, but have difficulty

navigating the system or unaware of the assistance.

One of the greatest problems in structuring a prevention

program is the difficulty in determining

become homeless if not given assistance

of predictors includes an extremely low income, a

demonstrated housing crisis, and lack

community support networks to obtain stable

The National Alliance to End Homelessness

in developing prevention programs.

• Homeless in the last twelve months

• Income at or below 15 percent

• Currently experiencing a housing crisis (dangerous

weeks)

• Families that are secondary tenants (doubled up, marginally housed)

• Experienced two or more moves in the past year

• Have a young child (under the age of

• Young head of household (under 25 with children or pregnant)

• Eviction from public or assisted housing

• Experienced domestic violence in the past 30 days

• Missed two or more appointments with a caseworker

• Serious mental illness.

Even with these factors in mind, however, it is extremely difficult to separate out the small

percentage of families who will become homeless from the very large number of families

experiencing these types of problems. Across the nation, there is no

17

National Alliance to End Homelessness (2009). Recommendations: Using the New Prevention and Re

MOVING FORWARD

omelessness for Families Most at

prevention services provides a variety of interventions

assistance for those who can otherwise afford their rent to newly funded

risk households with multiple months of financial assistance

Research suggests that, while effective, most conventional

prevention programs target populations with household

characteristics that are quite different from most shelter

ts and that many prevention programs may be missing

the households that really need assistance, but have difficulty

navigating the system or unaware of the assistance.

One of the greatest problems in structuring a prevention

determining which families will

assistance. A composite picture

extremely low income, a

and lack of other resources or

networks to obtain stable housing.

he National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) identified notable risk factors for consideration

developing prevention programs.17 A few of those factors include:

Homeless in the last twelve months

percent AMI or sudden and significant loss of income

Currently experiencing a housing crisis (dangerous housing conditions, eviction

are secondary tenants (doubled up, marginally housed)

Experienced two or more moves in the past year

g child (under the age of two)

Young head of household (under 25 with children or pregnant)

Eviction from public or assisted housing

Experienced domestic violence in the past 30 days

Missed two or more appointments with a caseworker



experiencing these types of problems. Across the nation, there is no jurisdiction that claims to have

Recommendations: Using the New Prevention and Re-Housing Funds.

Page 29

ost at Risk

a variety of interventions that range from

to newly funded

seholds with multiple months of financial assistance and case

risk factors for consideration

significant loss of income

conditions, eviction within two



jurisdiction that claims to have


Shelter Diversion

Several communities nationally have had

success in implementing “shelter diversion”

programs. Diversion programs serve families

who have requested shelter but not yet entered

the shelter system. This is often the case for

families staying with friends or family or facing

imminent eviction due to unpaid rent.

These families may be best served by diverting

them from the shelter system instead of letting

the situation continue to destabilize until they

arrive at the shelter door. With limited financial

incentives or mediation, diversion programs

help families return to the housing they just left

or move in with friends or family. In some cases,

the housing situation is temporary until the

family can be relocated; assistance may be short

term housing search and stabilization services.

As a result of a coordinated entry and

assessment system, the system will be able to

screen and assess families who may also benefit

from a “shelter diversion” program.

resolved the targeting conundrum. As a result, most jurisdictions have elected to use “closeness to

the shelter door” as the criteria (e.g. households requesting shelter, doubled-up, etc.). Thus,

although families who are closer to losing their housing and have greater barriers to stable housing

cost more to assist and the rate of failure is greater (than those traditionally targeted with

prevention resources such as one time rental assistance programs), these are the households that

are more likely to become homeless without

assistance.

Recent national strategy recommendations also

suggest targeting households who are at the

highest risk of homelessness but who also have a

reasonable chance of retaining their housing if

they receive assistance. Locally, newly funded

prevention programs are targeting higher-risk

families and analyzing data on the families being

served, the resources being provided, and the

outcomes achieved.

There are two areas of focus in prevention

strategies as we move to a housing stabilization

focus.

First, in a housing stabilization approach, the goal

of prevention is to keep the family in housing.

Services focus on doing what is necessary to

prevent homelessness; resolution of underlying

factors that contributed to the housing instability

is secondary. Once prevention service providers

help resolve the housing crisis and the housing

situation is stabilized, the family may need or want to be connected to other services. Prevention

programs should be able to make knowledgeable referrals and linkages to community and

mainstream services, but prevention services focus only on housing stabilization.

Second, prevention strategies should recognize that many families manage to cope even in

circumstances that are terribly stressful. Prevention is about housing. Thus, prevention may mean

mediating and facilitating continuation of a doubled up situation; it does not require placing the

family in their own unit. Prevention may include helping a family move to a much smaller unit, even

though it is cramped, so long as it is more affordable. As with all the efforts of the homelessness

system, linkages to mainstream systems may be needed to assist families in changing their

circumstances, and the homelessness system must help create those linkages, but the provision of

support beyond housing stability services must come from other systems.

In total, the amount of resources devoted to prevention system-wide is relatively small compared to

other strategies to end homelessness– less than five percent of our overall funding picture, per

previous work done by the Committee to End Homelessness.


KEY SYSTEM CHANGE: PREVENT HOMELESSNESS FOR FAMILIES MOST AT RISK

STRATEGIES

a. Support and prepare providers, funders and key stakeholders for changes in prevention

service delivery.

b. Create new expanded prevention services, including shelter diversion, for families at

imminent risk of homelessness in order to serve families who are typically not eligible for

existing prevention services (e.g. families who do not hold a lease; families paying a high

percentage of their income towards housing; families requiring more than one-time

assistance).

c. Evaluate newly-funded expanded prevention services to determine appropriate targeting of

higher risk families, including household factors and effective prevention resources.

d. Funders work closely with providers to assess, redirect and align program funding, contracts

and outcomes to support expanded prevention services.

e. Engage mainstream and community based organizations to integrate prevention activities

(early intervention) into their work with families.

STRATEGIES a. Create a flexible financial resource package for families at imminent risk of homelessness.

This may include multiple month short-term subsidies, move-in and relocation costs, back

rent, utilities, etc.

b. Create a tailored service component to accompany financial support that is focused on

housing stability and based on the needs and priorities of families.

OBJECTIVE 1 Target and expand services available for families who are at highest risk

of homelessness in order to stabilize housing.

OBJECTIVE 2 Make prevention resources more flexible to meet family needs.


EXPECTED BENEFITS F

or

FA

MIL

IES

• Families do not have to become homeless and endure the destabilization of a shelter

stay in order to receive services

• Supports are available to sustain housing when a crisis occurs

• Maintain connections to local community – jobs, schools, neighbors

• Families receive services earlier and build on strengths before housing loss is

imminent and destabilization occurs.

Fo

r

AG

EN

CIE

S

• Resources are flexible to serve families with a variety of levels of needs and barriers

• Agencies have an opportunity to help families avoid a shelter stay

• Agencies are able to provide a package of supports that truly stabilize a family.

Fo

r th

e

SY

ST

EM

AS

A

WH

OLE

• Reduce the number of families entering the shelter system

• Better system wide coordination of prevention services; reduce duplication of

services

• Cost effectiveness (less expensive then shelter stay and re-housing).

August 2010

Goal #3: Help Families Move Quickly to Stable Housing

CONTEXT

A core tenet of the housing stability approach

homelessness if possible, and try to rapidly re

unavoidable. New thinking nationally and locally has moved away from focusing on shelter and

transitional housing toward a stronger prevention and a “ho

The premise is that homelessness is first and foremost a housing problem, and the more quickly a

family moves into viable permanent

other issues. Factors that may have contributed to a household’s episode of homelessness can best

be addressed once they are housed.

continue to provide an emergency

family’s stay, staff will focus on early identification and resoluti

family can move into permanent housing as quickly as possible.

main barriers to securing housing: financial barriers and tenant screening barriers

stabilization supports and (limited

these critical barriers.

Depending on the level of need, interim housing

referred to appropriate housing and service

housing). Families with the highest barriers to moving into permanent housing will be assisted

interim housing. Families will remain in

requirements but until the appropriate housing resources are identified

successfully move to a permanent housing solution in the shortest time frame possible. Length of

stay in interim housing is not program or participation driven but determined by the fa

individual plan to find permanent housing.

18

National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2009. Organizational Change: Adopting a Housing First Approach.

