1. Responding to the Affordable Housing Crisis
Rapid Resolution
Responding to the Affordable Housing Crisis
Tamara Wright, MPA
Regional Coordinator/Community Planning Lead, SSVF, VA

2. Goals
Stem inflows, reducing demand for limited affordable housing stock
Avoid trauma of homelessness
Reduce costs, allowing resources to be concentrated on higher needs

5. How Do We Increase Supply?
Build new units
Expensive
Takes years
Identify “new” housing within existing supply

6. Supports for Previous Household
Conflict Mediation
Veteran may bring financial assistance
Household members (Veteran’s family) eligible for services

7. What’s Rapid Resolution entail?
Integration with the front door of the homeless crisis response system
Coordinated Entry Access Points
Other community access points and partners
ALL Veterans presenting engage in Rapid Resolution conversation
Allows system to free up resources for more vulnerable Veterans
Adjust outreach, in-reach and CE protocol to ensure rapid referral to SSVF and engagement by SSVF immediately before or after shelter entry
Not a “Program” – a System Level Orientation and Response
Even for those not rapidly resolved, housing plan and resource connection begins more immediately

8.  SSVF Rapid Resolution Pilot Project SSVF Grantee for
First Point of Contact/Access Point
Veteran status?
Start of housing crisis?
Already had Rapid Resolution conversation?
SSVF Rapid Resolution Pilot Project 
SSVF Grantee for
Rapid Resolution Conversation
Successful Housing Crisis Resolution
Housing Crisis Not Resolved
Connect to available beds in homeless system if possible
Shelter
HCHV
Hotel/motel paid by SSVF
Other crisis housing
Other temporary options
Goes to Temporary or Longer Term (90+ Days) Stay with Family or Friends
NEXT STEPS
RAPID FOLLOW UP
Identify other temporary situation if needed
Negotiate with family friends longer term (90+ day) housing
Assess for other SSVF services
NEXT STEPS
RAPID FOLLOW UP
Continue to attempt to identify temporary or longer-term housing situation with family or friends if appropriate
Coordinated Entry Process and/or Other Connection to PH Intervention

9. “I’m here to sign up for the Diversion Program…”
Rule of thumb: Generally, diversion referrals should pull from RRH. Nowhere to go tonight? Diversion!
A Prevention client cannot be “made” into a Diversion client. Doubled-up? Prevention. At-risk? Prevention.
Nowhere to go tonight? Diversion!
MISCONCEPTION
Diversion! HP
Diversion
RRH
Diversion
Rapid Re-Housing
Homeless Prevention

10. Practice level activities
Rapid engagement and conversation to explore alternative, safe housing options (even if temporary) instead of shelter
All Veterans presenting for shelter are engaged in diversion conversation
Outcome of conversation drives further housing planning
Focus on conflict mediation and creative problem solving
Reconnection to previous housing, family, friend and other social networks that can offer place to stay
Use Strength-Based Approach to leveraging resources within the Veteran’s own network
Veteran may bring financial assistance
Household members (Veteran’s family) eligible for services

