Overdue for Change The Transformation of Homeless Housing and Services Needed in Westchester.

Overdue for Change

The Transformation of Homeless Housing and Services

Needed in Westchester

Crises Bring Radical Change

• Evolution lurches ahead when crises happen

• Our current budget crisis will force an evolutionary “lurch” in homeless programs

• Most of our homeless housing and services use models developed in the 1980s

• Few will exist in their current form by 2015

• Programs have two choices: evolve or die

THE CORE OF OUR CURRENT HOMELESS SERVICES

Not Housing-Ready Housing-Ready

Treatment-Ready

(1) Transitional Shelter

Highly structuredcongregate care

with 24/7 monitoring,and intensive support services

(2) Shelter Plus Care

High-demandpermanent housing

that requires ongoing treatmentutilization

for in-kind match

The Central Assumption


Treatment-Ready






that requires ongoing treatmentutilization

for in-kind match

You cannot be “Housing-Ready”until you are “Treatment-Ready.”

The Central AssumptionMade Sense During the 1980s


Treatment-Ready






that requires ongoingtreatment utilization

for in-kind match

Most local shelters were invented in the early 1980sduring the height of massive deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill and the sudden onset of the crack epidemic

System Change #1:

We need fewertransitional shelter beds

Why We Need Fewer Shelter Beds

• Biggest shelter cost is 24/7 monitoring

• 19 beds = 10 FTEs for 24/7 monitoring

• You don’t need 24/7 monitoring just because you fell behind on your rent

Reason #1: They are too expensive.


Reason #2: The # of homeless people in Westchester is at record lows.


Reason #3: We have more access to housing subsidies.


Reason #4: We don’t need to “fix” every problem before we rehouse someone.


Reason #5: Treatment readiness does not have to precede housing readiness.


• Providing 24/7 monitoring makes substance use MORE problematic

• ANY substance use is intolerable in supervised shelters

• But only extreme or disruptive substance use prevents retention of private housing

Reason #6: Sometimes shelters are not a pipeline to housing, but a barrier to it.


• HEARTH goal: rehousing in 30 days

• The more long-term transitional shelter beds we have, the more points we’ll eventually lose

Reason #7: HUD no longer values them.

System Change #2:

We need to invent

Fast Track shelters.

Fast Track Shelter Components

3-6 months3. Housing Stabilization

30 days?2. Housing Placement

1-2 weeks1. Rapid Assessment

DURATIONPHASE

Housing Stabilization Services

• Brief and time-limited

• Goal-oriented

• Establish key linkages

• Teach core competencies (budgeting, life skills, etc.)

Who Needs Fast Track Housing?• People recently evicted solely for non-payment of rent• People with a history of successful independent living• People who will not refrain from drug or alcohol use but who are

non-violent and unlikely to disrupt the neighborhood• People in early stages of mental health engagement who are too

afraid to stay in a congregate shelter• People who are too emotionally volatile to safely remain in a

congregate shelter• People unwilling to turn over income for congregate shelter who

would be willing to contribute to the cost of private transitional or permanent housing

System Change #3:

We need centralized

countywide or regional

housing search and placement.

System Change #4:

We need to change shelter funding mechanisms to reward rapid rehousing.

System Change #5:

We need to create amore complete continuum of housing retention services.

Continuum of Housing Retention Services Needed

No major mental health or substance abuse issues

Eviction Prevention Network

Other mentally ill or substance abusing people

“Housing Crisis Response Teams”

Selected substance abusers“Recovery buddies”

Severely mentally illCare Coordinators(ICM, SCM, ACT, etc.)

Target PopulationType of Service

Where will people find housing?

• Units open up with every eviction

• More HUD housing subsidies are available

• DSS now offers rent supplements for formerly homeless

• DSS now allows shared housing without penalties

• We need to upgrade substandard housing

System Change #6:

We need to link housing search and eviction prevention

programs. (Every eviction = a rehousing opportunity.)

System Change #7:

We need to re-establishuse of the Spiegel Act,

but this time do it with the cities.

How to Use The Spiegel Act

• The Spiegel Act allows DSS to withhold rents from substandard units until upgraded

• DSS should partner with cities to identify 1-3 most substandard buildings in each city

• DSS should withhold rent• City should impose fines for building and fire

violations plus penalties for back taxes• County, city and/or a CBO should offer HOME

loans for building improvement

System Change #8:

We need to expand our continuum of housing programs, looking at both housing readiness

and treatment readiness.