MOVING FORWARD

Help Families Move Quickly to Stable Housing

tability approach is that the system will help families avoid

homelessness if possible, and try to rapidly re-house families if loss of housing becomes


transitional housing toward a stronger prevention and a “housing first” homeless delivery system.


viable permanent housing, the sooner they can stabilize their life and address

that may have contributed to a household’s episode of homelessness can best

be addressed once they are housed.18

This approach acknowledges that s

the length of time a family is

not eliminate the need for services

However studies show that

effectiveness of services increases

delivered after a household is re

Additionally, skills and information

members must learn to sustain

best learned when a family is living

own housing where they have a chance to

apply the lessons.

In the new system, interim housing

emergency option for those families experiencing homelessness.

staff will focus on early identification and resolution of housing barriers

can move into permanent housing as quickly as possible. Most homeless families have two

main barriers to securing housing: financial barriers and tenant screening barriers

limited) financial assistance will help families overcome or minimize

interim housing staff may facilitate re-housing or the family may be

referred to appropriate housing and services (i.e. rapid re-housing models or permanent supportive

Families with the highest barriers to moving into permanent housing will be assisted

will remain in interim housing not according to program timeframes or

opriate housing resources are identified. The intent is that families


stay in interim housing is not program or participation driven but determined by the fa

individual plan to find permanent housing. Due to the initial capacity constraints of the system,

2009. Organizational Change: Adopting a Housing First Approach.

Page 33

Help Families Move Quickly to Stable Housing

amilies avoid

house families if loss of housing becomes


using first” homeless delivery system.


housing, the sooner they can stabilize their life and address

that may have contributed to a household’s episode of homelessness can best

This approach acknowledges that shortening

a family is homeless does

eliminate the need for services.

that the beneficial

services increases when

after a household is re-housed.

skills and information family

must learn to sustain housing are

a family is living in their

e they have a chance to

interim housing will

for those families experiencing homelessness. During a

ousing barriers so that the

Most homeless families have two

main barriers to securing housing: financial barriers and tenant screening barriers. Housing

nancial assistance will help families overcome or minimize

housing or the family may be

dels or permanent supportive

Families with the highest barriers to moving into permanent housing will be assisted by

not according to program timeframes or

The intent is that families


stay in interim housing is not program or participation driven but determined by the families’

ue to the initial capacity constraints of the system,

August 2010

some families may remain in interim housing

not cycle through multiple programs

By reducing the length of a family’s episode of homelessness and matching families with the

appropriate housing and services, the expectation is that the system will more effectively and

efficiently serve families experiencing homelessness.

Interim Housing: Emergency Shelter and Transitional HousingIf families are moved quickly to stable housing whenever

models as rapid re-housing, interim housing can then be used to serve

would benefit most from an “interim” short

securing housing such as credit issues or acute mental health crises

housing will do so only until the ap

Transitional housing is a significant

component of our current homeless

assistance network for families. It is time

limited, up to 24 months, and includes

support services that require family

participation. Often, families do not

begin housing search until the late stages

of their stay in transitional housing. In the

new approach, Interim housing will

become more flexible and target those

families for whom time-limited transition

is appropriate due primarily to complex

and multiple housing barriers. As much as

possible, a family’s service needs should

not delay entry into permanent housing;

if needed; housing resources and services

permanent housing situation.

In order to maximize the capacity and use of our existing homeless housing stock, providers, with

assistance and support of local funders, will conduct a

programs (specifically emergency shelter and transitiona

from the existing system towards one with shorter interim housing stays and more prevention,

diversion and rapid re-housing services.

• Retooling projects to become “interim” hou

re-housing

• Removing length of stay requirements and

or permanent affordable housing

• Switching projects to permanent supportive housing projects

permanent disabilities; t

of housing assistance.

MOVING FORWARD

interim housing longer than they currently stay in shelter

not cycle through multiple programs, and the overall length of homelessness will be reduced.



lies experiencing homelessness.

ng: Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing to stable housing whenever appropriate, through such program

housing, interim housing can then be used to serve those who truly need and

n “interim” short-term program where they can address barriers to

such as credit issues or acute mental health crises. Families that remain in

will do so only until the appropriate housing resources are identified.

Transitional housing is a significant

homeless

for families. It is time-

24 months, and includes

that require family

Often, families do not

begin housing search until the late stages

housing. In the

will

those

ed transition

complex

housing barriers. As much as

service needs should

not delay entry into permanent housing;

housing resources and services supports will follow a family once they are


assistance and support of local funders, will conduct an assessment of the current

(specifically emergency shelter and transitional housing units). The goal is transitioning


housing services. Conversion options may include:

projects to become “interim” housing—serving families with higher barriers to

length of stay requirements and/or converting projects to transition

ermanent affordable housing

projects to permanent supportive housing projects—serving families wit

; therefore targeting a more “specialized” population for this type

.

Page 34

stay in shelter, but they will

erall length of homelessness will be reduced.



, through such program

those who truly need and

where they can address barriers to

. Families that remain in interim

once they are housed in a


n assessment of the current homeless

The goal is transitioning


serving families with higher barriers to

converting projects to transition-in-place

serving families with

targeting a more “specialized” population for this type


However, moving families into permanent housing remains the primary expectation and goal for all

households, including those residing in interim housing.

Permanent Supportive Housing Locally and nationally, homeless housing programs have shown that families with high/multiple

needs can live independently when they have access to appropriate support services after they have

obtained housing. However, families with significant disabilities or other issues requiring a higher

level of services in order to maintain permanent housing should be directed towards permanent

supportive housing with services.

Affordable Housing While the focus of this initiative is on bringing about countywide systems change towards this new

approach, increasing the supply of affordable housing remains a priority for the county. Through

the Committee to End Homelessness in King County (CEH), the community is working to increase

federal, state and local resources to increase the supply of affordable housing and is also exploring

ways of making market rate housing more accessible for homeless families. In other words, the

focus of this initiative is to increase the efficiency with which our existing affordable housing

resources are delivered to homeless families; the equally critical work of creating new affordable

housing will continue through the ongoing efforts of CEH and their advocacy partners:

• Increased development of units for homeless households (the Ten Year Plan estimates a

need for the development of 1,900 family units, half with ongoing services and half without)

• Increased number of housing subsidies (the Ten Year Plan estimates that 60 percent of

families will need a subsidy for five years of more)

• Increased access to affordable housing in the rental market (the Ten Year Plan estimates the

need for 1,000 units to be leased in the private rental market).

KEY SYSTEM CHANGE: HELP FAMILIES MOVE QUICKLY TO STABLE HOUSING

STRATEGIES a. Support and prepare housing and service providers, non-profit housing organizations,

property management companies, funders and key stakeholders for shift to the housing

stabilization approach (e.g. more flexible programs that provide a wide array of stabilization

oriented services that yield better outcomes for families).

OBJECTIVE 1 Restructure the homeless housing system to shift from housing readiness to

the housing stabilization approach.


b. Funders work closely with providers to assess, redirect and align program funding, contracts

and outcomes to support the housing stabilization approach (e.g. outcomes emphasize

timely placement of families in permanent housing).

STRATEGIES a. Align existing emergency shelter and transitional housing programs to the housing

stabilization approach; evaluate housing resources intentionally and strategically to achieve

outcomes (e.g. interim housing for higher need, multiple barriers, specialized populations).

b. Conduct funding and legal analysis of existing properties and programs to inform conversion

plans (what is compatible; restrictions; new funding opportunities; timing).

c. Undertake facility analysis (unit configuration; number of units; property age; needed facility

improvements, etc.).

d. Perform analysis of current staffing configuration and develop transition plan to support

project conversion.

e. Address impacts to operating budgets from project/program model conversion.

f. Evaluate and modify screening requirements; removing barriers to the housing stabilization

approach (e.g. screen in many households that have traditional barriers to renting, and

remove certain tenancy rules that present barriers, such as a clean and sober requirement).

g. Develop adequate supply of rental subsidies with transitional support services for families:

shorter-term subsidies for those with lower barriers and longer-term subsidies (up to five

years) for those with higher barriers.

h. Enhance the capacity of the Landlord Liaison Project to serve families with a broader range

of housing barriers and service needs.

OBJECTIVE 2 Maximize capacity and use of housing resources.


EXPECTED BENEFITS

Fo

r

FA

MIL

IES

• Improved well-being by decreasing stays in shelter/transitional housing; the length

of time families experience homelessness is reduced

• Fewer moves while homeless (which further destabilize families) before families

obtain non-time-limited housing

• Families have the opportunity to hone housing stability skills in practice, not

theory, allowing for better skill building and retention.

