1. Simcoe Community Services
Regional Housing Support Services

2. Overview
Define Housing First, including its core principles, how Housing First is implemented, goals of Housing First as well as, successes and some barriers to success
Review Housing First Referral Process
Define Roles of Simcoe Community Services Staff

3. 1. An Approach 2. A Philosophy 3. A Program Model
What IS housing First
1. An Approach A Philosophy A Program Model
Housing
Clinical Supports
Housing
Supports

4. AN Approach
Centers on quickly moving people experiencing homelessness into independent, permanent, stable housing
Provides additional supports and services individualized on a case by case basis
‘Housing First’ is a recovery-oriented approach to ending homelessness that centers on quickly moving people experiencing homelessness into independent and permanent housing and then providing additional supports and services as needed.

5. A Philosophy
Based on the belief that everyone deserves housing, and people who are without housing will have better outcomes if they are provided with housing as soon as possible
It is a rights-based approach, which has determined that adequate housing is a precondition for recovery.” Therefore, if you provide the client with housing, you minimize the risk of harm to themselves and others, and the other underlying issues can be addressed slowly.

6. A Program Model
Housing is provided first and then supports are provided including physical and mental health, education, employment, substance abuse and community connections. These support are specific to each participant.
Within the housing first model, clinical and support services are separated. The clients are first housed, and then a support plan is created based on their individual needs and is catered specifically to them including physical and mental health, education, employment, substance abuse and community connections. These support are specific to each participant.
It allows for consumer choice and client self-determination. The clients are able to have some choice to the housing they desire, as well as to the support services they feel would be beneficial to their needs.

7. Housing First Core Principles
Immediate access to permanent housing with no housing readiness requirements
Consumer choice and self-determination
Individual, recovery-oriented, and client driven supports
Harm Reduction
Social and community integration
Providing access to immediate permanent stable housing is the foundation of the initiative. Housing should be adequate, in good repair, affordable and suitable for the specific individual.
Having housing supports is one of the ways that participants are able to maintain their housing. Housing supports may include assistance with:
initially obtaining housing
applying for and maintaining rent subsidies or supplements
building a landlord-tenant relationship
acquiring furniture and other household necessities
learning how to develop the proper life skills to be able to maintain the housing
conflict resolution and mediation with the landlord if issues should arise

8. Implementation
Supports must be determined on a case by case basis based on the level of acuity of each individual
Supports must be appropriate for each individual and determined based on their specific needs
Building relationships with local landlords and support agencies
Screening is crucial when it comes to determining the types of supports needed for each individual. The most accurate way so far has been to determine the level of acuity of each individual. A person’s level of acuity depends on two factors:
1- the number of individual and systemic issues that they are facing; and
2- the severity of those issues.
Once the level of acuity is determined, case managers are better able to determine the type of supports that will be most beneficial to the client.
Appropriate supports are a major factor in the success of the program. Someone who has a low acuity may not need as many supports as someone with a high acuity, and may need them only for a short period of time. Someone with a low acuity may do well with programs such as the rapid re-housing program, employment workshops and help with financial planning. Whereas someone with a high acuity may need some ongoing, long-term supports such as medical assistance, intensive housing support worker involvement, and continuous life skills training.
Clearly if there were no landlord or support agencies, the program would be impossible to run. Therefore, getting them on board and building healthy relationships with them, is a mojor priority.

9. The Goal To end the homelessness To address other underlying issues
Which means there is no “housing readiness” criteria to be fulfilled prior to housing.
The goal is to first end the homelessness, and then work on the underlying issues attributing to the chronic homelessness which means there is no requirement for “housing readiness” criteria to be fulfilled prior to housing

10. Barriers to success Landlord willingness to participate
Tenant Credit/Rental History
Funding
Affordable housing stock
Local resources
Client involvement
Stigma
Landlord willingness to participate is a large barrier to the success of the housing first model. However, with proper selling techniques, keeping open communication, being honest and by building healthy relationships with landlords, we can break down this barrier.
Many of the tenants may have poor credit or no credit, in this case, it’s best to be honest with the landlord, but let them know the steps that are being taken to rectify the situation, as well as reiterating the benefits of direct pay rent that many tenants are able to provide., the support services provided and the continuous follow-up from the case manager.
This is where word of mouth comes into play, building relationships with landlords is crucial, so that they may pass on the word of the program to friends and colleagues, opening up the possibility of rental properties that are available that may not have been listed on the internet. Getting out in the community and looking for vacancies is crucial to the success of the program.

