homelessness partnering strategy community plan 2014...

Homelessness Partnering Strategy

Community Plan 2014–2019

Community: Ottawa Aboriginal

Region: Ontario

The plan has been approved by Canada for implementation.

As this Aboriginal Homelessness allocation is over $200,000, the community is required

to commit at least 40% of its HPS allocation towards a Housing First approach starting

April 1, 2016.

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Current Situation: Establishing your Baseline Data ................................. 3

Data ..................................................................................................................... 3

Readiness for Implementing Housing First ............................................................... 4

Community Advisory Board Membership .................................................. 6

Planning and Reporting ............................................................................ 8

Your Planning Process ............................................................................................ 8

Reporting ............................................................................................................ 10

Your Priorities ....................................................................................... 11

Description of your Priorities ................................................................................. 16

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Current Situation: Establishing your Baseline Data

Data Please report on your current situation based on the following indicators. All

CABs should review their progress annually against these indicators. This

review will form part of the annual update. Note: Although this data is not

required at this time, data for 2013 will be required as part of the first annual update.

1. Number of unique Aboriginal individuals who used an emergency homeless shelter in the twelve month period between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012

2. Number of Aboriginal shelter users who were chronically homeless in 2012

3. Number of Aboriginal shelter users who were episodically homelessness in 2012

4. Number of Aboriginal homeless individuals identified during the latest point in time count (if available)

5. Date count was undertaken

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Readiness for Implementing Housing First

Please rate your community’s readiness to implement Housing First based on

the following questions. Each component of the scale has a rating of one to four

with four demonstrating full implementation of the HPS HF model. Use this information

to decide where to focus your efforts in implementing your HF program. Because

implementing Housing First may take some adjustments, communities will have the

opportunity to rate progress annually and use the information to update priorities.

Note: Responses will only be used by ESDC to understand the selection of the HF

priorities and activities.

Criterion Community’s Rating

CORE PRINCIPLES Rapid Housing with Supports. Program directly helps participants locate and secure permanent housing as rapidly as possible and assists them with moving-in or re-housing if

needed.

-1-: Program expects participants to find their own housing and does not offer participants who have lost their housing a new housing

unit.

Housing Choice. Program participants choose the location and other features of their housing.

-3-: Participants have some choice in location and other features of their housing, including decorating and

furnishing their unit.

Separating housing provision from other services. Extent to which program participants are not required to demonstrate housing readiness.

-3-: Participants have access to housing with minimal readiness

requirements.

Integrated Housing. Extent to which housing tenure is assumed to be permanent housing with no actual or expected time limits, other than those defined under a

standard lease or occupancy agreement.

-4-: Participants live in housing with landlord-tenant agreements and there are no time limits on housing tenure other than those defined under a standard lease or

occupancy agreement.

Tenancy Rights and Responsibilities. Extent to which program participants have legal rights to the unit.

-3-: Participants have a written agreement but it contains special provisions regarding adherence to program rules (e.g., requirements for being in housing at certain times).

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Criterion Community’s Rating

Reasonable Cost for Housing. Extent to which participants pay a reasonable amount of their income for housing costs and/or program has access to rent supplements or

subsidized housing units.

-2-: Participants pay 46-60% or less of their income for housing costs and/or program helps participants obtain rent supplements or

subsidized housing units.

Housing Support. Extent to which program offers services to help participants maintain housing, such as offering assistance with landlord relations and neighborhood

orientation.

-3-: Program offers some ongoing housing support services but does not offer any property management services, assistance with rent payment, and co-signing

of leases.

SERVICE PHILOSOPHY Service choice. Extent to which program participants choose the type, sequence, and intensity of services such as recovery, medical and other services.

-4-: Participants have the right to choose, modify, or refuse services and supports at any time, except regular face-to-face visit with staff.

Participant-Driven Program & Services. Extent to which the program and services are

participant-driven.

-3-: Program offers some opportunities for input on their individual services, but no opportunities to input more generally on program services.

Contact with Participants. Extent to which program maintains regular contact with

participants.

-1-: Program has no contact with

participants.

Continuous Services. Extent to which program participants are not discharged from

services even if they lose housing.

-4-: Participants continue to receive program services even if they lose

housing.

