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Workshops Presented

The Significance of Making Art for Self-Esteem and Self-Expression Ben desoto & Bob Levy

The goal of the workshop is to present information on various forms of art and creative activities, some low-tech and some high-tech, aimed at enhancing self-esteem and self-expression.

Getting Your HMIS Data to the Next Level: Evaluation & Monitoring Matt White

This session is an intensive workshop on preparing at the program level for AHAR participation, CoC applications, HUD monitoring visits, program evaluation and general performance measurement. Participants will learn about the latest HUD policy updates as they related to HMIS and practical tips on reviewing and cleaning HMIS data.

Integrated Practices to Address the Behavioral & Physical Health of Homeless Individuals Marion Scott

Sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals are at high risk of mental health, substance abuse and physical health problems, frequently these are intertwined, co-occurring and undetected. Compounded by their poverty, lack of health insurance and frequent difficulty adhering to treatment regimens, many homeless individuals do not succeed in mainstream health care programs. This workshop will address strategies and resources used in best practices to address the complications case managers and clinicians face in their efforts to improve the overall health and well-being of their clients

Case Management Strategies for Persons Who Are Chronically Homeless: Part 1: Clinical Challenges Ann Denton

This workshop presents an overview of strategies that can be adopted by continuum systems to improve case management and other service integration. Strategies include improved coordination (no cost), changing rules to accommodate the needs of homeless persons (no or low cost), and expanding resources to build a better system.

Case Management Strategies for Persons Who Are Chronically Homeless: Part 2: System Strategies Ann Denton

Advance Housing First Bill Hobson

A general review of the principles of housing first coupled with an in-depth exploration of housing first options, this institute will cover methods of resident selection and consider the relative merits of the high utilizer approach versus selecting our most vulnerable clients; client services and the most critical elements of a successful resident service plan; and finally, a review of the 1811 Eastlake Project in Seattle, WA and its service outcomes after three years of operation.

Employment/Income--Creating an Effective Employer Strategy Serena Powell

Employers are one of the keys to developing an effective workforce program, but too often we approach our work with employers without a relationship strategy in mind. Using the example of a highly successful hospitality initiative in Boston, which serves homeless people, this workshop examines how to create an employer strategy given your population and services. We will discuss examining the needs of your population and your agency’s capacity, building blocks for an effective industry partnership, and project sustainability.

Prisoner Re-Entry Heather Lyons

Faith Based Organizations: Roles, Opportunities, Limitations Valarie Ellis & Paula Pipes

Faith-Based Organizations (FBO’s) are key entities in providing solutions to ending homelessness. This interactive workshop will showcase programs currently run by FBO’s in the Houston area. These FBO’s will share best practices and lessons learned, provide an overview of their program history, current situations and obstacles they have overcome. Participants will have an opportunity to interface directly with the panel and receive suggestions about their current programs or any services they are consider providing.

SOARS Lori Kirchgatter & Ken Martin

Stepping Stones to Recovery, also known as SOAR, will offer services staff an introduction to the Social Security Administration Programs and will help develop skills necessary to help homeless persons apply for SSI and SSDI. This training will provide homeless services staff a clearer understanding of the SSI/SSDI application process.

HMIS Policy Updates & Data Standards Changes ESG Prevention Matt White

Participants in this session will learn what to expect, how to prepare for possible changes, what management strategies should be investigated to make the necessary HMIS changes, and how APR, AHAR and CoC reporting will be impacted. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions and share feedback on likely changes.

Respite Care & Homelessness: Experiences, Models, & Applications Brooks Ann McKinney & Tim Johnson

In 1985 "Respite Care" was born as the health care community took on the challenge of providing acute medical services for homeless persons needing to recuperate from a physical injury or illness. The concept was to provide a place of rest from the streets for those persons who needed 24-hour-a day acute and post-acute care in a safe and dignified healing environment. (RCPN, Defining Characteristics, see www.nhchc.org for details.) Today’s workshop will give an overview of medical respite care for homeless individuals. It will explain development, program overview, and specific examples of programs in Raleigh, NC and locally. There will also be a presentation on a mental health respite model that is starting in Raleigh, NC.