Fo

r

AG

EN

CIE

S

• Observe better outcomes for families

• Access to housing stock and/or subsidies for placement

• Opportunity to study which housing models work best for families – length and

structure of subsidies and supports

• Ability to target expertise to serve a specific population.

Fo

r th

e

SY

ST

EM

AS

A W

HO

LE

• Identify true demand/need for various housing resources (e.g. number of rapid re-

housing slots)

• Homeless housing stock is used more efficiently under the housing stabilization

approach

• Targeted resources based on accurate assessments of family needs provides a

more efficient and flexible service delivery model

• Ability to serve more families without increasing unit capacity in shelter or

transitional housing stock.

August 2010

Goal #4: Focus Support Services on Housing Stability

CONTEXT Quickly re-housing families can reduce the stress and disruption that accompanies homelessness

Once families are re-housed they are better able to

have contributed to their housing crisis.

not a mandate to reduce services, but an opportunity to reexamine those services.

“housing stability” rather than “housing readiness”

empowerment in their lives, make their own choices, and address their needs and goals while in the

security of their own homes.

This housing stabilization approach

stability. These services may be provided to a family experiencing homelessness or at

homelessness; including prevention services as an

integral component of homeless services.

At the core of these services are professional case

managers skilled at identifying issues and needs,

making community connections based on those needs,

and assisting the family to develop their capacity to

maintain housing and access community and

mainstream resources. In general, c

identify, monitor, and coordinate services related to

housing needs and improving housing stability.

some families will need on-going services attached to

housing (permanent supportive housing) m

need limited services or more intensive servi

available on an as-needed basis before and after being

re-housed. The intent is that a variety of services are

delivered following a permanent housing placement to

promote housing stability and individual well

are time-limited or long-term depending upon

individual family needs. Housing is not contingent on

compliance with services; instead families must comply with lease agreements and are provided

with services and supports that are necessary to help t

The goal of case management is to assist in preventing homelessness or a recurrence of

homelessness and other adverse outcomes after a family’s housing is stabilized.

provide services based on best practices, theory

and needs for a range of services to promote housing stability.

need only housing assistance and limited services, families who

a transitional basis, and families who will need long term services attached to housing.

MOVING FORWARD


housing families can reduce the stress and disruption that accompanies homelessness

housed they are better able to address the underlying circumstances that may

have contributed to their housing crisis. Shifting to a housing focused service delivery system is

not a mandate to reduce services, but an opportunity to reexamine those services.

tability” rather than “housing readiness” families are empowered to regain stability and


tabilization approach calls for families to receive services centered on housing

These services may be provided to a family experiencing homelessness or at

homelessness; including prevention services as an

integral component of homeless services.

ore of these services are professional case

at identifying issues and needs,

making community connections based on those needs,

and assisting the family to develop their capacity to

maintain housing and access community and

urces. In general, case managers

identify, monitor, and coordinate services related to

housing needs and improving housing stability. While

services attached to

ousing) many will only

intensive services

basis before and after being

The intent is that a variety of services are

delivered following a permanent housing placement to

promote housing stability and individual well-being and

term depending upon

individual family needs. Housing is not contingent on

instead families must comply with lease agreements and are provided

with services and supports that are necessary to help them do so successfully.


homelessness and other adverse outcomes after a family’s housing is stabilized.

provide services based on best practices, theory, and research; assessing each family’s strengths

to promote housing stability. This range includes families who will

need only housing assistance and limited services, families who may receive supportive services on

asis, and families who will need long term services attached to housing.

Page 38


housing families can reduce the stress and disruption that accompanies homelessness.

address the underlying circumstances that may

Shifting to a housing focused service delivery system is

not a mandate to reduce services, but an opportunity to reexamine those services. By focusing on

to regain stability and


calls for families to receive services centered on housing

These services may be provided to a family experiencing homelessness or at-risk of

instead families must comply with lease agreements and are provided


homelessness and other adverse outcomes after a family’s housing is stabilized. Case managers

ssessing each family’s strengths

This range includes families who will

supportive services on

asis, and families who will need long term services attached to housing.


Shifting Support Services The retooling of service delivery to support the housing stabilization approach will focus initially on

these core areas:

Develop focused service plans

At program intake, an assessment is conducted that builds on the information collected at

coordinated entry. It identifies current support systems, family strengths, and gaps/barriers for

each family. The assessment is geared toward housing and assisting families in receiving the

services identified to achieve that goal. Individualized housing stability plans are developed based

on the assessment.

Prioritize client driven services

The support services are strength-based, client centered and unique to each family. The housing

stability plan will follow the clients’ own self-directed priorities and timing for services; prioritizing

client self-determined needs. Case managers respect client autonomy and focus on meeting each

family where they are.

Adjust case management practices

The role for the case managers is not to “fix” but to support and

connect families with services identified on the housing stability

plans. They must be flexible and creative while accurately gauging

a client’s readiness for change and working with families to

develop their own goals. The supports should address, as

appropriate, the needs of the whole family, not just the adults.

The supportive services relationship should focus on creating an

environment of mutual accountability.

Connect to external services and supports

A key function of the case manager is to be aware of mainstream

and local community resources and help connect families with

these resources. By partnering with external service providers and

community supports, families are less dependent on the program; ensuring an ongoing sustaining

support system with the larger community. The role of the case manager therefore, is to help

families learn to navigate mainstream systems on their own, in preparation for the time when

housing stabilization services end. Case managers must be knowledgeable and aid families in

obtaining assistance from mainstream and community resources such as: education and

employment training; schools and education programs; healthcare; mental health resources;

substance abuse and treatment; legal services; and budgeting.

Families are also supported to identify existing systems of support and identify new systems to

meet gaps. Case managers and other program staff must be well-connected to community

resources and other agencies/programs, and be comfortable working in the community. In addition

to more formal systems, connections to supports such as families and friends are critical for clients.

Case managers can assist families in creating opportunities to build and strengthen relationships

and ongoing supports.

The Sound Families

evaluation found that that

the best programs,

“…provided the best match

of service levels with the

families’ needs and had

case managers who could

readily engage with

families to establish

meaningful relationships as

resource persons as well as

support persons.”


Provide time limited services

For the majority of families, case management will be time limited. Empirically supported case

management models such as Critical Time Intervention (CTI) models show that focused, time limited

case management during a critical time, such as being rapidly re-housed into the community, can

have an enduring and positive impact.19 Models such as CTI provide a clear path for “exiting”

services (or transferring care). Early in the process, families will develop an “exit” plan with their

case manager. Program staff assists families in understanding from the beginning that services will

not be ongoing and that by strengthening the families’ long-term ties to services, families, and

friends, and by providing practical support during this period of transition, the family will regain

housing stability. Case managers must be trained and supported in a system of care that provides

‘just enough.’ This core element must be developed within the

agency and embraced by the funding community.

Increase flexibility for re-engagement

When families are provided limited-time, transitional services

that provide ‘just enough’ then programs will need to be flexible

and have the ability to re-engage with families if a situation

arises and families need additional services. Families shouldn’t

have to risk homelessness in order to receive services again. If a

situation occurs where the family seeks additional support,

programs will have the flexibility to provide limited assistance to

former clients as needed or if appropriate/necessary assist the

family with connecting to longer term services.

Build program capacity

Initial and ongoing staff training is needed to incorporate the

new skills and competencies needed to meeting the shift

towards housing stabilization. Staff need to be provided time

and access to ongoing training opportunities to adjust to the change in both philosophical and

service approaches. Trainings may focus on areas such as motivational interviewing; harm

reduction; trauma informed family support services; critical time intervention case management;

mainstream benefit education; conflict mediation; employment and financial literacy; working with

immigrant and refugee families.

Capacity will also need to be expanded at the operational level for case managers during this system

transformation. Including: appropriate caseload levels; adequate consultation and clinical

supervision; ability to be flexible with time and content of services; time for networking (time to go

to meetings; develop relationships); and, access to support groups.

Building Linkages to Economic Opportunities Education, training and career-pathway employment are also fundamental for families in order to

gain and maintain financial stability and achieve self-sufficiency. Many very low-income households

struggle to make ends meet in lower paying, less secure jobs, often without benefits. Families

19

http://www.criticaltime.org/


experiencing homeless are often trapped in low wage employment and may need longer, intensive

employment and training services.

Due to limited system resources, many families will be re-housed without a deep or permanent

housing subsidy. When necessary for families to obtain or retain housing, families are assisted with

securing enough income to afford rent by rapidly linking them to employment and or benefits.