Directly Offers or Brokers Services. Program directly offers or brokers support services to participants, such as recovery, medical and other services.

-2-: Program directly offers or brokers

some services.

Selection of Vulnerable Populations. Extent to which program focuses on chronic

and/or episodically homeless individuals.

-1-: Program has no method to identify and select participants who are chronic and/or episodically homeless.

TEAM STRUCTURE/HUMAN RESOURCES Low Participant/Staff Ratio. Extent to which program consistently maintains a low

participant/staff ratio.

-2-: 36-50 participants per 1 FTE staff.

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Community Advisory Board Membership

1. Name of the Community Advisory Board: Aboriginal Community Advisory Board

2. Number of members in your CAB: 5

Community Advisory Board Membership

Last Name

First Name

TITLE ORGANIZATION

SECTOR(S) Role on

CAB

Include on Distribution

List?

Slauenwhite Tina Executive Director - Other: Youth Transitional Housing Chair Yes

Fisher Allison Executive Director - Healthcare, including mental health and addictions treatment

Member Yes

Leblanc Jason Executive Director - Other: Inuit Member Yes

Daoust Mary Executive Director - Other: Aboriginal Women's Support Centre

Member Yes

Hare Morgan Executive Director - Other: Friendship Centre Member Yes

3. Given the requirement to allocate funding to the Housing First approach, which involves both

housing and individual supports, are there any sectors or organizations the CAB needs to include

and/or engage in the future to more fully represent your community? (for example, Provincial or

Territorial representatives responsible for housing and/or mental health, landlord organizations,

people with lived experience, police, corrections, health and health promotions (including the Health

Authority), income supports, other funders, addictions treatment)

Yes

Please identify the sectors or organizations and describe how they will be engaged.

The Ottawa Aboriginal CAB includes representation from Aboriginal organizations providing services to Aboriginal

individuals who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. The ACAB is currently looking at

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expanding its representation to include members from the following sectors: Aboriginal Housing providers,

Aboriginal Employment Services and Corrections Service Canada,and people with lived experience. The ACAB will

continue to review its CAB composition and invite sectors as the needs arise.

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Planning and Reporting

Your Planning Process

1. Stakeholder Engagement

a. Who and how did the CAB consult in your community as you prepared this Community Plan? Please include information about the approach you took and the extent of your consultations. ACAB conducted a survey with 137 community members and service providers dealing with the Aboriginal homeless population. Two separate surveys, posing 3 questions each, were completed and compiled. The surveys highlighted supportive needs that would be required for Aboriginal homeless clients to transition from street life to permanent housing, and what would be required to maintain that housing. Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health had also conducted a survey with a focus on youth, identifying 70% of participants between the ages of 15-29 years. Thirty percent of clients did not have a stable housing arrangement. They either reported living in a shelter, couch-surfing, being in transitional housing or homeless. Unstable housing was higher among younger participants surveyed (34%) in comparison to older ones (20%). Among younger participants who did not have housing, 20% reported couch-surfing and 7.5% living in shelters.

b. How is your CAB working with the Designated Community to get access to data and implement Aboriginal homeless priorities? The ACAB met with the City of Ottawa, Homeless Program Unit in January, 2014 at which time the City facilitated a needs assessment and provided the ACAB with a base number for long term shelter users. The ACAB will look at accessing data from the City of Ottawa’s HIFIS data collection system for shelter population. The ACAB will continue to work with the City of Ottawa and OFIFC to access data and conduct a point-in-time count in 2015/16. The ACAB has identified data collection as a priority.

2. Other Related Strategies and Programs

a. In this section, you will identify and describe the federal, provincial, territorial, or local strategies, programs (other than HPS) which fund activities in your community that you will access to support your Housing First and other homelessness effort. How many have you identified? 3

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Name of federal, provincial or territorial or local strategies and programs

Focus of strategy or program

National Association of Friendship Centres (UAS) - Employment

Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHIPI)

- Social integration

City of Ottawa - Social integration

b. Does your Province or Territory have a plan or strategic direction to address homelessness, poverty, housing, or another related issue? Yes

How does your HPS Community Plan complement Provincial or

Territorial direction in this area?

Fills in gaps

Please explain.

