Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 1 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Responding to Violence Against Women through a Housing First Program Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free Kris Billhardt

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 2 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Caveats and Disclaimers Development of new response models does not negate the need for programs that provide immediate safety for DV survivors. This is not a prescription or a miracle solution; simply our experience of change and its benefits. Consider our program’s story as to whether or how it may be applicable in your community to add to options available to DV survivors.

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 3 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 DV in Multnomah County 28,000 victims; 3/5 have children Police DV Unit:10,000 reports/year Over 50% of all reported violent crime Largest contributing factor to area homicides Significant factor in 35% of long term child abuse/neglect cases Over 30,000 crisis calls to DV hotlines 15,000 DV shelter bednights annually

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 4 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Link Between DV and Housing Stability Poor women experience DV at higher rates and have fewer resources with which to seek/maintain safe and stable housing 46% of homeless women report having stayed in an abusive relationship because they had nowhere else to go 38% of all DV survivors become homeless at some point DV’s effects can dramatically impact the ability to obtain/maintain stable housing, incl. physical and mental health, employment, education, and connection to social supports

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 5 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Link Between DV and Housing Stability II Homelessness is only one end of a continuum of housing problems faced by women experiencing DV Missed or late payments for rent/utilities Compromises: selling belongings or skipping food to make payments Ruined credit Apartment damage Discrimination based on status as victims

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 6 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Link Between DV and Housing Stability III Obstacles to affordable housing may seem insurmountable; many remain with or return to abuser High density/high violence in public housing complexes may place women at continued risk Chronicity of DV results in repeated choice between homelessness and abuse Denials, evictions, lease terminations based on violence/ abuser interference

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 7 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 VOA Home Free – History 1926: VOA est. Mothers and Children’s Home to serve “abandoned” women and children DV became focal in the 70’s Family Center/ Transition House, 1989

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 8 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 VOA Home Free – History II 1998 – The Beginnings of Change Outreach component added to residential service elements

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 9 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Home Free’s Big Change : October, 2003 Closed Shelter Hotline hours reduced to 8AM- 6PM M-F Expanded motel vouchering Expanded housing-focused services Expanded outstationed services and mobile advocacy

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 10 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 VOA Home Free – Program Design Emergency Services Children’s Services Out-stationed Services Transitional and Housing Services

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 11 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Housing First Stresses immediate return to permanent, neighborhood-based housing, along with 6-12 months of individualized support to ensure retention (Portland Community Standard)

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 12 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Housing First Research Findings Homeless individuals more likely to sustain housing when given a permanent home Vulnerable/at-risk families more responsive to interventions and community supports after in their own housing

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 13 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 The Case for Housing First with DV Survivors Finding and keeping housing one of greatest barriers faced by women who leave abusers Research suggests that women who secure housing reduce chances of revictimization Women linked with advocates during post- crisis period report higher quality of life, more social supports, and less re-abuse

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 14 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 VOA Home Free’s Housing First Program Staffed by 5 mobile advocates Budget includes $175,000 in direct client assistance funds Capacity: households/yr (8-12 per advocate) in housing program Duration of services: Up to two years Scattered-site model (private market or public housing)

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 15 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Referrals to Home Free Housing Services

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 16 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Participant Flow Through Housing Services MILESTONE 1 First contact. Focus: Response to immediate needs. MILESTONE 2 Intake. Focus: taking steps on short term plan, housing search. MILESTONE 3 Housing obtained. Focus: Addressing issues/needs that better ensure retention. MILESTONE 4 Active work on long-term goals. Focus: taking increasing responsibility for finances and systems navigation. MILESTONE 5 Transition to permanency. Focus: Discontinue reliance on subsidy. MILESTONE 6 Focus: Embedding pattern of financial self sufficiency. Increased sense of personal power and resourcefulness. DESTINATION Full life not defined by DV. Financially stable, making own choices, capable self- advocate. Eligibility: Surviving DV/SA Immediate crisis stabilized. Housing stabilization a primary need. Financial resourcefulness compromised by DV/ other barriers

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 17 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Advocacy Services Include: (You Name it!) Accompaniment, home visits Housing search, job search, job training referrals Danger Assessments and safety planning Direct financial assistance Intervention/case coordination with other systems Advocacy with landlords, Housing Authority Linkages to civil legal and immigration law services Direct services to children Help with budgeting, goal planning DV and parenting support groups

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 18 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Who We Are Serving Average Age of Adults served: 30 Age Range of adults: 17 – 54 Race/Ethnicity:  31% white (79.2% in population)  29% Latino (9% in population)  28% African-American (5.7% in population)  9% Native American (1% in population)  1% Asian (.4% in population)

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 19 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Who We Are Serving II

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 20 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Early Results 89% Obtained Housing 92% remain in housing Avg. time in housing TD: 13 mo. (range 1 – 30 mo.)

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 21 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 A Study of the Effectiveness of a Housing Intervention for Battered Women A cooperative agreement between Multnomah County Domestic Violence Coordinator’s Office and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Study Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness, including cost-effectiveness, of an existing permanent housing program provided by VOA Home Free in preventing revictimization and reducing negative health outcomes of survivors of IPV and their children.

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 22 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Study Design Participants: Women domestic violence victims, age 18-64, who speak English or Spanish Study begins at “post-crisis” stage of service delivery Data collected (baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months): –Outcomes for women and their children –Cost of domestic violence and cost effectiveness of the housing models

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 23 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Intervention group: VOA Home Free housing program (housing first plus DV advocacy) Comparison groups:  VOA Home Free Mobile Advocacy Services (limited or no rent assistance + DV advocacy)  Raphael House of Portland (emergency shelter with DV advocacy)  DHS Self Sufficiency TA-DVS Program (short-term housing assistance + limited DV advocacy)  Portland Impact Safety Net (housing first + limited DV advocacy) Study Design II

Volunteers of America, Oregon - Home Free 24 NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Importance of the Research Project Current housing research doesn’t consider effectiveness of housing first for DV victims Current DV research doesn’t consider impact of housing instability on victim’s ability to stay safe or on children’s outcomes Funding priorities at OVW and HUD shifting to longer-term housing and to “proven practices” Some housing policy creates barriers for victims and their children Study can demonstrate need to expand range of housing options for survivors and their children