Therefore it will be important that they are able to quickly increase income or obtain employment

and be linked with longer-term, career-based employment services, including tools to increase their

income and access to credentials and post-secondary education. The system should assist families

to work through eligibility processes for these programs.

The needs of families who want to upgrade their skills and earnings through further education and

training are complex. The current services provided to families experiencing homelessness often

cannot provide the long range support and continuity needed to realistically enable people to

escape from the revolving poverty cycle. Further, people living in poverty face a loss of significant

public benefits with only slight increases in income from better paying work. These “benefit cliffs”

create a real disincentive to participation in longer term training and employment activities leading

to higher earnings. Survival remains the primary motivation without a strong network of longer

term support.

KEY SYSTEM CHANGE: FOCUS SERVICES ON HOUSING STABILITY

STRATEGIES a. Ensure that the professional development series curriculum includes housing stability action

planning and focuses on the case management components of housing stability.

b. Establish common set of expectations and guiding principles for housing focused case

management.

c. Agencies reconfigure case management practices as needed to deliver site based and/or in

home support services to families.

d. Case management should be designed to address the cultural and linguistic diversity of the

individual households being served.

e. Develop model assessment tool for case managers that builds on the initial Coordinated

Entry and Assessment tool and assists staff in identifying for each individual family: current

support systems, individual strengths and gaps/barriers.

OBJECTIVE 1 Align case management practices to focus on housing stability.


f. Agencies align their case management practices to be short-term and taper off as stability

increases, by supporting families to develop capacity and skills to manage life challenges as

they arise.

g. Coordinate case management services across systems to assure efficient use of client time

(mitigate the impact of clients needing time off from work or school to attend important

appointments such as court, treatment, therapy, etc.).

h. Put housing stability action plans into practice for all participating families. Action plans

center on obtaining housing and continuing to strengthen housing stability; maximize all

available mainstream supports and entitlements; make an early and strong linkage to

income-increasing employment services; and link families to community supports. The

primary objective should be the individual needs/wants of the families; clients “own” their

plans.

STRATEGIES a. Realign program requirements to support housing stability case management, including

making the services flexible and responsive.

b. Create the capacity for case management that is not linked to specific units or programs

within agencies.

c. Empower agencies to manage and determine their case management loads across programs

within their agency.

d. Funders work closely with providers to assess, redirect and align program funding, contracts

and outcomes to support agencies as they implement the housing stabilization approach in

their service delivery.

OBJECTIVE 2 Tailor service programs to be flexible and responsive to the needs and priorities of families.


STRATEGIES a. Develop tools for improving client and provider understanding of economic opportunities

system and resources available to help connect families to those resources, including tools

for working effectively with local employment office and community colleges.

b. Create training opportunities for housing stabilization staff on employment and benefits,

resources, workforces systems, establishing strategic partnerships, accessing mainstream

resources, job development best practices, etc.

c. Create training for employment staff on housing and support services, resources, etc.

d. Integrate education and economic opportunities planning into client intake and assessment

process, including the housing stability action plan. Assisting clients in their readiness for

employment, exploring a suitable career pathway and preparing for the transition into

employment or education opportunities.

e. Expand support to families in accessing mainstream system benefits and tax credits;

providing assistance in determining how much they can work without losing benefits.

f. Explore opportunities to coordinate housing and employment services funding at the system

level in order to provide packaged resources to families experiencing homelessness (e.g.

Employment and Education Navigators at the WorkSource locations that are dedicated to

providing services to families in partnership with housing providers.)

OBJECTIVE 3 Maximize linkages to economic and educational opportunities to increase financial security.


EXPECTED BENEFITS

Fo

r

FA

MIL

IES

• Families receive the support services they want and need while in housing

• Movement through the system is emphasized, balancing a supportive

environment for families while fostering client accountability, empowerment and

choice

• Greater access to appropriate services, as needed

• Provides a more highly focused / structured case management plan, allowing for

greater progress on building stability

• Approach builds upon parent / child strengths

• Families have an advocate on their side to help them access mainstream supports

for which they are eligible

• Families learn about community and mainstream services and are better able to

navigate systems on their own (now and in the future).

Fo

r

AG

EN

CIE

S

• Provides a framework for redesigning service delivery models, tailoring action

plans using best practices approach

• Supports professional development opportunities for case managers to help with

implementation of service delivery models

• Provides case managers with the flexibility to creatively meet family needs

• Aligns housing stability action plans (client goals) with mainstream system

partners, so areas of responsibility are more transparent and partners are working

toward common goals

• Staff increase their knowledge and ability to access mainstream services for their

clients.

Fo

r th

e S

YS

TE

M

AS

A W

HO

LE • Reduces overutilization of system resources by allowing assistance to vary

according to need

• Increased efficiencies and effectiveness of resources across systems through

better coordination between mainstream systems and the homeless housing

services system.

August 2010

Goal #5: Increase Collaborations with Mainstream Systems

CONTEXT

Once re-housed, families may want and need additional services

typically ask for assistance with improving their lives in such areas as obtaining employment or

increasing income; addressing child behavior or school issues; or requesting referrals for

health issues. Most of these services can and s

“mainstream” refers to other publicly funded

to families based on eligibility criteria that does not explicitly incorporate housing status or

homelessness.) It is impossible and inappropriate for our local homeless service delivery system to

services system; homeless service providers

homelessness cannot succeed as a

to recognize the relationship between housing stability and

work with homeless service providers

Mainstream systems and the homeless delivery system both have a role to play in ending

homelessness.

Currently, the respective responsibilities of homeless s

Homeless services often include job training, pare

counseling and a variety of other support services that are also funded and provided by mainstream

systems. This housing stabilization system recognizes that families will require a variety of these

non-housing support services, but will arrange

not by funding them as part of the

programs and collaborating with main

homelessness.

Mainstream systems such as the Department of Social and Health Services (

Disability Lifeline), K-12 schools, health care, mental health and chemical dependency services,

Veterans Administration and employmen

service system. The housing stabilization system

MOVING FORWARD

Increase Collaborations with Mainstream Systems

want and need additional services; program staff find


increasing income; addressing child behavior or school issues; or requesting referrals for

issues. Most of these services can and should be provided by mainstream system

ublicly funded systems that provide benefits, services

families based on eligibility criteria that does not explicitly incorporate housing status or

It is impossible and inappropriate for our local homeless service delivery system to

provide or fund all the services needed to support

families facing housing instability.

However, often there are insufficient

services (and resources) to serve

qualifies or needs assistance and consequently

families experiencing homelessness do not always

receive the assistance that they need.

Subsequently homeless service providers

community based organization have traditionally

stepped in to provide the needed supports to their

clients. Successful program after successful

program has been created within

homeless service providers have also come to realize that the effort to end

ceed as a stand-alone (or even parallel) system. Mainstream systems

relationship between housing stability and the success of their programs, and to

homeless service providers to assist those who are clients of multiple syst


Currently, the respective responsibilities of homeless services and other systems are unclear

job training, parenting skills development, mental health


housing stabilization system recognizes that families will require a variety of these

ort services, but will arrange, when appropriate, for families to

them as part of the homeless system but by linking families to the mainstream

and collaborating with mainstream programs to better serve families exp

Department of Social and Health Services (TANF, Basic Food, CHIP,

12 schools, health care, mental health and chemical dependency services,

Veterans Administration and employment and training are not well coordinated with the homeless

housing stabilization system needs to build relationships and form partnerships

Page 45

Increase Collaborations with Mainstream Systems

find that families


increasing income; addressing child behavior or school issues; or requesting referrals for mental

hould be provided by mainstream systems. (Note:

services and supports

families based on eligibility criteria that does not explicitly incorporate housing status or

It is impossible and inappropriate for our local homeless service delivery system to

provide or fund all the services needed to support

families facing housing instability.

insufficient mainstream

serve everyone who

needs assistance and consequently

families experiencing homelessness do not always

receive the assistance that they need.

service providers and other

community based organization have traditionally

provide the needed supports to their

uccessful program after successful

within the homeless

have also come to realize that the effort to end

ainstream systems need

success of their programs, and to

those who are clients of multiple systems.


and other systems are unclear.

nting skills development, mental health


housing stabilization system recognizes that families will require a variety of these

for families to receive services

by linking families to the mainstream

experiencing

TANF, Basic Food, CHIP,

12 schools, health care, mental health and chemical dependency services,

t and training are not well coordinated with the homeless

needs to build relationships and form partnerships


with a broad range of community and mainstream programs. This helps to reduce the burden on

the homeless service delivery system and shares the responsibility for preventing and ending

homelessness within the community. By maximizing access for homeless families to community and

mainstream services, the homeless service delivery system will not duplicate or replace services that

mainstream systems are already responsible for providing - -supports to families, regardless of their

housing status.

