With funding from Department of Health and Human Services secured by United Power for Action and Justice, CURL partnered with United Power for  Chicago Health Outreach, Deborah's Place and Lakefront SRO to evaluate their systems integration demonstration project. The overall goal of the demonstration project was to break the cycle of homelessness by providing services in a coordinated fashion. 

Aparna Sharma

Chiara Sabina

Christine C. George

English

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L E S S O N S  L E A R N E DBreaking the Cycle ofA summary of findings from evaluationresearch completed June 25, 2003,conducted for United Power by: Christine C. George, Ph.D.Chiara Sabina, M.A.Aparna Sharma, M.A.Loyola University Chicago Center for Urban Research and LearningHomelessnessThis is a story of two groups of determined people with intersecting interests. Group one: a dozen leaders within United Power for Action and Justice who set out to prove their conviction, that homelessness is one symptom of a complex of issues that destabilizes individuals andcommunities. Group two: persons who arehomeless and struggle daily to “fit in” to alandscape that is, more and more, structured to shut them out.In 2000, a cluster of leaders within United Powerorganized member institutions in the north andnorthwest suburbs of Chicago, and initiated arelationship with Congressman John Porter (R-10, retired 2002), Chair of the U.S. House ofRepresentatives Labor - Health and HumanServices (HHS) - Education Appropriationssubcommittee. With Congressman Porter’s help, the group obtained $1.9 million in HHS grants to prove the efficacy of “supportive housing”We’ve established the means toend chronic homelessness. It’s nowa question of priorities andpolitical will.2Homeless persons are valiant people. They face up to difficulties that “established” individuals cannot imagine.United Power leader on project sponsoring teamHistoric Rate Project Experience7% 0%Eviction Rate every 12 months over 16 months13%Turnover Rate every 12 months0%over 16 monthsBreaking the Cycle...No one participating at Lakefront Supportive Housingwas evicted or left Lakefront over the course of the project.(supportive services combined with permanenthousing) to break the cycle of homelessness. This report documents lessons learned throughdemonstration projects fielded in the City ofChicago and Oak Park, August 2001 – December2002.1 A total of 2, 712 individuals were served byten agencies2 in the course of the project.  Over half of the individuals served were female, African-American, between the ages of 36 and 65, with an education level between the ninth and twelfthgrades, and residing in shelters at the outset of the project.LESSON 1: SUPPORTIVE SERVICES BREAK THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS.It’s true: supportive services have proven effective – and cost-efficient3 – in stabilizing the lives of homeless persons and the lives ofindividuals at risk of becoming homeless. > Among 416 persons4 who took advantage of the supportive services offered, there was a 78 percent decrease in the number living in emergency shelters or on the streets and a 34 percent increase in those living in permanent housing.> At Lakefront Supportive Housing, none of the participating residents left Lakefront or were evicted, despite well-established turnover and eviction rates (13 and 7 percent respectively) for all residents of their specific buildings.> Within Deborah’s Place residential program for women with addiction issues, 67 percent of the individuals who entered the project without permanent housing made a successful move to permanent housing during the project period.Hands-on learning opportunitiesincluded job training forconstruction trades.Dual achiever: supportive housingresident and case worker.Breaking the Cycle...By December 2002, 34 percent more people were living in permanent housing, 80 percent of them having moved from the street or a shelter.othertransitionalstreet/shelterpermanentAugust 2001 December 200226894477359213513The work is painstaking and highly individualized, but truly effective.Caseworker reflecting on project experienceSupportive services must berecognized as an integralcomponent of any system ofhousing stability, and be madeavailable on a sustained basis.4One is struck by the wide range of needs that must be met to stabilize – and to maintain the stability of – the lives of these individuals.     