Aftercare Matters: Surviving to thriving

By: CTI Case Manager Sara Barrett

 

This Christmas is bringing a whole new kind of gift to a Community LINC family. Jodi came to Community LINC to gain independence from a cycle of domestic violence that was dangerous to her and her children.

 

Jodi was housed in a  rental home within thirty days of her entry to Community LINC's campus. She held on to her job in Customer Service and managed to keep her three children in school. However, working off of one income was a new challenge for Jodi.

 

Upon moving into her rental home, Jodi agreed to participate in Aftercare Services, including weekly case management. During that time, Jodi was able to develop new spending habits and secure a manageable budget for her family. This opened up an opportunity for her to continue her finance and business education and grow her very small business she ran out of her home. In addition, Jodi was able to purchase a new vehicle to improve her transportation and allow her children to be in extra-curricular activities to promote their social well-being.

 

Because of her drive and her responsibility in using the resources offered to her, Jodi was referred to a program in the community which could provide her with the opportunity for no-interest home ownership.  Jodi's story captivated community leaders, and this Christmas, to her surprise she will receive ownership of a new home in her name.

 

Jodi is proof of a motto Aftercare Clients often repeat throughout their time in services; "I don't have to just survive, I can thrive." Community LINC not only gives families a boost in finding and acquiring housing, but opens doors to financial stability, community resources and ownership.

 

In one year, Jodi changed her situation from homeless to homeowner, car owner and small business owner...she is a picture of thriving, not just surviving.

 

Interventions for Homeless Families

A couple of us just left a meeting with a researcher from a company engaged by HUD to study the effectiveness of the various methods of moving homeless families from emergency shelter to permanent housing.

They will evaluate several approaches to ending homelessness for families:

1. Housing subsidies and no other services
2. Transitional housing with intensive supportive services
3. Rapid re-housing (placement in housing with temporary rental assistance) followed by services focused on keeping housing
4. Assisting families in finding their own solutions to their housing problem.

The study will attempt to answer several questions:

1. What is the relative effectiveness of the different approaches?
2. Are the same interventions that give short-term housing stability effective for the long-term?
3. Are there interventions that are more effective for some categories of homeless families than others?

Fortunately, when they measure effectiveness, they will be looking at more than ending homelessness for a family for a few months. They want to know if an approach will be effective in keeping a family stable – i.e. in permanent housing for at least 18 months. They also will be looking at how well the approach keeps families intact, because family dissolution is a significant side effect of homelessness. They will consider the well being of the adults and children, and finally, the impact on self-sufficiency – employment, earnings and dependence on public assistance.

I’ve mentioned some of our successes by these measures in previous blogs: 83% of our families remain in permanent housing for a minimum of 24 months; we routinely reunite families with up to six children; the earnings of our residents increase by more than 50% and their dependence on public assistance decreases by more than 30% by the time they leave.

Kansas City may or may not be chosen as one of the sites for the study. We were invited to the meeting as one of the agencies that are likely to participate. Even if we aren’t one of the cities in the study, it will be fascinating to learn from the results when they are reported out from 2011-2013.

- Laura Gray