Current efforts are underway within the Committee to End Homelessness to increase collaborations

with mainstream systems serving families with children. Specific work plan priorities have been

developed in 2010 that will focus on increased communication and cross-system training with the K-

12 education system and creating a program of joint investment in services and housing with the

child welfare system. There are also a number of additional mainstream programs that are

identified as key partners in this effort to provide on-going supports to families:

• Employment and training program, such as those funded through the Workforce

Investment Act

• Benefit programs such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and Basic Food

• Health care, mental health care and substance abuse treatment services

• Veterans Administration

• Community Colleges

KEY SYSTEM CHANGE: INCREASE COLLABORATIONS WITH MAINSTREAM

SYSTEMS

STRATEGIES a. Develop a mechanism for keeping mainstream and homeless providers up to date and

informed on how to connect their clients (both at-risk of and experiencing homelessness)

with one another’s benefits and programs.

b. Develop mechanisms to reduce structural barriers that prevent families from accessing

available benefits and services, such as where programs are located, how they are

organized, or what they require of applicants (e.g. providing transportation; co-locating

eligibility workers; providing multi-lingual services; improving communications among

system workers).

c. Explore opportunities to increase capacity of mainstream services by acquiring additional

resources for at least one mainstream benefit or service that serves homeless families.

OBJECTIVE 1 Improve access to mainstream benefits and services for homeless and at-risk families.


d. Identify eligibility barriers (program rules that establish the criteria for receiving benefits as

well at time limits) that restrict homeless families from accessing benefits, and work with

local, state and federal partners to eliminate restrictive policies.

e. Establish workgroup(s) that consists of representatives from mainstream systems and

homeless services to:

o Simplify application procedures

o Improve the eligibility review process

o Increase the flexibility of funding streams

o Develop incentives for mainstream providers to serve people who are homeless

STRATEGIES a. Build cross-system partnerships that will aid in the understanding of programs and

opportunities that could be involved in a collaboration. Explore goals and strategies of

mutual interest; propose specific targeted recommendations.

b. Create cross training that will inform line staff at K-12 schools about McKinney-Vento

Homeless Education Assistance Act rights and homeless resources; inform staff at

Coordinated Entry and Assessment office about Education Assistance rights; and increase

communication and collaboration between K-12 staff and homeless staff.

c. Create a program of joint investment in services and housing that will address families at

point of entry into the child welfare system to prevent out-of-home placement, or will

facilitate and speed up reunification.

OBJECTIVE 2 Build a working collaboration between the family homeless system and

mainstream service systems that focus on children.


EXPECTED BENEFITS

Fo

r

FA

MIL

IES

• Families are assisted in receiving mainstream services, housing and income

supports they need to maintain housing stability

• Children are provided with federally mandated programs they are entitled to

through the K-12 education system (transportation, etc.).

Fo

r

AG

EN

CIE

S

• Aligns agencies and mainstream services so that all systems share in

stabilizing families

• Agencies can focus on what they do best, and do not duplicate services that

are available in the community.

Fo

r th

e

SY

ST

EM

AS

A W

HO

LE

• Roles are clarified, improving coordination between mainstream systems and

the homeless housing services system

• Partnerships with agencies help inform and strengthen mainstream services

to be more responsive to client need

• Truer sense of the level of need within mainstream services is identified,

allowing for more informed regulations and oversight by state and local

policy makers

• Duplication and fragmentation of services are minimized; increasing cost

effectiveness.


Washington Families Fund Systems Initiative

Partnerships

As part of the larger work of the Washington Families Fund Systems Initiative, a local Puget Sound

partnership was developed to expand collaboration and undertake policy and education efforts with

mainstream systems at the local, state, and federal level. This work by Building Changes and the Bill

& Melinda Gates Foundation will enhance our local King County efforts by providing additional focus

and energy related to ending family homelessness through increased collaboration with and among

mainstream systems serving at-risk and homeless families.

During Spring 2010, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored a group of family homelessness

experts from the Puget Sound region (including representatives from King, Pierce and Snohomish

Counties) to travel to Washington DC to meet with officials at the White House, U.S. Departments of

Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, and Labor, the Interagency Council

on Homelessness, as well as members of the Washington State Congressional Delegation.

The delegation had four primary goals:

• To inform key partners at the federal level about the nature of our regional activities and the

ways in which our local work aligns with emerging cross-system, federal priorities related to

ending family homelessness

• To outline new opportunities for partnerships at the local and regional levels that can

advance the innovative strategies being developed in the Puget Sound region in concert with

the implementation of new federal initiatives

• To develop new and/or reinforce existing partnerships and relationships across multiple

systems and stakeholders at the federal level

• To build a stronger local team of stakeholders from the three Puget Sound counties and the

relevant systems and sectors, as measured by (1) increased understanding of the key issues

that must be addressed in the work of ending family homelessness in the area and (2)

stronger collaborative partnerships across agencies and systems.

One of the repeating themes the delegation heard during the trip was the need to articulate specific

ways that cross-agency collaboration on the federal level would benefit local efforts to address

family homelessness. It appeared the message at the federal level was that they are willing to take

on the difficult task of collaborating across system silos and they are eager to hear how it might be

done in a prompt fashion. The Puget Sound delegation is continuing to work on concrete ways to

translate this important momentum from the DC trip into meaningful actions that will lead to

demonstrable benefits for homeless families in our region. Included in the next steps is a similar

concerted outreach to the Governor’s office and state level agencies in Olympia. The goal is to

provide a briefing on the DC trip, as well as an invitation for them to join a process that will

ultimately bring together state and federal actors around family homelessness.


In addition, Building Changes, as part of the Washington Families Fund Systems Initiative work, is

developing a policy paper. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to organize what they’ve learned

into a conceptual framework that can be used to accelerate policy, program and financing efforts;

and to begin to articulate specific initiative and policy adjustments that should be pursued at the

federal, state and local levels to end family homelessness in Washington State. The current draft of

the policy paper proposes a series of recommended initiatives and policy adjustments that include:

1. Increase leadership, collaboration, and civic engagement in the goal of preventing and

ending family homelessness.

2. Increase the supply of stable and affordable housing and improve access for vulnerable

and homeless families

3. Increase economic security for vulnerable families by increasing opportunities for

meaningful and sustainable employment and improving access to and adequacy to

reduce financial vulnerability to homelessness.

4. Improve health and stability for vulnerable and homeless families, and align healthcare

reform policies with the needs of vulnerable and homeless families.

5. Retool the homeless family crisis response system and rebalance homeless family system

resources allocations

6. Improve educational opportunities for children in vulnerable families and their parents.

7. Strengthen supports for families of incarcerated individuals, making families with

children an explicit focus of reentry plans and program initiatives.

The larger work of the Washington Families Fund Systems Initiative compliments our local strategic

plan efforts in King County. We will continue to play an active role in this work as it continues

forward, specifically as it connects to this strategic plan’s five goal areas and the subsequent

realignment of resources required for implementation.

(Note: Building Changes is currently receiving input on the draft policy paper and revisions may occur

as a result of various work sessions they are undertaking with key partners and stakeholders)

August 2010

System Realignment

System realignment will require a fundamental cultural shift

assistance network: agencies serving families facin

that support the homelessness services system; and

term supports to families before and after their period of housing instability.

array of community stakeholders

experiencing homelessness needed a systemic makeover. As the housing stabilization approach

was being designed it became clear that in order to implement programma

coordinating entry or shifting from housing readiness to housing stabilization, the strategic plan

must include a strategy that focuses on the process of change at both organizational and systemic

levels. This initiative builds on current

and the momentum that exists in our community to realign our family

This transformation strategy is a multi

change plan based on local experience and

learnings from other successful transformation

initiatives including The Shifting Gears Initiative,

the National Association for Ending Homelessness

guide to Organizational Change: Adopting a

Housing First Approach, and the King County

Mental Health System Recovery Plan.