11. Why Coordinated Entry participation?
Coordinated Entry is needed to ensure:
Resources are accessible no matter where or how people present for assistance;
A standardized and consistent approach is used to assess need; and,
Highest need households are prioritized for more intensive interventions.
In January of 2017, HUD published the coordinated entry notice, establishing new requirements for coordinated entry that CoCs and all projects funded by the CoC and the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program must meet. Ideally, any local
organization providing housing and services to households experiencing homelessness, regardless of funding source(s), will participate in coordinated entry.
The figure here illustrates how core elements of coordinated entry function :
First, persons experiencing homelessness gain access to the crisis response system through one of any of the CoC’s defined access points;
Second, an assessment process is completed to document participant needs and preferences;
Third, participants are prioritized according to the CoC’s defined set of criteria for identifying the most vulnerable participants;
And finally fourth, for those prioritized a referral is provided to an available CoC resource.
These are the four core elements of a coordinated entry process outlined in the notice and in the tools and products available on the HUD Exchange.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Let’s start with why coordinated entry is needed.
Many communities see coordinated entry’s primary purpose as filling the slots or openings that they have available in their homeless housing programs. But while coordinated entry does fill program openings, Coordinated Entry isn’t primarily about filling openings. We were able to do that before – unused capacity is not the primary reason to have Coordinated Entry.
Coordinated Entry is essential to creating a Crisis Response System approach; You cannot have a functioning system without a standard and accessible way in which people are able to gain access to the system and have their needs assessed in a fair and consistent way. However, coordinated entry is also necessary in communities where the demand exceeds the supply—which is virtually every community—to ensure that those households with the highest needs are prioritized for the most intensive interventions (RRH and PSH) and that people are not waiting for long periods of time waiting for a specific resource that they have been “matched” to….
We know communities have been designing their coordinated entry to align with HUD’s guidance, and that many of you recently completed drafting written standards and launching coordinated entry for all of your populations. Others of you may be further along in your implementation but have reworked your system design to align with the requirements.
While compliance is important, it’s also important to remember that compliance does not automatically translate into effective. A CoCs coordinated entry could be fully compliant with the Notice of Requirements, for example, and still not have effective outcomes. It is possible—and perhaps even likely—if you only consider compliance when implementing coordinated entry, your system will not be as effective as it could be.
Although the concept of coordinated entry is nearly a decade old, in most communities it is still very new and even those with a longer history are continuing to learn about what works and doesn’t. To make coordinated entry as effective is possible a community cannot design and implement it once and then leave it at that. Continuous improvement should be an ongoing goal.

12. VA Policy = VAMC participation in CoC Coordinated Entry Process
Engagement and active collaboration with CoC on their collective plans to end Veteran Homelessness
Community Case Conferencing Participation
By-Name-List Participation
Utilization of Assessment Tool
Dedication of VA Resources to CES
Data Sharing
Brief overview of the different sections of the policy.

13. Common Coordinated Entry Challenges
Too many people are accessing homeless crisis response services such as emergency shelter when they could be successfully diverted
Crisis response system cannot adequately address the crisis response needs for persons who have no other safe, available housing options
☆Rapid Resolution may be a solution for many Veteran households
Data tells us that the majority of people who experience homelessness do so one time, and often self-resolve without any assistance, or can be assisted with a light problem solving support that can resolve their situation without needing further assistance. Many people in a community will move in and out of homelessness over the course of a given time period.
In the coordinated entry process, access is considered to be the first step; the front door. The steps to access coordinated entry and be considered for the system’s resources need to open to anyone seeking assistance. But that does not mean that everyone must move from initial access point to the next steps of coordinated entry. Having everyone who seeks access go through all steps of the coordinated entry process when resources are constrained will mean spending system time and resources on many people who may not receive system help, and may not in fact need it to end their housing crisis. This is why a phased assessment approach can be particularly helpful.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For the Rapid Resolution pilot, coordinated entry access points are a key first step in identifying Veterans who are about to become or are homeless. To be effective these Veterans need to be immediately connected with the SSVF grantees who are prepared to help the Veteran identify safe, alternative housing options. This referral process will look different in every community because coordinated entry looks different in every community.

