1. GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions Morning Session
May/June 2013

2. Welcome and Introduction Session Objectives Update GHSH reforms (FACS)
NSW Homelessness Action Plan (HAP) Evaluation Presentation (FACS)
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

3. Going Home Staying Home
Reform
Awareness Sessions
I would like to provide a quick update on the GHSH progress to date and current status of the Reform work.

4. Innovation Fund Focus on service redesign EOIs closed 19 April 2013
Successful projects announcement planned for June 2013
Innovation Fund
Innovation Funding has been provided through Commonwealth NPAH funds - $2 million were set aside for this purpose. Innovation funding is for providers to scope, plan and pilot new service delivery models.
The EOI closed 19 April.
112 applications were received.
Assessment process is underway and the decision is expected to be announced in June 2013.

5. Industry Partnership & Industry Development Fund
Industry partnership established
IDF EOI closed on 26 April
IDF focuses on organisational and structural change
17 Initial projects already approved
An Industry Partnership has been established between Homelessness NSW, Yfoundations and the Women’s Refuge Movement.
Housing NSW has finalised a $1.9million funding agreement with this Partnership to develop industry and workforce strategies, as well as tools. The Partnership is also providing advice to services and disbursing an Industry Development Fund. The purpose of the Industry Development Fund is to assist providers in planning and taking preparatory steps towards organisational change over
The Industry Development Fund EOI closed on 26 April. A total of $900k is available for allocation as part of this EOI. 17 early adopters have already been approved. These services will receive $435,000 to reconfigure their services to form collaborations and to better connect services.

6. Streamlined Access
Preliminary scope for the state-wide information and referral service
Access Practitioner Advisory Group (PAG) established
Assessment framework completed
Testing and consultation on the information, referral and assessment tools to occur mid to late 2013
The state-wide information and referral service has been scoped and is undergoing consultation with governance groups.
An access practitioner Advisory Group with representatives from DV, adult and youth SHS, and representatives from each of the phone lines, HPIC, YConnect and DV Line has been established.
The purpose of the group is to provide practitioner input into the development of access and assessment tools and processes.
The first meeting was held in April with discussions on the no wrong door and client information protocol
The assessment framework has been completed and feedback is being sought.
The assessment framework will assist in the development of consistent assessment, risk, prioritisation and referral tools and practices.
The Practitioner Advisory group will have a key role in this work.
We will be testing the information, referral and assessment tools later in this calendar year in selected services.
The sector will also be able to provide their feedback through online mechanisms.

7. Better Planning & Resource Allocation
Short term priorities finalised.
A resource allocation model is being developed that identifies service gaps and recommends resource allocation levels by region
Short Term priorities
While the Going Home Staying Home reform plan sets out the main elements of a longer term planning process, the need to disburse the Innovation funds by July 2013 meant there was a need for a shorter process. The key objective of the process was to develop regionally relevant reform priorities aligned with the Going Home Staying Home service delivery framework. The Chairs of RHCs led the identification of up to 5 regional priorities for each of the 15 local health districts in consultation with local stakeholders. These priorities formed part of the assessment process for the Innovation Fund EOI.
Resource Allocation Model
A draft resource allocation model is due to be finalised by September A high level resource allocation approach was considered by the Resource Allocation Working Group in April. The scoping of key pieces of work currently underway.

8. Industry & Workforce Development
Workforce development alliance between Industry Partnership and SHS Learning and Development Unit
Long term workforce development plan
SHS Learning & Development activities continuing with a focus on reform
FACS has entered into an industry partnership with the three peak SHS bodies, Homelessness NSW, Yfoundations and Women’s Refuge Movement. The partnership is developing the five year Industry Development Strategy which will set goals and priorities and providing a vehicle to disburse the Industry Development Fund.
The first meeting of Workforce Development Alliance was held on 1 March 2013.