Developing Local Capacity for Supportive Housing Barbara Poppe

Developing Capacity for Supportive Housing: The Columbus , OH Experience In 1998, Columbus, Ohio launched an initiative to address the need for short term shelters for people in crisis and, in the long term, to create affordable housing with supportive services to meet the community’s need. In this workshop participants will hear about the necessary policy shifts that were made, the results of the initial effort, the keys to project success, the impacts of the initiative and how public will is sustained. Participants will explore how the Columbus experience can inform the needed efforts in Houston.

Resident Selection: High Utilization vs. Vulnerability Bill Hobson

An examination of the growth in importance of focusing on chronic utilizers of expensive criminal justice and healthcare system resources and how that growth impacts the most vulnerable homeless people in our communities. Different methods of determining high utilization and vulnerability will be discussed and various tools currently being employed across the nation will be examined. The potential of using both approaches when selecting residents for permanent supportive housing will also be discussed.

Permanent Supportive Housing as a Building Block for Healthy Communities Dianna Lewis

This workshop will discuss how quality permanent supportive housing can not only end homelessness for it’s residents, but also benefit neighborhoods and communities improving health, decreasing crime rates, mending the social fabric, and contributing to the physical and economic revitalization of neighborhoods.

Employment and Income Supports Barbara Elliot & Melanie Flowers

Cycles of homelessness, substance abuse, and incarceration are sometimes intertwined. In order to lift a person to self-sufficiency it is often necessary to address multiple issues including job readiness, support in preventing relapse, and assistance in finding employers willing to give job applicants a chance despite their past. Some of the most effective programs take a holistic approach, enfolding people in transition into a supportive group of coaches, mentors, and employment specialists to learn skills and build confidence in finding not just a new job, but a new life. Presenters will share their knowledge, experience and tools from their programs.

The Role of CoCs and HMIS in Disaster Planning David Canavan

CoCs and HMIS can play a vital role in ensuring consumers are provided for during all phases of a disaster/emergency. This workshop brings together information presented nationally on CoC, and more specifically HMIS, disaster preparedness and response and highlights recovery resources. Objectives of the session are to raise awareness amongst CoCs of 1) the importance of CoC involvement in disaster/emergency preparedness and response and how HMIS can be utilized; 2) how to asses and reduce risks to the CoC and HMIS; 3) disaster/emergency preparedness and planning s steps; and 4) response and recovery resource and the mechanisms that trigger the availability of such resources.

Legislation and Public Policy Advocacy Dianna Lewis, Norm Suchar & Anthony Love

Unfortunately, in Houston and Harris County an adequate supply of affordable housing linked with supportive services falls short of the need. Reliable and renewable funding for services as well as capital and operating funds for the housing remain limited. Neighborhoods are not amendable to creating housing facilities for the homeless. The Coalition needs you to participate with local and state organizations in creative strategies to engage the public, elected officials, boards, our colleagues and funders. Workshop speakers will discuss legislation and proposals such as increasing the State housing trust fund, opposing restrictive siting of homeless facilities, using more HOME dollars for housing vouchers and how you can help with advocacy.

Working within the Criminal Justice System George Bement & Jennifer Toon

At any given time, Harris County Jail is "home" to thousands of mentally ill inmates, many of whom will return to homelessness upon release. While they may have been stabilized on medication in the jail, they will most likely be unable to access continued medical/psychiatric care once back in the free world. Lacking employment, housing, identification, transportation, or community support, they are likely to find themselves back in jail in a relatively short time. Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston (HHH) in collaboration with the Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority (MHMRA) of Harris County and Harris County Sheriff’s Department, have, for the past two years, conducted an inreach program at the Harris County Jail. Inmates are identified who are mentally ill and/or have a history of substance abuse, who have repeat bookings (frequent flyers) and are homeless. These inmates are referred to an HHH Case Manger who will meet with them one-on-one in the jail prior to release. Together they will formulate a discharge plan that specifically matches the inmate’s needs with community resources. Inmates who have participated in this program have demonstrated a 56% reduction in re-arrest rates.