14. Phased Assessment Example
In a phased assessment process, the community is operating with a recognition that not everyone who seeks assistance is going to have access to the same level of assistance. We have also heard, anecdotally, that when you jump right into the full assessment right off the bat, people may be given a false understanding of what lies ahead.
Starting with an initial “triage” or initial screening for homelessness, to determine someone is facing a housing crisis allows for the person administering that screening to assess for immediate needs, including the possibility of a DV situation. It would also allow for a diversion screen or problem solving conversation focused on what is going on and if it can be addressed immediately – at this stage a lot of questions about someone's characteristics or vulnerabilities may not be needed – these questions can focus on what’s going on in the moment and what could be immediately helpful to resolve it. The goal is to prevent someone from entering shelter if they have an alternative housing option that they could go to, even if it’s just for a night.
This step might be followed for those for whom diversion is not successful with a more detailed assessment, coupled with an “intake” or creation of a record of information that the system may need in order to serve the person or household and to prioritize. This may be the stage that a person is offered shelter if it is available. Alternatively, especially where more shelter is available, intake into shelter may occur first, followed by an assessment being offered sometime later, to allow for self-resolution and problem solving to continue.
The initial assessment, whenever it occurs still would not be comprehensive – it captures what's needed for planning a solution and potentially for prioritization.
An eligibility assessment may occur once a referral is made or is under consideration.
Finally, for households going on to be served in a program, a more comprehensive assessment may be done which helps with service planning. But this assessment should build from the previous, not involve starting over, so that questions are not unnecessarily repeated and to ensure that information is shared.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For the Rapid Resolution pilot the Initial Triage might include a question ‘Are you a Veteran?’. If the person says Yes then they would be referred to SSVF. If your community already has a developed diversion process then I think John is fine with incorporating the Rapid Resolution pilot into the existing diversion process.

15. Why Dynamic Prioritization?
Dynamic Prioritization is needed to ensure:
Most intensive interventions (PSH and RRH) are prioritized to serve the highest need persons first;
Persons with lower vulnerability are assisted through less intensive strategies that focus on problem solving; and,
Reduce wait times so that highest need household wait no more than 60 days
In many communities we are seeing a blurred line between assessment and prioritization. A common implementation looks like this: An assessment is administered and a score is used to match people to a single intervention type and they are placed on a waitlist for that intervention type—regardless of how many people are ‘in line’ in front of them who have been assessed and how have a higher level of need. We then move on to the next person presenting for assistance while those other households continue to wait.
Dynamic Prioritization continually adjusts a CoCs prioritization list to achieve all of the following system objectives:
Most vulnerable persons are prioritized
Housing placements occur within 60 days
All available CoC resources are leveraged in most flexible manner possible
CoC is working towards continuous improvement of system improvement measures
Dynamic prioritization takes into account both the changing nature of the population of people who have been prioritized, as well as the availability of resources
Dynamic prioritization supports a faster and more efficient process for identifying appropriate openings and referring prioritized people to programs.
But it also places a greater emphasis for communities to identify and implement other creative, problem-solving strategies such as diversion and rapid resolution that are able to find alternative housing options for those households that are not going to be prioritized for more intensive interventions.

16. A Shift in Approach BEFORE Rapid Resolution NOW
Are you willing to enter shelter or receive a motel voucher?
What can we do to keep you from entering shelter?
What programs are you eligible to enter and who has a bed?
What would resolve your current housing crisis?
Assessment/eligibility
Brain Storming and structured problem solving conversation about household situation and resources.
Intake or put on waitlist
Support crisis resolution to avoid shelter entry. Allow for client centered empowerment.
We are talking about (yet another) Paradigm Shift in the way we do business in the homelessness system. We have learned that there are many people who’s housing crisis could be successfully mitigated with a minimum of help and support. It is a shift in the conversation.
Why is this true: because when you are experiencing a housing crisis you usually cannot think through all of your options. Your brain is stressed and you are literally in a fight or flight response mode.
It makes sense that we should have staff who are specially trained to be significant problem solvers who can help walk people through alternative options than the shelter system that is already clogged up.
Why wouldn’t we want to help them stay somewhere else?
Thanks to LAHSA for this slide

17. Rapid Resolution
Who should we try to rapidly resolve their immediate housing crisis?
We should attempt to rapidly resolve
EVERYONE
Actively attempting to divert people from the homelessness system/shelters requires a shift in our approach.
Current practices are very focused on intake, eligibility and assessment. If the person is eligible, they are matched to an available bed or placed in a waiting list.
Rapid Resolution shifts the conversation to one that actively seeks to keep the person from entering the system and staying where they are in an alternative safe situation that is not part of the homeless system
Thanks to LAHSA for this slide