The Province of Ontario’s Housing Services Act, 2011 which guides the City’s

homelessness and housing work along with the 10 Year Plan was designed

to modernize the system of housing and homelessness services to ensure it

is flexible and responsive to local identified needs. The Act resulted in the

consolidation of housing and homelessness related programs in an effort to

transform the housing system and put people first. The priorities identified

by the ACAB will complement the plan to provide culturally relevant services

and supports with a focus on individuals who are chronically or episodically

homeless.

The ACAB will follow the provincial direction in developing local plans which

includes:

Provide measures to prevent homelessness by supporting people to stay in

their homes including eviction prevention measures and the provision of

supports appropriate to clients’ needs;

Base the plan on a Housing First philosophy and develop it in consultation

with a broad range of local stakeholders including those who have

experienced homelessness;

Support innovative strategies to address homelessness;

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Include the provision of supports prior to and after obtaining housing

to facilitate transitioning people from the street and shelters to safe,

adequate and stable housing.

c. The Housing First approach requires access to a range of client supports. How will you engage (or how are you engaging) provincial or territorial programs to facilitate access to provincial/territorial services for Housing First clients? The ACAB members are representatives of community based organizations

that have established long standing partnerships independently and within

the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition; with mainstream agencies at municipal,

provincial and federal levels, such as City of Ottawa’s Aboriginal Working

Committee. In addition to the services/supports provided within mainstream

agencies, the ACAB will utilize culturally relevant programs and services to

meet the needs and well-being of Aboriginal clients seeking homes.

Reporting The Community Advisory Board is expected to report to its funder (Employment and

Social Development Canada), its stakeholders and the broader community on what it is

doing and the progress the community is making in reducing homelessness.

The HPS was renewed with a commitment to using a Housing First approach and

demonstrate reductions in homelessness. The collection of data and results will be

critical to this change. As part of your community planning process, you will set

priorities and select activities. Projects should lead to results that contribute to

reductions in homelessness. The HPS has identified specific results that it will be

collecting through Results Reporting, but the CAB and CE should also be working

together to identify other results they would like to gather.

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Your Priorities

Priorities The percentage of your HPS Aboriginal Homelessness

(AH) allocation that will be invested in this

priority in:

Activities Selected Targets for 2014-2015 Where a target is set at 0 it could be because:

(1) The community will not be implementing the activities in 2014-2015.

(2) The activities will lead to outcomes different from the ones identified in the targets.

2014 -

2015

2015 -

2016

2016 -

2017

2017 -

2018

2018 -

2019

To reduce homelessness through a Housing First (HF) approach*

0% AH

10% AH

40% AH

40% AH

40% AH

To improve the self-sufficiency of homeless individuals and families and those at imminent risk of homelessness through individualized services †

94% AH

80% AH

50% AH

50% AH

50% AH

Housing Placement (outside of Housing First)

The HPS has not asked for targets related to this activity.

Connecting clients to income supports

150 people will increase their income or income stability.

Pre-employment suport and bridging to the labour market

40 people will increase their employment stability or will start part-time or full-time employment. 5 people will start a job training program.

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priority in:




2014 -

2015

2015 -

2016

2016 -

2017

2017 -

2018

2018 -

2019

Life skills development (e.g. budgeting, cooking)


Supports to improve client's social integration


Culturally relevant responses to help Aboriginal clients


Connecting clients to education and supporting success

10 people will start part-time or full-time education.

Housing loss prevention (only for individuals and families at imminent risk of homelessness)

10 people will remain housed at three months after receiving a housing loss prevention intervention.

Liaise and refer to appropriate resources


Basic or urgent needs services


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priority in:




2014 -

2015

2015 -

2016

2016 -

2017

2017 -

2018

2018 -

2019

To preserve or increase the capacity of facilities used to address the needs of people who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness.

6% AH

6% AH

6% AH

6% AH

6% AH

Transitional housing facilities

0 new transitional housing units will be added to a new or existing housing unit.

To ensure coordination of resources and leveraging

0% AH

0% AH

0% AH

0% AH

0% AH

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priority in:




2014 -

2015

2015 -

2016

2016 -

2017

2017 -

2018

2018 -

2019

To improve data collection and use

0% AH

4% AH

4% AH

4% AH

4% AH

- Identifying the size and make-up of the entire homeless population - Tracking non-Housing First clients - Point-in-time counts - Community indicators (beyond the requirements for HPS) - Information collection and sharing (including implementing and using HIFIS)

The HPS has not asked for targets related to these activities.

