Ending Family and Youth Homelessness

Basics: Improving Performance of Homeless Service System

• Most families remain homeless a short time – often until they save enough to exit on their own – with help, they could exit faster.

• Long-term stays in homeless programs are very expensive, long stays in transitional housing programs should be reserved for situations when it is more effective/beneficial than helping families pay for housing.

• Families who have multiple homeless episodes require more intensive help than they typically receive from homeless service programs.

Allocating Resources Differently

Service Pattern

Percent Current Response New Response

Temporary 72-80% Short shelter/TH stays Rapid Re-housing when necessary

Long-Stays 15-20% Long transitional housing stays

Rapid Re-housing

Episodic 5 – 8% Multiple shelter stays Intensive housing & service models – including PSH

Rapid Re-housing – Primary Response for Major

• Rapid Re-housing is an intervention designed to help individuals and families move quickly back into housing in the community through the provision of:

– Housing Identification assistance; – Rent and Move-In assistance; and – Rapid Re-housing Case Management and Services

Investing in Ending Homelessness - Design Considerations

• Prevention vs. Rapid Re-housing• Augmenting the intervention, eg:

– Employment/Rapid Re-housing (TANF partnerships)– Home Visitation Services (Younger Families)

• Sizing the intervention: progressive engagement, predictive models, one size fits all.

• Targeting service-rich interventions narrowly - reallocating appropriately

Select Outcomes…..

• Reductions…..

• New investments….

• Improved Performance– Lower recidivism, Lower LOS, Fewer

Turnaways

• Costs Savings/Increased efficiency

New Resources

• Rapid Re-housing Infographic

http://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/rapid-re-housing-infographic

• Role of Long-Term, Congregate Transitional Housing

http://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/the-role-of-long-term-

congregate-transitional-housing-in-ending-homelessnes

• Assessment Tools for Allocating Homelessness Assistance: State of the Evidence

http://b.3cdn.net/naeh/a7cabcea91f5c8efbd_yam6b1ad6.pdf

• HUD: Coordinated Entry Policy Brief

https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/Coordinated-Entry-Policy-

Brief.pdf

Youth Homelessness

Unaccompanied homeless youth under the age of 18

Category Estimated Number of Youth Under Age 18 Percent

Temporarily Disconnected 327,000 86%

Unstably Connected 29,000 8%

Chronically Disconnected 24,000 6%

Total 380,000 100%

Youth Homelessness

Unaccompanied homeless youth age 18-24Category Estimated Number of Young Adults Percent

Transitional 122,000 81%

Episodic 13,000 9%

Chronic 15,000 10%

Total 150,000 100%

Developing/Enhancing Interventions

• Improving data (PIT & RHYMIS/HMIS Integration)

• Improving use of evidence-based interventions• Increased resources for homeless youth

programs• Evaluating outcomes• Promote greater coordination between CoC’s

and RHYA Programs

Improving Response to Youth Homelessness

• Enhancing the interventions, our priorities: – Family intervention– Crisis housing – Long-term housing/service models (tailored to

need/developmental stage)• Host Home, Rapid Re-housing, Congregate/Scattered

site/transition in place TH, and PSH

• Systems Strategies– Extended Foster Care/Juvenile Justice– Address overlap CW/Homeless Involvement

Questions?

Sharon McDonald

National Alliance to End Homelessness

(202) 942-8253

smcdonald@naeh.org