Outcome Strategy Stakeholders Timeframe Possible with current funding resources Short Med Long Yes No 3) Enhanced connection among direct-service programs throughout the state Strategy A: Convene daylong annual statewide retreat for service providers to share evidence-based best practices, challenges, resources, and data-collection efforts. ED of UHY Commission, UHY Commission Members, Local Providers Strategy B: Create online platform for Learning Community and Resource Sharing ED of UHY Commission, External Consultant UHY Commission members, Local Providers Recommendation B: Expand the current spectrum of accountable and evidence-informed models of housing and services Outcome Strategy Stakeholders Timeframe Possible with current funding resources Short Med Long Yes No 1) Development of a flexible, regional response to YYA homelessness including shelter, triage, assessment and housing services and supports. Strategy A: Convene CoCs to establish the numbers of existing and needed units and models of housing across the state Mayor’s forums, CoCs, local providers, DHCD, HUD local office, youth action board, Mass Coalition for the Homeless, MHSA, ICHH going
Outcome Strategy Stakeholders Timeframe Possible with current funding resources Short Med Long Yes No Strategy B: Convene CoCs to identify the numbers and types of existing support services across the state Mayor’s forums, CoCs, local providers, DHCD, HUD local office, youth action board, Mass Coalition for the Homeless, MHSA, ICHH Strategy C: Identify and evaluate current and potential funding for housing, including supportive housing, and services across the state Mayor’s forums, CoCs local providers, DHCD, HUD local office, youth action board, Mass Coalition for the Homeless, MHSA, ICHH Strategy D: Identify and/or create one low-barrier resource center (drop-in center) for YYA in every region (as stand-alone centers or integrated into existing programs or centers) Mayor’s forums, CoCs, local providers, DHCD, HUD local office, YABs, Mass Coalition for the Homeless, MHSA, ICHH, FRC, HCEC, DPH 2) Housing and service needs for special populations of unaccompanied homeless youth are understood, and partnerships are developed with state agencies to ensure adequate, informed, and fully utilized statewide services Strategy A: Create working groups for each special population identified in the report comprised of advocates, people with lived experience, providers, UHY ED, and state agencies that provide services to the sub-populations. Alternatively, integrate UHY ED and YYA with lived experience of homelessness into existing work groups. UHY ED, Service Providers DPH/BSAS, CoCs For each special-population, stakeholders include: advocates, people with lived experience, providers, UHY ED, and state agencies that provide services to the special populations going
Outcome Strategy Stakeholders Timeframe Possible with current funding resources Short Med Long Yes No Outcome 6: Programs and services have access to flexible funding to meet needs of individual YYA Strategy A: Support continued dedicated state funding with program level flexibility Administration, Executive branch of the Legislature Strategy B: Utilize dedicated state funding to leverage additional and foundation resources ED of UHY Commission, Foundations, COCs Recommendation C: Enhance early identification, connection and outreach systems to improve young people’s connection to existing resources Outcome Strategy Stakeholders Timeframe Possible with current funding resources Short Med Long Yes No 1) Improved ability to identify YYA at risk of housing instability and homelessness within service programs, including youth transitioning out of state systems of care. Strategy A: Create a “Protocol for identification” and related training material that can be used statewide and distributed by State agencies, CoCs to providers and other entities (courts, hospitals, schools, etc.) to identify youth at risk for homelessness ED of UHY Commission, DPH/ Chapter 55 data, State agencies, local providers, youth advisory boards, DCF (including family resource centers), CoCs Strategy B: Connect with the EOHHS Transitional Planning workgroup to identify and implement recommendations ED of UHY Commission, Transition Planning Workgroup going going
Outcome Strategy Stakeholders Timeframe Possible with current funding resources Short Med Long Yes No 3) Improved opportunities for YYA experiencing or at risk of homelessness to further their employment and training opportunities Strategy A: Identify, focus, expand, and replicate models of partnership (like the Private Industry Council in Boston) as well as social enterprise opportunities (such as More Than Words, The Haven Project). Local Providers, Business associations, Local industry leaders, Mayors, ED of UHY Commission, Workforce Development Boards Strategy B: Connect Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Commission with Workforce Development Boards to understand existing WIOA youth programs that offer work experiences and skills training for YYA. ED of UHY Commission, UHY Commission members, Workforce Development Boards Recommendation E: Create systematic outcome measurement systems and data sharing opportunities Outcome Strategy Stakeholders Timeframe Possible with current funding resources Short Med Long Yes No 1) Identification of Strategy A: Catalogue existing ED of UHY Commission, private going going
