CONFERENCE PRESENTATION | AUGUST 5, 2014
Critical Time Intervention Training
This half-day training is targeted to service providers working with persons transitioning from homelessness or other institutions to the community. Critical Time Intervention (CTI) is a cost-effective, evidence-based practice designed to prevent recurrent homelessness, recidivism, and other adverse out comes during the period following placement into the community from shelters, hospitals and other institutions. This time-limited intervention is delivered in three phases, each usually lasting three months. Each phase decreases in service intensity and results with the intervention ensuring the participant is linked to the appropriate community services to ensure housing and life stability. The training includes an overview of CTI and reviews the specific treatment areas supported by this intervention and is appropriate for individual and family practitioners.
1.4 Medicaid 101: The Basics for Homeless Advocates
Some vulnerable adults and children may be newly eligible for Medicaid services. This session will outline Medicaid eligibility and benefits and the intersections with other low-income health care programs. Presenters will also provide a foundation for understanding how Medicaid services are reimbursed.
1.5 Right Sizing Your Homeless Assistance System
As community leaders focus on creating a system of service that is geared toward both meeting consumers’ needs and high performance standards, the issue of how to “right size” the homeless assistance system becomes critical. This workshop will discuss strategies and tools that communities can utilize to analyze the effectiveness of their current system and determine the strategies and interventions to create the most effective system for the community.
1.6 Improving Local Data on Youth Homelessness
To date, there are very limited data on the scope and needs of unaccompanied homeless children and youth. In 2013, for the first time, communities were mandated to differentiate unaccompanied youth and children in point-in-time (PIT) counts. Since then, some promising practices in conducting youth PIT counts have emerged. This workshop will focus on strategies for improving PIT counts of youth, including incorporating surveys into the count.
1.7 Non-Chronic Homelessness Among Single Adults: An Overview
Each year, point-in-time counts show that the majority of homeless individuals are not chronically homeless. Yet resources are generally not targeted toward this group. Speakers in this workshop will discuss characteristics of non-chronically homeless individuals, including length of stay in the homeless assistance system, and practical targeted strategies.
1.9 Communities and Veterans Affairs Working Together
Ending veteran homelessness in a community may hinge on collaborations between public agencies, communities, and private organizations. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) has emphasized the need for partnerships on the community level. The new 25 Cities Initiative is one example of work being done to develop coordinated assessment, data sharing, and communication between VA Medical Centers and Continuums of Care. This workshop will highlight communities where this is already happening, show best practices, and take a closer look at work to improve the partnership between VA medical centers and local Continuums of Care.
1.10 The Blueprint for Ending Family Homelessness
How can your community end family homelessness? This workshop will provide a broad overview of the research policy and practice strategies that are helping communities to end family homelessness with a particular focus on rapid Re-Housing, coordinated assessment, and targeted services. The workshop will highlight a community that has made dramatic progress in reducing family homelessness.
1.13 Providing Rapid Re-Housing for Survivors of Domestic Violence
Rapid Re-Housing has proven to be an effective and beneficial model for survivors of domestic violence. This workshop will focus on the core elements of providing rapid Re-Housing to survivors, discuss safety planning for survivors and staff, and share experiences with the specific challenges this population may face. Speakers will also discuss the impact rapid Re-Housing has had on their program or community’s capacity to serve survivors.
2.8 Funding Efficiently: Using Data to Allocate and Reallocate Resources
Communities are always interested in allocating their resources efficiently; however, it is challenging to identify which programs are the most effective and efficient. This workshop will provide examples of how to use data to determine what kinds of programs your community should fund and to what scale.
2.10 Housing and Serving Undocumented Immigrants
Identifying and providing assistance to undocumented immigrants is complicated by a number of barriers, including questions about legal eligibility for programs, language, and cultural differences. Presenters will discuss legal restrictions on resources, including from federal programs. They will also examine options available to programs serving undocumented immigrants experiencing homelessness, including those who are survivors of domestic violence.
2.11 Rapidly Re-Housing Veterans Using SSVF
The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grant is the popular and effective rapid Re-Housing program for veterans. Funding for this program has continued to increase toward a scale necessary to house all the homeless veterans in most communities. This workshop will highlight the overall vision of this program, emerging best practices, and proper implementation and program design.
2.13 The Role of Faith-Based Groups in Ending Homelessness
Many faith-based groups across the country provide shelter, permanent housing, services, and meals to people experiencing homelessness. This workshop will highlight faith-based providers who play key roles in their communities’ homeless assistance systems. It will also examine innovative, effective ways faith communities are working to end homelessness, including through partnerships between homeless assistance providers and congregations that are successfully housing and mentoring families.
2.14 Improving Emergency Shelter
In this workshop, emergency shelter providers will discuss how to establish inclusive emergency shelter policies, incorporate rapid Re-Housing principles, and ensure high standards of health and safety. The workshop is designed for shelter providers who wish to improve the way they serve families and individuals.
3.10 Introduction to Systems Thinking
Developing an effective community-wide response to homelessness, which is in the best interests of providers and consumers, requires thinking beyond individual programs and understanding systems. This workshop will teach communities how to pull disparate partners together through system visioning and planning exercises.
