THP-Plus: Providing Affordable Housing & Supportive Services to Youth Formerly in the Foster Care & Juvenile Probation Systems

California Alliance Training September 24, 2007

Overview of Presentation

THP-Plus Overview Key Elements of Implementation

Process Role of THP-Plus Providers Budget Update Prop. 1C Q & A

THP-Plus Statewide

Implementation Project

CDSS

Corporation for Supportive

Housing

John Burton Foundation

What is THP-Plus?

THP-Plus is a program for former foster youth that provides safe, affordable housing and comprehensive supportive services.

THP-Plus allows youth to have the greatest amount of freedom possible to prepare them for self-sufficiency.

Nuts & Bolts of THP-Plus

Eligibility: Emancipated foster & probation youth 18 to 24 years old who meet ILP eligibility criteria

Duration: 24 months Rate: 70% of average group home rate for 16 to 18

year-olds in the county as of June 30, 2001 Funding: 100% state-funded; county share

removed Structure: Administered by CDSS, managed by

county social service agency, operated by private nonprofit provider

THP-Plus Budget DevelopmentsTHP-Plus Budget Over Time

1.4 1.4 1.4

4.8

35.7

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08

Fiscal Year

Bu

dg

et (

$ m

illi

on

)

FY 07-08 Budget Allocation

Developed by CDSS

ACIN distribution: October 2007

Up to $10.5 million to cover FY 06-07 costs

How do I become a THP-Plus provider?

Steps to Becoming a THP-Plus Provider

1. Confirm that County has a CDSS-approved THP-Plus Plan and is aware of LOI deadline

2. Determine County’s Provider Selection Process 3. Design Program4. Develop & Submit Proposal & Provider Plan 5. Complete Certification Process & Enter Contract

With County6. Implement & Evaluate Program7. Submit Monthly Invoices & Program Reports 8. Support Statewide Efforts to Expand & Improve

THP-Plus

Becoming a THP-Plus Provider#1: Confirm that County has a CDSS-

approved THP-Plus plan for FY 07-08

County LOI due to CDSS by 10/15/07

Becoming a THP-Plus Provider#2: Determine County’s Provider Selection

Process

Options: RFP, RF(S)Q, RFI, Single Source Contract

Becoming a THP-Plus Provider#3: Design Program

Provider Budget Housing Model(s) THP-Plus Supportive Services

Becoming a THP-Plus Provider#4: Develop and Submit Proposal &

Provider Plan to County

Elements of Provider Plan: Purpose of the Program & Mission of Provider Population to be Served Services Provided Rights of Participants Policies of the Program THP-Plus Rates & Service Levels Reporting Requirements

Becoming a THP-Plus Provider#5: Selected Providers Complete

Certification Process & Enter Contract with County

Certification Process: Welfare and Institutions Code TILP Requirements Tenant Rights Housing Statutes Employee Regulations THP-Plus Supportive Services

THP-Plus Supportive Services1. Case management services2. System of payment for

utilities, telephone and rent3. Job readiness training4. Food & necessity allowance5. Educational advocacy &

support6. Assistance with pursuing

post-secondary education7. Individual and group therapy

(or referral)8. Services to build and support

relationships with family and community

9. Coordination with ILP10. Mentoring11. Apartment furnishings 12. 24-hour crisis intervention and

support13. Emancipation fund

($50/month)14. Post-program housing

assistance15. Alumni services

Becoming a THP-Plus Provider#6: Implement & Evaluate Program

Housing Education Employment Status & Wages Permanency

Becoming a THP-Plus Provider#7: Submit Monthly Invoices & Program

Reports to CountyCounty Invoicing Options:

Fee for services: number of youth times actual paid rate

Invoice based on program budget: actual program expenditures

Becoming a THP-Plus Provider#8: Support Statewide Efforts To Expand

and Improve THP-Plus

Contribute to advocacy efforts around annual budget allocation

Participate in statewide evaluation process

THP-Plus Counties 44 counties plan to implement in 07-08Alameda

Butte

Contra Costa

Del Norte

El Dorado

Fresno

Glenn

Inyo

Humboldt

Kern

Lassen

Los Angeles

Madera

Marin

Mendocino

Merced

Monterey

Napa

Nevada

Orange

Placer

Plumas

Riverside

Sacramento

San Bernardino

San Diego

San Francisco

San Joaquin

San Luis Obispo

San Mateo

Santa Barbara

Santa Clara

Santa Cruz

Shasta

Siskiyou

Solano

Sonoma

Stanislaus

Sutter

Trinity

Tulare

Tuolumne

Ventura

Yolo

Personnel Expenses

Youth Advocate (Ratio 1:12 & Annual Salary: $45,000) 3,735.00

Educational & Employment Specialist (Ratio: 1:30 & Annual Salary: $45,000) 1,485.00