Project researcher commenting on findingsMix of Supportive Services & Referrals7,963 totalOthertransportation, legalassistance, benefitassessment, food pantry,support group, etc.3,684 services or referrals47%Job Training & Education595 enrollments or referrals7%11%14%18%3%Medical1,395 services or referralsSubstance Abuse 235 referralsMental Health1,141 services or referralsHousing913 referralsBreaking the Cycle...A broad mix ofservices were made available – andaccessed – throughout the course of the project, through on-site case workers.5LESSON 2: SUPPORTIVE SERVICES BOOST TREATMENT RATES AS MUCH AS 450 PERCENT.People who took advantage of the supportiveservices offered to them were up to four and a halftimes more likely to pursue treatment for mentalillness and substance abuse than were thosewithout the support of on-site counseling andintensive case management.> At Lakefront Supportive Housing, 59 percent of participating residents followed through with their treatment, compared with 13 percent of non-participating residents.> Within Deborah’s Place residential program for women with addiction issues, 75 percent maintained substance abuse and/or mental health treatment for at least 60 days.> Everyone served by Beacon Therapeutic and by Thresholds — 100 percent — entered treatment.LESSON 3: LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PERPETUATES HOMELESSNESS.Motivated and qualified individuals are stuck in shelters or on the streets due to a scarcity of affordable, appropriate housing options. For example, homeless families seeking permanenthousing through Beacon Therapeutic could seldomafford any available housing, even those withTemporary Assistance for Needy Families andSocial Security benefits. After declaring a nine-month moratorium on taking applications in 2002, Lakefront Supportive Housing received 631 applications for 137 vacancies in the first three weeks of 2003.LESSON 4: STABLE EMPLOYMENT IS D IFFICULT, BUT POSSIBLE WITH CONSISTENT SUPPORT OVER TIME.With the help of job counseling and training, project participants proved themselves capable of obtaining employment. But maintainingemployment requires ongoing, attentive follow-upin addition to a stable residential environment.Sixty percent of those who participated inemployment programs succeeded in obtainingemployment. Sixty-one days later, across nine of the 10participating agencies, only 17 percent remainedemployed.5 Nine of the 10 agencies, given theirconstraints, were able to provide little or no follow-up. The tenth agency, Lakefront SupportiveHousing, which provides ongoing follow-up,reported a much higher job maintenance rate.6Job Counseling & Training: A Good Start60%secured employment17%*maintained employment 60+ daysBreaking the cycle...Most who sought job counseling and training were successful in obtaining employment, but fewer than 1 in 5 kept their jobs for more than 60 days.5*excluding Lakefront Supportive Housing6Shelters are a temporary fix…Lack of places to refer people to for housing is a basic challenge.Project caseworker on Chicago’s West SideOn the basis of human dignity alone we each have a responsibilityto help break the cycle ofhomelessness. Will you help us?6For every individual housed, many more wait for months, even years.Home at last, safe and sound.  A place to share and celebrate.Skills and the confidence they bring – the start of a successful job search.A room with a view.  A life with new possibilities.LESSON 5: STABLE FUNDING IS CRUCIAL .No matter how well chosen or managed theofferings may be, supportive services will not beeffective unless secured by stable funding in orderto ensure their availability over time. Everyoneinvolved in the project, staff included, spoke to theneed for continued contact and support – to helppeople remain housed, maintain treatmentappointments, work through conflicts with otherresidents, even to plan their days. As one staffmember summed up the challenge: “One year isn’t long enough for engagement [with clients].”Here I am, as old as I am, and I’ve got a second chance to learn how to write, to learn how to read. Excerpt from audio journal composed by 75-year-old project participant7Recommended next steps: let’s get started.The availability of affordable and appropriate housing is fundamental to the success of any community in its efforts to break the cycle of homelessness. Yet, as this project shows, housing alone is not sufficient. A stable supply of continuous, supportive services is needed to anchor the lives of individuals who are homeless so they can make a successful transition to permanent housing, and remain housed.FACT: One-on-one intensive counseling andcontinuous support services are both critical andurgent for individuals with mental health andsubstance abuse issues. ACTION NEEDED: Increase funding for intensive servicesoffered by mental health and substance abuse providers to people who are homeless, in conjunction with on-site case management. FACT: There is a clear lack of supportive andaffordable housing in our cities and towns. ACTION NEEDED: Increase resources at all levels to expand the supply of supportive and affordablepermanent housing.FACT: Supportive housing is a solution tohomelessness. It helps people exit homelessnessand increases stability in their lives. ACTION NEEDED: Create a new federal program, withinHealth and Human Services, to fund supportive servicesto be provided in conjunction with affordable housingwhere people who have been homeless can live and thrive.  