9. Contracting, Quality & Continuous Improvement
Quality assurance system and implementation plan
Scope evaluation strategy
Contracting is the mechanism to embed reforms from July 2014 onwards. Next steps for contracting (with indicative dates):
Determine contracting approach (July 13)
Determine pricing approach (July 13)
Develop procurement plan (October 13)
Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance system is being developed by Bradfield Nyland Group (who developed the National Quality Framework) to support effective contract management. This will be consistent with the National Quality Framework- although details have not yet been finalised, the agreement in principle is that this will include assessment of service standards by an external agency. An important principle is mutual recognition of compliance with quality requirements relating to other funding programs.
Evaluation Strategy
Work has begun to scope an evaluation strategy for SHS services, but is at an early stage. Further details will be available as this work progresses.
Contracting
Current service specifications have extended for By the end of June 2014, New Service Agreements and new Specifications reflecting the reforms will be put in place. Contracting Approach options are currently being developed to procure the new service agreements. Decisions have not been taken on the preferred approach at this stage. At the same time, work is being developed to identify the preferred pricing model for the new services.
Once decisions have been made, both the Contracting Approach and Pricing Model will be announced to the sector.

10. Service Delivery Design
Interim service delivery design guidelines completed
First version of fuller guidelines being developed (by May 2013)
Awareness sessions for SHS (May/June 2013)
Service Delivery Design Guidelines - Outline the preferred service approaches, are informed by evidence including NPAH evaluation, and are supported by training.
Interim guidelines were developed to inform Innovation Fund proposals.
Draft version of the fuller guidelines has been developed by the Going Home Staying Home Reform Team - outline evidenced based good practice for delivering client-centred approaches according to the four key responses: prevention and early intervention; rapid re-housing; crisis and transitional responses; and intensive responses for complex needs clients.
20 awareness raising sessions for Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) (one in each of the local area FACS districts) are being undertaken during late May/June. These sessions are focussing on the Plan’s Service Delivery Framework and the new Service Delivery Designs

11. For more information Website www.housing.nsw.gov.au/GHSH/ Email:
Phone:

12. NSW Homelessness Action Plan (HAP)
Evaluation Strategy – Overview of Findings

13. What is the Homelessness Action Plan (HAP)?
The NSW Homelessness Action Plan (‘the HAP’) outlines the five year whole-of- government effort to reduce homelessness in NSW
The HAP aimed to drive reform of the NSW homelessness service system through:
Increasing the focus on prevention
Implementing new approaches to long term housing and support
Supporting coordination and collaboration between services
The HAP set the direction for state-wide reform of the broader homelessness service system with a vision that:
People never become homeless
People who have become homeless don’t become homeless again
People who become homeless don’t become entrenched in the system
The HAP particularly aimed to increase the focus on prevention. 13

14. HAP Evaluation Strategy - Overview
The HAP has approx 100 initiatives
55 projects are commitments under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH)
The challenge: large numbers of projects and diversity in service approaches
HAP includes approximately 100 projects, about 55 of which are funded commitments through the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH).
These NPAH funded projects are primarily delivered by non government organisations and are spread around the State. They also target different groups
The key challenge for the Evaluation Strategy was to try and evaluate across all key areas of the HAP.
An important focus for the evaluation was whether there was any evidence that reform of the system had been achieved.
The evaluation strategy was also designed to identify achievements and provide evidence of effective responses and lessons learnt that should be considered in the future response to homelessness in NSW. 14

15. Evaluation Strategy – What we Did
The HAP Evaluation Strategy included –
a self evaluation done by projects themselves,
an extended evaluation of 15 selected projects that enable an in depth analysis of different service approaches, and
an HAP Evaluation Strategy Summary that brings all evidence together.
The service approaches covered by the extended evaluations are: support for women and children escaping domestic violence; youth foyers; support for people exiting institutions; tenancy support to prevent evictions; and, long term housing and support.
5 independent consultants undertook the extended evaluations and there is a consistency of findings that gives confidence to the validity of the findings.
AHURI is doing the Strategy Summary
Street to Home longitudinal evaluations are also being undertaken but these will not be finalised until June This will enable better outcome data to be collected on the chronically homeless group.
Before presenting some of the key findings from the evaluation, some limitations should be noted and kept in mind when considering the assessment of project outcomes.
These include factors such as:
The evaluations are a snapshot of a point in time
There are variations between projects which makes it difficult to compare between service models or approaches 15