Housing Specialist (Ratio: 1:30 & Annual Salary: $45,000) 1,485.00

PR Taxes & Benefits (20%) 1,341.00

Sub-Total 8,046.00

Program Expenses

Monthly Rental Subsidy (average: $590 per month) 7,080.00

Move-In Stipend ($200 spread over two years) 100.00

Monthly Grocery Vouchers ($50 per month) 600.00

Repair, Maintenance & Security 150.00

Moving Transportation ($150 spread over two years) 75.00

Transition Support Group Supplies 100.00

Economic Literacy Materials 80.00

Community Building Expenses 320.00

Emancipation Fund 600.00

Staff Mileage 250.00

Indirect Costs (20%) 3,480.20

Sub-Total 12,835.20

Developing the “actual paid rate” Total per youth cost annually: $20,881 Actual paid rate: $1,740 Ratio for parenting youth should be 1 to 8 San Francisco County’s rate: $2,250

THP-Plus Housing Model Considerations

Single-siteScattered-Site

Host Family

THP-Plus Programs can provide permanent or transitional housing

Single Site Scattered Site

Additional Parts of the Continuum

Host HomesCollege Dorms

Emergency Shelter

Permanent

Transitional

Single-site permanent model (Example: Fred Finch in Oakland; Larkin Street in SF)

Benefits No time limits High level of investment

and program participation because youth keep apartment

Knowledge of community

Peer engagement High service utilization Efficient service delivery

(for provider) Lower travel expense Fair housing

requirements

Challenges Youth forgo benefits of

being integrated into the community

Dynamics of single population housing

Program expansion requires additional capacity

Higher building maintenance & operations costs

Less responsive to housing market

Fair housing requirements

Scattered-site permanent model (Example: First Place in Oakland, Madison Street development with AHA)

Benefits No time-limits Community integration High level of program

investment High level of independence Knowledge of community Responsive to housing

market Lower building maintenance

& operations costs Efficient service delivery

(for youth) Fair housing requirements

Challenges Program expansion

requires additional capacity

Less opportunity for peer engagement

Lower level of supervision

Issues related to mobile case management

Fair housing requirements

Scattered-site transitional model (Example: Project Independence in Alameda County)

Challenges Temporary housing

solution Lower level of supervision Less opportunity for peer

engagement Issues related to mobile

case management Tenants have fewer rights

in transitional housing than in permanent housing

Benefits Integration into the

community Higher level of

independence Responsive to

housing market Lower building

maintenance & operations costs

Efficient service delivery (for youth)

No need to regularly add housing capacity

Host family model Benefits

Promotes permanency if actively pursued

Consistent with non-foster youth experience

Youth to live in family setting

Challenges Negotiating

expectations between youth and family

Promoting independence

Promoting service utilization

Possibly a temporary housing solution

Less opportunity for peer engagement

Single-site transitional model(Example: St. Anne’s in LA)

Challenges Temporary housing solution Youth forgo benefits of

being integrated into the community

Dynamics of single population housing

Higher building maintenance & operations costs

Less responsive to housing market

Tenants have fewer rights in transitional housing than in permanent housing

Benefits Knowledge of

community Peer engagement High service

utilization Efficient service

delivery Lower travel expense Higher level of

supervision No need to regularly

add housing capacity

Housing Development: Proposition 1C Administered by the California Department of Housing and

Community Development through the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP)

Funds cover new construction or acquisition/rehab

$345 million for MHP’s General Housing component

$195 million for MHP’s Supportive Housing component

$50 million for homeless youth, including emancipated foster youth

Key Lessons:

“One project” not the answer- transitioning youth in all projects

Develop a continuum in partnership with county social service agency

Partner with experienced affordable housing developers

Patience pays off

THP-Plus Statewide Implementation Project

Training and technical assistance 46 counties 200 community based organizations

Advocacy County share of cost removed $20 million budget augmentation

Research and Evaluation First ever THP-Plus Annual Report released 10/07 Statewide evaluation framework in development

For More Information

Michele ByrnesTHP-Plus Statewide Implementation Project John Burton Foundation (415) 693-1323michele@johnburtonfoundation.org

Amy LemleyTHP-Plus Statewide Implementation Project John Burton Foundation(415) 693-1322amy@johnburtonfoundation.org

Questions?