1. THE FAMILY UNIFICATION PROGRAM November 2009 Online Webinar – November 2, 2009 at 10:00 am PST; 1:00 EST Presented by the Center for Housing and Child Welfare & the John Burton Foundation Call-in phone number for live audio: 916-233-3089 Access code: 207-453-419

2. Webinar Technical Details  Call-in phone number for live audio: 916-233-3089 ; Access code: 207-453-419  To submit live questions, click on the “Question and Answer” arrow on your screen, type your question, and click “Send.”

3. Purpose of the Presentation  Educate participants about FUP  Provide information about current funding opportunity  Case example of FUP utilization in California  San Francisco Human Services Agency  Share available technical assistance  Answer your questions

4. Today’s Presenters  Ruth Ann White, National Center for Housing and Child Welfare  Amy Lemley, John Burton Foundation  Dan Kelly, San Francisco Human Services Agency

5. What is The Family Unification Program (FUP)?  FUP is a collaboration between Housing Authorities and Child Welfare Agencies.  FUP is a program designed to strengthen and stabilize child welfare families.  FUP is a housing program for two target populations:  FUP-Eligible Family  FUP-Eligible Youth

6. Program Goals  To increase the housing resources of child welfare families to prevent the separation of children from their parents because of inadequate housing  To ease the transition to adulthood for youth aging out of foster care  To facilitate and expedite access to housing and supportive services through agency collaboration

7. What is the History of FUP?  Established in 1992  Over 41,000 vouchers have been issued since program inception  6,076 vouchers have been issued to California  54% of CA jurisdictions have gotten FUP vouchers  Vouchers issued annually until 2001  No new vouchers until 2009  California jurisdictions with 250+ FUP vouchers  Frenso County, Riverside County, LA County, Merced County, City of Fresno, San Diego County, City of Los Angeles & City of Anaheim

8. FUP Vouchers Issued: 1992 to 2009 8,639 (Nationally) 1,625 (California) A coalition of advocacy organizations has asked HUD to issue 5,000 annually

9. Who is Eligible for FUP Vouchers?  FUP-Eligible Family  Family that the PCWA has certified as a family for whom the lack of adequate housing is the primary factor in the imminent placement of the family’s child, in the delay of discharge and that the PHA has determined is eligible.  FUP-Eligible Youth  A youth that the PCWA has certified to be at least 18 years old and not more than 21 who left foster care at age 16 or older and who does not have adequate housing and that the PHA determined is eligible

10. Recent Developments in FUP  HUD awarded $20 million in 2009  2,551 vouchers to 37 jurisdictions  CA recipients: San Francisco (100), San Mateo (40)  HUD to award additional $20 million  $5.4 million granted to FY 2008 applicants  CA recipients: City of Alameda (50), Santa Clara County (100), County of Stanislaus (100), City of Santa Barbara (25), Kern County (100), Sonoma County (50)

11. Current Funding Opportunity  $14.6 million still available  Application deadline: December 3 rd  Approximately 1,940 new FUP vouchers  Max. # of vouchers awarded: based on # of Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs)  One application per PHA  “Approvable applications…shall be funded first…”

12. FUP Application Basics  Application made by Public Housing Authority (PHA)  PHAs are not county-based but rather based on “entitled jurisdictions”  Requires a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with public Child Welfare Agency (CWA)  Requires provision of supportive services

13. FUP: Based on PHAs, not Counties Oakland PHA Berkeley PHA City of Alameda PHA Possible Partnerships for Alameda Social Services Agency Alameda County PHA For a list of PHAs in CA: http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/pha/contacts/states/ca.cfm

14.  Basic life skills  Counseling on compliance with rental lease requirements  Job preparation and attainment counseling  Education and career advancement counseling  Assurances to rental property as necessary  Participation of youth in case plan  Services may be provided by PCWA or contracted provider What Services Must be Provided to FUP Youth?

15. What Services are Provided to Support FUP Families?  Service needs are determined on a case by case basis  HUD and CWLA suggest at least 60-90 days of follow-up services  Most common services:  on-going case management  family counseling, parenting classes  drug and alcohol treatment  budgeting

16. How Can FUP and THP-Plus Work Together?  FUP requires supportive services for transition-age youth  THP-Plus provides offer these supportive services  Using FUP vouchers makes THP-Plus funding go farther  40% of THP-Plus costs are housing costs

17. Case Study: San Francisco Human Services Agency  SF Public Housing Authority was the applicant  Received 100 vouchers in 2009; first time  70% for families; 30% for transition-age youth  SF PHA will review waiting list to identify eligible candidates  HSA will then review exiting case load to identify eligible candidates  Vouchers are portable

18. Next Steps:  Contact your public housing authority TODAY  Determine if they are planning to apply  Ask about status of previously issued FUP vouchers  Ask how many youth FUP vouchers they have, and how they are being distributed  Inquire about how the required supportive services are being provided  Invite the PHA representative to participate in your standing collaborations List of PHAs, # of vouchers by jurisdiction and presentation will be posted at www.thpplus.org/past.html

19. Next Steps:  Contact your county child welfare agency  Educate them about this opportunity  Encourage them to contact PHA  Discuss how FUP fits into your county’s strategy to addresses homelessness among FFY  Access technical assistance  Review available materials: www.nchcw.orgwww.nchcw.org  Use the sample MOU  Access individual TA

20. Enter questions on your screen now by clicking the “Question and Answer” arrow, typing your question, and clicking “Send.” Or direct later questions or comments to: Ruth Ann White, Executive Director National Center for Housing and Child Welfare (301) 699-0151 rwhite@nchcw.org Amy Lemley, Policy Director John Burton Foundation (415) 693-1322 amy@johnburtonfoundation.org Questions or Comments?