|
2008 Progress Report
:30 Radio Spot
:30 Radio Spot re: Homeless Youth Coalition
:30 Radio Spot re: Vanderburgh Homeless Connect
(created by South Central Radio Group)
Send Page to a Friend
indianahousingnow.org
Promotional support provided by
Integra Bank
| |
Destination: Home > Plan
Components > Executive Summary > OPEN
the Back Door
to
Leave Homelessness
|
GAP: |
Homeless persons are experiencing extended length of
stays in emergency shelter due to lack of safe and affordable housing or are
obtaining inappropriate housing that increases their potential to re-enter
homelessness. |
|
GOAL: |
Increase appropriate housing opportunities and
services necessary to move clients out of shelters in a timely manner and
help them establish long-term housing. |
|
OUTCOME: |
Any resident who ultimately loses housing will be
able to re-establish appropriate housing within 14 days. |
STRATEGY 1:
Develop a "Housing First" Program for Those in
Emergency Shelter that Includes Rent Subsidy and Transitional Case Management
for Up to 250 Households
STRATEGY 2:
Develop an Active Mentoring Program Through
Local Churches to Tie Formerly Homeless Persons into the Community
|
STRATEGY 1:
|
|
Develop a "Housing
First" Program for Those in Emergency Shelter that Includes Rent Subsidy and
Transitional Case Management for Up to 250 Households.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Those of us who own
our homes or who are established in a rental property don’t often think about
the security that stable housing provides. We come home to the same place every
night, our clothing and other possessions are secure, we have an address where
we can receive correspondence, and our children can settle into the routines of
school and neighborhood friendships.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A 2002 report by the
Bi-Partisan Millennial Housing Commission echoes the importance of housing,
especially for children. The report states that "decent, affordable, and stable
housing promotes family stability and creates a positive environment for raising
children." For those who lack stable housing, frequent moves disrupt not only
children’s lives, but the lives of anyone attempting to secure and maintain
employment, obtain medical care, utilize social services, or pursue an
education.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A "Housing First"
approach recognizes that if a move to permanent housing is accompanied by
supportive services, individuals and families experience a more rapid and
successful stabilization in their lives.
(The National Alliance to End
Homelessness)
|
|
|
|
Homelessness states
that a "Housing First" approach is based on two central concepts. The first is
that re-housing, not emergency housing should be the central goal of any effort
that addresses the needs of the homeless. The second is that a combination of
housing assistance and ongoing case management services can effectively reduce
time spent in emergency or temporary housing.
(http://www.endhomelessness.org/section/tools/housingfirst)
|
|
|
|
|
|
A "Housing First"
model does not presume that transitional housing is unnecessary. It seeks,
rather, to "shift the paradigm of service provision to homeless people" by
recognizing that stable housing itself is key to building the structures that
enable individuals and families to build a solid foundation for success. The
continuation of services that have been traditionally extended only to the
currently homeless would result in shorter stays in transitional or emergency
housing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Local program
guidelines and procedures will be established, and program sponsor(s) and
potential landlord participation will be identified. Program sponsors will then
offer training to emergency shelters on program eligibility and the referral
process.
|
What is "Housing First"?
Delivering for Families and Children: Community-wide Housing First
Frequently Asked Questions about Housing First for Individuals and Families
Housing First for Individuals and Families
back
to top
|
STRATEGY 2:
|
|
Develop an Active
Mentoring Program Through Local Churches to Tie Formerly Homeless Persons Into
the Community.
|
|
|
|
|
|
We recognize and
applaud the immense contributions made by local communities of faith to
providing services to Evansville’s homeless population.
|
|
|
|
Their supportive
environment and ties to the greater community make area churches ideal partners
in ending homelessness by actively mentoring formerly homeless individuals and
families.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Churches can be an
effective bridge into the community for the formerly homeless. The one-on-one
encouragement and support church members can offer during the transition into
permanent housing can make a significant difference in achieving a successful
transition.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Churches can further
assist in a transition to independence by using their links to community
businesses and employers to help formerly homeless individuals secure work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
We propose to begin
by investigating model programs. Once that research is complete, appropriate
program sponsorship and community support for this effort will be established.
|
back
to top
|
STRATEGY 3:
|
|
Develop an Assessment Center That Is Open 24 Hours a Day, Seven Days a Week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Under our current
system, anyone needing shelter must contact up to eight different facilities to
locate a bed. The point-of-entry for the homeless person then becomes that
individual shelter. The individual shelters and programs determine client
assessment, referrals and services, and the consistency of information made
available. The level of service provided differs from shelter to shelter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
One outcome of the
successful implementation of the ten-year plan will be a reduced need for
emergency shelters. At this point we will seek to establish a first-entry
Assessment Center. The center will ultimately become the point-of-entry for
those experiencing a loss of housing. The Center will provide temporary housing,
diagnostic assessment and referral to permanent housing and any needed treatment
services within 24 hours.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Because homeless
individuals with disabilities and those experiencing the effects of substance
use face unique challenges, the center would further bridge these clients into
the support or case management services necessary to support them until they are
able to function as productively and independently as possible. This service
will provide stability, appropriate housing, assistance with basic human needs,
and establish a support and advocacy system.
|
back
to top
Click
on the "BUILD" image below to access the next component of the plan:
Build
|
