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Retooling the Homeless Crisis Response System

Informed and inspired by Opening Doors, communities across the country have made tremendous advances toward retooling the homeless crisis response system. We have gained critical new insights on the necessary components of an effective crisis response system for all people who experience or are at risk of homelessness, including more advanced thinking about the critical elements of coordinated entry systems. The development of these systems is making it possible for communities to quickly and effectively connect citizens in need with support tailored to their individual, unique needs by utilizing rapid re-housing to quickly connect individual and families to the supports they need to prevent or exit homelessness, target permanent supportive housing for those who are experiencing chronic homelessness, and utilize the existing inventory of transitional housing to connect people to a safe and rapid pathway to housing stability. There is still much more work to be done, however, in furthering the development of such systems, and the implementation of such strategies, in communities across the country.

Since the launch of Opening Doors, our understanding of what works has further solidified, and we’ve seen tremendous progress. Your input is essential to the ongoing success of Opening Doors. Please share and vote for the ideas you think would have the greatest impact in an amendment to Opening Doors.

Please consider these questions when crafting your feedback and voting for the feedback you think is most valuable. And please use the Opening Doors Amendment 2014 Participation Guide for more information on what strategies are currently included in Opening Doors. Find it here: http://bit.ly/USICH2014

1. Are there additional strategies for retooling the crisis response system that you think should be reflected in an amendment to Opening Doors?

2. How would your community/organization benefit from greater clarity on issues such as: the roles coordinated assessment, rapid re-housing, and transitional housing play in effective coordinated response systems? Please explain what information would be most helpful.

3. Are there other areas of the Plan you feel would benefit from updated information or the incorporation of additional strategies?

Thank you!

6 results found

  1. HUD should make a clear statement about what comprises an episode of homelessness for the purposes of "chronic" definition

    HUD should give clear guidance on how an episode of homelessness is defined and counted towards "chronic" (duration of episode, time in between episodes, whether shelter and/or outreach contacts count the same, etc.)

    26 votes
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  2. Coordinated Assessment and Crisis Housing for Homeless Unaccompanied Minors

    Homeless minors need crisis housing and an assessment completed by a case manager who understands the unique issues facing homeless youth. Runaway and homeless youth basic centers funded by HHS have standards and experience serving the population. The assessment needs to address family reunification and/or placement in safe housing. Youth running away from foster care or a juvenile justice facility have unique needs that must be included in the assessment. Crisis housing for youth is not just shelter -- it includes 24/7 supervision beginning with a comprehensive assessment. The assessment will determine the services and approach. Services ususally include: individual…

    16 votes
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  3. Self Discovery Form

    The "Self Discovery Form" should have questions that seeks participates strengths, values and actions needed to regain self sufficiency. This form would validate participates of their ability to become self sufficient and change perspectives of "Being Helped," to "Empowerment." Services provided should incorporate their existing strengths and ideas to promote skills needed to become self sufficiency.

    13 votes
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  4. Help clarify the role of assessment tools as triage devices; encourage and promote progressive engagement.

    There is a lot of confusion about the use of assessment tools and how much to ask. HUD's requirement for a "comprehensive assessment" and the belief among some that assessment during crisis can result in accurate predictions may be causing communities to over-assess at the front door, rather than triage and then use progressive engagement approaches to meet household needs through the rehousing process.

    The amended plan could have more support for progressive engagement strategies and a crisis response approach, not just in rapid rehousing but throughout the system - a reorientation of the system to one that responds to…

    9 votes
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  5. Continued Person centered

    Hello,

    Thank you for the opportunity to share. I would like to start with I have personally experienced homelessness. I was sadden and challenged by life. I was a single parent with no support from the father of my child. I had spiraled into a very dark place in my life.
    Drugs had taken my job, my housing, my spirit. The shelter I stayed in was very instrumental in assisting me with finding housing and our local DSS assisted with furniture voucher which they no longer do. It was one shot deal (furniture) and I was able to take it.…

    8 votes
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  6. Addressing Objective 6

    The data below shows that many homeless people may neither meet the HEARTH Act priorities, nor be able to be rapidly rehoused without assistance.

    Maricopa County HMIS Homeless Single Adults Data 2013

    Total Single Homeless Adults 9,084 (100%)

    Older (Age 45 – 61) 3,975 (44%)

    Disabled 4,081 (45%)

    Disabled, Not Chronically Homeless 3,021 (37%)
    (4,081 disabled – 1,060 chronically homeless)

    No Income Reported 5,629 (62%)
    (Reported “$0,” “Unknown” or “Refused”)

    With the aging of the homeless population and the SSDI backlog, the assumption that "newly homeless" people who are older or disabled will rapidly leave homelessness is no longer true.…

    8 votes
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