FOCUS STRATEGIES REPORT COMMUNITY MEETING September 8 th, 2016, 11am-1pm All Home, United Way of King County, King County Department of Community and Human Services, City of Seattle Human Services Department HOMELESS SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION

Homeless Systems Transformation  Programs addressing homelessness in Seattle/King County have been recognized for years as best practices, and replicated in communities across the country.  The status quo is not acceptable, with 10,688 people experiencing homelessness each night in King County  The All Home Strategic Plan called for an in-depth review of current homeless investments and committed to making changes that will result in making homelessness rare, brief, and one-time  We will continue to call for support from state and federal partners to invest in housing and social services and ensure effective mental health resources while also taking action on improving the effectiveness of our current system

Work Underway  New and expanded investments in shelter DIVERSION and FLEXIBLE FUNDING to support swift access to permanent housing  Successful increase in funding for RAPID RE-HOUSING and SUPPORTIVE HOUSING through Continuum of Care NOFA  Redesigning our approach to COORDINATED ENTRY, including a HOUSING FIRST approach through reduced screening criteria  Establishing a new HMIS system and administrator that gives providers and funders access to data, allowing us to make real-time, data-driven decisions  ENHANCING EMERGENCY SHELTER, reducing barriers and establishing a housing-focused approach through changes to RFP processes and development of a ”Navigation Center” model in the City of Seattle  Voter approved levies, like the King County Best Starts for Kids and the expanded Seattle Housing Levy the PREVENT HOMELESSNESS and provide AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Next Steps  All Home and Funders are committed to taking action on these recommendations and have developed an implementation plan to assist in moving forward with urgency and thoughtfulness.  All Home has developed a Capacity Building Plan to provide technical assistance and support to accompany the efforts of the homeless systems transformation.  The Capacity Building Plan, complete Focus Strategies Report, the Funder Implementation Plan, and other related information and materials can be accessed on All Home’s website (

Funder Commitments  Seattle, King, and United Way to sign MOU on system performance standards  To be phased in via RFPs  Supporting providers to make improvements, including All Home to provide capacity building  Seeking additional funding to implement quickly, including local, state, and private  Reviewing data, consumer and provider feedback regularly

Requests of Providers  Review the reports with curiosity and openness  Review your own program data and discuss with your staff  Engage with All Home and funders  Funders and providers have built the current system together.  We need to work together, to learn together, and to improve together.

Megan Kurteff Schatz September Seattle/King County Homeless System Performance & Recommendations Commissioned by United Way of King County, City of Seattle & King County

FocusStrategies.net ABOUT FOCUS STRATEGIES We believe the HEARTH Act and Opening Doors lead the way to finally ending homelessness.

FocusStrategies.net Ending Homelessness The HEARTH Act establishes: “…a Federal goal of ensuring that individuals and families who become homeless return to permanent housing within 30 days.” Opening Doors, As Amended in 2015: “systematic response …that ensures homelessness is …a rare, brief, and non-recurring experience.”

FocusStrategies.net A System to End Homelessness Ending homelessness means building systems that: Divert people from entering homelessness Quickly engages and provides a suitable intervention for every households’ homelessness Have short lengths of stay in programs Have high rates of permanent housing exits Use data to achieve continuous improvement

FocusStrategies.net Ending Homelessness in Seattle/King County Accelerate the transformation to a complete homeless crisis response system through: 1.Swift and bold action 2.Funder-driven and person-centered system design 3.Action-oriented and data-informed governance and funding 4.Improve performance throughout the system – speed up the movement of people from homelessness to housing

FocusStrategies.net Seattle/King County SWAP Project Assess performance of homeless system Analyze data on homeless single adults Model results of system level changes Make recommendations for system redesign Provide leadership with roadmap that will lead to significant reductions in homelessness

FocusStrategies.net Methodology – Data Sources and Analytics Client data from HMIS system Budget data from homeless programs SWAP (performance assessment & modeling) Interviews and discussions with key stakeholders Review of system documents and plans Research models in other communities