18. What is Rapid Resolution?
RR is a strategy to prevent entrance to a shelter or the homeless system.
RR helps people who are experiencing a housing crisis and are seeking shelter.
RR aims to preserve their current housing situation or make immediate alternative arrangements.
Rapid Resolution services targets households that are requesting entry into shelter or housing and have not yet accessed homeless services.
Thanks to LAHSA for this slide

19. Guiding Principles of Diversion (NAEH)
Crisis Resolution
Principle 2
Client choice, respect and empowerment
Principle 3
Provide the minimum assistance necessary for the shortest time possible
Principle 4
Maximize Community Resources
Principle 5
The right resources to the right people at the right time

20. Where Does Rapid Resolution Happen?
RR should happen at the very first “door”
(literal door or phone call) that someone seeks shelter and housing assistance.
We should be starting all of our conversations with people who are literally asking for shelter support with Diversion conversations.
Where is that in your community? Is it 211? Is it the CRRC? Are there CES Access Points?
Are there places that newly homeless person’s hang out…at universities? In a Safe Parking spot?
SHOULD BE THE FIRST CONVERSATION
Thanks to LAHSA for this slide

21. Rapid Resolution Conversations
Through RR, a Veteran is engaged in a deep conversation about safe, alternative housing options so that shelter can be avoided.
The options could include:
Staying where they were last night
Finding another temporary place to stay
Could be for one night, several nights, a month or longer

22. Put the person at ease Create a private, quiet space
Set up the space and your approach to foster trust-building
Minimize note-taking
Actively Listen
Work together in partnership to identify options and next steps

23. Typical Diversion Questions
What brings you to the office today? Why are you seeking services today? Do you feel safe?
Where did you stay last night?
Do you think that you (and your family) could stay there again temporarily if we provide you with some help or limited services such as…
What brought on your housing crisis?
Here’s one possible flow of a Diversion conversation
Is there anything I haven’t asked you that would be important for me to be aware of as we try to figure out the best situation for you moving forward?
If no, why not? What would it take to be able to stay there temporarily?
Thanks to LAHSA for this slide

24. Typical Diversion Questions
What barriers or challenges are you experiencing that make it difficult for you to find permanent housing for you (and your family) or connect to other resources?
Do you or does anyone in your family have special needs or a medical condition? If so how does this affect your housing situation?
Are you unsafe or unstable relationship?
Do you owe money for rent? Are you new to the area?
Here’s another
Is there anything I haven’t asked you that would be important for me to be aware of as we try to figure out the best situation for you moving forward?
Thanks to LAHSA for this slide

25. Staffing Appropriately
Pick your staff who have the greatest ability to converse patiently and empathically with clients. Can they dig deeply into possible solutions for them?
Staff who know community resources.
Staff who are comfortable calling and mediating/advocating for the person seeking services.
Do you need training in your community for this pilot?

26. Summary Conversation not an intake or assessment Deeply Listen
Remain Positive
Assist with options
Don’t assume something won’t work
Utilize your resources
Housing expenses
Connection to community resources
Mediation
Follow up next day for more in depth assistance