The New Housing Paradigm:

Distinguishing Treatment Readiness from Housing Readiness

THE KEY QUESTION:

Not

“Will You Completely Abstain From All Alcohol, Drugs and Sex?”

But

“Do You Need Expensive24-Hour Monitoring?”

A New Paradigm of NeedsNot Housing-Ready:

Needs Monitoring and Support

Housing-Ready:

Needs Only Support

Treatment-Ready:

Needs and Accepts Treatment






that requires ongoing treatment utilizationfor in-kind match

NotTreatment-Ready:

Does Not Need orAccept Treatment

SUPERVISED CONGREGATE CARE

(Provides Monitoring)

SUPPORTIVE INDEPENDENT LIVING

(Provides Privacy)

TWO MODELS OF SUPPORTIVE INDEPENDENT LIVINGFor Individuals Who Are NOT Treatment-Ready

But ARE Housing-Ready (i.e. Do Not Need Supervision)Not Housing-Ready:


Housing-Ready:

Needs Only Support

Treatment-Ready:

Needs and AcceptsTreatment


Highly structured congregate carewith 24/7 monitoring,

and intensive support services


High-demand permanent housingthat requires ongoing treatment utilization

for in-kind match


Housing Ready: needing

Mid-Intensity Support

Housing Ready:needing

Low-Intensity Support

NotTreatment-Ready:



(4) Housing First:SRO Style

Low-demandtransitional or

permanent housingwith mid-intensity support services

for life skills,crisis intervention,

and housing retention

Examples: YMCAs,Windham Hotel,Broadway Manor

(3) Housing First:Scattered-Site


permanent housingwith low-intensity

mobile support servicesfor life skills


Examples: Pathways,RAP for Singles,

WestCARES

TWO MODELS OF SUPERVISED CONGREGATE CAREFor Individuals Who Are NOT Treatment-Ready And NOT Housing-Ready (i.e. Need Supervision)

Not Housing-Ready:


Housing-Ready:

Needs Only Support

Treatment-Ready:


Not Housing-Ready:


Housing-Ready:

Needs Only Support


Unstable:Frequent High-Cost

Emergency Service* User

Stable:Infrequent


NotTreatment-Ready:


(6) Safe Haven

Low-demandpermanent housing

with 24/7 monitoringand high-intensity

mobile support servicesfor life skills,

crisis intervention,housing retention, and

Community Liaison forpublic nuisance reduction

Example:None exist yet in

Westchester

(5) EmergencyShelter

Low-demandtemporary drop-in shelter

to meet basic human needsand avoid public places

becoming de factoshelters of last resortplus facility-basedongoing efforts at

needs assessment andinitial service linkage

Example:Warming centers,Drop-In Shelters


*High-Cost Emergency Service (costly emergency service costs that are wholly or partially county-funded,e.g. detox stays, emergency room visits, psychiatric hospitalizations, jail, etc.

A NEW HOUSING PARADIGM:An Efficient, Flexible and Cost-Effective System

That Addresses Different Levels of Individual Need

Not Housing-Ready:


Housing-Ready:

Needs Only Support

Treatment-Ready:



Highly structured congregate carewith 24/7 monitoring,

and intensive support services


High-demand permanent housingthat requires ongoing treatment utilization

for in-kind match

SUPERVISED CONGREGATE CARE SUPPORTIVE INDEPENDENT LIVING

Unstable:Frequent High-Cost


Stable:Infrequent


Housing Ready: needing

Mid-Intensity Support

Housing Ready:needing

Low-Intensity Support

NotTreatment-Ready:


(6) Safe Haven

Low-demandpermanent housing

with 24/7 monitoring,and high-intensity

mobile support servicesfor life skills,

crisis intervention,housing retention, and

Community Liaison forpublic nuisance reduction

(5) EmergencyShelter

Low-demandtemporary drop-in shelter

to meet basic human needsand avoid public places

becoming de factoshelters of last resortplus facility-basedongoing efforts at

needs assessment andinitial service linkage

(4) Housing First:SRO Style


permanent housingwith mid-intensity support services

for life skills,crisis intervention,


(3) Housing First:Scattered-Site


permanent housingwith low-intensity

mobile support servicesfor life skills


*High-Cost Emergency Service (costly emergency service costs that are wholly or partially county-funded,e.g. detox stays, emergency room visits, psychiatric hospitalizations, jail, etc.)

Overdue for Change The Transformation of Homeless Housing and Services Needed in Westchester.

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