Colorado's Effort to House Its Re-entry Population

1. Colorado's Effort to House Its Re-entry Population Kristin Toombs, Director Office of Homeless Initiatives Division of Housing Department of Local Affairs NAEH Conference February 22, 2019

2. Colorado Division of Housing Created to improve the access of all Coloradans to decent, affordable housing How do we do it? • Funding for operating and rental subsidies • Funding to acquire, rehabilitate, and construct affordable housing • Regulatory role as building department • Technical assistance What have we done? • Funded over 700 supportive housing units in past 4 years • Serves over 35,000 households • Created 3,500 new affordable housing opportunities in past year • Avg voucher recipient income: $11,400 • Over 83% of vouchers serve people with disabilities

3. Office of Homeless Initiatives To help Colorado communities have sustainable solutions to ensure homelessness is prevented whenever possible or is otherwise arare, brief, and single experience. Manage various programs (vouchers, rapid re-housing, and others) throughout the state.

4. The Challenge:- Colorado ranks 43rd in the country for overall health care need vs access.- Mental illness among CO inmates is 2-3x that of the general population.- 74% have substance use disorders.- CO prisons treat 4x people for mental health than the state’s psychiatric hospitals.- 10,555 individuals were counted as homeless in 2018 PIT.- 8,300 individuals are discharged from corrections annually.- 25% are homeless upon discharge.- 59% recidivate to incarceration.Sources: AHAR, DOC, and Equitas Project

5. The Aim: Reduce Homelessness and Justice Involvement The Response: Connect people with justice involvement to housing How: C-SCHARP Homeless Solutions Program Public Housing Authority Vision for Future

6. C-SCHARP Colorado Second Chance Housing & Reentry Program (1) Provided 2 years of rental assistance (HOME TBRA) + intensive behavioral health services (BJA/OBH funds).(2) Served dually diagnosed parolees exiting state prisons to homelessness in Denver and Colorado Springs. (3) Partnership between Dept. of Local Affairs + Dept. of Corrections + Office of Behavioral Health + Community Mental Health Centers. Original funding by Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Second Chance Act funds. (4) Served 3 cohorts 2013-16. Cohorts between 30-60 each.

7. C-SCHARP • ELIGIBILITY • Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R): 27 or above • Dual-diagnoses: Psychiatric needs score 3 – 5; Substance abuse score 3 - 5 • Exiting to homelessness • Paroling to Denver Metro area or Colorado Springs • Participant agreement • AIM: Reduce recidivism. Reduce homelessness. • Retain housing • Avoid arrest and incarceration • Improve mental health • Increase vocational skills and/or income • Link to community services

8. Results • DATA EVALUATION • Integrated BJA outcomes + Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD) Recovery Markers Inventory (RMI). • RMI measured 8 realms of treatment. • Significant positive housing and recidivism outcomes with housing and services support. • LESSONS LEARNED • Vouchers: Must be paired with adequate services and supportive property owners. • Services: Needs vary among participants and over time. • Environment: Surroundings impact likelihood of success. • Match Resource to Need: Short term vs. Permanent.

9. Vision • Get flexible recurring state funds. • Improve assessment, prioritization and referral process. • Expand geographically. Serve the state. • Expand numbers. Serve more. • Match shorter term resources with less acuity. • Match longer term with higher needs. • Use best practices for housing models. (RRH and SH) • Expand across intercept points in justice system. • Partner with local justice systems in addition to state. • Track other systems utilization changes. • Coordinate with coordinated entry.

10. The Homeless Solutions Program (HSP) $20m in new state funds. • Supports the creation of supportive housing interventions (Permanent Supportive Housing & Rapid Re-housing) • Used to strengthen existing DOH efforts to create supportive housing, build local capacity, & advance systems-coordinated housing initiatives. TARGET POPULATION: HSP is prioritized to serve individuals with an extensive history of homelessness and behavioral health needs who are frequent or high-cost consumers of public systems

11. State Efforts to Increase Supportive Housing Supportive Housing Toolkit and TA Builds capacity in participating communities to develop, operate and provide services in high quality supportive housing projects.Provides TA for financial, operational and services aspects as needed. Joint Underwriting DOH and CHFA coordinate and stream line application process tax credits, gap funding and/or project-based vouchers. • RFAs • Annual RFA for creation of supportive housing. Multiple new RFAs for project and tenant based. • Results • Collectively funded over 700 project-based units in four years. Hundreds more tenant-based.

12. Homeless Solutions Program Rapid Re-housing (RRH) • The RRH model provides short to medium term financial housing assistance and housing-focused case management in a progressive engagement model to secure housing. Follows NAEH national standards. • In October 1, 2018, Volunteers of America, Colorado Branch (VOA) began implementing the Colorado Rapid Re-housing for Re-entry (COR3) program. • Aim: Successfully house 110 justice involved individuals per year in 30 counties throughout Colorado. • Partners with Department of Corrections, Community Re-Entry, COCs, and local jails. • 50% Coordinated Entry + 50% Department of Corrections.

13. COR3 Components • Rapid Rehousing + Care • Tailored to serve individuals with multiple, co-occurring and significant barriers to housing • Additional temporary financial assistance dollars per household • Slightly extended lengths of stay (9- to 18-month average) in the program to promote housing retention • Prioritization of connection to employment and mainstream public benefits in support of housing objectives • Integration of/direct connection to behavioral healthcare into rapid rehousing service teams for gap service provision

14. COR3 Referral Process • Three CO regions chosen based on data indicating they have the highest populations of persons experiencing homelessness coinciding with high rates of re-entry from correctional institutions • HUD Continuum of Care-based Coordinated Entry Systems • Points of contact within the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) • Literally homeless/identified as homeless by DOC • Identified behavioral health issues • Prior or current justice involvement • Prioritized based upon JD-VI-SPDAT scores ranging from 4 - 12

15. COR3 Outcomes and Expansion 164 referrals in first 4 months for 110 slots. Had to stop referrals. Governor Polis’ Criminal Justice Reform Initiative announced January 2019. As of February 2019, COR3 Expansion - doubled size and # serve, with focus on inmates ready for parole but for housing.

16. Public Housing Authority’s Role • Technical Assistance from Vera Institute to increase access to PHAs housing for people with justice involvement. • Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan changes regarding eligibility and denials due to criminal background: • HUD-only for “must” denies • 1 year violent/threatening criminal activity may deny • Automatic review for felonies per state statute

17. Vision – What’s Next • Continue Increased Production & Access to Supportive Housing & RRH • Tenancy Supports Funding • Data Sharing – Targeting, Impact, Improvements • Advance Solutions Along the Continuum/ Intercept Points (ie Prevention & Diversion) • Ultimate Aim: • Reduce Homelessness & Recidivism • Improve Well-being • Reduce Public Costs • Improve Efficiencies

18. For more information:https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dola/division-housingkristin.toombs@state.co.us 303.864.7828