Employment Strategies to End HomelessnessEmployment shows promise in supporting recovery from mental...
Transcript of Employment Strategies to End HomelessnessEmployment shows promise in supporting recovery from mental...
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Employment Strategies to End
Homelessness
National Alliance to End
Homelessness
January 21, 2013
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National Transitional Jobs Network The National Transitional Jobs Network (NTJN) exists to ensure that policies account for the hard-to-employ, that programs are able to effectively serve as many individuals as possible, and that best practices and technical assistance are widely shared and implemented throughout the network.
Activities include:
▫ Technical assistance and field building
▫ State and federal advocacy
▫ National conferences and convenings
The NTJN is a project of Heartland Alliance in Chicago, IL
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Working to End Homelessness Initiative (WEH)
• Launched in 2011 with support from the Butler Family Fund to:
▫ Highlight the importance of employment in addressing homelessness
▫ Showcase what works in workforce solutions to homelessness
▫ Identify systems and policy challenges to service delivery
• In 2012 we began fielding training and technical assistance requests from around the country.
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WEH Briefs for Providers ▫ Employment Program Models for People Experiencing Homelessness
- Different approaches to program structure
▫ Employment Program Components - Considerations for modifying
programming for people experiencing homelessness
▫ Service Delivery Principles and Techniques - Helping people
experiencing homelessness engage in services and succeed in work
▫ Populations Experiencing Homelessness - Diverse barriers to
employment and how to address them
▫ A directory of providers in the WEH community of practice and
descriptions of their program models Download able for free at
www.transitionaljobs.net
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Why Employment? Evidence and Experience Supporting Employment as an Anti-
Homelessness Strategy
Employment
+
Housing
ENDS
HOMELESSNESS
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Most people experiencing
homelessness want to work.
People experiencing homelessness consistently rank paid
employment alongside healthcare and housing as a primary
need.*
People experiencing homelessness often attribute their
homelessness to unemployment and insufficient income.**
*Burt, M.R., Aron, L.Y., & Lee, E. (1999). Homelessness: Programs and the people they serve. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.
**Mojtabai, R. (2005). Perceived reasons for loss of housing and continued homelessness among homeless persons with mental
illness. Psychiatric Services, 56:172-178
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Employment is an important factor in
preventing and ending homelessness.
Numerous studies find that increased income is a strong
predictor of a person exiting homelessness.*
Earned income and current or recent employment are
associated with shorter duration of homelessness.**
*Zlotnick, C., Robertson, M.J., & Lahiff, M. (1999). Getting off the streets: Economic resources and residential exits from homelessness. Journal
of Community Psychology, 27(2), 209-224.
**Caton, C.L., et. al. (2005). Risk factors for long-term homelessness: findings from a longitudinal study of first-time homeless single adults.
American Journal of Public Health, 95(10), 1753-9.
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Employment impacts wellbeing, health
and quality of life.
Employment and income are associated with improved quality of life
among people experiencing homelessness.*
Income from work improves access to food, clothing, housing, and
healthcare-increasing personal, family, and community wellbeing.*
Employment shows promise in supporting recovery from mental
illness and addiction†, reducing recidivism, and reducing reliance on
public benefits.††
*Lam, J.A. & Rosenheck, R.A. (2000). Correlates of improvement in quality of life among homeless persons with serious mental illness.
Psychiatric Services, 51:116-118.
†Schumacher, J.E. et. al. (2002). Costs and effectiveness of substance abuse treatments for homeless persons. Journal of Mental Health Policy
Economics, 5, 33-42.
††Redcross, C., Bloom, D., Azurdia, G., Zweig, J., & Pindus, N. (2009). Transitional Jobs for ex-prisoners: Implementation, two-year impacts, and costs
of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Prisoner Reentry Program. New York, NY: MDRC.
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Key Factors in Planning Employment
Approaches
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Be aware of barriers to employment
Low education and literacy
Work history gaps
Lack of transportation
Family obligations
Lack of stable address or
phone
Lack of hygiene or clothing
Low self-esteem
Poor health
Physical disabilities
Mental health issues
Substance use issues
Fear of losing public benefits
Criminal records
Weak labor markets
Weak social skills or
networks
Discrimination
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Populations aren’t mutually exclusive
Consider the
varying needs
of diverse
populations
experiencing
homelessness
Low-income single parents
Disadvantaged youth and older adults
Military veterans Individuals with
criminal backgrounds
Individuals with disabling conditions
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Who is “ready to work?”
