The Beyond Shelter Initiative: Systemic Change in Clackamas County, Oregon

1. The Beyond Shelter Initiative:Systemic Change in Clackamas County, Oregon Melissa Erlbaum, ED Clackamas Women’s Services

2. Existing Dynamics of the Clackamas County Homeless System • Geographic region (urban, suburban, rural) • Few nonprofit agencies • Long standing • Community based grassroots • Strong County government presence • Large % of services delivered through the County system • High value on long standing relationships • Community ripe for collaboration • Centralized intake system didn’t include all partners • Prevention efforts weren’t streamlined and inadequate • County’s homeless services/philosophy were deeply entrenched in the HUD COC system • 10 year plan included vision for prevention

3. Bringing the players together • Homeless Service Providers • Domestic Violence Provider • Youth Services • DHS • Workforce development • Clackamas County: Social Services & Community Development • Rent Well Program (tenant education) • Faith Based • School Homeless Liaisons • Special Needs Providers • Housing Authority

4. Working with DV Agencies • Experience with CCR • Strong advocacy skills • Expertise in safety planning and crisis intervention • Experience with voluntary services models • Access to different funding streams • Understanding of trauma informed services • HMIS • Strict Confidentiality standards • Less formal experience with homeless service system • Historically focused on shelter as primary means for safety • Resource competition Benefits Challenges

5. Establishing our partnership • Understand mission, values and limitations about partner agencies • Determine timeline and meeting schedule • Build a conceptual program model • Aligning networks • Examine the diversity of perspectives

6. Creating Common Vision • Housing First Philosophy • Address current gaps • Joint resource acquisition • Streamline access points • Shared policies and procedures • Comprehensive data collection • Reporting/Evaluation • Cultural competency

7. Steps to creating the system • Map out current system • Document need • Determine target population • Create unified assessment • Shared policies and procedures • Determine short/long-term goals and measures (outputs, outcomes etc) In our community this took place over four months of bi-weekly meetings that followed an initial 4-5 meetings/trainings geared to get a “temperature read” of the propensity for change in the existing system.

8. New System • County’s Department of Health, Housing and Human Services contracts HPRP funds to CWS & NHA. • CWS is the lead agency for 3 year United Way Systemic Change grant (contracts to the County’s Rent Well Program and NHA). • CWS has Office on Violence Against Women Transitional Housing funding • CWS & NHA have joint private foundation funding • Culturally specific services – both partnership and inte • Unified assessment tool • Shared policy manual • Engage in joint resource acquisition • Cross training and joint training • New prevention system has been created • Streamlined process • Effective use of resources • Gained political will

9. Housing Rights & Resources Line CWS 24-hour crisis line Established physical access points Referral to CWS or NHA for Assessment Data Collection -Centralized Services Housing Secured Action Plan Developed Prevention Diversion Shelter Stabilization –integration into community Housing search

10. Clackamas Women’s Services Beyond Shelter Housing Initiative-Internal Program Model Survivor at Risk of Homelessness/ Fleeing Violence • Homeless Prevention • 30-40 households • Arrears • Utility Assistance • United Way Community Investment Grant • HUD- HPRP Funds • Private funds CWS Emergency Shelter (Victims of domestic and sexual violence)- 14 beds + hotel voucher s (capacity expansion May 2012) Casa Hogar- Spanish Speaking Shelter 6 beds (master leasing) • Rapid Re-Housing & Diversion • 30-50 households • Low to Moderate Barriers • Economics are primary barrier • Approx 6-12 month subsidy • Shelter stay not to exceed 4 months • United Way Community Investment Grant (Northwest housing Alternatives & CC Social Services Rent Well) • HUD Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing • Private funds HACC- 24 units-set aside for DV voucher/priority- CWS provides support services • Transitional Housing • Moderate to Severe Barriers • Special Needs • 18-24 months Permanent Supportive Housing Shelter + Care (County HA) CWS PSH-HUD) Other Subsidized & Non-Subsidized Permanent Housing Transitional Housing Facility Currently operated by partner agencies (Janssen, NHA, B2H) • Move In Assistance • Deposit Assistance • Arrears & Utility Asst. • 3-6 month subsidy • Shallow Rental Subsidy • Max monthly subsidy • 50% rent to income ratio • Contribution to rent 30-50% of income • Market rate housing • 12 months (18 max) Oxford Model Housing for DV Survivors Pilot Project by Recovery Abuse Program MACG funding • Scattered Site –Tenant Based • 30-35 Households • 30% of income rent contribution • OVW-VAWA THP grant • HUD- THP • Private foundation support

11. Challenges • Salary differences • Continuum of Care System & 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness • Long standing HRR line • Internal culture shifts within partner agencies (moving from shelter based system to housing based system) • County budget cuts- impact on County services and employees

12. Lessons Learned • Utilize an MOU (revisit regularly) • Cross agency team building activities and training • Include culturally specific partners in all aspects of planning • Establish communication systems • Define roles and responsibilities • Solicit commitment from all partners • Regular meetings • Shared learning and shared responsibilities

13. Outcomes • High success rates • Staff satisfaction • Staff skill level increased • Increased participant feedback rates with high level of reported satisfaction • System infrastructure remains solid despite changes in funding patterns • Flexible system • Data informed • Political will and capital • Collaborative fundraising

14. System Evaluations Formative evaluation Summative evaluation Program monitoring/evaluation

15. Measures of systemic change • Leadership • Collaborative planning • Financial leverage • Provider infrastructure • Credible data • Network of allies

16. Melissa Erlbaum, EDClackamas Women’s Services 503-722-2366 Ext 106 melissae@cwsor.org