Transforming Systems to End Homelessness in Houston
Explore initiatives led by Gary Grier and Alexis Loving to create a dedicated SOAR system for coordinating access to housing and disability benefits in Houston. Learn about building a system response to homelessness, identifying and fixing broken systems, implementing collective impact elements, and agreements for effective system planning.
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SOARing The Way Home: SOARing The Way Home: Coordinating Access to Housing and Coordinating Access to Housing and Disability Benefits Disability Benefits Gary Grier Gary Grier Senior Project Manager Senior Project Manager Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County Alexis Loving Alexis Loving Director of Program Director of Program SEARCH Homeless Services SEARCH Homeless Services
Simultaneous System Transformation Today s Conversation What is Income Now? What will it take to create a dedicated SOAR system? How does Coordinated Access to SOAR work? What is our community goal for SOAR? What are the challenges and lessons learned ?
Building a System Response to Ending Homelessness The Way Home Houston
5 ways to tell if you are operating a broken system Outdated Policies Silos Inequity Little Innovation Lack of Scale
5 Elements of Collective Impact 1. Common Agenda 2. Shared Measurement 3. Mutually Reinforcing Activities 4. Continuous Communication 5. Backbone Organization
Simultaneous System Transformation Simultaneous System Transformation Youth/ Young Adults LGBTQ and all RRH Expansion Income Now Change Manage- ment PSH Pipeline PSH Service Model Media/PR System Coordination Downtown System Redesign CoC Coordination Coordinated Access HMIS Barrier System Performance Buster Fund
Agreements for Effective System Planning Remove agency hat and commit to system thinking Agree to put outlier issues in the parking lot Suspend current barriers, think possibilities View solutions from a client perspective Focus on how it should be, not how it is
Simultaneous System Transformation Coordinated Access to Housing and Income Hospital Targeted Hubs HC Jail VA Outreach Teams Call In Center Housing and Income Program Matching Housing and Income Program Referral Housing and Income Assessment Housing and Income Navigation
Building System Capacity: Next Steps SOAR Forum May 2016 Houston, we have a problem Identify existing staff resources - how can we reallocate time to work on SSI/SSDI applications? Highlight cost savings and incentives to organizations Carve out dedicated staff time and identify key staff to train start small and work up Create quality review mechanisms to ensure high-quality applications Local Leads facilitate the free SOAR Online Training Start with a strong system before scaling up
Simultaneous System Transformation System Components Coordinated Access to Housing and Income PSH Income Now RRH SOAR Public Workforce System Supported Employment
Simultaneous System Transformation What is Income Now SOAR Supported Employment Workforce Solutions Disability No regular income Disability Looking to work No disability Looking to work Assistance with the SSA/VA Benefits application process Work Incentives Counseling Medicaid/Medicare/VA Intensive workforce development supports Traditional workforce development supports/embedded staff with Workforce Solutions/Building capacity
Simultaneous System Transformation Income Now Workgroups Income Now SOAR Workgroup Leadership Team Coalition for the Homeless SEARCH Homeless Services SOAR provider Career and Recovery Resources Ave 360-- FQHC and SOAR provider Healthcare for the Homeless Houston BEACON Law SOAR provider and appeals legal provider Social Security Administration-Dedicated Contact Department of Disability Determinations Services (DDS) Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD CSH Lone Star Legal Aid AIDS Foundation Houston Houston Center For Independent Living-CWIC SOAR Works National TA Central Houston, Inc. HGAC/WIB/Workforce Solutions City of Houston Mayor s Office Coalition for the Homeless SEARCH Homeless Services Career and Recovery Resources Avenue 360 SER Jobs for Progress CSH Income Now Design Team This workgroup is called upon when system design is necessary. Depending on the design necessary, participating agencies can include; CA, income service providers, homeless service providers, social security, TWC-VRS, employers and other appropriate agencies.
Simultaneous System Transformation Progress Updates - Coordinated Access Assessment Income assessment is built into HMIS and incorporated into the housing assessment RRH= Workforce Solutions (Public Workforce System PSH= Supported Employment or SOAR Matching Public Workforce System =to a hub Location Referral Supported Employment=Nothing SOAR Started October 24, 2016
Simultaneous System Transformation Progress Update - SOAR Capacity Building and Design Analysis- Gaps/Resources Implementation SOAR Forum and TA We need 6-10 dedicated SOAR staff 350-700 need SOAR services Referral process built into HMIS Report is completed Add 3-6 Dedicated SOAR Staff Limited service delivery as a Community Added 4 dedicated SOAR staff HMIS assessment and referral system Weekly transition team Meeting Outcomes reports
Day & Night Shelters Hospitals/Jail/ Sobering Center Front Door Street Outreach Coordinated Access Assessment Navigation Mainstream Competitive Employment Permanent Supportive Housing Rapid Rehousing Back Door Mainstream Competitive Employment Customized Employment SOAR & T2W
System Integration Dedicating staff to the system Individual Identity and System Integration Development and Funding
Engage & Stabilize Associate Program Manager Welcome Center CA Navigation Outreach Disability Intake Navigators PATH SOAR Engagement Specialists Street Outreach (MOP) Assessors DMD
Maintaining Agency Identity and Achieving System Integration Agency System Branding Branding Culture Culture Vision/ Mission Vision/ Mission
Development and Funding Agency Outcomes System Outcomes Agency Mission Community Vision THE FUNDING PITCH
Simultaneous System Transformation Challenges and Opportunities Access to Vehicles & Workflows Red, Yellow, Green Status Agency Shift & Frustration System to Silo & Navigation Challenges Use Coordinated Access Homeless at Referral Wait times = more sifting Taking to scale 499 referrals/wait list VI ? PSH Tool Development Next step for assessment and referral
Challenges and Opportunities Treatment Records Consulting MD for MSRs Partnership with Medical & Mental Health Providers
Challenges and Opportunities Building & Maintaining relationships Need organization, not people Different Goals & Objectives System for coding our app Single contact for status update SSA and DDS tracking Legal Partnership for Appeals ALJ Process Shared Outcomes Outcomes tracking OAT/HMIS Entire System or Dedicated only Built in services into HMIS to mark milestones Training Be careful not to throw it in reverse Accidental Side Doors
Success SOAR Blog Success Story https://soarworks.prainc.com/sites/soarworks.prainc.com/files/2017.05eNewsletter.pdf Chronic at risk living under a bridge Collaboration between SEARCH, HOT, APS and SOAR system Used Medicaid to gain housing for skilled nursing Application approved in less than 4 weeks
Simultaneous System Transformation Gary Grier Senior Project Manager Coalition for the Homeless ggrier@homelesshouston.org 832-531-6006 Alexis Loving Director of Programs SEARCH Homeless Services aloving@searchhomeless.org 713-276-3007