4.1 Continuum of Care Partnerships to Link People with Public Benefits
Access to health care and income support can contribute greatly to housing stability, especially for vulnerable people with disabilities in low-income families and communities. This workshop will provide an overview of resources and strategies for homeless assistance agencies to help people connect with benefit enrollment efforts. Successful partnerships with SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recover (SOAR) and Medicaid enrollment programs will be featured.
4.2 Taking Rapid Re-Housing to the Next Level: Strategies for Ramping Up
Is your community already doing rapid Re-Housing? Do you need to do more? This workshop is designed for communities that have already implemented rapid Re-Housing and are looking for ways to increase their rapid Re-Housing capacity. Workshop speakers will discuss strategies to identify funding sources and build systemic support to expand rapid Re-Housing in your community.
4.3 Successful Rapid Re-Housing in High Cost Rental Markets
Implementing rapid Re-Housing in high cost rental markets requires communities to be strategic and creative in their approaches. Providers that have met this challenge “head on” with resourcefulness and ingenuity will share their experience in making rapid Re-Housing work, in spite of high rents.
4.5 Where Does State Policy Fit in Your Advocacy Playbook?
State policies can greatly enhance, or impede, our efforts to end homelessness. This workshop will examine how advocates and providers are effectively influencing state and local policy through advocacy. Topics to be covered include how to secure services funding through Medicaid Health Homes, how to mobilize youth who have experienced homelessness to educate policymakers, and how advocates can prepare locally for implementation of the National Housing Trust Fund.
4.6 Housing and Service Models for Homeless Youth
Youth experiencing homelessness have a variety of needs, and there is great variability in their ages, development stages, and abilities and desire to live independently. This workshop will examine the continuum of housing and service responses intended to meet the varied needs of homeless youth. Workshop speakers will discuss transitional housing, both scattered site and single site; host homes; permanent supportive housing; and rapid Re-Housing.
4.9 HUD-VASH: Housing Every Last Chronically Homeless Veteran
As of 2013, there were approximately 25,000 chronically homeless veterans. These veterans can and should be served by the joint-Department of Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program (HUDVASH). This workshop will cover effective program models, targeting, and engaging community partners and case management services to ensure we address the needs of this vulnerable population.
4.11 Integrating Data and Sharing Research to End Veteran Homelessness
The estimated number of homeless veterans has declined by more than 24 percent since 2010, according to the 2013 point-in-time count. As we rapidly approach the 2015 goal date for ending homelessness among veterans, analyzing critical data and research will become more important than ever. Presenters will discuss how the face of veteran homelessness will change as the number of homeless veterans is reduced, as well as new program models and outcomes.
4.13 The Role of HUD Multifamily Housing Programs in Ending Homelessness
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Multifamily Housing Programs provides a variety of resources that may be used to serve homeless individuals and families. In this workshop, presenters will explain how to best utilize HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing resources to assist people experiencing homelessness. Programs covered will include Project-Based Rental Assistance, Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, and Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities. Presenters will also introduce strategies to engage private multifamily developers in the work of ending homelessness, including barriers and successes.
5.1 Building Community Will: Working at All Levels to End Homelessness
Ending homelessness requires a community-wide effort, involving all levels of government and a variety of stakeholders. This workshop will explore ways to engage and advocate to local, state, and federal leaders to ensure your community has the resources it needs to achieve the goal of ending homelessness. Presenters from key communities will discuss how they built the necessary political will and leveraged their achievements to advance their missions.
5.14 The Role of HUD’s Homeless and Mainstream Housing Programs in Ending Homelessness
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, including the Emergency Solutions Grants and Continuum of Care programs, provide a variety of resources that can be used to serve homeless individuals and families. In this workshop, presenters will provide an overview of how HUD’s homeless assistance programs will be impacted as a result of new regulations, policies, and federal budgets. Presenters will also discuss strategies that communities can employ to better coordinate and target dedicated homelessness resources and integrate them with available mainstream resources.
6.3 Improving Your Shelter System and Crisis Response
Community leaders across the country are grappling with how to evaluate and improve their shelter and crisis response systems. This workshop will explore how to develop a comprehensive and efficient crisis response, including key metrics to measure, and incorporating effective outreach, rapid Re-Housing, and coordinated assessment. This workshop is for community planners, funders, and government leaders.
6.8 New Research on Homeless and Runaway Youth
Quality research on youth homelessness aids in the development of effective practice and policy. In this workshop, researchers will present findings from recent studies as well as key policy and practice implications. Topics that will be covered include the effectiveness of family intervention, and service use and trauma among homeless youth.
6.13 Veteran Employment Programs: Evidence-Based Practices
Veterans have particular barriers and difficulties to overcome in today’s changing job market, but they also have a lot to offer prospective employers. This workshop will focus on the unique skills, assets, and characteristics that veterans bring to the workplace and the barriers and, in some instances, discrimination that veterans face. New solutions and program approaches, in particular the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Labor grants and programs that are focused on veteran employment will be covered.
7.2 Best Practices in Housing and Serving Aging Populations
Many communities are still searching for the right response to homelessness among their aging population. This workshop will provide an introduction for providers on how to re-house this population appropriately and effectively while accounting for their unique health-care and service needs
7.4 Medicaid 201: The Business End of Services in Supportive Housing
This session explains Medicaid payment structures and policies as they might operate in housing and health care partnerships. Managed care models and state Medicaid waivers will be examined, along with effective approaches to financing health care services and other Medicaid supports in supportive housing settings. Workshop speakers will highlight existing networks with supportive housing providers.