16. Key Service Approaches - What Worked
Local coordination groups comprising relevant agencies
Provided clients with a “no wrong” door approach
Enabled integrated case planning
Maximised the use of local resources
Responded to the range of needs of a client
Increased the capacity of staff and services
Coordination groups needs resourcing
There were some common outcomes in relation to service delivery across the projects.
Many of the HAP projects established multi-agency coordination groups as a key mechanism for implementation. The evidence showed that these groups enabled people to get access to the assistance they needed through contact with just one agency, who could then draw on the other services in the coordination group.
This is an approach that the evaluators found was consistent with the “no wrong door approach” to addressing homelessness.
An important element in this approach was collaborative case planning where available services and resources were matched to client need.
This was found to maximise the use of local resources as it minimised the risk of duplication of effort and identified gaps in services. Coordination groups were also found to increase the capacity of services and staff through shared discussion and problem solving, as well as cross agency training.
The evaluation found that coordination groups need strong commitment from government and non government agencies as well as agreed processes and resourcing to work effectively. 16

17. Key Service Approaches - What Worked
Access to flexible brokerage funding helped provide a tailored approach to client needs
Enabled a client centered approach
Facilitated the purchase, as required, of services (e.g. case worker) and goods (household furniture) as part of a case plan
Responsive, timely approach to resolving critical issues to move a client to housing stability (eg rent arrears)
Provided an incentive for service collaboration when combined with integrated case planning
A key feature of some HAP projects was the use of flexible brokerage funding. The evaluators found that availability of this funding enabled many elements in a case plan, which were not available through local services, to be implemented.
This included the purchase of services (such as counselling or additional case worker time) as well as goods (such as household furniture).
It was found that it was important that the allocation of the brokerage funding needed to be done quickly to resolve critical issues, such as removalist costs for a woman leaving a violent partner.
The Evaluation also found that flexible brokerage funding linked to case planning provided an incentive for service collaboration as it required services to identify and problem solve issues together prior to any allocation of funding.
Clear guidelines for this process and accountability mechanisms for monitoring progress were also found to be crucial to achieving sustainable client outcomes.

18. Example – Coordination Groups
Riverina Murray Rural Interagency Project
4 Coordination Groups
Brokerage applied against areas in agreed case plan
The Riverina Murray HAP Project is a good example of a project that used coordination groups and also flexible brokerage.
The project was auspiced by Regional Development Australia.
There were 4 coordination groups in in Wagga, Griffith, Albury and Deniliquin.
This project had a focus both on early intervention and people with complex needs.
This slide shows the process for an early intervention response; a referral comes in about a tenancy at risk, the Coordinator sends it to the relevant coordination group and an agency is identified to respond. The coordination group agrees on a case plan and brokerage is allocated if needed..
HAP Project Coordination Group Meetings have developed into cohesive groups who support and refer clients to each other’s services.

19. Key Service Approaches - What Worked
Providing support for the period and intensity that a client needed
Linked to an agreed case plan with clear goals
Staged support worked – intensity decreasing over time but capacity to increase if needed
Longer periods of consistent support with no one size fits all (e.g. 12 months of support) enabled clients to stabilise housing
Support needed to begin pre-exit for those in institutional settings
The quality of the relationship between worker and client was critical to success
HAP projects provided services to a range of client groups with different needs. It was found that there is no “one size fits all” approach for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
For many people staged support worked best, with intensity of support decreasing over time and with the capacity for an increase in support if needed.
It was also found to be important that support was able to follow a client if they needed to move between different accommodation types.
Longer periods of consistent support (up to12 months) was found to be particularly useful for clients with more complex needs, such as those leaving custody, young people leaving out of home care and women leaving violent relationships.
For those in institutional settings the optimum time for commencement of support was found to be prior to exit and was found to assist with establishing housing stability during the immediate post exit time which can often be a time of stress and uncertainty.
The Evaluation demonstrated that the quality of the relationship between worker and client could also be critical to success.
Employment of Aboriginal workers was identified as having an important role in the engagement and support of Aboriginal people who were homeless or at risk of homelessness.

