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Responding to Offender Housing Needs H2H: A Model for Second Stage

Responding to Offender Housing Needs H2H: A Model for Second Stage Housing for the ‘Hard to House’ Anita Desai, Research & Policy Advisor Peer Mentoring: A Train the Trainer Approach Elizabeth White, Executive Director St. Leonard’s Society of Canada October 3 rd 2013

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Responding to Offender Housing Needs H2H: A Model for Second Stage

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  1. Responding to Offender Housing Needs H2H: A Model for Second Stage Housing for the ‘Hard to House’Anita Desai, Research & Policy Advisor Peer Mentoring: A Train the Trainer Approach Elizabeth White, Executive Director St. Leonard’s Society of Canada October 3rd 2013 21st Century Justice: The Economics of Public Safety Vancouver, British Columbia

  2. Who We Are and What we Do St. Leonard’s Society of Canada is a membership based, charitable organization founded in 1967. Mission: To provide a humane and informed justice policy and responsible leadership to foster safe communities. Actions: • Endorse evidence based approaches to criminal and social justice • Promote socially responsible conduct throughout the justice system in an effective and ethical manner • Conduct research and developpolicy • Support member affiliates • Advance collaborative relationships and communication among individuals and organizations dedicated to social justice

  3. Introduction H2H: A Model for Second Stage Housing for the ‘Hard to House’ Peer Mentoring: A Train the Trainer Approach What’s the Connection?

  4. The Real Cost of Homelessness

  5. The Real Cost of Homelessness Study of four Canadian cities by Pomeroy (2005) found the annual basic costs per person were: institutional responses (prison/detention and psychiatric hospitals): $66,000 to $120,000 Supportive and transitional housing: $13,000 to $18,000 emergency shelters (cross section of youth, men’s women’s, family and victims of violence): $13,000 to $42,000 affordable housing without supports (singles and family): $5,000 to $8,000 Gaetz, Stephen (2012): The Real Cost of Homelessness: Can We Save Money by Doing the Right Thing? Toronto: Canadian Homelessness Research Network Press

  6. What We Know; Doing What Matters

  7. Evolution of Current Research 2009-10 • Community Connections investigated CBRF capacity to connect residents to mental health services 2011-12 • Homes for the ‘Hard to House’ addressing the housing needs of ex-inmates 2013 • Homes for the ‘Hard to House’: Testing the H2H Model pilot project underway

  8. Defining Second Stage Housing and Homelessness • Second Stage Housing defined as consisting of relatively private accommodations provided on a temporary basis along with intensive support services intended to facilitate the transition to permanent housing. It is more long term, service‐intensive and private than emergency shelters, yet remains time limited. • Homelessness is a manifestation of poverty at its most severe, and it is a visible outcome of a lack of affordable housing. Factors can include: high cost of housing, unemployment, low income and insufficient minimum wage rates, relational breakdown, mental health issues, addictions, victimization and abuse. (CHRN pan-Canadian definition, 2012).

  9. Second Stage Housing: Why is it important to community corrections? • seen as a critical element to reintegration • offers a step towards independent living • provides essential support services to tenants • presents people with an opportunity to carry forward the success they have built • addresses risk factors involved returning to the community

  10. Key Findings: National Survey of CBRFs • 96%work with individuals who have a mental health disorder • 10-30% of residents being discharged from a CBRF go to short term housing of 3 months or less. • Housing ranked most important need for clients at discharge • Most clients pay for housing from an income support program (welfare, disability, pension (CPP), Employment Insurance) or through employment • 80% collaborate with community housing services; however, a clear lack of available housing is a contributing factor when trying to find people to long term homes • 24% (N = 17) of survey respondents also operate SSH • 65% of SSH programs surveyed stated 80-100% of their residents have criminal histories

  11. Serving the Needs of Homeless Clients: What are the needs and how does SSH Help? Client Needs - As identified by survey respondents: • Safe, affordable and supported housing • Mental Health support • Substance Abuse support • Employment/Education opportunities Important to note that these are integrated needs and success in one area cannot occur without success in the others.

  12. Needs Identified Through Project Site Visits • First and foremost is the need for safe, affordable housing. Other needs included:

  13. Summary: Project Goals and Outcomes • Goals: • Increase knowledge on SSH in relation to community corrections • Assess the need for SSH for former inmates • Create a tool for service providers that supports the process of creating or improving transitional housing services • Outcomes: The H2H Model and Research Findings Report to support future work in SSH; New SLSC SSH Pilot Project

  14. The H2H Model • What is the H2H Model? • An educational resource for service providers seeking to createor improvean existing SSH program • 4 Main Principles • Covers several key themes relevant to service providers

  15. The H2H Model • Four Principles: • Establishcommon values and objectives • Strategizeprocedures for getting started • Considerphysical structure and support components • Learnfrom the experiences of others

  16. Testing The H2H Model • Montreal Findings To Date • Baseline Data Collection • Needs Assessment • Strategy Designed • Strategy Implementation (currently underway)

  17. Testing The H2H Model • The Strategy for Increasing Positive Outcomes • Downtown: Decrease isolation and increase comfort levels with being in/navigating the community through access to a nearby Senior’s Centre • East end: In-house peer mentoring program, geared toward substance use

  18. Peer Mentoring • Successful community integration requires a basket of services. • Peer mentoring is well established in Canada • Opportunities exist to expand peer mentoring into new settings

  19. Peer Mentoring in Federal Institutions

  20. Celebrating Peer Mentoring

  21. What’s Happening Now? • Limited presence in institutions • Some community engagement • Value confirmed

  22. Satisfaction Survey 2012 • Dr. Melissa Munn, Okanagan University • 350 responses from individuals across all five federal corrections regions: Pacific, Prairie, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic, who were direct recipients of In-Reach services • ~90% of participants found LifeLine positive • 100% of community participants approved of the service “LifeLine gave me hope and insight on doing my time and on working on getting out.”- Survey Participant

  23. Promising Community Practices

  24. Existing Toolkit

  25. What the Research Did not Tell Us • Long-term impact • Importance to stakeholders • Potential for improvement

  26. New Beginnings: Building Potential • Build on knowledge • Build on existing relationshipsand expertise “I think this Concept (Lifeline/ Peer Mentoring) is one of the best I have ever heard of and I have loved being a part of it.”- Daryl Clark

  27. Train the Trainer • EmpowerPrisoners to Mentor • Provide Helpful Tools • Encourage Mutual Support

  28. Workshop Session • How do we market Second Stage Housing for the ‘Hard to House’? • How do we build community engagement and community acceptance?

  29. Get Your Copy! Homes for the ‘Hard to House’: A Model for Effective Second Stage Housing Reports available in hard copy or electronically via SLSC website This project was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy, with additional support from Public Safety Canada and Correctional Service of Canada • St. Leonard’s Society of Canada • 208-211 Bronson Avenue • OttawaON K1R 6H5 • 613.223.5170 or 1.888.560.9780 • research@on.aibn.com • www.stleonards.ca • www.facebook.com/SLSCanada

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