Partnering with the Homeless Coalition

7/30/2019 Partnering with the Homeless Coalition

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N A N C Y F R A N C I S C O S T E W A R T P H D , A C S W

J O N A T H A N A D A M S , M S W , L C S W

J A C K S O N V I L L E S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y

Partnering with the homeless

coalition: Program-wide projectbased service learning.


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2 0 1 1 P O I N T - I N - T I M E I N D I V I D U A L A N D

A G E N C Y S U R V E Y S

Homelessness in the

Anniston/Gadsden Areas


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Presentation Objectives

Provide a brief overview of project based servicelearning literature.

Develop knowledge of the regional coalitions to end

homelessness Discuss application of a single service learning

project across core curriculum and competencies

Provide examples of how to construct and assess the

learning project,

Present a resource to strengthencommunity/university partnerships.


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Service learning

Boundaries of the university are contiguous with theboundaries of the state

Effective partnerships with community groups beginwith a commitment in the institution to work beyond the

campus boundaries and require a host of interconnectedstructures, policies and practices that need to be deeplyembedded with the campus.

Most marginalized faculty in the academy(contingent,female, minority and those in soft fields of education andsocial work are most committed to communityengagement

Provides faculty a tool to do their jobs effectively


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Service Learning in SW Education

Literature addresses Issues and tasks: Creating learning activities distinct from those required in field

practice

Minimizing professional ethics violations

Assisting students who observe unprofessional practice violations Managing conflicts of interests among students employed in the field

Has compared teaching social welfare policy as a servicelearning course with social welfare policy in the

practicum experience Most are case studies of a project, not studied as research


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Identifying needs: History

Stewart and Simon

The Emergency Shelter Grant Program has existed since 1987 throughTitle V of the federal Housing & Urban Development agency.

In 2009 the McKinney Vento Act was amended to the Hearth Actproviding funding to upgrade shelters, meet operating costs, preventhomelessness and rehouse those in need.

The ESG Program is administered by the Alabama Department of

Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and will be utilized toprovide assistance to homeless persons and victims of domestic abuse.

The 2012 HOPWA also uses Point In Time data. Priorities for funding include demonstrated need, prior performance

and availability of other resources in a Continuum of care. HCNEA has been regional coalition charged with identifying needs and

developing services. Coalitions exist throughout Alabama.


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Point in Time Survey

Stewart and Simon

Each January a single day count determines a picture ofhomelessness in our region and across the nation. Thesurveys have some regional variation and localities set thedate.

The survey is an all volunteer effort.

Not funded by the government although the questionsasked fulfill governmental specifications.

Data goes to the Governors Office after collection and is

used to determine priorities for service and grant funding.


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Thanks to our HCNEA membership 2009:

13th Place Susan Carter /211

Health Services Center Etowah Baptist Missions

2nd Chance Independent Reading and CounselingRapha Ministries Graces PlaceSalvation Army Anniston Family Services CenterBarbara/Barry Mauldin Rickey Melson /Melson OutreachGadsden Board of Education Baron SandlinCity of Gadsden Marcie Porter / LIHCASalvation Army Gadsden City of Anniston

and other friends and supporters!


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Student (HBSE) Timelines

Week 1 January 12 Topics: Course orientation & course assignments Readings: Chapters 1 Hutchison Chapter 1 Prilleltensky & Prilleltensky, Learning Activity & Assignment: Complete Wellness Readiness Check#1, pages 24-30. Bring to class next week. Learning activity: Individually consider recent events in your own life that produce stress. Break into small groups and have a whining session on the stress you

are experiencing. Taking turns, each person names one stressor as quickly as possible. After your whining session have a brainstorming session for five minuteson stress relievers. One person writes all ideas on piece of paper. At the end of the brainstorming session each person writes two ideas they will try.