It’s a steep, uphill climb for persons who arehomeless every day. Supportive housing makes the difference. Please join us in putting the power of supportive services and appropriate, affordable housing to work, to break the cycle of homelessness.About United Power... Founded in 1997, United Power for Action and Justice is Cook County’s“organization of organizations.” United Power is comprised of more than 350 dues-paying congregations,community organizations, unions, ethnic associations and health care providers committed to workingacross their differences for the common good. In addition to its work to break the cycle of homelessness,United Power’s major achievements include Ezra Community Homes for working families, the GileadOutreach and Referral Center and state-wide FamilyCare health insurance for KidCare parents.NOTES1 Both this report and the completeresearch report are available in pdfformat at www.luc.edu/curl/pubs.2 Beacon Therapeutic; Chicago House(www.chicagohouse.org); Deborah’sPlace - Addiction Program andPrevention Program(www.deborahsplace.org); Excellent Way; Franciscan Outreach(www.franoutreach.org); LakefrontSupportive Housing - EmploymentProgram (www.lakefront.org);Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (www.c4chicago.org) on-sitecrisis counseling collaboration withLakefront Supportive Housing; MatthewHouse; Thresholds - South Bridge andSouthwest (www.thresholds.org); West Suburban Public Action to DeliverShelter - Winter Shelter (www.leave-a-legacyoprf.org/PADS.html).3 While this project focuses on efficacy,rather than efficiency, supportiveservices have been established as morecost-effective than shelter use,hospitalization, length of stay perhospitalization and time incarceratedamong people who are homeless andmentaly ill (Culhane, Metraux, &Hadley, 2002).4 This is a subset of the total of 2,712individuals served for whom pre- and post- data are available.5 Employment program staff pursuedcontact with all individuals who securedjobs at intervals of 15 days, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, and 180 days. Staffmade phone calls, sent letters, visitedLakefront Supportive Housing residence buildings and/or contactedcase managers in order to contact the clients.6 Lakefront Supportive Housing’sEmployment Program 90-daymaintenance rate was 71%. Thismaintenance rate is significantly betterthan those otherwise experienced atLakefront Supportive Housing as awhole: 35 percent in 2000 and 40 percentin 2001. A possible explanation of thishigher rate is the higher number ofparticipants with recent employmentexperience in the Lakefront SupportiveHousing Employment Demonstrationproject.To join the United Power campaign for supportive housing, please contact:Richard Fungrwqfung@aol.comMaureen Ryanjryan12806@aol.comTHANKS to Chicago Health Outreach(www.heartland-alliance.org/health.asp) for their oversight ofthis project, their leadership withthe interagency collaborations,and their administrative support.To learn more about homelessness and supportivehousing solutions, we encourage you to consult theseresources.Culhane, D.P., Metraux, S., & Hadley, T. (2002). Public service reductions associated with placement of homeless persons with severe mental illness in supportive housing. Housing Policy Debate, 13, 107-163.National Alliance to End Homelessness (2001). A plan: Not a dream, how to end homelessness in ten years.Washington, D.C.: Author.Regional Roundtable on Homelessness (2002). Facing homelessness: A study of homelessness in Chicago & the suburbs. Chicago, IL: Author.Rosenbaum, S., & Zuvekas, A. (2000). Healthcare use by homeless persons: implications for public policy. Health Services Research, 34, 1303-1305.Shlay, A.B., & Rossi, P.H. (1992). Social science research and contemporary studies of homelessness. Annual Review of Sociology, 18, 129-160.The United States Conference of Mayors (2000). A status report on hunger and homelessness in America’s cities: A 25-city survey. Washington, DC: Author.Also, please refer to these websites:Corporation for Supportive Housing: www.csh.org National Alliance to End Homelessness: www.naeh.org© 2003 United Power for Action and Justice360-1599Some of the girls have seen my apartment...Now they’re saying, “If you can do this, I can, too. Who do I talk to?”Woman who, with the help of supportive services, moved into permanent housing

Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness

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Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness

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