Slide 1:

MASSACHUSETTS HOUSING AND SHELTER ALLIANCE
INITIATING SOLUTIONS TO END HOMELESSNESS

DISCHARGE PLANNING
FOR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION:

GETTING MAINSTREAM SYSTEMS TO THE TABLE

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2003
HUD-HHS-VA POLICY ACADEMY
ATLANTA

MHSA is a statewide homeless advocacy alliance of 86 agencies serving homeless people throughout Massachusetts.
For more information please contact MHSA at 617/367-6447.

MASSACHUSETTS HOUSING AND SHELTER ALLIANCE
FIVE PARK STREET
BOSTON, MA 02108
PHONE: 617/367- 6447
FAX: 617/367-5709
EMAIL: abolition@mhsa.net

Slide 2:

Number of Months the Massachusetts Emergency Shelter System was over Capacity in each of the Last 11 Years

• 1993 = 0 months
• 1994 = 1 month
• 1995 = 4 months
• 1996 = 5 months
• 1997 = 8 months
• 1998 = 9 months
• 1999 = 12 months
• 2000 = 12 months
• 2001 = 12 months
• 2002 = 12 months
• 2003 = 4 month (data from first 4 months of 2003)

Source: Data is based on information reported from shelters statewide in Massachusetts.

Slide 3:

Emergency Shelters for Homeless Individuals Have Overflowed 54 Consecutive Months and 62 of the last 65 Months

Data from October 1998 through March 2003 indicate totals over 100% in all months.
With increasing peaks in December, January and February and valleys all above 105% capacity from 2000 on.

10/98 = 101% capacity 11/98 = 102% capacity 12/98 = 104% capacity 1/99 = 110% capacity 2/99 = 110% capacity 3/99 = 112% capacity 4/99 = 107% capacity 5/99 = 104% capacity 6/99 = 104% capacity 7/99 = 102% capacity 8/99 = 101% capacity 9/99 = 101% capacity 10/99 = 104% capacity 11/99 = 109% capacity 12/99 = 112% capacity 1/00 = 116% capacity 2/00 = 116% capacity 3/00 = 116% capacity 4/00 = 115% capacity 5/00 = 110% capacity 6/00 = 109% capacity 7/00 = 105% capacity 8/00 = 106% capacity 9/00 = 107% capacity 10/00 = 110% capacity 11/00 = 110% capacity 12/00 = 113% capacity

1/01 = 118% capacity 2/01 = 120% capacity 3/01 = 118% capacity 4/01 = 115% capacity 5/01 = 110% capacity 6/01 = 109% capacity 7/01 = 109% capacity 8/01 = 108% capacity 9/01 = 107% capacity 10/01 = 110% capacity 11/01 = 113% capacity 12/01 = 115% capacity 1/ 02 = 121% capacity 2/ 02 = 123% capacity 3/ 02 = 124% capacity 4/ 02 = 118% capacity 5/ 02 = 115% capacity 6/ 02 = 113% capacity 7/ 02 = 110% capacity 8/ 02 = 108% capacity 9/02 = 109% capacity 10/02 = 111% capacity 11/02 = 115% capacity 12/02 = 123% capacity 1/03 = 128% capacity 2/03 = 127% capacity 3/03 = 126%capacity

Slide 4:

Average Shelter Census for the Past Ten Years 1993-2002

Data reported to the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance from shelters statewide shows that yearly shelter occupancy rose from 95% of capacity in 1993 to 117% of capacity in 2002. The yearly occupancy as a percent of capacity is as follows:

• 1993 - 95% of capacity
• 1994 - 97% of capacity
• 1995 - 97% of capacity
• 1996 - 100% of capacity
• 1997 - 102% of capacity
• 1998 - 103% of capacity
• 1999 - 106% of capacity
• 2000 - 112% of capacity
• 2001 - 114% of capacity
• 2002 - 117% of capacity

Slide 5:

Flow chart "Discharge Planning for Homelessness Prevention: Steps to Change"

Research, advocacy education leading to policy change leading to resource development leading to institutionalizing change.

Slide 6:

MASSACHUSETTS HOUSING AND SHELTER ALLIANCE
Research on Emerging Homeless Subpopulations

Comparison of Emerging Populations in Massachusetts Emergency Shelter

Slide 7:

Ex Prisoners and Massachusetts Shelters

Individuals Entering Emergency Shelters Directly Upon Discharge from a Federal, State or County Correctional Facility

• Federal Facilities (2001 was first year MHSA collected Federal Prison statistics)
  • 2001 = 7 individuals
• State Facilities
  • 1997 = 276
  • 1998 = 298
  • 1999 = 185
  • 2000 = 231
  • 2001= 365
• County Facilities
  • 1997 = 643
  • 1998 = 813
  • 1999 = 728
  • 2000 = 715
  • 2001 = 589
• State and County Total
  • 1997 = 919
  • 1998 = 1111
  • 1999 = 913
  • 2000 = 946
  • 2001 = 954

Slide 8:

Corrections and Massachusetts Shelters

Individuals Entering Emergency Shelters With Prison or Jail Records

New Guests with Jail Records:

