Homeless and Housing Coordinators 9 th Annual Meeting Fresh Start Housing Tri-City Mental Health Center August 1, 2006

Tri-City Mental Health Moderator Kevin Rice, LCSW Presenters Paul Crane, MFT, AB2034 Supervisor Gilbert Saldate, MHRS, Housing Supervisor

Fresh Start Housing  A Master Lease Approach To Ending Homelessness  Main Reason for Master Lease  NIMBYISM

Mental Health Diagnosis – At Initial Evaluation

Substance Abuse Diagnosis – At Initial Evaluation

Housing Program … In The Beginning  Orange Grove – 2 Bedrooms  Tasman – 4 bedrooms and 5 beds  La Sena – 4 bedrooms, 5 beds  Laurel – 2 bedrooms  Webber – House – 2 bedrooms Smaller house – 2 bedrooms  Alvarado – House – 5 bedrooms, 5 beds Bungalows – 8 small units with one bedroom each  Washington – House with 1 bedroom

Whatever It Takes Harm Reduction Housing First Our Guiding Principles… In the Beginning

Philosophy As Practiced When Housed, Consumers Will…  Want to Change  Participate in Their Treatment  Decrease Their Substance Use as a Coping Mechanism  Do Whatever It Takes to Thrive

Success in Housing At the Expense of:  Mental Health Treatment  Substance Abuse Treatment... But...

How They Arrived HOMELESSNESS SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES/SYMPTOMS

Clinical Component  Intensive Case Management Practiced  Housing Was Part of The Clinical Model  Housing Became a Clinical Tool (A Third Component)

Treatment Component HOUSING MENTALHEALTHTREATMENT SUBSTANCEABUSETREATMENT No Holistic Approach

Outcome  Drugs a Problem  Prostitution  Subletting of Rooms  Moved-in Homeless Friends  Housing Became a Flophouse

Outcome  Clinical Issues  Entitlement Issues Abounded Many said, “You can’t make me do anything and you have to give me a place to stay.”

Outcome  Neighbors Began To Complain  Complained To City Council Members of Pomona, Claremont and La Verne  Tri-City is a Joint Powers Authority Governed by these Cities  Police Frustrated  Landlords Confused

Program Overhaul

Our Guiding Principles…Now  Housing Is A Right  Responsibility Is A Choice  Self-Sufficiency Is Achievable  Natural Consequences Motivate Change

What Changed  Housing Contract  Housing was Separated from Clinical  Housing Coordinator Became a Landlord and Contract Monitor  Issues Began to Be Addressed

Housing First Became a Tiered Model  Emergency Shelter (as needed)  Sober Living  Fresh Start Housing (transitional housing)  Permanent Housing  Shelter Plus Care Certificate  Independent Living  Natural Consequences Were The Key  Consumer Chose Living Situation By Life Choices

Lease Agreement

What Changed – Clinical  Personal Services Coordinator (PSC) Became an Independent Consumer Advocate  PSC Works with Consumer and Reports Problems to the Program Supervisor  Program Supervisor Informs Housing Coordinator of Problems

Holistic Approach HomelessnessHousing Mental Health Substance Use Health Problems Family Problems CommunityFinancial And So Forth Deal With Consumer Needs

Advocacy – Problem Solving

Resolution – Plan of Action (POA)  Consumer Agrees to POA  PSC and Housing Coordinator Inform Program Supervisor of POA  Program Supervisor and PSC Further Operationalize the POA

GOAL Identified Problem and POA Program Supervisor PSC Housing Coordinator

Result Consumer PSC Program Supervisor Housing Coordinator

New Philosophical Practice  Develop Internal Locus of Control  Become Self-Motivating  End Homeless Cycle  Make Program Obsolete For Person – Develop Consumer Independence  Set Goals For Self and Achieve Them

Does It Work? “Lady in White”

Fresh Start Housing Tri-City Mental Health Center Pomona, CA Serving the cities of Pomona, Claremont and La Verne Wishes to express its thanks and appreciation for being invited to present at the 9th Annual Homeless and Housing Coordinators Meeting