Creating and Sustaining Successful Non-Profit Collaborations Laurie Graze & Bob Fleming

Collaborations: We know we need them, but how do we make them work? This is the question that will be explored in this workshop by panelists whose experience represents building multi- dimensional collaborations in areas such as public policy, disaster recovery assistance and case management. This workshop will explore how to effectively create and utilize collaborations and how to recognize whether or not a collaborative is working. Attendees will leave with tips and tools for starting and strengthening collaborative endeavors.

Homelessness and Mental Illness: A Challenge to See an Old Landscape Through New Eyes Mende Snodgress

This workshop will consist of a general discussion of the complex relationship between homelessness and mental illness. Homelessness as an exacerbating factor in mental illness and substance abuse will be addressed, as will mental illness and substance abuse as significant risk factors in homelessness and/or marginal homelessness. Clinical techniques that are most effective in working with homeless mentally ill, including the use of a recovery model, will be the basis for much of the workshop dialogue, Audience participation in identifying most effective intervention models will be encouraged. Finally, the workshop will address resources for indigent mentally ill persons in Harris County.

Case Management in Scattered-Site and Single-Site Housing Julie Cunningham & Debbie Drake

This workshop will focus on the Who Life Model that is used at the Women’s Home and how the model is utilized in the initial and ninety-day review treatment plans. The audience will be asked to participate in an experiential exercise utilizing tools that can be carried over to their professional and personal life. Presenters will also focus on goal setting and enhancing motivation for change in clients. The coordination (no cost), changing rules to accommodate the needs of homeless persons (no or low cost), and expanding resources to build a better system.

Rent Assistance: An Important Prevention Strategy in the Continuum of Care Valarie Ellis, Paula Pipes & Norm Suchar

Members of the Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries (ACAM) serve as the "social service safety net", preventing homelessness, meeting basic needs and helping people remain or become self-sufficient, with compassion and a minimum of bureaucracy. Cash assistance for rent arrears is a major component of ACAM member organizations’ services and a common homelessness prevention strategy. How effective are these programs in preventing homelessness and thus reducing school mobility and maintaining self-sufficiency? Pipes will discuss client outcomes based on an evaluation of one ACAM member’s rent assistance program, which can be used as a model for other organizations desiring to evaluation their own programs and the effectiveness of the rent assistance program, as well as what was learned about the clients who use and benefit from this service.

Serving Special Populations: Homeless Youth Twila Ross & Venecia Gray

Serving homeless youth is particularly challenging given the distinct developmental needs and legal issues that may be involved in working with this population. This workshop brings together a panel of community experts who will discuss the special needs, obstacles to service and successful outcomes possible when working with homeless youth. Perspectives to be shared will include youth aging out of foster care and the specific needs of LGBTQ youth. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with panelists and present barriers they face when working with homeless youth.

Managing and Monitoring HMIS Implementation Brandon LeBlanc & Joycelyn Carter

HMIS data systems have the capacity to capture and analyze a wealth of information. This task can be challenging within a social service sector that often lacks sufficient buy-in, capacity and knowledge base. This workshop will share the essential elements of successful HMIS project management and suggest ways that agencies might develop some tools required to manage and monitor their HMIS efforts within programs.

Update on Strategic Plan Robert Eury & Anthony Love

This workshop will discuss the Houston/Harris County Strategic Plan to End Homelessness. Participants will hear information on the progress made in the second year of the plan and a discussion of the goals for the third year.

Veterans: Housing and Employment Services Paul Lance & Terry Seufert

Statistics for veterans from the Houston 2007 enumeration show that 23% of the homeless population were veterans; however, if just males are considered, the figure matches national estimates of 30%. In Houston several agencies help Veterans successfully leave homelessness for permanent housing and competitive employment. This workshop will focus on the special needs and experiences of veterans in our community, what are effective practices and where to find resources to assist them.

Caring for the Caregiver Debbie Drake

Burn out is a common complaint of many case managers working in the homeless field. This workshop will focus on how to care for oneself while attending to the needs of the clients and the performance requirements of each program.

Funders' Institute Nancy-Frees Fountain

(By Invitation Only)

Funding of Supportive Housing Deborah Burkhart

(By Invitation Only)