# Presentation: 167809

## Developing and Implementing a Plan to Increase Access to Mainstream Services and Create Systems Change

**Alabama In-State Chronic Homelessness Policy Academy**
**February 8-10, 2006**

## Why Systems Change?

- Integration of services and supportive housing are a proven strategy for success
- Integration doesn’t just happen―it must be planned, pursued with vigor, and sustained with efforts over time
- Success requires innovation, stretching, and creative use of existing and new resources

## How Does Systems Change Occur?

- Recognition that there is a better way of doing things is recognized
- A new vision guides the change process, e.g., “No Wrong Door”
- Resources are made to work together:  Allocation of housing and service resources are coordinated
- Administrative and program structures are linked:  There are shared policies, procedures, and funding mechanisms

## What are the Key Elements of Action Planning?

**Vision and Core Values**

**Involvement of  Partners**

**Implementation**

**Monitoring and Evaluation**

**Sustainability**

**Incentive to Change**

## Continue to Find Incentive to Change

- Figure out “what’s not working”
- Utilize data to help enhance and maintain your overarching change strategy by:
- Identifying the costs of chronic homelessness
- Projecting savings from reduced crises when effective services and housing are provided
- Circulating what you know and getting more data
- Utilize TA to help enhance and maintain your overarching change strategy

## Revisit the Teams’ Vision and Core Values

- As you move forward in the implementation phase:
- Revisit your common vision
- Ensure the planning and implementation process reflects your core values
- Create and reinforce new definitions of “success” that are rooted in different data, standards, and values that are widely shared

## Involve Partners in the Change Process 

- Make a conscious effort to consistently figure out who’s missing
- Invite new members, prepare them to participate, and structure the process to value input
- Cultivate leaders and champions
- Find individuals and organizations that can serve as “boundary spanners” to work across the gaps and penetrate the barriers

## Implement the Agreed-Upon Action 

- Find and support consistent and dedicated leadership
- Ensure the plan is realistic and feasible
- Document and distribute the accomplishments
- Be creative about money—use old money in new ways and use multiple funding strategies
- Look for additional resources to support your efforts

## Monitor and Evaluate Process and Outcomes 

- Assign responsibility for monitoring and evaluation
- Collect data
- Conduct process and outcome evaluation
- Create a process for plan revision
- Know that it is okay to deviate from the plan—but understand why

## Plan for Sustainability

- Align with other planning efforts
- Embed changes in the emerging system
- Leverage resources and coordinate funding
- Make the case by cultivating champions and identifying the cost of homelessness

## Make the Case

- Communicate what you know to key policymakers
- Focus on the results instead of the problem
- Keep language and concepts simple
- Gather and use personal stories
- Promote media interest
- Put a “face” on findings:  Consumers and human stories (anecdotes) are essential companions to data

## What Roadblocks Do State Teams Face?

**Persuading key stakeholders** to participate in collaboration that:
- Involves consumers in a meaningful way
- Maintains team momentum in spite of political changes, team leadership changes, and unstable economic conditions
- Raises awareness of homelessness and addresses stigma within the team and in the larger community

**Notes:**
Most importantly, the Policy Academy model respects the roles and responsibilities of States to make decisions about the Federal resources they receive, such as block grants and Medicaid.  This strategy is critical for DHHS as it explores a collaboration with HUD to share responsibility for the services and housing needed to reduce the prevalence of homelessness.
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## What Roadblocks Do State Teams Face?

**Implementing specific action-steps** with limited access to models and assistance with adaptation strategies
**Negotiating categorical funding streams** with various reporting requirements
**Integrating multiple planning and TA efforts** to address homelessness at the Federal, State and Territory, and local levels

**Notes:**
Most importantly, the Policy Academy model respects the roles and responsibilities of States to make decisions about the Federal resources they receive, such as block grants and Medicaid.  This strategy is critical for DHHS as it explores a collaboration with HUD to share responsibility for the services and housing needed to reduce the prevalence of homelessness.
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## What Are the Key Components of Success?

_***Team Components***_
- Developing relationships to assist change
- Removing/reducing the “silo” mentality
- Increasing awareness of the issue
- Maximizing Federal/State/local funding streams
- Integrating best practice models

**Notes:**
Most importantly, the Policy Academy model respects the roles and responsibilities of States to make decisions about the Federal resources they receive, such as block grants and Medicaid.  This strategy is critical for DHHS as it explores a collaboration with HUD to share responsibility for the services and housing needed to reduce the prevalence of homelessness.
.

## What Are the Key Components of Success?

_***System Components***_
- Building high-level agency/governmental buy-in
- Developing a statewide oversight body
- Developing a plan to end homelessness
- Changing policies (e.g., eligibility criteria for housing)
- Reducing barriers to access (e.g., online, multi-resource applications)
- Conducting additional research/data to inform and/or influence policy

**Notes:**
Most importantly, the Policy Academy model respects the roles and responsibilities of States to make decisions about the Federal resources they receive, such as block grants and Medicaid.  This strategy is critical for DHHS as it explores a collaboration with HUD to share responsibility for the services and housing needed to reduce the prevalence of homelessness.
.

## How Can We Help?

- Identifying how the challenges and barriers faced by teams in the action planning and implementation processes
- Determining which strategies and models will support continued advancement
- Coordinating experts and resources to deliver effective, outcome-based TA
- Providing a constant, external presence to help team maintain momentum and negotiate conflict
- Sharing promising practices and models with all Policy Academy States and Territories

**Notes:**
Most importantly, the Policy Academy model respects the roles and responsibilities of States to make decisions about the Federal resources they receive, such as block grants and Medicaid.  This strategy is critical for DHHS as it explores a collaboration with HUD to share responsibility for the services and housing needed to reduce the prevalence of homelessness.
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## What Specific Technical Assistance is Available?

_***Individual State Opportunities***_
**TA materials***** ***– providing briefing papers, fact sheets, articles, targeted literature searches
**Team meeting facilitation** – helping teams incorporate new stakeholders or integrate planning efforts with other planning activities
**Expert consultation **– consulting in person or via phone on specific issues
**In-State Academies***** ***– facilitating the process of involving key stakeholders, creating a common vision and understanding, and expanding throughout the State

**Notes:**
Most importantly, the Policy Academy model respects the roles and responsibilities of States to make decisions about the Federal resources they receive, such as block grants and Medicaid.  This strategy is critical for DHHS as it explores a collaboration with HUD to share responsibility for the services and housing needed to reduce the prevalence of homelessness.
.

## What Specific Technical Assistance is Available?

_***Multi-State Opportunities***_
**Peer-to-peer TA***** ***– coordinating a conference call between several States or sending members on site visits
**Multi-State, topic specific web casts** – providing an opportunity for States expressing interest in a certain topic to join a discussion with a content-expert, facilitator, and their peers
**Regional and/or topical learning community meetings **– coordinating several meetings among States either share best practices, lessons learned, and strategies about specific topics

**Notes:**
Most importantly, the Policy Academy model respects the roles and responsibilities of States to make decisions about the Federal resources they receive, such as block grants and Medicaid.  This strategy is critical for DHHS as it explores a collaboration with HUD to share responsibility for the services and housing needed to reduce the prevalence of homelessness.
.