20. Key Service Approaches - What Worked
A whole of client/family perspective was needed to reduce the factors contributing to a client’s risk of homelessness
Inclusion of a child’s needs in the case plan of a parent/carer
This reduces the drivers of homelessness within the family such as a partner’s gambling
A key element of the approach used in many HAP projects was to consider the clients holistically.
The Evaluation found that clients who accessed services had many different drivers for homelessness, such as violence, gambling of a partner or unexpected medical bills for a child.
It was found that case planning that considered the circumstances and needs of the whole household achieved more sustainable housing outcomes.
The needs of children were also identified as being important to consider in this process. In addition the Evaluation identified evidence that the use of brokerage funding could be beneficial to addressing client needs holistically.

21. Key Service Approaches - What Worked
Short term investment up front when a tenancy is at risk
An average of 4 months support for clients at risk of eviction helped stabilise their housing
Brokerage funding was critical to supporting clients out of a critical situation
Case plans which included financial management and a repayment plan builds the capacity of clients to sustain housing
Evaluation focused on three services that aim to prevent people at risk of eviction from losing their tenancy and becoming homeless. These were:
Tenancy Support Program Far North Coast managed by On Track Community Programs
Tenancy Support Service Mid North Coast managed by Samaritans Foundation
Coastal Sydney Aboriginal Tenancy Support Service managed by Mission Australia
Tenancy support programs evaluated under the HAP offered an average of 4 months support for clients at risk of eviction or tenancy failure.
Accumulation of rent arrears was identified as the key reason for eviction and access to brokerage funding was found to be helpful in securing a tenancy.
The Evaluation also found that payment of arrears needed to be linked to a repayment plan and other financial management support, such as budgeting skills development and debt management.
Advocacy and liaison with real estate agents, other landlords and housing providers was found to be important to negotiate rental arrears payment plans. Support to access private rental products and resolve any problems with income support was also found to reduce the risk of future tenancy failure.
Access to tenancy advice and legal support was identified to be critical for some people at risk of eviction.

22. Key Service Approaches - What Worked
Strong relationships with the private rental market (both landlords and agents)
Case management approach is not enough to secure housing in the private rental market
Targeted strategies are needed with landlords and real estate agents to build good communication and understanding of the issues
Evidence that these relationships lead to more referrals to services and less evictions
A key feature of many HAP projects was to assist homeless clients to access the private rental market.
It was found that a case management approach of individual clients was not always enough to secure housing in the private rental market, as the barriers to access could also lie with the private rental providers.
The Evaluation demonstrated that targeted strategies were needed with landlords and real estate agents to build good communication and understanding of the issues for clients. It was also found that these strategies needed to include a strong business focus that demonstrated financial benefits as well as client outcomes.
Also, the use of brokerage funding to resolve the financial crisis leading to arrears was found to be useful in the initial engagement with agents.
The Evaluation identified that a strategic engagement strategy with the private rental providers not only could increase access to private rental properties but could also lead to real estate agents/landlords becoming more active partners in preventing tenancy failure through making referrals to services when problems in a tenancy were identified.

23. Key Challenges in Implementation
Availability of affordable housing – problems with support period ending without permanent housing (especially for young people and people exiting institutions)
Access to specialised services in regional locations, particularly mental health and alcohol and drug services
Workforce development, recruiting and maintaining staff in regional areas
Commitment to integrated case management takes time and resources
Late referrals meant services often worked with Aboriginal people already in crisis
The major challenges relate to lack of supply of affordable housing. Some projects had access to National Building Stimulus Prjects in the first year but these were not available in other years.
This created problems with support period ending without permanent housing (especially for young people and people exiting institutions).
Projects developed relationships with community housing providers and also with private rental providers to facilitate access to housing and some had quite a lot of success in doing this.
There were also problems with access to specialised services such as mental health and alcohol and drug services.
Workforce issues were an issue particularly recruiting and maintaining staff in regional areas. Some projects developed their own workers, providing training in case management. Aboriginal trainee positions were also created on the north coast.
Building an integrated case management takes time and resources and there were some challenges in getting participation and agreement to processes from all relevant services.
There was less success for some projects in doing early intervention work with Aboriginal people; often the referrals only came after an eviction had occurred and so the response needed to be to the crisis. 23 23

24. Next Steps
Findings to inform the future directions for homelessness (National arrangements and Going Home Staying Home): How?
Evaluation reports on HNSW website
Evidence notes on service approach findings
Standard power point presentation
Briefings for key stakeholders
Summary of findings to inform GHSH Innovation Fund and Industry Fund planning
Distribution to Commonwealth and other jurisdictions
Approval is being sought to have all reports publicly released.
Summaries of the evaluations are also being prepared.
Stakeholder briefings will take place through Regional Homelessness Committees, Premiers Council, GHSH Working groups.
The findings will also inform the planning for the GHSH reform and any future national arrangements on homelessness and be shared with the Commonwealth and other jurisdictions.

