# Presentation: 722692

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Presented by:
- Ann V. Denton
- Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.
- 508.423.4055

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

-   Federal attention to chronic homelessness is based in research and the practical experience of providers in implementation of Continuum of Care systems.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Ending Chronic Homelessness requires attention to and new action in at least four areas:
- Access to mainstream services
- Prevention of homelessness among people at risk for chronic homelessness
- Outreach and engagement to this group
- Permanent supportive housing.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Mainstream services are essential to ending chronic homelessness.
- The role of mainstream services is:
- Prevention of homelessness within at-risk groups
- “Re-entry” by individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Mainstream services must have added depth, capacity and intensity in order to prevent homelessness or to serve people who have been chronically homeless.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Suggested strategies for increased use of mainstream systems include:
- Educate mainstream service providers about chronic homelessness and how they can prevent and help end this pattern.
- Incorporate responsibility for this population into existing contracts.
- Create new policies using evidence based practices and targeted resources.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Suggested strategies for increased use of mainstream systems include:
- Improve coordination of services across agency boundaries.
- Increase resources for evidence-based practices such as integrated treatment of co-occurring disorders, permanent supportive housing and ACT.
- Tracy D’Alano, “Developing and Implementing a Plan to Increase Access to Mainstream Services”.  Presented at National Policy Academy on Chronic Homelessness, May 2003

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Prevention of chronic homelessness requires:
- Identification of risk factors
- Use of evidence-based practices in mainstream systems.
- Deborah Dennis, “Preventing Chronic Homelessness – What Works?”
- Presented at National Policy Academy on Chronic Homelessness, May 2003

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Recommended prevention strategies include:
- Effective discharge planning from institutions
- Housing programs targeted to lowest levels of income
- Increased responsiveness, depth and capacity in mainstream systems
- Use of evidence-based practices such as Housing First, integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders, and assertive community treatment.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Outreach includes:
- Engagement
- Assessment
- Information and Referral
- Provision of direct services.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Principles of effective outreach:
- Non-threatening, reliable persistence:  a “never give up” attitude
- Practicality:  meeting survival needs
- Assessment skills:  clinical conditions and related needs
- Engagement:   have something to offer that is real and perceived by the individual as something they need.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Permanent Supportive Housing
- Housing is not affordable to people on SSI anywhere in this country.
- Services are too often fragmented, difficult to access, time limited, and lack intensity.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Permanent Supportive Housing
- Is a prevention strategy for individuals at risk of chronic homelessness
- Is a solution for individuals who have become chronically homeless.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- The provision of permanent supportive housing results in cost savings through reductions in the use of emergency and other acute care services, and a reduction in prison/jail days.
- The provision of permanent supportive housing gives people the opportunity to live in the community with increased stability and quality of life.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- Research supporting the cost-effectiveness of permanent supportive housing was conducted by Dennis Culhane.
- It is based on an assessment of emergency/acute and prison/jail service use PRIOR to the implementation of permanent supportive housing and the reduction in projected costs for these services AFTER implementation of permanent supportive housing.

## The Cost of Homelessness

## NY/NY Savings: Per Housing Unit Per Year

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- The provision of permanent supportive housing resulted in a cost savings of 30%!

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- So, what is Permanent Supportive Housing?  It is a general term that encompasses the universe of housing and related activity, including:
- Housing development
- Use of rental subsidies
- Evidence based practices in services, including Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams.

## The Dynamics of Homelessness

- What’s going on?
- Policy Academies on homelessness
- Federal Interagency Council on Homelessness
- Continuum of Care requirements that communities plan to end chronic homelessness
- New Collaborative Initiative.