Improving Homeless Assistance Through Learning Collaboratives

Improving Homeless Assistance Through Learning Collabora9ves

EveryOne Home Aspire Consul9ng LLC Elaine de Coligny Kathie Barkow

Guiding Principles and A Case Study from EveryOne Home, Alameda County, CA

*  Alameda County, CA *  San Francisco, East Bay—Oakland and Berkeley our best known ci9es

*  Popula9on 1.6 million, Homeless PIT-‐4,263, down 16% from a decade ago.

*  14 ci9es, combines urban, suburban and rural

*  EveryOne Home *  Serves as the CoC and 10 year planning body *  Staff of 3, plus some brilliant consultants

Introduc9on

Kathie Barkow, Principal Aspire Consul9ng, LLC

Elaine de Coligny, Execu9ve Director

EveryOne Home

Facilitators

I.  What are learning collabora9ves

II.  Our sense of the guiding principles to keep in mind

when designing one

III.  How we designed the EveryOne Housed Academy

IV.  A taste of the Academy

V.  Debrief and discussion

Agenda

*  Different than steering or oversight commiWees and different than trainings or TA

*  For us, they are people coming together to get something done by doing something new over 9me. *  Learning = experimenta9on, trying, adjus9ng through praxis. We don’t start with all the answers.

*  Collabora9ve = working together as peers, implies accomplishing things, coopera9ng and learning from each other as much as experts

What are learning collabora9ves

Guiding Principles For Designing And Facilita9ng Learning Collabora9ves

Build A Clock Be Concrete

Create Space Unlock Possibili9es

Build A Clock – Not A Clock Shop

Current Homeless Assistance “System”

*  Some are a liWle behind the 9mes—more “housing ready” than “housing first”

* Others are in a completely different 9me zone—not in HMIS

* Helping each clock perform beWer s9ll does not result in a system

Lots of programs doing basically the same thing— helping homeless people, but func9oning independently

How a Homeless System Could Work

* Different components—outreach, shelter, RRH, PSH-‐-‐working together to a singular end

*  Each part of the system in good working order

*  Each component connected and dependent on the others to work

*  Learning collabora9ves should support building a single homeless assistance system, not programs performing well in isola9on

*  Even when you are working on a single gear such as rapid rehousing or street outreach, be mindful of how it can and must intersect with and support the other components

* Otherwise you have problems like creaming or resources not targeted to the right people

Build a Clock -‐ Not a Clock Shop

* Translate abstract theories to the opera9ons of programs in your system—how do they show up in the day to day decisions all staff make

Make It Real, Prac9cal And Concrete -‐ All The Way Down To The Front Line

*  Involve the people who use the system to define the problem and crad the solu9ons

*  Learning collabora9ves need to include more than E.D.s and Program Managers. Front line staff are cri9cal to system change and success

*  Ask how HR, Board, overnight staff, janitors etc. contribute; how is each role affected

* Organiza9onal teams are beWer than 1-‐2 people par9cipa9ng

* Allow for people to apply learning right away—apply a theory or best prac9ce to an organiza9onal policy

* Meet over 9me to check in on how applica9on is going

Create Space For Learning

* People have to get it with their gut, not just their head * Design to a range of learning modali9es

* Have resources available to share so organiza9ons can easily adapt and go

* Have your content and style presume allies and confront road blocks

Design To Unlock Possibili9es

EveryOne Housed Academy

Two day learning retreat to develop custom tools and strategies for equipping organiza9ons to move more people to

permanent housing as quickly and efficiently as possible

* Alignment, belief, understanding of the importance * common language

* tools and resources * to a core team of staff members

* wriWen and priori9zed plans to implement, evaluate, and adjust a key retooling in four areas.

Housing First, Housing Fast

* Housing First approach * Rapid Rehousing approach * Harm reduc9on

* Trauma-‐informed services

* Consumer-‐focused

housing first and housing fast

What Supports Housing & Reten9on?

* expand knowledge of approaches * transform key policies and prac9ces

* collaborate with their team

* learn from other agencies and evidence-‐based prac9ces

* be part of a learning community that inspired accountability and improvement.