Notes:

* The Housing First model includes both housing and access to supports primarily for chronically and

episodically homeless individuals. The services provided are offered through an integrated approach

and are interdependent. Generally, the approach will be to ensure that Housing First clients have

access to all the existing services required.

† These services are offered primarily to individuals who are homeless or imminently at risk that are not

part of the Housing First program.

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Results

With renewal, the HPS is increasing the focus on achieving results. All projects are expected to

contribute to reducing or preventing homelessness and CABs and CEs should be working together to

determine how they will measure project success. The HPS has identified a number of indicators it

will be using to measure the success of the HPS at reducing and preventing homelessness.

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Description of your Priorities

Housing First (HF) Priority

Rationale

Why is this a priority for your community? If the priority was identified

in another related plan or planning process, please identify it.

To effectively make changes we must first identify the makeup of the community

that you plan to serve. In Ottawa this information is non-existent for the

Aboriginal community. Funds will be allocated for data tracking and point in time

counts in 2015/16 which will result in a streamlined process for all agencies, with

consistent methodology and interpretation of data, whereby Aboriginal agencies

will be able to collect and obtain accurate data to aid them in improving services

for all Aboriginal clients in Ottawa. With accurate data the Aboriginal community

will be able to monitor the progress of housing first model, track the impact and

restructure the community plan as the focus in the community change. The

activities identified in this priority will also enhance coordination between service

providers and housing agencies, focusing on support services to improve self-

sufficiency of Housing First clients. Funds allocated to this activity area will begin

2016/17 focusing on Client Intake and Assessment focusing on the chronically

and episodically homeless population; connecting to and maintaining permanent

housing with furnishing; Coordination of case management teams to work with

clients to set goals, connect to services, monitor progress and connect clients to

income supports, life skills, support clients’ social integration and cultural

supports. All priorities were identified by both the ACAB members and through

the community/service provider surveys.

What other resources can you leverage to contribute to your HF efforts?

• HF Readiness

The ACAB is not in a position to implement HF at this point (2014/15) as we are currently working with the CE to establish which tool will be used to assess those who are chronically or episodically homeless. This is still under discussion.

• Client Intake & Assessment The ACAB is currently in the planning stages of developing a coordinated intake and assessment system for HF client and will be implementing it beginning in 2016/17. This is still under discussion.

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• Connecting to and Maintaining Permanent Housing Agencies selected to provide HF programming will already have existing track record with providing housing loss and prevention services, landlord negotiation and have existing relationships with some landlords. These relationships will be utilized to access housing for HF clients and implemented in 2016/17. We are also in the process of extending our membership to the First Nations and Inuit housing providers to participate on the ACAB and will work with these agencies in trying to secure housing as well.

• Accessing Services Agencies selected to provide HF programming will be selected on the basis of their proven track record with providing case management related to maintaining client's housing. This is still under discussion.

• Data, Tracking & Monitoring The ACAB will work with the CE to implement a centralized data collection system and hire a full-time analysis person. The ACAB will work in partnership with the CE to discuss what data will be collected and what data system will be used to collect this data. The City of Ottawa already uses HIFIS software to track emergency shelter users which the ACAB will consult with the Ottawa CE to see what supports can be offered to ACAB.

Description of the Housing First (HF) Approach

Please describe your Housing First approach, identify what percentage

of your allocation will be used towards furnishing and repairing

housing for HF purposes and provide a timeline for HF implementation.

The Ottawa Aboriginal Housing First approach will use a coordinated, client-

centered approach, in which services are focused on the unique needs of each

client, and are informed by cultural teachings and paradigms. The ACAB will set

aside $7000.00 annually for start-up costs for HF clients which agencies will be

able to apply for. This amount will be adjusted to any increase in the number of

clients under Housing First is amended in the community plan. These funds will

only be accessed if all other sources of funding have been exhausted. Data

collection and interpretation will be streamlined into one consistent approach and

instrumental in ensuring the ACAB is able to continue effective community

planning, setting and reaching targets, and creating longer term adjustments

according to data results.