25. SERVICE DELIVERY DESIGN
CLIENT
Prevention and early intervention
Intensive responses for complex needs clients
Rapid
re-housing
FACS recognise that some SHS are delivering services in ways that are consistent with the four core service responses
This practice influenced the new structure as well as the evidence base
A key aim of the reform is to shift more focus towards preventing people becoming homeless or intervening as early as possible but this is not to the detriment of crisis and transition services – it’s about using resources more efficiently and effectively
Crisis and transition response
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

26. What makes it different from the current situation?
Responses are not tied to crisis beds & allows a SHS to provide a range of care to their clients
Allows a shift to early interventions
Articulates the breadth of existing service approaches and allows for future innovations
Consistent understanding of good practice that can be embedded across SHS service system
The new service delivery design aims to break down ‘programmatic” barriers whereby a SHS can respond to clients according to their needs; removing the requirement to access a crisis bed before they can receive a service
Allows services to shift towards early intervention
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

27. GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session
WHY?
Consistent with the evidence of good practice whereby:
intervening early to prevent homelessness is often the best outcome and a more effective use of resources
rapidly re-housing people where possible reduces the time a client spends homeless
crisis and transition responses will always be needed but there can be more effective ways of doing this & follow-up post-crisis support must be embedded into practice
targeted and specialized approaches to people with complex needs can break the cycle of homelessness
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

28. A CLIENT CENTERED APPROACH
Fundamental to the new service delivery design
Responses built around the needs of the client rather than programmatic responses
Client at the centre of their own care
Recognises that individual needs change over time so support must be flexible and portable
SHS have reported that a range of client centred models and a flexible approach to service delivery is essential
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

29. TOOLS TO FACILITATE CLIENT CENTERED APPROACH
Service Integration
Multi-agency coordination groups
CLIENT
Trauma informed practice model
Case management
Pivotal role of case worker
Consumer choice & client involvement
Collaboration tactics
Client choice – motivational interviewing techniques
Facilitating access to services outside SHS
Duration and intensity of support
Brokerage funding
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

30. PREVENTION & EARLY INTERVENTION - SHS
Prevention aims to increase awareness of homelessness; and
avoid the emergence of risk factors that may ultimately lead to homelessness.
Early intervention aims to address individuals and families who are at imminent risk of homelessness through assisting them to maintain personal and housing capacities before a crisis is reached.
Both prevention and early intervention aim to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place.
However, the role of SHS in primary prevention is limited given that that they neither have the resources nor the mandate to affect structural or service system change. Partnership approaches can therefore be useful in this area of work.
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

31. TYPES OF APPROACHES: Prevention
Community awareness / Early identification
Promote awareness of the causes of homelessness & the early warning signs
Collaborative or partnership approaches to identify people at risk of homelessness early and appropriately respond
Community awareness –
The range of existing community awareness activity among SHS is quite specific to particular client groups which is discussed below:
Youth - raising awareness of youth homelessness by providing the community with information about the risks and support services available was identified by Youth SHS as a strategy that could prevent the escalation of issues leading to homelessness as it increased the likelihood that young people and families needing assistance in the early stages of a crisis would make proactive contact with a service.
Many Youth SHS reported that they run community and student awareness programs in local schools to increase knowledge about what programs are offered to young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Many Youth SHS are engaged in the Love Bites program which is widely recognised as a successful program through which to educate young people about healthy relationships.
In the context of domestic violence, prevention activities aim to provide a means through which community understanding of domestic violence and its impacts including homelessness can be increased.
DV SHS also reported that they conduct community education strategies such as talks, information stalls and community forums at venues such as TAFE, clubs and community organisations.
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

