Preventing, Diverting, and Referring: Keys to Successful Front Doors for Families and Youth

Central Access Point: Cincinnati’s Centralized Intake System

Meradith Alspaugh, CoC Director

Cincinnati Overview

Greater Cincinnati population is approximately 2.1 million

According to 2010 HMIS Data report:– 6,965 people experienced

homelessness in 2010 (living on street, in emergency shelter and in transitional housing)

– 33% of all homeless persons in the community are children under age 18

What is the Central Access Point

•Established in 2008 as the intake point for family shelters

•Since 2009 CAP has become intake point for homeless individuals and families seeking homeless prevention services and emergency shelter

•Completes electronic intakes, screenings and referrals using VESTA

•Makes Referrals and Placements individual shelters, family shelters, and prevention

•Homelessness Prevention•Family Emergency Shelter•Emergency Shelters for singles

CAP records clients’ needs in VESTA

CAP screens for Homelessness Prevention

CAP checks for availability of HPRP Referrals

CAP makes referrals to Homelessness Prevention (HPRP)

CAP checks for shelter availability and reserves beds in VESTA Bed Finder

Upon Placement into Family Shelter CAP completes the Family Shelter Partnership Rapid Re-housing Screening

CAP Screens for Mt. Airy Shelter

CAP Data--2011

Need Calls Households

Info 1,593 1,201

Prevention 11,401 2,749

Shelter-family 7,199 1,584

Shelter-individual 3,134 1,231

Total 23,330 5,350*

Outcome Referred Intake Acceptance rate

Prevention Placement

1,275 869 68%

Family Shelter Placement

338 309 91%

Single Shelter Placement

464 339 73%

Factors that Contribute to Placements and Referrals

Space- Are there available beds in shelter or prevention referrals? Shelters have a fixed number of beds. Prevention has a fixed number of openings.

Eligibility- Did the caller meet the eligibility requirements according to the screening? Is the individuals/family eligible to return to shelter? The prevention program and shelters have eligibility requirements.

Self Determination- What course of action does the caller want to take?

Immediacy- How soon will the caller become homeless? How soon are they able to enter shelter? How urgent is their need for services?

Program Suitability- Will the program appropriately meet the caller’s need? Are the caller’s need too great or insignificant to be met by shelter or prevention program.

Success

Screening and Referral for RRH Program and Shelter Intakes

•Decrease in average length of stay in family shelter (41 days 2009 to 35 days 2011)•Streamlined access to emergency shelter• Higher shelter occupancy rates•Cost and time saving benefits for the emergency shelter

Success

Screening and Referral for Prevention Program•97% of households served with homelessness prevention do not enter emergency shelter (12 months post exit)•ALL callers seeking emergency shelter are screened for prevention•100% HMIS participation and data sharing agreements allow CAP to refer households to previous case manager, minimizing recidivism•Fraud prevention

Next Steps

Development of Diversion Program

Additional Shelters will be served by CAP•Single women’s shelter (2013)•Additional men’s shelters (2013)•All shelters participating is longer-term plan

Expansion of Service Area Assisting programs working with the homeless beyond Cincinnati and Hamilton County Walk-in ComponentIncreasing community access beyond hotline service

QUESTIONS?For more information, please visit our website:

www.strategiestoendhomelessness.org

Meradith AlspaughCoC Director

malspaugh@end-homelessness.org Strategies to End Homelessness 2368 Victory Parkway, Suite 600

Cincinnati, OH 45206