Change, even under the best of circumstances is

difficult. A true transformation wi

effort and resources. Change means doing things

differently and this can be challenging for a

number of reasons, including:20

• A lack of information, understanding or trust

• Self-interest and the perception that

• Institutional inertia

• Fear that one will be unable to adapt to the change, or lack the necessary skills

• Differing assessments of the need for change and its costs and benefits

System wide change will evolve over several phases and involve a number of key design elements

throughout the process. Experiences from other system changes

making sure the change is focused and manageable; giving programs and staff time to adjust to a

change in both philosophical and service approach.

on a system wide level and within provider agencies.

20

Source: National Association for Ending Homelessness

Approach.”

MOVING FORWARD

System Realignment

System realignment will require a fundamental cultural shift for all levels of our family homeless

agencies serving families facing a housing crisis; funders providing

services system; and mainstream service systems

term supports to families before and after their period of housing instability. Over the past year, an

mmunity stakeholders supported the notion that service delivery for families at risk of, or


was being designed it became clear that in order to implement programmatic changes like



current efforts of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County

and the momentum that exists in our community to realign our family homeless assistance network

This transformation strategy is a multi-year system

change plan based on local experience and

rnings from other successful transformation

initiatives including The Shifting Gears Initiative,

the National Association for Ending Homelessness

guide to Organizational Change: Adopting a

Housing First Approach, and the King County

covery Plan.

Change, even under the best of circumstances is

will take time,

Change means doing things

differently and this can be challenging for a

ormation, understanding or trust

interest and the perception that one will be short-changed as a result of transformation

will be unable to adapt to the change, or lack the necessary skills

the need for change and its costs and benefits.


Experiences from other system changes have stressed the importance of

ange is focused and manageable; giving programs and staff time to adjust to a

change in both philosophical and service approach. Transformational system change will occur both

on a system wide level and within provider agencies.

Source: National Association for Ending Homelessness guide to “Organizational Change: Adopting a Housing First

Page 51

for all levels of our family homeless

providing resources

ainstream service systems supplying long

Over the past year, an

families at risk of, or


tic changes like



efforts of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County

homeless assistance network.

changed as a result of transformation

will be unable to adapt to the change, or lack the necessary skills


have stressed the importance of

ange is focused and manageable; giving programs and staff time to adjust to a

Transformational system change will occur both

guide to “Organizational Change: Adopting a Housing First


Although all the identified strategies are critical to realigning the family homeless assistance

network, some shifts will need to occur before others and there will be numerous challenges to

implementing so many changes. Many strategies build on the successes of other strategies. The

plan recognizes that there are insufficient resources to fund the entire realignment at one time and

that specific strategies are interdependent - both within this plan and with efforts outside of this

initiative. Therefore, the following sequencing is proposed in order to provide the greatest impact

and to allow for a rational, methodical implementation. Implementation of this strategic plan and

the system changes it entails will be carried out in several phases over a six year period.

Phase 1 - Laying the Foundation (Years 1 - 2)

During this phase, implementation activities focus on:

� Implementing a coordinated entry and assessment system for families at risk of

or experiencing homelessness.

• Simplify the process for families to access services.

• Create and implement an accurate and uniform assessment that matches families with

housing resources and services that best fit their circumstances.

• Catalog services and housing options system-wide including individual program capacity

to serve families with various housing barriers and service needs.

• Support programs through ongoing training and technical assistance.

• Begin the process of collecting uniform and unduplicated data on families to determine

quantity of resources and services levels needed. This system wide analysis will provide

us the baseline of resource gaps and will increase efficiency in the targeting of new and

existing resources.

� Supporting a system wide shift to the housing stabilization approach.

• Prepare housing and service providers, funders and key stakeholders for shift to the

housing stabilization approach.

• Convene agency leaders for orientation(s) on housing stability approach.

• Build support for the proposed changes among homeless housing and service providers,

funders, and key stakeholders to motivatesystem stakeholders to fully engage in this

system realignment.

• Provide technical assistance for agencies as they assess their capacity and develop their

transition to the housing stabilization approach.

• Begin the aligning existing homeless housing services and units under the new approach

(with an emphasis on emergency shelter and transitional housing); conduct full

assessment of family homeless housing stock for potential conversion to alternative

models. Facilitate process for agencies self-audits, which are to include:


� Align approach with agency mission, goals, values and models.

� Identify policies and practices that require modification.

� Establish internal commitmment from frontline staff, management, board of

directors, clients.

� Examine compatibility of staff skills and those needed to implement realigned

programs and services.

� Identify funding opportuniteis and constraints.

� Identify and address timing constraints.

� Establish baseline data regarding services and outcomes.

• Provide multi-tiered education and training at all levels of agency management and

staff, with presenters who are experts in various aspects of the housing stabilization

approach.

• Implement system-wide professional development training series focused on housing

stabilization principals and philosophy/approach.

• Engage funders in a process to realign funding resources, processes and outcomes to

support the housing stabilization approach. Facilitate a process to evaluate current

policies, practices and contract/fund requirements; identify key barriers and proposed

changes (in collaboration with providers); identify areas for realignment in contracting.

� Engaging mainstream systems to support families experiencing homelessness.

• Connect with mainstream systems to build cross-system partnerships that will aid in the

understanding of programs and opportunities for collaboration; establish workgroup(s)

to provide ongoing cross-system dialogue on structural obstacles for clients (access to

available benefits); capacity issues for services/benefits; and eligibility barriers clients.

• Develop a partnership with the Department of Social and Health Services (child welfare

services) to create a joint investment in services and housing; explore model to

reprogram or better align mainstream resources with supportive housing; examine

opportunity for this pilot to target existing Sound families units or other supportive

housing units.

• Engage in discussions with key stakeholders within the K-12 system to develop cross-

training opportunities related to: prevention and housing stabilization services, the

coordinated entry system, and compliance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless

Education Assistance Act. Explore opportunities to reprogram or better align resources

with the K-12 system for homeless or at risk families.

• Continue on-going collaboration with the King County Work Training Program and

SkillUp Washington to promote the ability of adults to obtain family-supporting jobs

and postsecondary attainment.


Phase 2 - Expanding Changes System Wide For Families (Years 3 - 4)


• Completing the realignment of resources to support the system shift

• Working with mainstream service systems to remove barriers and increase access for

families involved in the housing stabilization system

• Increasing outreach efforts to reach those families experiencing homelessness or who

are at highest risk of homelessness.

Phase 3 - System Maintenance and Adjustments (Years 5 - 6)


• Completing implementation strategies and fine tuning the system’s transformation

• Achieving policy and funding changes

• Using system wide data to continue ongoing evaluation and assessment of performance

measures.

Change is extremely difficult and once the process begins it is possible that outcomes and strategies

may need to be adjusted. The plan must be fluid enough to allow for mistakes, and adjust to meet

challenges, and take advantage of opportunities both from within and outside of this system. At the

same time, it must be structured enough to identify anticipated progress, data point measurements

and demonstrated results. Outcomes must be tracked frequently to determine progress and make

necessary adjustments.

August 2010

Resources

Nationally, communities that demonstrate the greatest success in reducing family homelessness

utilize resources from many different funding streams. In King County, a variety of resources from

federal, state and local government, including mains

philanthropic and business communities

to prevent and end homelessness.

This initiative focuses on realigning existing services and

reduce the number of families that experience homelessness in King County. This transformation

requires changes at the program, policy, and resource level.

Initial funding for strategic plan activities will come from funding streams

supporting the housing and services systems for homeless families. Funders will need to work

closely with providers to assess, redirect and align program funding and investment priorities to

achieve strategic plan goals. Match

the homeless system, including mainstream systems that

at-risk of and experiencing homelessness. This

collaboration at the larger cross-system level

accomplish, but will provide greater leveraging of resources to

implement the proposed system changes.

Upon approval of this strategic plan and the subsequent

implementation plan by the Bill &

the Washington Families Fund, additional resources will be

provided to King County to support the identified system changes.

These additional resources will be provided to support:

• Infrastructure development

support for system transformation at the provider and funder level,

with mobilization of the approved plan. Th

Melinda Gates Foundation and

$1,000,000 during this first phase of funding.

available in subsequent years, at a lower funding level.

• System innovation grants

support system improvements

will make up to $1,835,000 available

of direct services and supports to homeless families consistent with

Grants are one-time only but may be expended over multi

designed to leverage the reallocation of existing, ongoing funding streams, or the allocation

of new, ongoing dollars, to support specific changes in prac

approved county family homelessness plans

MOVING FORWARD



federal, state and local government, including mainstream systems, as well as support from the

philanthropic and business communities all contribute to the many successful programs that work

prevent and end homelessness.

focuses on realigning existing services and making system transform


requires changes at the program, policy, and resource level.

strategic plan activities will come from funding streams that are currently



atching funds will be considered from a variety of resources

, including mainstream systems that provide services and benefits to

and experiencing homelessness. This level of

system level may take years to

will provide greater leveraging of resources to

implement the proposed system changes.