32. TYPES OF APPROACHES: early intervention
Tenancy support – what are elements of good practice?
Effective relationships with housing providers
Brokerage support arrangements
Affordable debt repayment arrangements
Portable support arrangements & outreach strategies
Effective case management and service coordination arrangements
Emphasis on learning budgeting & financial management skills
Tenancy support approaches are efficient, cost effective means of preventing homelessness & reducing the future risk of homelessness.
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

33. TYPES OF APPROACHES: early intervention
Post crisis – what are elements of good practice?
Ensuring client remains a client after exit
Providing outreach through visits, phone calls, s, text message & social networking sites
Importance of on-going relationships
Relationship is key to success of post crisis outcomes
Long term sustainable outcomes are achieved by creating meaningful relationships with young people and such relationships often replace family relationships
Continue to make young people welcome to youth SHS in post crisis period is important
For women and children experiencing domestic violence, post-crisis outreach and case management support was identified as an effective and essential component of service required to assist women leaving violent relationships to remain in their own home and to prevent a recurrence of homelessness.
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

34. TYPES OF APPROACHES: early intervention
Assisting women and children affected by domestic and/or family violence to stay in their homes, where it safe to do so:
interagency cooperation and service coordination
provision of outreach services & court support
development of individualised safety plans
increased safety and security measures in the home
personal support services
This approach is consistent with the Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) program.
We are aware that some SHS providers support women & children experiencing domestic and/or family violence in very similar ways to Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV).
Basically, this approach aims to support women and children experiencing domestic or family violence to remain safely in their own home.
This type of approach is very reliant upon working in collaboration with the police and courts to remove the violent offender. Further, the other elements of this approach include:
provision of outreach services & court support
development of individualised safety plans
increased safety and security measures in the home
personal support services

35. TYPES OF APPROACHES: early intervention
Exit planning – what are elements of good practice?
Participate in pre-exit planning
Provide case management support tailored to individual needs
Staged approach to service delivery (i.e. initial intensive support if required which is phased gradually down to minimal support)
Provision of housing/stable accommodation as stable foundation
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

36. GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session
RAPID RE-HOUSING
Responds quickly to fast track client into affordable, long term, suitable housing options including private rental, social housing or quality boarding houses
Generally works for people who have previously lived independently in permanent housing
Usually combined with low-level support and some follow-up but is not suitable for people with complex needs
Acknowledge the current housing situation – limited affordable housing available in some areas
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

37. Rapid re-housing – what are elements of good practice?
Strategies to identify people as soon as they become homeless
Establishing ‘business’ relationships with real estate agents and effective relationships with local Housing NSW and community housing providers
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

38. Rapid re-housing – what are elements of good practice?
Response/case plans developed immediately which focus on finding accommodation firstly
Case management to support client to maintain tenancy & access range of services they need or ensure another service undertakes this role
24 – 48 hours create case plan
SHS don’t have to do it all
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

39. CRISIS & TRANSITION RESPONSES
Safe & affordable crisis or transitional accommodation with case management support
Crisis responses which do not include crisis accommodation such as outreach for couch surfers or interventions to prevent a family breakdown
Emphasis on exiting clients into long term arrangements with post crisis support
We will always need crisis and transition responses in SHS due to limited appropriate exit options.
Sometimes a crisis or transition response is the most appropriate for the client.
For example, women and children experiencing domestic violence, or for people discharged from institutions such as medical facilities or prisons may need a crisis or transition response as a first step in their journey to a long-term option.
In addition, young people experiencing homelessness may require transitional housing in the first instance as they need to acquire the necessary skills to live independently and establish income support before being placed into permanent housing.
Crisis and transitional accommodation are also necessary as a substitute for permanent housing in cases where there are housing shortages or extremely low housing affordability
SHS don’t have to do it all
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