• 1997 = 3683
• 1998 = 4681
• 1999 = 4104
• 2000 = 5302

Slide 9:

Young Adults and Massachusetts Shelters

Individuals age 18 to 24 Entering New to Emergency Shelters

New Guests aged 18 – 24:

• 1997 = 839
• 1998 = 1278
• 1999 = 2383
• 2000 = 3144

Slide 10:

Hospital Discharges and MA Shelters

Individuals entering emergency shelters upon discharge from Psychiatric Care in Hospitals

New Shelter Guest Arriving Upon Hospital Discharge

• 1997 = 761
• 1998 = 806
• 1999 = 656
• 2000 = 705
• 2001 = 798

Slide 11:

Discharges by Hospital Category 2001 – 2002

• Private 72%
• State 2%
• Other 6%
• Veterans 1%
• Public 19%

Slide 12:

Private Hospital Discharges by Facility June 2001 – May 2002

• Lowell General = 4%
• Bayridge = 14%
• Malden = 5%
• Holy Family 2%
• Newton-Wellesley = 4%
• Berkshire Medical Center = 2%
• McLean = 7%
• Arbour = 18%
• Carney = 4%
• Fuller = 3%
• Beverly = 2%
• Beth Israel = 2%
• Mass General = 4%
• Brockton = 6%
• Cambridge = 4%
• Cape Cod= 8%
• Bournewood = 7%
• Baldpate = 5%

Slide 13:

Flow chart "Discharge Planning for Homelessness Prevention: Steps to Change"

Research, advocacy education leading to policy change leading to resource development leading to institutionalizing change.

Slide 14:

A&F Policy Report: Moving Beyond Serving the Homeless to Preventing Homelessness

Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F)

Organization chart

• Department of Correction above Department of Housing and Community Development above Department of Veteran’s Services above County Sheriffs above Operational Services Division
• On same level of Department of Corrections is the Executive Office of Health and Human Services with three divisions underneath:
  • Department of Transitional Assistance
  • Division of Medical Assistance
  • Dept of Mental Health.
• Department of Public Health, Department of Youth Services and Department of Social Services come under Transitional Assistance.
• Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership and HMOs come under Medical Assistance

Slide 15:

The A&F Process:

Working Group on Discharge Planning

Working Group on Housing Search and Retention

Slide 16:

Flow chart "Discharge Planning for Homelessness Prevention: Steps to Change"

Research, advocacy education leading to policy change leading to resource development leading to institutionalizing change.

Slide 17:

MASSACHUSETTS HOUSING AND SHELTER ALLIANCE

POSITIVE INITIATIVES TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS

Slide 18:

Special Initiative to House the Homeless Mentally Ill

FY ’92 – FY ’01:

• DMH developed or gained access to 1,154 new housing units
• Annual State appropriation increase of $1-2 million leverages 1:4 match in federal funds
• Ongoing costs annualized into Departmental budget

Slide 19:

Special Initiative to House the Homeless Mentally Ill

• Placed 2,359 homeless clients with mental illness into new or existing units with services, including 443 in FY ’01

Slide 20:

Special Initiative to House the Homeless Mentally Ill

FY ’92 – FY ’01:

• 8,106 homeless individuals have received community-based services, including health care, counseling, and referral and case management services.

Slide 21:

Criminal Justice Initiative (CJI)

• Fiscal Year 98 = 293 Criminal Justice Admissions
• FY 99 = 339 Criminal Justice Admissions
• FY 00 = 533 Criminal Justice Admissions
• FY 01 = 494 Criminal Justice Admissions
• FY 02 = 593 Criminal Justice Admissions

(SOURCE: Compiled by MHSA Staff from Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, and Correctional Recovery Bed Initiative Reports.)

Slide 22:

Criminal Justice Initiative

• FY 00
  • DOC = 184
  • HOC = 349
  • Total = 533
• FY 01
  • DOC = 180
  • HOC = 314
  • Total = 494
• FY 02
  • DOC = 220
  • HOC = 373
  • Total = 593

(SOURCE: Compiled by MHSA Staff from Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, and Correctional Recovery Bed Initiative Reports.)

Slide 23:

MORE POSITIVE INITIATIVES

• HUD Affordability Study
• MA Affordable Housing Trust-Fund Setasides
• MA Housing Bond Bill Setasides
• MA LIHTC Allocation Requirement
• MA Department of of Correction - DOJ Offender Reentry Funding: Pre-release Housing Search

Slide 24:

Flow chart "Discharge Planning for Homelessness Prevention: Steps to Change"

Research, advocacy education leading to policy change leading to resource development leading to institutionalizing change.

Slide 25:

INSTITUTIONALIZING CHANGE

• Prioritizing Homeless Populationsthrough Targeting and Setasides
• Applying Evidence Based Approaches
• Monitoring Outcomes through Procurement Language

Slide 26:

ESSENTIAL RESOURCES FOR DISCHARGE PLANNING

Published collaboratively by the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA) and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC)

I. Introduction and Overview
 II.  Assessment Materials  
III.  Collaborating with Local Stakeholders
IV.  Exemplary Policies and Practices
V.  Improving Outcomes

Available on-line at www.nhchc.org and www.ich.gov/innovations