During the Academy

* Design Team

* Applica9on only * Two sessions; 6 organiza9ons per session * Five – eight people per organiza9on * Prep work included:  Organiza9onal Assessment

 Personal Reflec9ons  2 hours of reading, watching per person

Nuts and Bolts

Brought(to(you(by(EveryOne(Home(&(Aspire(Consulting(LLC

((((

(AGENDA(

(Day$One$(

1. Welcome(……………………………………………………………………………..(((9:00(am(

2. A(Little(Bit(About(You((………………………………………………………….(((9:45(am(

3. The(Real(Scoop(……………………………………………………………………((10:30(am(( BREAK((……………………………………………………….……………………….((11:30(am(

4. The(Toolbox(………………………………………..………………………………((11:40(am(

( LUNCH((………………………………………………….….………………………..((12:40(pm(

5. Tools(in(Action((……………….…………………..………………………………(((1:10(pm(

6. Revamping(Rules(and(Policies((…………………………………………….(((2:15(pm(

7. Wrap(Up((………………..…………………………….….…………………………(((4:40(pm((

(

Day$Two$(

1. Welcome(Back((…………………………………………………………………..(((9:00(am(

2. Renewing(the(Healthy(Helping(Relationship((……….……….…….(((9:15(am(

( BREAK((……………………………………………………….……………………….((11:35(am(3. Redefining(a(HousingXOriented(Culture((……….………..…….…….((11:40(am(

( LUNCH((.………………………………………………….….……………………….((12:15(am(

4. Redefining(a(HousingXOriented(Culture((continued)((.………….((12:40(pm(

( BREAK((……………………………………………………….……………………….((((2:30(pm(

5. Redesigning(a(Welcoming(Physical(Environment((.……………….(((2:40(pm(

6. Taking(It(Home((…………………………………………………………………..(((4:10(pm(7. Presents(for(Your(Presence((………………………………………………..(((4:40(pm(

(

(

Aspire Consulting LLC

The Agenda

Revamping*rules*and*policies*

Renewing*the*healthy*helping*relationship*

Redefining*a*housing7oriented*culture*

Redesigning*a*welcoming*physical*

environment*• Program'rules'

• Fair'application'of'rules,'and'consequences'

• Program'termination'practices'and'policies'

• Length'of'stay'policies'

• Grievances'and'appeals'

• Write'up'forms'and'incident'reports'

'

• Welcoming'and'orienting'clients'to'program'

• Developing'a'permanent'housing'strategy'

• Transforming'case'management'to'a'strengths>based,'accountable'partnership'

• Follow>up'housing'stabilization'

• Incorporating'consumer'voice'

• Job'description'and'supervision'to'outcomes'

• Training'and'staff'development''

• Incorporating'evaluation,'best'practices'and'data'for'top'performance'

• Piloting'progressive'engagement'

• Creating'or'funding'a'Housing'Specialist''

• Signage'and'bulletin'boards'

• Reception'area'

• Community'space'

• Office'layout'and'decor'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Work Areas – Aligned to…

Try,"Learn,!Adjust'Plan!

Try$

Learn$Adjust$

Try$1. What$rules$or$policies$are$you$trying$to$improve?$$$2. List$at$least$two$ways$the$new$version$will$be$different$$

from$the$current$one.$$$_____________________$$__________________________________________________$$(STOP%HERE%AND%BEGIN%REVISING%YOUR%RULES%OR%POLICIES)$$3. The$staff$responsible$for$implementing$the$change$are:$$$4. How$are$you$going$to$train$those$affected?$$$$5. On$__________$(date),$training$will$occur.$

Learn$6.$$List$at$least$two$indicators$you$will$use$to$know$if$this$new$version$is$successful.$$$$7.$$On$____________$(date)$we$will$begin$collecting$data$about$these$indicators.$$8.$$Who$else$will$you$ask$or$consult$with$to$learn$if$this$version$is$working?$$$9.$$We$will$evaluate$the$indicators$and$other$input$to$see$if$adjustments$are$necessary$on$____________$(date)$and$with$(list$people):$

Adjust$10.$$What$other$changes$might$you$consider$making$after$learning$what$is$working$and$what$isn’t?$$$$$To$be$completed$on$______________$(from$#9)$11.$What$is$working$about$this$new$strategy$or$process?$$$12.$$What$isn’t$working$as$well$as$you$expected?$$$13.$$Are$there$any$other$unanticipated$benefits?$$$14.$What$adjustments$or$refinements$need$to$$be$made$at$this$point?$$(continue$with$#3)$

*  TH program:  61% to 78% (2011 to 2012)  62% to 80%

*  Shelters:  from 16% to 29%  from 17% to 31%

Supported by

“the EveryOne Housed Academy helped to inject some energy and focus to the way we help people find permanent housing.” …the focus of weekly house meeAngs has shiBed to clients’ weekly housing goals and the staff has become more thorough in gathering housing resources.

The Impact

A Taste of the Academy

Relationship – 50 Points QUESTION: A client complains to you, the program manager, that his case manager keeps being late or rescheduling appointments. What do you do? A.  Ask case manager if it is true and develop a plan with client and case

manager to ensure it gets corrected. B.  Remind client that case managers are very busy people. He should try

his best to be patient and available when the case manager can see him. C.  Tell the case manager to meet with that client or get written up.