40. CRISIS & TRANSITION RESPONSES (cont)
General support (advice, advocacy, living skills, court support), personal support for families and relationships, financial and employment support and basic support (meals, showers and transport)
Support to access broader service system & programs that promote education, employment and independent living skills (such as a Foyer Model approach)
Address the underlying cause of homelessness
Trish will indicate here that I’m really seeking input from the group for good practice. Seek participants input to identify what their practice is currently – ask questions
Safe & affordable short term or temporary crisis accommodation with support or transitional accommodation with support
Crisis responses which do not include crisis accommodation. For instance, young people who are couch surfing or require an immediate intervention because of a family breakdown
An emphasis on exiting clients into long term arrangements with post crisis support
General support (advice, advocacy, living skills, court support), personal support for families and relationships, financial and employment support and basic support (meals, showers and transport)
Support clients to access into the broader service system (i.e. non-SHS) as well as programs that promote education, employment and independent living skills (such as a Foyer Model approach)
Addresses the underlying cause of homelessness
CHCCH16B, CHCCH24A and PRXPD33A Feb 2009

41. INTENSIVE RESPONSES FOR COMPLEX NEEDS
Aim to stop the cycle of homelessness
Multidisciplinary & aim to integrate client into broader service system over time
Consistent with Housing First philosophy
Encourage community and family to play a role
There are many reasons why it’s so important to focus on clients with complex needs and why this has been included as one of the four core service designs.
Clients who have complex needs are often the most vulnerable and experience severe disadvantage compared to the rest of the community.
People who are chronically or long-term homeless often have complex issues (e.g. co-morbid psychiatric illness/anti-social behaviour).
These clients are the highest cost users in SHS because of the complexity of their needs.
Not only includes rough sleepers
Also includes women and children leaving violent relationships and tenancy failing due to complex needs such as mental health issues
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

42. TYPES OF APPROACHES: intensive responses for complex needs
Assertive outreach or street to home models for rough sleepers– what are elements of good practice?
Persistent & practical outreach in situ which focuses on long-term goals & outcomes
Multidisciplinary teams - generalist outreach workers, health workers, mental health workers, living skills counsellors
Provide assessment, care planning and ongoing support in situ to clients with the ultimate goal of transitioning the clients to mainstream supports over time
Emphasis on accessing long-term accommodation options
Case plan takes into account specific and changing needs of individual client
Services/interventions need to be holistic, intensive and integrated
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

43. TYPES OF APPROACHES: intensive responses for complex needs
What are elements of good practice?
Focus on quickly transitioning clients into safe, secure, affordable, long-term housing (i.e. Housing First approach)
Wrapping support around the client and assisting them to navigate the service system
Establish multi-disciplinary case coordination group/s (if required)
Trauma informed approach
Multi-disciplinary approach to avoid duplication – AOD, psychological/mental health, DV, housing
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

44. TYPES OF APPROACHES: intensive responses for complex needs
What are elements of good practice (continued)
Flexible brokerage funding (such as paying to move young people back home or removalist costs or buying in services)
Support clients in their journey towards social inclusion over time
Training & skills development to enhance self-esteem & provide participants with interpersonal, educational, practical, tenancy and vocational skills
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

45. GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session
PANEL PRESENTATION
Panel members will discuss significant/innovative changes/models within their organisation
This is an opportunity for service providers to give real examples of how best practice approaches work in the field and what were the success factors
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session

46. PANEL PRESENTATION (continued)
The presentation will include:
Models that demonstrate good practice.
What was the impetus for change
How the changes were achieved
Innovative models
Some of the challenges providers experienced
Successful outcomes
Questions and discussion with panel members
Think about what is considered good practice and what opportunities we have to strengthen our response to homelessness
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session

47. GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions AFTERNOON Session
May/June 2013

48. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Describe your organisation’s current service delivery practices that are similar to each of the core responses?
Describe what are the success factors/successful approaches?
What would you do differently to make this approach work more effectively?
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Morning Session

49. GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session
REFLECTION
Where to from here?
Think about what aspects of your current work is consistent with best practice and those that could be improved or reconfigured to be consistent with GHSH reform
Discuss further in your staff meetings
What further information would you like?
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session

50. Reflection (continued)
We will be developing an eLearning resource that will contain further Going Home Staying Home Reform information.
This resource will contain information from these workshops and good practice examples of what services are doing in the homelessness sector.
Webinar in 7 weeks to follow up
What are your suggestions about ways to share information concerning GHSH reform?
GOING HOME STAYING HOME SHS Awareness Sessions - Afternoon Session