Upon approval of this strategic plan and the subsequent

& Melinda Gates Foundation and

Families Fund, additional resources will be

provided to King County to support the identified system changes.

These additional resources will be provided to support:

Infrastructure development, including start-up costs for coordinated entry and assessm

transformation at the provider and funder level, and staffing

with mobilization of the approved plan. This funding will come directly from the Bill

Melinda Gates Foundation and has no matching requirements. King Count

$1,000,000 during this first phase of funding. There will be additional infrastructure grants

in subsequent years, at a lower funding level.

to partially match the realignment of existing and new funds to

support system improvements identified in this strategic plan. Washington Families Fund

$1,835,000 available initially (during 2010 and 2011) to support the provision

direct services and supports to homeless families consistent with this strategic plan.

but may be expended over multi-year commitments


of new, ongoing dollars, to support specific changes in practice that are consistent with the

approved county family homelessness plans.

Page 55



tream systems, as well as support from the

contribute to the many successful programs that work

making system transformations that will


that are currently



will be considered from a variety of resources beyond

services and benefits to families

up costs for coordinated entry and assessment,

and staffing to assist

is funding will come directly from the Bill &

King County will receive

be additional infrastructure grants

to partially match the realignment of existing and new funds to

Washington Families Fund

to support the provision

is strategic plan.

year commitments and are


tice that are consistent with the

August 2010

In this section, the current funding landscape

resource challenges and opportunities for implementing the strategic plan.

plan contains an estimate of the funding required to carry out this plan as well as a description of

the potential sources for securing such funding.

Funding Landscape in King CountyFunding from federal, state and local government, ph

and homeless programs in King County. Local resources (county and local jurisdictions, state and

philanthropic) provide half of the funding supporting homeless services and housing. Federal

resources contribute the other half.

Primary federal resources for homeless programs i

Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing or HEARTH Act)

Development Block Grant, Emergency Shelter Grant,

(ARRA) Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re

Vouchers/Section 8 Program. Local resources include State Transitional Housing Operating Rent

Program (THOR), State Emergency Housing and She

Services Levy, the Homeless Housing Services Fund (HB2163 and HB1359), Seattle Housing Levy,

general fund and other revenue from local jurisdictions, and private funding from United Way of

King County, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other philanthropic organizations, businesses,

and religious organizations.

Challenges

While the range of allowable program activities varies by funding source, federal and state funding

regulations often substantially limit t

to change or refocus service strategies. The challenge for local funders and providers is

build a coherent system and sustain

all available funding sources and comp

program funding requirements and restrictions.

The current recession creates a challenge to

implementing the housing stabilization system for

homeless families. Increasing needs are placing

demands on systems with limited service capacity, wh

funding resources are diminishing

these challenges, the homelessness

King County has a strong network of providers,

supported by community investments from public and

private sources.

Innovation and Funding Collaboration

King County funders have a history of collaboration.

established. The Funders Group consists of King County, the City of Seattle, suburban cities

representation, the Seattle Housing Authority, the King

the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and United Way.

MOVING FORWARD

funding landscape in King County is reviewed, along with

resource challenges and opportunities for implementing the strategic plan. The implementation

n estimate of the funding required to carry out this plan as well as a description of

the potential sources for securing such funding.

ounty state and local government, philanthropies, and business is


half of the funding supporting homeless services and housing. Federal

tribute the other half.

federal resources for homeless programs include the McKinney-Vento Act

Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing or HEARTH Act)

Development Block Grant, Emergency Shelter Grant, American Recovery and Reinvestment

Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing Program, and Housing Choice


, State Emergency Housing and Shelter Program, King County Veterans & Human


revenue from local jurisdictions, and private funding from United Way of

Gates Foundation and other philanthropic organizations, businesses,


regulations often substantially limit the flexibility of programs to make programmatic shifts, adapt

to change or refocus service strategies. The challenge for local funders and providers is

a coherent system and sustain services while using

and complying with

program funding requirements and restrictions.

recession creates a challenge to

implementing the housing stabilization system for

homeless families. Increasing needs are placing

demands on systems with limited service capacity, while

funding resources are diminishing or at risk. Despite

ness service system in

King County has a strong network of providers,

supported by community investments from public and

laboration

King County funders have a history of collaboration. In 2009 the Funders Group was officially


representation, the Seattle Housing Authority, the King County Housing Authority, Building Changes,

ates Foundation and United Way. The role of this collaborative

Page 56

is reviewed, along with a summary of

e implementation

n estimate of the funding required to carry out this plan as well as a description of

is critical to housing


half of the funding supporting homeless services and housing. Federal

Act (now the

Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing or HEARTH Act), Community

rican Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Housing Program, and Housing Choice


lter Program, King County Veterans & Human


revenue from local jurisdictions, and private funding from United Way of

Gates Foundation and other philanthropic organizations, businesses,


he flexibility of programs to make programmatic shifts, adapt

to change or refocus service strategies. The challenge for local funders and providers is how to

In 2009 the Funders Group was officially


County Housing Authority, Building Changes,

collaborative is to align


funding resources, set priorities and coordinate resource allocation processes in a model that is

nationally recognized. The Funders Group is part of the governance structure of the Committee to

End Homelessness and works collaboratively with the Governing Board, Interagency Council and

broader CEH community.

Resource Planning Identifying and effectively using the most appropriate resources to make changes to programs and

services presents many challenges. Increased coordination will be required to successfully achieve

the goal of reducing the number of families that experience homelessness in King County. In

addition, there will be a need for a series of one-time, front-end investments to support the system

transformation. These include start up for the coordinated entry system and supporting agencies

through necessary organizational and programmatic shifts.

In addition to housing and homeless resources, through this initiative, there is the opportunity to

leverage ongoing and new mainstream system resources to support the proposed system changes.

The implementation plan will explore those potential mainstream systems, such as employment

programs, public schools, colleges/trade schools, veterans programs, mental health, Child Welfare,

TANF, healthcare, food stamps, etc. that together with conventional homeless housing resources at

the local, state, and federal level will further our efforts to prevent and end family homelessness in

King County.

Some strategies in this plan will cost very little or nothing to implement; others will require a review

of existing funding requirements and restrictions, potential changes to funding priorities, and the

realignment existing resources. Since we do not anticipate an influx of new homeless housing

funding, the system changes will need to be continually evaluated, and changes in funding and

system priorities monitored.

This plan does not call for a series of “pilot” projects implemented at a program level. Although

new initiatives will be needed to fill the gaps in our current system, the primary changes will occur

within existing programs as they realign to the housing stabilization approach. Significant resources

will be needed to increase the capacity of our current system to provide sufficient housing and

services for families.


Evaluation

Evaluation efforts related to this systems change initiative are intended to demonstrate the impact

and benefits of the investments made by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation under Washington

Families Fund grant making; to increase our understanding of successful programs and strategies

and to provide insight on progress and priorities for funders, policymakers and the community.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has engaged Westat, a national survey research firm, to

conduct a full evaluation of the systems change initiative across King, Snohomish and Pierce

counties. King County evaluation efforts will cooperate closely with Westat and complement the

larger Westat evaluation by focusing directly on local implementation.

The Westat study has three main components: families, systems and costs. The families study will

compare two cohorts of 150 families in King County who are new entrants to the homeless system,

using interviews and client level data from HMIS and available data from DSHS (TANF and child

welfare). The study will compare a baseline cohort in mid-2010 to a cohort with similar

characteristics two years later, with a comparison cohort in non-initiative communities in

Washington. Westat will study the success of the overall systems change work by looking at

provider organizations, using interviews, focus groups and case studies. Finally, a cost study will be

performed to look at overall cost savings, and costs avoided for families and public systems.

OUTCOMES FOR THE INITIATIVE AS A WHOLE

Reduce the number of families who become homeless

Currently, the number of families in shelter and transitional housing serves as a proxy for the total

number of homeless families in our community. The scale of pent-up demand is not known, so the

first step will be to determine if system realignment results in an increased number of families

moving out of shelter and into long-term housing.