TIMELINE

Year 1 (2015/16): Getting Organized. Determine the exact size of the chronic

and episodically Aboriginal homeless populations. Identify a method to collect the

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needed data at the community level. Begin the process of collecting data.

Develop network and create workplans.

Year 2 (2016/17): Shifting existing resources to Housing First and beginning

implement. Implement data collection. Hire case manager(s). Work with services

to get priority placement for HF clients. Begin to contact HF clients as rent

supplements become available and place them in housing with case

management supports.

Year 3 (2017/18): Housing First fully implemented, and the first clients begin to

move on to access regular supports. This will focus on the chronic/episodic

population through a coordinated approach in partnership with the City of

Ottawa and other housing first teams. Individuals will be assessed for their acuity

by using standardized tools. Those individuals with the highest acuity will receive

priority and housed first. Case management will be fully integrated in 2016/2017

among the housing agencies who will be receiving funds to implement the

Housing First approach. Case management supports will be provided on the

acuity of the individual and Individualized case management will provide

coaching on life skills such as money management, tenant responsibilities,

social/recreational opportunities, cultural supports, referrals to support services

for (addiction, mental health etc) and assist with community integration.

Progress will be tracked with a standardized tool periodically to determine the

level of supports required. In essence, the Housing First approach will ensure:

• Full integration of all agencies to ensure no one is working in silos;

• Client centred care focussed on meeting the needs of the client where they are

and working to obtaining housing, understanding that for some extra supports

will be needed to make this transition;

• Support youth transitional housing as a preventative method to long term chronic homelessness; • Accurate and consistent data and a community approach to amending targets and action items; and • Commitment to communication and community development and to increase the partnerships of the ACAB to leverage community resources.

Target Group(s)

Please describe in more detail the group(s) this priority will address.

• Chronically homeless individuals • Episodically homeless individuals

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Individualized Services Priority

Rationale



Due to the historical cycle of poverty that has existed in Aboriginal communities

since colonization this community suffers lower determinants of health, and are

overrepresented in the criminal justice system. This puts this population at a

higher risk of becoming homeless; while at the present time, do not fall under

the Housing First criteria. As prevention measure for this population, funds will

be allocated to support individuals outside the housing first parameters. Funds

will be used for connecting individuals to the following activities:

• housing placements, • income supports, • supports to improves clients social integration, • liaise and refer to appropriate resources, • housing loss prevention • employment and education supports, • life skill development, • cultural supports and • referrals to appropriate supports and housing loss prevention. Through our community consultation process, it was identified that there are a

number of supports and services needed to support individuals with finding

housing, maintaining housing, life skill development and community referrals.

Target Group(s)within the homeless and at imminent risk of homelessness populations


- Aboriginal people

Facilities Priority

Rationale



Housing First focuses on giving people choice in where they want to live. In

order to provide this type of model of housing you need to have a housing stock

that gives people the option of choosing where they want to live, which is lacking

in Ottawa. Transitional housing is another choice when it comes to housing for

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youth. In Ottawa there is only one transitional house for Aboriginal people which

focuses on young women. There is no evidence to date that suggest that

Housing First approach works with youth. It was identified by ACAB members

that there needs to be a continued support for transitional housing that

addresses the housing needs of youth. This is also a prevention measure as the

youth transition to adulthood and to provide immediate services to help

maximize the youths' opportunity to gain the skills necessary to beat the risk

factors associated with homelessness. Early interventions such as youth

transitional housing will help to reduce the number of youth who later become

chronically homeless. Funds allocated to this priority will be used to preserve this

housing option.

Target Group(s) within the homeless and at imminent risk of homelessness

populations


- Youth

- Aboriginal people

Data Collection and Use Priority

Rationale



To effectively make changes we must first identify the makeup of the community

that you plan to serve. In Ottawa this information is non-existent for the

Aboriginal community. Funds will be allocated for data tracking and point in time

counts in 2015/2016 which will result in a streamlined process for all agencies,

with consistent methodology and interpretation of data. By making this a

priority, Aboriginal agencies will be able to collect and obtain accurate data to aid

them in improving services for all Aboriginal clients in Ottawa. With accurate data

the Aboriginal community will be able to monitor the progress of housing first

model, track the impact and restructure the community plan as the focus in the

community change.

homelessness partnering strategy community plan 2014...

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