eligibility criteria for all services to unaccompanied homeless youth external (i.e. non state) definitions of “homeless youth and young adults” by funding source and services provided ICHH, UHY Commission 2) Alignment of statewide definition of unaccompanied youth across state funded services Strategy A: Adopt common definition of “unaccompanied homeless youth” (including age ranges) across service delivery and housing systems EOHHS, ICHH, UHY Commission 3) Creation of statewide dashboard / monitoring platform for population size and characteristics Strategy A: Partner with Statewide CoC/HMIS data-warehouse team to explore how this data informs a coordinated statewide response to YYA homelessness DHCD, ICHH/CoC/HMIS workgroup, ED of UHY Commission, youth action board, ID and connection working group Strategy B: Engage with non providers to understand opportunities and overcome barriers to use of HMIS. DHCD, EOHHS, ED of UHY Commission, CoC’s, provider Outcome Strategy Stakeholders Timeframe Possible with current funding resources Short Med Long Yes No 3) Creation of statewide dashboard / monitoring platform for population size and characteristics Strategy C: Compare and align intake forms statewide to ensure standardized data collection Local providers, ED of UHY Commission, ID/connection working group Strategy D: Identify and collect data WIOA-youth programs, going
from a range of existing statewide data sources to improve baseline estimates of young adults experiencing and at risk of homelessness. Mass LGBT Youth Commission, DPH/ Chapter 55, ID/Connection workgroup, DESE, Higher ED, COCs, Youth-serving programs, ED of UHY Commission, Data Warehouse Strategy E: Develop a dashboard/ outcomes monitoring platform outside tech TA, DPH, EOHHS 4) Development of inter/multi-agency data sharing agreements to identify agency involvement of youth Strategy A: Refer to Draft Transition Planning document to identify barriers to sharing data across agencies and other DHS initiatives ED UHY, EOHHS Master Data Management Initiative, Transition Planning Group Strategy B: Create multi-agency data sharing agreements ED UHY, EOHHS Master Data Management Initiative, Transition Planning Group, EHS IT, EHS Legal Recommendation F: Create a structure to support authentic youth involvement statewide Outcome Strategy Stakeholders Timeframe Possible with current funding Short Med Long On-going Yes No 1) Definition of authentic youth engagement and contextual guidance provided to state agencies, communities, and partners Strategy A: Create statewide guidance policy on youth engagement that includes evidence based practices in partnership and decision making capacity ED UHY Commission, UHY Commission, Boston Youth Action Board, YYA with lived experience across the state
2) Improved statewide capacity for youth engagement Strategy A: Identify agency in each region to develop and host YAB. ED UHY Commission, Consultants, Strategy B: Create tools, trainings and resources to develop, support and sustain local YYA leadership and YABs ED UHY Commission, Youth Consultants, Service providers, COCs Strategy C: Identify funding streams to support YAB development at local and state levels. ED UHY Commission, Private Foundations, COCs Strategy D: Convene an annual meeting/ day-long retreat for YYA from across the state who have experienced housing instability and are interested in taking leadership in their communities. The retreat will include workshops on facilitation, advocacy, training, connection, and communication. ED UHY Commission, YABs, Service Providers, COCs Strategy E: Develop statewide network of local YABs with paid opportunities for work, training and skills-building UHY ED, YABs, Service Providers, COCs, Foundations
7)What additional types of services/programs/resources are most needed in your community to prevent and end YYA Homelessness? Please rank in order of importance to you. We assume that all of the items below would be culturally competent, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate. Emergency shelter Transitional housing Permanent Supported Housing Employment services General Case Managment Mental Health Services Substance Use Disorder Services Physical health / medical services LGBTQ+ supports Education support and services Recreational activities Life skills support Other ___________________ D. Flexible funding Many programs have access to flexible funding to meet a variety of needs of their clients. We know that some flexible funding dollars are now decreasing, and we are trying to learn more about how important they have been. 8)Has your program had access to flexible funds? Yes No 9) If you have had access to flexible funds, what have you used them for? Housing/rent costs: if yes, please describe_______________ Transportation Child Care Legal fees Work-related needs Education-related needs IDs Other ________________________________