Explore a “Housing First” approach to employment
• Nearly everyone can work if given the appropriate
supports
• Meet people where they are with regard to their
readiness for employment
Cultivating a spectrum of program models can help
accomplish this
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Promising Models and Practices
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“Attachment to work” approaches
• Transitional Jobs
• Supported Employment
• Alternative Staffing
• Customized Employment
Advancement strategies
• Contextualized Basic Adult Education
• Adult Education Bridge Programs
• Sector-based training
Promising employment program models
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▫ Combines time-limited, wage-paying subsidized jobs, skill development, and supportive services to transition individuals to employment
▫ Proven to get people with significant barriers successfully working, reduce recidivism after release from prison, and reduce reliance on public assistance.
Transitional Jobs
“Attachment to work” approaches
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CARA Cleanslate,
Chicago, IL
• Social enterprise specializing in
neighborhood beautification and property
maintenance
• High emphasis on participant motivation
and peer support
• Video
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▫ The standard evidence-based model for helping individuals with mental health issues transition to employment
▫ Supports rapid entry to the competitive labor market integrated with support services as soon as the participant feels ready
Supported Employment (IPS)
“Attachment to work” approaches
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Central City Concern, Portland, OR
www.ccconcern.org
• Provides rapid access to employment for individuals experiencing homelessness with primary addiction disorders and felony convictions
• Placement in sectors including construction, business and professional services, hospitality and tourism, and retail
• Ongoing support including on-the-job training
• Integrated service team including supportive housing, primary health care, addiction treatment, and peer case managers
• Video
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▫ Brokers temporary entry-level job placements for at-risk populations
▫ Shows promise in helping individuals learn workplace skills, build confidence, and leverage temporary placements to permanent jobs
Alternative Staffing
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Chrysalis Enterprises, Los Angeles
www.ChangeLives.org
• Offers both transitional jobs in a work-crew setting, and alternative staffing placements in light industrial, hospitality, retail, warehousing, construction, janitorial and special event jobs
• Comprehensive support services include mentoring, life-skill classes, communication services, work tools, and retention support groups.
• 400 participants served per day
• Video
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▫ Helps participants begin self-employment or negotiate restructured job positions that meet their strengths and the employer’s needs
▫ Shows promise in helping at-risk populations including people with a physical disability carve out work that meets their needs
Customized Employment
“Attachment to work” approaches
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• Contextualized Basic Adult Education
▫ Employs real-life materials, situations and issues that are relevant to the learner’s life to illustrate lessons
• Sector-based training
▫ Delivers occupation-specific “hard skills” training in high-demand, high-growth industries
• Adult Education Bridge Programs
▫ Combine basic skills instruction with sector strategies to give low-income workers access to jobs with advancement and benefits
Advancement Strategy Examples
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Core components of employment services
– across models
• Assessment
• Work-readiness and soft skills training
• Employment-focused case management and supports
• Job development and job search assistance
• Retention services and incentives
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Next Steps for Employment Program
Implementation
What you can implement now, and what
you can plan for the future
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What you can do now at little or no
additional cost ▫ Incorporate employment goals into existing counseling
and case management activities
▫ “Vocationalize” the organization by applying workplace
standards and prioritizing employment
▫ Identify and partner with employment service providers in
your area
Public workforce system: “One-Stops”
Community-based organizations
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What you can do in the near term at little
cost
▫ Co-locate employment and housing services
▫ Provide on-site work readiness training and job
search assistance
▫ Offer participants on-site transitional employment in
maintenance, reception, etc. in supportive housing
buildings
▫ Create facilities/areas to support job search such as
phone banks, computers, and professional clothing
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Long-term planning for best-practice
programming
▫ Determine service delivery model
Based on population needs, current organizational capacity
and expertise, funding, and sustainability
▫ Key planning considerations:
Staffing: job developer, retention specialist, etc.
Facilities & equipment
Employer partnerships and outreach
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Long-term planning for best-practice
programming, continued
▫ Apply best practices:
Make multiple employment and training options available
Provide long-term engagement with retention follow-up
Include employment-focused case management and support
services to remove barriers
Make employment a system priority by writing employment service objectives into plans to end homelessness and other systems agendas
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Potential Funding Sources
▫ CDBG
▫ SNAP E&T
▫ TANF
▫ SAMHSA
▫ DOL Veteran’s Initiatives
▫ Private foundations and donors
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