Week 2 January 11 & 13 Topics: HBSE & Paradigms Readings: Shriver: Chapter 2 (You need to read through to chapter 5) P &P: Chapter 2-4

Activities & Assignment: Practice Test, Exercise 1-1.4 Activities & Assignment 2: Complete Exercise 2, Forms 2.1 & 2.2, pages 49-51. Week 3 January 18 & 20 Topics: Paradigm Thinking & Social Work Knowledge, Homelessness Readings: S: Chapter 3 and 4, P & P, chapter 2 & 3 Activities: Metaphors, Practice test 2, Exercise 2 page 49, Activities: Values for Wellbeing: Exercise 3, Forms 3.1 & 3.2, pages 70-71. Week 4 January 25 & 27 Topics: Alternative Paradigms Guest speakers Readings Chapter 5 Class activity: We will be participating in the Point in Time survey as our class activity. You will be assigned a location for interviews in either Gadsden or

Anniston. You will be expected to discuss the survey and homelessness in your reading response paper and in class.


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Point in Time Methodology

Stewart and Simon

Sites chosen for the 2012 survey were based on previousyears participation.

Churches and community groups who provide meals,shelter or food banks were encouraged to complete both

individual and agency surveys.

Only those sites who elected to participate are reported.

Efforts were made to reach the unsheltered homeless in thecommunity.

JSU students went in teams to congregate housing andmeal sites. Students also contacted agencies to complete theagency annual data.


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Agencies/Locations 2007

Jacksonville and Piedmont Police Departments

Residents being evicted from Public Housing in Jacksonville and Piedmont

North Calhoun County Schools

Hospitals in Calhoun County

Schools in Anniston area of Calhoun County

Salvation Army Anniston

Salvation Army Gadsden

Fellowship House Anniston and Gadsden

Second Chance

Tri-CountyMental Health Center

Our Fathers Arms

Center of Hope

Love Center

Family Services Center Anniston

Calhoun Public Library

Winn Dixie Anniston

Word Alive

Soup KitchenInterfaith Ministries

All Saints (Sister Mary)

Community Enabler

Anniston Police Department

Calhoun County Sheriff

DHR

Big Oak Ranch


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State of Homelessness 2009*

Conditions worsened among all four economicindicators examined in this report: housingaffordability for poor people, unemployment, poor

workers income, and foreclosure status.

Nearly three-quarters of all U.S. households withincomes below the federal poverty line spend over 50percent of monthly household income on rent.

Four populations at increased risk of homelessness:

people living in doubled up situations, peopledischarged from prison, young adults aged out offoster care, and uninsured people.


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An agencys 2009 example*

Homelessness, as it is known in urban areas, does notexist in the HSC area. Rather, HSC clients may double up

with family or friends, staying in spare rooms or on livingroom couches. Clients may also live in substandardhousing, perhaps with no electricity or plumbing. One

client was living in a tool shed with a dirt floor beforeHSC intervened. HSC staff work hard to locate adequatehousing, and recently they have procured several trailerhomes through the Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment (HUD) for several of their clients who have

families. The Palliative Care Program, a HRSA SPNSprogram, has secured a duplex home through Habitat forHumanity. The house was recently built adjacent to theHobson City (Anniston) clinic.


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Counting the Homeless 2012

Stewart and Simon

JSU Social Work Program provided 31 students and 2 faculty members tohelp with the individual survey. Students received training on thequestionnaire in their classes.

This is the 5th year JSU students have participated. Local agencies also received an agency questionnaire. 26 JSU students

followed up on agency surveys, part of the 18 agency responses

67.3% of homeless respondents from Calhoun County. 32.7% of homeless respondents from Etowah County. 223 individual homeless survey respondents were reported in the data

sheets. Previous Years:

2011: 390 2010: 370 2009: 301 2008: 298 2007: 276


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Stewart and Simon


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Field students

AGENCY/COMMUNITYMACRO PROJECT (100 points): Assignment: All students will complete a project as assigned by the instructor. All students

will be involved in the annual Homeless Count coordinated by the Homeless Coalition ofNortheast Alabama. Students will be provided instructions and training to complete the projectas coordinated by the instructor and the Health Services Center. Each studentwill alsocomplete a project summary ofat least 2 double-spaced pages giving a brief description ofthe project, the process of doing the project, and discussion of his/her personal experience with

the project. This should include what the student did individually and what others (ifapplicable) did in completing the project. A copy of the project and/or other evidence of the project should be bound or

placed in a 3-ring binder along with the project summary(s). EVIDENCE of whatyou did on the assignment is extremely important. The amount of work and timeput into your project should be obvious to the instructor so that you can be givenfull credit for your efforts.