11. Successes Streets to home
As of 2009, 60% of the participants were living in private rentals, and 20% were in social housing units.
Medicine Hat, Alberta
In 2009, Medicine Hat pledged to end homelessness, and in 2015, they accomplished that goal!
At Home/Chez Soi
During the last 6 months of the program 60% of high acuity participants were still maintaining housing, compared to 32% initially.

12. Housing SPECIALIST
Builds relationships with Landlords and Property Management Companies through-out Simcoe County
Provides education to landlords/property management about the Housing First program
Maintains an up to date list of landlords who are actively participating in the Housing First program
Maintains and up to date vacancy list for Housing First Case Managers to access with their participants
Provides third party mediation and support to the landlord

13. HOUSING FIRST CASE MANAGER
Work with a case load of people
Develop individual case plans
Assist in developing personal goals for each case plan
Assess basic needs
Assist with income support
Assist in setting up and maintaining housing
Provide landlord and Tenant mediation
Application assistance
Community Partner collaboration
Teach life skills and assist in developing meaningful daily activity
Make links and provide referrals to community service providers

14. Are you supporting Someone who Might be Housing First??
Simcoe Community Services has made the referral process very easy for our Community Partners. It only requires 3 steps….

15. Referral Process
Step 1
Full SPDAT to be completed with the individual needing the support (VI-SPDAT will only be excepted until March 15th)
SPDAT to completed ONLY by those who have received the training

16. Referral process CON’D
STEP 2
Complete both the Coordinated Intake Referral Form AND the Supplementary Details Form. These forms require information about the individual including, SPDAT score, individual contact information, situational information (chronically/episodically homeless) If information is left blank the referral will be sent back to referring agency.

17. Referral process CON’D
Step 3
Submit Coordinated Intake Referral and Supplementary Details forms to the intake Entity on Monday’s by 4:30 PM for prioritization
Pathways to referral are:
Fax:
Mail or Drop off at 88 Mulcaster Street, Barrie, Ontario L4M3M5
All forms can be found on our website, simcoecommunityservices.ca, under “Community Partners”

18. HOUSING Associate Initial contact for our participants
Screens all calls for housing across Northern Simcoe County (seeing call volumes of approximately calls a day)
Conducts a prescreen on each participant to determine how we can offer assistance through our programs for housing
Books appointments with the appropriate Housing Access Worker after the pre-screen is completed
Re-direct phone calls for people to are in need of assistance from other community partners.

19. Housing access worker
Support individuals with their search for housing and with securing housing
Providing a housing listing once a week
Assistance with applications for funding (HRF, LEAP, OESP, subsidies, supplements)
Provide information relating to the Residential Tenancies Act to both landlords and tenants
Support to both tenants and landlords
Viewings with clients,
Educating on what they have a right to and what rules they must abide by
What a typical day would look like…….. Intake, discussion, process, etc

20. Housing Access Worker CONT’d
Landlord and tenant mediation
Tenant support at the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal
A wide variety of support locations to meet the needs of our participants
35 West st. Orillia, Guest House Midland, 115 Hurontario st. Collingwood, Salvation Army Barrie, Youth Haven Barrie, David Busby Street Centre Barrie, Elizabeth Fry Society Barrie, and Simcoe Community Services Fraser)Barrie

21. Transitional-aged Youth Housing Program (TYHP)
This program is uniquely designed to offer housing supports to youth across Simcoe County who are currently in the care of Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions and transitioning to independent living.

22. Key Supports Offered:
Solution focused case management that addresses housing goals as well as barriers
Individualized assessments using the Service Prioritization Decision Assessment Tool (SPDAT)
A landlord registry to connect tenants
Individual or group opportunities for education that’s specific to tenancy
Knowledge around availability of funding through the County of Simcoe
Youth Housing Workshop—including a certificate of completion
Collaborative supports with numerous community partners throughout Simcoe County

23. How to access supports:
The Child and Youth Service Worker or Youth Service Worker must complete a referral.
In the event that an individual is not able to receive supports through the Transitional-aged Youth Housing Program a transfer of supports will be made to additional staff within Regional Housing Support Services; a fully funded public service to help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

24. Simcoe Community Services is a multi-service organization which provides services that respond to community needs. We support people of all ages and abilities to realize their full potential and to enhance their quality of life. If you would like a copy of this presentation for your reference please contact Or