27. SSVF Rapid Resolution Phoenix/Maricopa Co.
Chela, Schuster
Senior Director, Housing
UMOM New Day Centers
Phoenix, AZ

28. Planning and preparation
Rapid Resolution Workgroup established and held 2 planning sessions around implementation.
Training: Hosted community wide training with SSVF, CRRC, HMIS, and CES staff. (40 staff)
SSVF lead reviewed what SSVF Rapid Resolution brings to the community.
Group walked through community specific Rapid Resolution workflow document.
CE lead Re-trained on standardized 9 step diversion process
HMIS trained staff on new data protocols.
Training: We scheduled out a half day where community partners came together to learn about rapid resolution. Our community has been implementing diversion through CES and SSVF, and the concept has been around, but Rapid Resolution was an opportunity to for community partners to implement a more comprehensive plan of Rapid Resolution. We were able to beef it up.
Discussed the intent of Rapid Resolution. For our community diversion is used when it is a safe and appropriate. Our definition is to empower individuals to use their own resources, empower self efficacy, to problem solve, and overcome their own housing crisis without entering our homeless system. Rapid Resolution allows us to use this approach throughout the system, not just at CES. ***This means we are able to use RR/diversion with or without funding to reserve our limited housing resources to those that do not have their own resources.**
We created a workflow of the logistics. What does it look like when someone presents to CES, when do we apply this option. How? Very helpful to have because it was black and white.
Again, we were already working diversion within our system. One standard practice, so it is executed efficiently. When we do this standardized process, we gained system wide trust. Having this understanding that you’ve had this conversation.
Data, data, data…. Data driven decisions. Allows us to assess how this program/approach is working or not working. What are missing? How can we be better? Having HMIS at the table was important so we can show our success and determine what we needed to capture.

29. Implementation UNIQUE COMMUNITY FEATURES:
CRRC, Welcome Center, and Family Housing Hub are main points of entry for Veterans experiencing homelessness.
Diversion already standardized and integrated into existing Coordinated Entry workflow.
2 fold screening:
Initial diversion screening – frontline Coordinated Entry staff documents all relevant info and communicates potential referral to available SSVF staff.
SSVF screening conversation – SSVF staff continues conversation with specifics and determines enrollment.
Implementation: this made me think of what John mentioned in our opening… Complain, change and adapt… Or both.
For our community, we have many strengths, with that, it was essential to identify the common goal, create buy in. Identify champions from each entity and utilize existing assets.
Back to implementation… Complain, change and adapt… or both. Took a lot of honest, open, conversations. Willingness to be accountable.
2 fold screening: 1. Discuss options beyond self resolving… ex. Treatment centers, workforce, sustainability piece…. Short term plan, we’re doing that part now, then connecting to community resources: meetings,
2. Allows another opportunity: Like Ace said… hearing them out, listening…

30. Operations
General approach to engaging Veterans with Rapid Resolution:
Continue to screen ALL Veterans seeking shelter/services using 9 Step Diversion conversation at Coordinated Entry Points.
Co-locate SSVF staff at CRRC consistently M-F to expedite warm-handoffs and troubleshoot barriers.
SSVF Staff re-visits specifics from initial diversion conversation and enrolls when appropriate.
If ineligible, staff can continue to strategize with veteran a short-term and long-term plan at CE entry point. (e.g. shelter/GPD referral, VI-SPDAT, or traditional SSVF RRH)

31. Takeaways
Successes
Increase diversion by 2% at for single adult veterans between CRRC and Welcome Center!
9 Veterans and 1 family enrolled in Rapid Resolution!
Additional Data
72% unable to enroll were unable to identify family or friends to re-connect with.
18% unable to enroll due to family or friends refusal to house Vet.
22 unable to enroll in rapid resolution are enrolled in RRH
Lessons Learned
Dedicated SSVF staff co-located at CE sites is critical to our Rapid Resolution success and care coordination.
Currently expanding focus to clients already in system (GPD, outreach, etc.) for follow-up

32. Success Stories with Ace Carter
A Little about Ace:
Ace Carter was the Rapid Resolution Specialist at Community Bridges in Phoenix
He has had numerous successful entries into Rapid Resolution including family reunification and high employment outcomes
Ace is a Veteran!

33. Contact: Chela Schuster Senior Director of Housing
UMOM New Day Centers
Tamara Wright, MPA
SSVF Regional Coordinator/Community Planning Lead
Department of Veteran Affairs
Ace Carter
GPD Supervisor
Community Bridges Inc.