FocusStrategies.net Homeless Management Information System Data Analyzed System Performance Analysis Included: – Emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid re- housing, permanent supportive housing, other permanent housing – Limited data on programs for YYA and Veterans – Data from 2013 and 2014 Single Adults Analysis included single adults with at least one shelter stay in

FocusStrategies.net Seattle/King County: Current State Homelessness is increasing; large unsheltered population Significant systems-change work in progress driven by All Home Strategic Plan Many strong system elements and initiatives to build upon (e.g. data driven planning; CEA; major AH and PSH investments) Work unfolding in context of very challenging housing market

FocusStrategies.net FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS System Performance Analysis Single Adults Analysis Modeling Analysis of Current Structure compared with All Home Strategic Plan Objective: Making Homelessness Rare, Brief, and One-Time

FocusStrategies.net SWAP Results: The Headlines Emergency Shelters could shelter everyone who is unsheltered within one year if recommended changes were implemented Seattle/King County could dramatically reduce homelessness/approach functional zero within five years if all recommended changes are implemented in concert

FocusStrategies.net General Findings Some areas of system are very low performing System investments are not fully aligned with objectives of All Home Plan System is not funder driven, so performance is not effectively measured; achieving results is not how funding decisions are made

FocusStrategies.net General Recommendations 1.Act with urgency and boldness – Be decisive and focused; invest only in interventions that yield results 2.Focus on homeless crisis response as distinct from efforts to improve affordability of housing – No one should live outdoors or in shelter – Goal of homeless crisis response is find a housing solution for people who have no where to live – Housing solution may not be their own apartment with deeply affordable rent; this is still a positive outcome

FocusStrategies.net SYSTEM PERFORMANCE FINDINGS – ENTRIES

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System Performance Improvement Recommendations - Entries Use outreach and Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) to prioritize unsheltered people – To reduce number of people living outside, prioritize them for available shelter and housing Expand Shelter Diversion – People who are housed but at imminent risk of homelessness should be diverted from shelter as much as possible

FocusStrategies.net SYSTEM PERFORMANCE FINDINGS – EXITS

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System Performance Recommendations – Exits Require projects to exit people to permanent housing by: – Performance-based contracting, hold providers accountable for results – Funding projects that are Housing First oriented and staffed accordingly – Pairing housing opportunities with shelters, work with providers to build expertise in RRH

FocusStrategies.net SYSTEM PERFORMANCE FINDINGS – INVESTMENTS

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System Performance Recommendations - Investments Invest in More Effective Interventions; Re- Allocate Funds From Lower Performing Interventions – Bring RRH to scale and with fidelity to best practices – Pair RRH with Critical Time Intervention for those who have been homeless the longest – Shift funds from lower performing TH, PSH, OPH

FocusStrategies.net EMERGENCY SHELTERS Area of focus for systems change

FocusStrategies.net Single Adult Shelter Stayers Analysis used HMIS data from 2013, 2014, 2015 In 2015, a total of 12,102 single adults had at least one shelter stay 40% of shelter stayers account for 74% of the shelter bed days used in the system.

FocusStrategies.net System Performance Recommendations – Emergency Shelter Improve Effectiveness of Shelter 1.Shelter first those who have been homeless the longest and are unsheltered 2.Reorient shelter system to focus on housing exits 3.Prioritize shelter stayers for rapid re-housing and permanent housing

FocusStrategies.net Year 1 Modeling Results: Shelter Capacity Existing shelter capacity is sufficient to shelter all unsheltered single adult and family households by the end of 2017 by: 1.Implementing CEA and shelter diversion as recommended 2.Raising performance of all system components to identified targets 3.Eliminating low and moderately performing TH projects, invest $ in RRH 4.Implementing RRH with Critical Time Intervention for all long stayers

