Transcript Responding to Violence Against Women through a Housing First Program Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free Kris Billhardt [email protected] NAEH Annual Conference 7/17/06 Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free.

Responding to Violence Against
Women through a Housing First
Program
Volunteers of America, Oregon
Home Free
Kris Billhardt
[email protected]
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
1
Caveats and Disclaimers
 Development of new response models does
not negate the need for programs that
provide immediate safety for DV survivors.
 This is not a prescription or a miracle
solution; simply our experience of change
and its benefits.
 Consider our program’s story as to whether or
how it may be applicable in your community
to add to options available to DV survivors.
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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DV in Multnomah County
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28,000 victims; 3/5 have children
Police DV Unit:10,000 reports/year
Over 50% of all reported violent crime
Largest contributing factor to area homicides
Significant factor in 35% of long term child
abuse/neglect cases
 Over 30,000 crisis calls to DV hotlines
 15,000 DV shelter bednights annually
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
3
Link Between DV and Housing Stability
 Poor women experience DV at higher rates and have
fewer resources with which to seek/maintain safe and
stable housing
 46% of homeless women report having stayed in an
abusive relationship because they had nowhere else
to go
 38% of all DV survivors become homeless at some
point
 DV’s effects can dramatically impact the ability to
obtain/maintain stable housing, incl. physical and
mental health, employment, education, and
connection to social supports
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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Link Between DV and Housing Stability
II
 Homelessness is only one end of a
continuum of housing problems faced by
women experiencing DV
• Missed or late payments for rent/utilities
• Compromises: selling belongings or
skipping food to make payments
• Ruined credit
• Apartment damage
• Discrimination based on status as victims
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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Link Between DV and Housing
Stability III
 Obstacles to affordable housing may seem
insurmountable; many remain with or return
to abuser
 High density/high violence in public housing
complexes may place women at continued
risk
 Chronicity of DV results in repeated choice
between homelessness and abuse
 Denials, evictions, lease terminations based
on violence/ abuser interference
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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VOA Home Free – History
1926: VOA est. Mothers and Children’s
Home to serve “abandoned” women
and children
•DV became focal in the 70’s
•Family Center/
Transition House, 1989
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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VOA Home Free – History II
1998 – The Beginnings of Change
Outreach component added to residential
service elements
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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Home Free’s Big Change:
October, 2003
•Closed Shelter
•Hotline hours reduced to 8AM- 6PM M-F
•Expanded motel vouchering
•Expanded housing-focused services
•Expanded outstationed services and mobile
advocacy
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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VOA Home Free – Program Design
Emergency Services
Out-stationed Services
Children’s Services
Transitional and Housing
Services
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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Housing First
 Stresses immediate return to
permanent, neighborhood-based
housing, along with 6-12 months of
individualized support to ensure
retention (Portland Community
Standard)
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
11
Housing First Research Findings
 Homeless individuals more likely
to sustain housing when given a
permanent home
 Vulnerable/at-risk families more
responsive to interventions and
community supports after in their
own housing
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
12
The Case for Housing First with
DV Survivors
 Finding and keeping housing one of greatest
barriers faced by women who leave abusers
 Research suggests that women who secure
housing reduce chances of revictimization
 Women linked with advocates during postcrisis period report higher quality of life, more
social supports, and less re-abuse
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
13
VOA Home Free’s Housing First
Program
 Staffed by 5 mobile advocates
 Budget includes $175,000 in direct
client assistance funds
 Capacity: 80-100 households/yr (8-12
per advocate) in housing program
 Duration of services: Up to two years
 Scattered-site model (private market or
public housing)
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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Referrals to Home Free Housing Services
8%
4%
Other Home Free
Programs 49%
Culturally Specific
Service Providers 19%
8%
Domestic Violence
Shelters 12%
49%
12%
Legal Resources 8%
Word-of-Mouth 8%
Public School
Counselors 4%
19%
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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Participant Flow Through Housing Services
MILESTONE 1
First contact.
Focus: Response to
immediate needs.
DESTINATION
Full life not defined by DV.
Financially stable, making
own choices, capable selfadvocate.
MILESTONE 6
Focus: Embedding
pattern of financial self
sufficiency. Increased
sense of personal power
and resourcefulness.
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
MILESTONE 2
Eligibility:
•Surviving DV/SA
•Immediate crisis
stabilized.
•Housing
stabilization a
primary need.
•Financial
resourcefulness
compromised by DV/
other barriers
Intake. Focus:
taking steps on
short term plan,
housing search.
MILESTONE 3
Housing
obtained. Focus:
Addressing
issues/needs that
better ensure
retention.
MILESTONE 5
MILESTONE 4
Transition to
permanency. Focus:
Discontinue reliance on
subsidy.
Active work on long-term
goals. Focus: taking
increasing responsibility for
finances and systems
navigation.
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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Advocacy Services Include:
(You Name it!)
 Accompaniment, home visits
 Housing search, job search, job training referrals
 Danger Assessments and safety planning
 Direct financial assistance
 Intervention/case coordination with other systems
 Advocacy with landlords, Housing Authority
 Linkages to civil legal and immigration law services
 Direct services to children
 Help with budgeting, goal planning
 DV and parenting support groups
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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Who We Are Serving
 Average Age of Adults served: 30
Age Range of adults: 17 – 54
 Race/Ethnicity:
31% white (79.2% in population)
29% Latino (9% in population)
28% African-American (5.7% in
population)
9% Native American (1% in population)
1% Asian (.4% in population)
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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Who We Are Serving II
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
U.S. Not
Country of
Origin 23%
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Disability
16%
Arrest
History
26%
Alcohol and Mental Health Households Involvement
Drug History
History
w ith Children w ith Child
30%
46%
80%
Welfare
System
63%
Volunteers of America, Oregon -
Home Free
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Early Results
80
89%
Obtained
Housing
70
60
92% remain
in housing
50
40
Avg. time in
housing TD:
13 mo.
(range 1 – 30
mo.)
30
20
10
0
Enrolled
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Obtained
Housing
Remains in Left Program
Housing
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
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A Study of the Effectiveness of a
Housing Intervention for Battered
Women
A cooperative agreement between Multnomah County
Domestic Violence Coordinator’s Office and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
Study Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness, including
cost-effectiveness, of an existing permanent housing
program provided by VOA Home Free in preventing
revictimization and reducing negative health outcomes
of survivors of IPV and their children.
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
21
Study Design
 Participants: Women domestic violence victims,
age 18-64, who speak English or Spanish
 Study begins at “post-crisis” stage of service
delivery
 Data collected (baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months):
– Outcomes for women and their children
– Cost of domestic violence and cost
effectiveness of the housing models
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
22
Study Design II
 Intervention group: VOA Home Free housing program
(housing first plus DV advocacy)
 Comparison groups:
 VOA Home Free Mobile Advocacy Services (limited or
no rent assistance + DV advocacy)
 Raphael House of Portland (emergency shelter with
DV advocacy)
 DHS Self Sufficiency TA-DVS Program (short-term
housing assistance + limited DV advocacy)
 Portland Impact Safety Net (housing first + limited DV
advocacy)
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
23
Importance of the Research Project
 Current housing research doesn’t consider
effectiveness of housing first for DV victims
 Current DV research doesn’t consider impact of
housing instability on victim’s ability to stay safe or on
children’s outcomes
 Funding priorities at OVW and HUD shifting to
longer-term housing and to “proven practices”
 Some housing policy creates barriers for victims and
their children
 Study can demonstrate need to expand range of
housing options for survivors and their children
NAEH Annual
Conference 7/17/06
Volunteers of America, Oregon Home Free
24