ANSWER: •  A. Demonstrates respect for staff and consumer; expects mutual accountability.

Rules – 100 Points QUESTION: A client loses his temper and yells at the receptionist after he has to wait for 20 minutes, and this is the second time this happened this month. As the receptionist tells him to take a seat, he storms out punching the wall. What do you do? A.  Temporarily ban him for two weeks from services. B.  Tell him he can come back if he apologizes to the receptionist. C.  Call him that afternoon to see if everything is ok. ANSWER:

•  C. Is both consumer-focused and trauma-informed; gets to the heart of the matter and focuses on removing barriers to progress.

Rules – 200 Points QUESTION: In case conference, the team wrestles with whether to keep a client in the program because he has gotten a number of write-ups (for not doing chores and being rude to staff, rude to other clients) while his application for a new permanent supportive housing building is being processed. What do you do? A.  Keep the client so he’s able to be housed and talk to staff about ways

to respond to his behavior. B.  Exit the client for too many write-ups. C.  Revise the policy that requires exiting a youth for too many write-ups.

ANSWER: •  A. Good focus on housing outcomes and the prize.

Support – 300 Points QUESTION: It is your job to develop a housing plan for a client who has been living outside for two years and recently gotten SSI. What do you do? A.  Start by asking what he is looking for in a place and where he would

like to live. B.  Start looking for housing in the poorest part of the county; that’s the

only place he can afford to live. C.  Start pitching permanent supportive housing; you can tell he is going

to need it.

ANSWER: •  A. You are respecting client’s choice and

engaging him as a partner in his housing plan.

Decisions – 400 Points QUESTION:

After being in your shelter program for two weeks, a woman mentions her mom for the first time. She asks for a night out to visit her. What do you do? A.  Tell her you normally you don’t let residents have nights out this early

in their stay, but you’ll do her a favor this time. B.  Ask more questions to find out whether the woman can stay with her

mom instead of the shelter while you continue helping her to find housing.

C.  Grant the night out, and move on to discussing her housing plan.

ANSWER:

•  B. You are connecting the dots and exploring all housing options.

Decisions – 500 Points QUESTION:

The leasing guidelines for a permanent supportive housing program you operate automatically deny applicants with a criminal background. They can appeal, but you notice that very few do. What do you do? A.  Revise policy so that the crimes for which a person is denied are far

fewer. B.  Encourage support services staff to help applicants appeal. C.  Revise policy so that applicants with a criminal background have a

chance to explain their circumstances before being denied and narrow the reasons for denials.

ANSWER:

•  C. Good housing first strategy.

Decisions– 600 Points QUESTION:

You have a mom in your program that you know drinks and you suspect hits her kids (though there have been no reportable incidents). You are concerned what will happen to the family if they get housed. What do you do? A.  Require her to complete the shelter’s 12 step and parenting groups

before working with housing specialist. B.  Get housing specialist working on housing. Talk to client about your

concerns, help her arrange for services now and once she is housed, ensure follow-up care.

C.  Don’t refer her to the housing specialist because the kids are safer at the shelter.

ANSWER: •  B. That’s combining housing first and harm

reduction. Good job!

ROCK: Something that is hard for you to imagine how it can be achieved

LIGHTBULB: Something that is an insight; an “aha” for you

BRICK WALL: The biggest challenge or obstacle to overcome

HEART: Something you really resonate with

GAMECHANGER: Something that will make a huge difference or change if implemented

Tell Us How You Really Feel

The HEARTH Act “establishes a federal goal of ensuring that people who become homeless return to permanent housing within 30 days.”

“If staff has become accustomed to viewing the families they serve as dysfuncEonal, they are unlikely to have

confidence that Housing First will work.”

“Staff welcomes me no matter

what shape I’m in when I show up.”

“Housing is a basic human right,

not a reward for clinical success.”

“Learning collaboraEves should support building a single homeless

assistance system, not programs performing well in isolaEon.”

“People have to get it with

their gut,

not just

their head.”

Guiding Principles For Designing And Facilita9ng Learning Collabora9ves

Build A Clock Be Concrete

Create Space Unlock Possibili9es

www.endhomelessness.org/blog

Learn how to plan your own Learning CollaboraEve, and find sample materials and resources.

Thank you for learning with us!

Elaine de Coligny www.everyonehome.org

[email protected] 510.670.5944

Kathie Barkow [email protected]

510.967.5161

Education

Improving Homeless Assistance Through Learning Collaboratives