Learning Objective: This assignment will assist students in developing their skills in

collaboration, program planning, and proposal writing; to increase understanding of programdevelopment and evaluation in relation to program planning; to advance competence intechnical writing in organizations; and to experience creative resource development inorganizations and communities.


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Sample assignment BSW

Assignment # C: Research Article Summary/Analysis (Individual Project) 100 points

Each student will be responsible during the semester to choose a recent peer reviewed socialwork article that addresses issues related to HBSE and writing a summary/analysis of thatarticle. Social work students will attend a library orientation related to governmental and professionalresearch. The article should address resource development at the community level as interventions topromote wellness from the social work literature. Additional, the student will make a brief, informalpresentation and be prepared to facilitate discussion regarding issues it raises. The summary/analysis

is to be 2-3 typed double spaced pages in length and is to be done according to the outline below: Give a full citation for the article, according to APA format.

Summarize the main issues and findings reported in the article.

Describe the implications of the research for human diversity, either in terms of how diversity was orwas not addressed in the research.

What do you think were the strengths and weaknesses of the research reported on or used in thereading?

What theory or theories about human behavior and the social environment are reflected in thereading?

How is the reading relevant to social work practice? If you were a social worker, how would thisinformation change or influence how you would work?

Describe one possible implication for social policies or services of the research reported in the reading.That is, what kinds of policies should there be or what kinds of services should agencies provide, basedon this article?


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Community Assessment: HBSE

Chapter readings: Prilleltensky & Prilleltensky (2006) chapters on Community Wellbeing(pages 231-307) Resource chapters invaluable to this process are Chapter 6 on Natural HelpingNetworks and Chapter 10, Uncovering, Accessing and Maximizing Assets and Strengths(pages108- 117). Hutchison: Chapter 13.

This assignment considers the different theoretical approaches to community for social work practice and the nature of social works relationship with communities. The challenge for social work students is to assess their communities AND be able to communicate the results and the needs in order to engage community members into becoming active, informed participants in addressing community and individual wellness. This assignment explores what individuals and agency personnel experience when accessing services designed to maintain health and the barriers and resources. This year we will examine how changing organizations impact our region and the role of community groups, including foundations.

For this assignment, I will be grouping students according to geographic location but you may be assigned to a group other than where you reside. You may be assigned to a group based on its service priorities, such as the Homeless Coalition of Northeast Alabama, the Comprehensive Cancer Coalition or the Childrens Policy Council. You WILL be expected to go to the location being studied. Your group will complete an assessment using demographic information, informants perceptions, government documents, the social work literature and current news articles. You will present your community as a system and assess its values, strengths and needs as well as propose how you will engage the community with an action plan, using the framework of your texts.


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Resources

Health & Disability Working Group, Boston UniversitySchool of Public Health, CASE STUDY: HEALTHSERVICES CENTER, INC.Anniston, Alabama.

Sermons, M. W. & Witte, P. (2011).State of homelessnessin America. Washington, D.C.: National Alliance to EndHomelessness.www.endhomelessness.org

Stewart, N F (2010).A better place: community resourcedevelopment through service-learning. In M. A. Cooksey& K. T. Olivares (Eds.), Quick Hits for Service-learning:Successful Strategies by Award-winning Teachers.

Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. Stewart, S. & Simon, R. (2012) Presentation to Homeless

Coalition of Northeast Alabama, Gadsden, AL.
http://www.endhomelessness.org/http://www.endhomelessness.org/

Partnering with the Homeless Coalition

Documents

Transcript of Partnering with the Homeless Coalition