Reduce the length of time that families spend homeless The new coordinated entry system will track families’ initial request for assistance in the HMIS as

well as moves to long-term housing and any interim housing stays. Establishing an early baseline for

measurement is important and will rely on functioning data systems. An important proxy for

movement through the system will be whether families continue to cycle through multiple shelter

stays.

Reduce recidivism

In the proposed system design, after families have stabilized in housing, they will have an

established relationship with their case manager if there is a short term crisis (job loss, medical crisis

etc). After subsidies and services have tapered off, families will be served through the same system.


KEY ADDITIONS – SYSTEM-WIDE VIEW

• Tracking ALL homeless housing system requests through 2-1-1 using HMIS. Not only will

this provide for the first time the unduplicated number of families with children

requesting assistance, but in addition, the basic data collected on the initial screening

will provide a composite picture of these families: who they are (race, family size and

composition), housing barriers and income.

• The initial assessment of all families in emergency shelter and transitional housing will

provide a new system-level view of families who are currently being served in the

system. As a result, planners and policy makers will be able to see the degree of match

(or mismatch) between programs and level of need of the families being served in the

program, as well as what percentage of families have high levels of service needs and

barriers.

• Comparing families requesting assistance to those currently accessing homeless housing

programs will allow the system to understand if there are equity and social justice issues,

and whether the highest-needs families are currently being served or screened out.

Tracking

Fundamental to the success of these efforts will be successful continued implementation of the

HMIS (Safe Harbors). Safe Harbors will be the technology platform for the coordinated entry system.

Understanding, tracking and reporting the success of this initiative will be dependent on the

strength of the Safe Harbors implementation of Coordinated Entry. Safe Harbors is fundamental to

understanding families’ experience of the homeless system; progress, outcomes and knowing

whether families have been stabilized long-term.

Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Programs (HPRP)

A number of the initiatives being supported by Federal stimulus dollars and the general direction of

state and federal homelessness funding are too new to have been well-studied. While immense

hope has been placed in HPRP programs including rapid re-housing and prevention, there is no

common understanding yet of best practices in terms of housing subsidy and service support

models – how long and how much, how to structure the funding, and how the region’s providers

can make these supports work best for families in the local economy and local housing market.


NEXT STEPS

“Moving Forward: A Strategic Plan for Preventing and Ending Family Homelessness” puts forth a

series of strategies to shift the family homelessness system in ways that will more effectively serve

families facing or experiencing homelessness. By building on existing strengths, bringing successful

programs to scale, integrating services and programs and coordinating community efforts, the

system will reduce both the number of families who experience homelessness and the length of

time families spend homeless.

This strategic plan is Phase 2 of the project. Phase 3 will included the development of a detailed

implementation plan that will include the following:

• Timelines for the implementation of the major initiatives within this strategic plan

• Clarification of the roles, responsibilities, and commitments of local stakeholders in carrying

out this plan

• Identification of the outcomes that will be assessed to ascertain whether and to what extent

proposed improvements are occurring

• Identification of the estimated costs and potential resources for implementation of this

strategic plan.


APPENDIX A - Definitions

Case Management: Individually-tailored services provided in a client’s home or at an office that are

described in a mutually-agreed-upon plan of action to address life challenges. Case management

services may include such things as budgeting and money management, life skills training, linkage to

community services such as legal assistance, assistance applying for public benefits, parenting and

liaison with schools, domestic violence counseling and safety planning, assistance with housing

applications, mental health counseling, etc. Individual service plans include goals related to greater

self-sufficiency and stability.

Community Supports: Formal and informal supports such as community based organizations,

mutual assistance associations, and social networks including friends, family, churches, etc. that can

offer financial, physical and emotional support.

Emergency Shelter: Temporary shelter from the elements and unsafe streets for homeless

individuals and families. In Seattle-King County, shelter programs are either fixed capacity (facility-

based) or flexible capacity (i.e., hotel/motel vouchers, etc.). Emergency shelters typically address

the basic health, food, clothing, and personal hygiene needs of the households that they serve and

provide information and referrals about supportive services and housing.

Families who are “at risk” of imminent homelessness: Families who are at imminent risk of

homelessness or are living unstably (including doubled-up) and must leave their current situation

within the next 14 days with no other place to go and no resources or support networks to obtain

housing.

Family: At least one adult with responsibility for one or more children under 18 years, or currently

pregnant; includes sibling head of household or other kin. Also includes teen parents.

Homeless (HUD) definition: As defined by the McKinney Act (42 U.S.C. 11302), the term

“homeless” or “homeless person” includes— a person sleeping in a place not meant for human

habitation or in an emergency shelter; and a person in transitional housing for homeless persons

who originally came form the street or an emergency shelter.

Homeless (McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act) definition: The term "homeless

children and youth"--(A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime

residence; and (B) includes--(i) children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons

due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer

parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in

emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care

placement; (ii) children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or

private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human

beings (within the meaning of section 103(a)(2)(C)); (iii) children and youths who are living in cars,

parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar

settings; and (iv) migratory children (as such term is defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and

Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because

the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).


Homeless (DSHS) definition: (WAC 388-49-020 (37)) (A) homeless individual means a person lacking

a fixed and regular nighttime residence or a person whose primary nighttime residence is a

supervised shelter, halfway house, temporary residence with others, or place not ordinarily used as

sleeping accommodations for humans.

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS): An HMIS is a computerized data collection

application designed to capture client-level information over time on the characteristics of service

needs of men, women, and children experiencing homelessness, while also protecting client

confidentiality. It is designed to aggregate client-level data to generate an unduplicated count of

clients served with a community’s system of homeless services.

Interim Housing: A short-term housing program that rapidly re-houses persons who are homeless

into appropriate permanent housing. While in interim housing, households receive housing

assistance to help them locate housing in the least restrictive setting possible, and receive case

management to assess their situation and identify other service needs. The goal is for households to

be in interim housing for the absolute minimum time necessary to access permanent housing.

Mainstream Systems: Publicly funded benefits, services and supports that are available to families

based on eligibility criteria that does not explicitly incorporate housing status or homelessness.

These benefits, services and supports are not targeted or designed to address the specific needs of

homeless families (for example, programs providing welfare, health care, mental health care,

substance abuse treatment, veterans’ assistance, and employment and education, etc.)

Non Time-limited Housing: Independent community based housing that has no time-limit on

tenancy or specific service requirement as a condition of tenancy, although services may be

provided, depending on residents served. Residents hold rental agreements and can stay in the

housing for as long as they choose and comply with their rental agreement or lease.

Permanent Affordable Housing: By federal standards, housing is considered affordable when

monthly rents or mortgage payments (plus utilities) cost no more than 30 percent of a household’s

monthly income. Housing options include market rate units with or without rental assistance;

subsidized housing programs through one of the three local housing authorities (public housing or

Section 8 voucher program); or income based rental housing owned and operated by local non-

profit housing developers.

Permanent Supportive Housing: Permanent rental housing for a household that is homeless or at

risk of homelessness and has a condition or disability, such as mental illness, substance abuse,

chronic health issues, or other conditions that create multiple and serious ongoing barriers to

housing stability. Households have a long term need for housing case management and services in

order to meet the obligations of tenancy and maintain their housing. Tenant holds a rental

agreement or lease and may continue tenancy as long as rent is paid and the tenant complies with

the rental agreement or lease. Tenants have access to a flexible array of comprehensive services,

mostly on site, such as medical and wellness, mental health, substance abuse, and vocational,

employment and life skills. Services are available and encouraged but are not required as a

condition of tenancy.

Prevention: A set of strategies intended to assist people who are living in an unstable housing

situation or facing a short-term housing crisis to remain in their current housing and not become

homeless. Strategies include such things as outreach, information and referral, financial assistance,

money management counseling and sometimes case management.


Rental Assistance: Subsidy paid to a landlord on behalf of a specific tenant to pay for a portion of

the tenant’s rent. Generally, the tenant pays 30 percent of their monthly income toward rent and

utilities, and the subsidy provider pays the remainder up to a reasonable amount. If the client has

zero income, rental assistance may pay the entire rent amount to the landlord. Rental assistance

may be long-term (12 months and longer) or short-term (less than 12 months).

Transitional Housing: Temporary housing that is time-limited, generally from three months to two

years. Tenure is contingent upon participation in services, compliance with program rules, and

compliance with tenancy. The goal of transitional housing is to provide the support needed for

participants to become ready to “graduate” into permanent housing. Services may include case

management, information and referral, life skills training, tenant education, and many others.

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