FocusStrategies.net Years 1-4 Modeling Results: Single Adults System Right-Sized All long shelter stayers could be housed within four years with existing resources Assumes reallocation of funds from low performing programs to RRH with CTI Assumes targeting of PSH and other housing to longest stayers first Implementing a Moving On initiative that will generate PSH capacity through turnover

FocusStrategies.net Year 1 Modeling Results: Families with Children System is Right-Sized All families with children currently in shelter can be rapidly re-housed in a single year Assumes funds are re-directed from low performing TH to RRH After a year, Seattle/King County could reduce the inventory of emergency shelter beds for families and use funds for solutions

FocusStrategies.net Subsidized & Affordable Housing Recommendations More Strategic Use of Affordable Housing – Target units from systems perspective (focus on highest and best use of resources) – Remove entry barriers to affordable housing for unsheltered people and people in shelter – Moving-On Initiative to free up capacity in PSH These recommendations require additional project-specific analyses and deep partnership with the Housing Authorities

FocusStrategies.net 5 Year Investment Recommendations $1 million per year for system planning, technical assistance, & provider training One time additional investment of $9.4 million in year 1; then decreasing annual costs Shift in funding from shelter to RRH and affordable housing can begin after year 1 for families and after year 4 for single adults

FocusStrategies.net Leadership and Governance Recommendations 1. Funder-Driven and Person-Centered System – Major changes require very strong leadership and ability to make decisions about use of public funds – System needs to be more funder driven and laser focused on results for homeless people (how many unsheltered/in shelter become housed)

FocusStrategies.net Leadership and Governance Recommendations (Continued) 2.Action-Oriented Governance Structure – Re-design All Home committee structure – Executive Committee composed of funders; role is to hold vision, have and exercise authority to make policy and decisions – Staffing structure must be organized for the lead person to execute decisions of Executive Committee – Funder Alignment committee takes direction from Executive Committee to implement investment decisions

FocusStrategies.net Leadership and Governance Recommendations (Continued) 3. Data-Informed Funding Processes – Establish performance targets – Funders hold grantees accountable for performance – Only fund programs and projects that are generating desired results 4.Improve Data Analysis Capabilities to Serve Executive Committee’s Objectives

FocusStrategies.net Q & A

Barbara Poppe and associates: Taking a Systems Approach  Ending homelessness requires a systems approach  Focus should be in diverting people from entering homelessness  Must quickly engage when a person becomes homeless  Response to be suitable and customized  Homeless experiences should be short in length  Focus has to shift to achieving high rates of permanent housing exits  Data is critical to continuous improvement and understanding what works 41

A Person-Centered, Crisis Response  Housing First orientation  Practice progressive engagement  Change prioritization for homeless services via Coordinated Entry  Establish “By Name” lists practices  Develop an outreach continuum  Transition to comprehensive, 24-hour shelter  Bring Rapid Rehousing and Permanent Supportive Housing to scale 42

Housing Resource Center (HRC)  Housing Resource Center (HRC) organizes affordable housing under one umbrella as a “one-stop” for access to rental housing options” including:  OH homeless regulated united without homeless services  Affordable housing  Prioritized access to federally subsidized housing  Rooming houses and shared living options  Private market units  Leverages real estate expertise in order to work with landlords to connect service providers to units  The HRC model increases capacity of homeless assistance organizations to implement housing first practices, and engage with property managements and owners of affordable rental units 43

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Improve Program/System Performance and Accountability  Adopt minimum and target performance standards  Implement competitive, performance-based contracting  Deploy HMIS to assess impact and improve system performance  Increase capacity to shift culture toward implementation of evidence-based practices  Conduct continuous quality improvement 45

Questions?

We Need to Hear from YOU!  What ideas do you have for identifying the housing needed to bring Rapid Re-Housing to scale in the face of such a challenging housing market?  What technical assistance do agencies need in order to achieve the new system-wide performance targets?  With continuing challenges in a lack of access to behavioral health services, what has worked to minimize that gap? Small group conversations on these topics will help inform next steps and improve our overall system response.