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Addressing Housing Needs of Your Addressing Housing Needs of Your FDC ClientsFDC Clients

Family Drug Courts National SymposiumFamily Drug Courts National SymposiumAnaheim, CAAnaheim, CA

September 6, 2012September 6, 2012

Penny Clodfelter, LCSW, LMSW

Kansas City, MO

Brenda Roche, PhD, LP

The Center for Children and Families

Billings, MT

Supportive Housing: Critical Need Supportive Housing: Critical Need pp gpp gfor Treatment Court Clientsfor Treatment Court Clients

Penny Penny ClodfelterClodfelter, LCSW, LMSW, LCSW, LMSWProgram Manager, Family & Juvenile Drug Court ProgramProgram Manager, Family & Juvenile Drug Court Program

1616thth Judicial Circuit, Kansas City, MOJudicial Circuit, Kansas City, MO

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Home is where one starts fromHome is where one starts fromHome is where one starts from.Home is where one starts from.

----T.S. ElliotT.S. Elliot

Basic Housing StandardsBasic Housing Standards

• A clean place to live.H t i th i t ti• Heat in the wintertime.

• Hot and cold running water and drains that actually work.

• Windows that have locks, screens and storm windows.

• A working toilet.• Roof, ceilings and walls in good condition

with no peeling paint.

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Cont. Basic Housing StandardsCont. Basic Housing Standards

• Privacy and protection from unreasonable intrusions and harassment from the landlord.

• Repairs made quickly and properly.• Roach-free, rat-free, and mouse-free.• Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and fire

escapes.• Safe electrical wiring with at least one light and

outlet in each roomoutlet in each room.• Kitchen with food storage and preparation area,

stove, refrigerator in good working condition.• Building site that is free of debris and hazards.

Cont. Basic Housing StandardsCont. Basic Housing Standards

• The ability to make ycomplaints about violations without retaliation.

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Why is safe housing important Why is safe housing important ––especially for recovering clientsespecially for recovering clients??• Early recovery is a tenuous condition at

best An island of sobriety must bebest. An island of sobriety must be created.

• Many courts require housing as a condition before releasing jurisdiction, returning children or meeting parole/probation requirementsparole/probation requirements.

• It is a step in creating a “normal” existence.

• The key to affordable housing ishousing is……..

Rent

Subsidy!!!!!

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Federal Rent Subsidy ProgramsFederal Rent Subsidy Programs

• Public Housing (properties owned by local public housing authorities)g )

• Section 8 Home Choice Voucher Program (portable voucher for apartments, homes and congregate rental facilities issued by local housing authorities)

• Project Based Section 8** Section 8 Moderate Rehab Program** Section 8 Substantial Rehab Program** Section 202 – Elderly and Handicapped** Section 811 – Supported Housing for Persons with

Disabilities

Federal Rent Subsidy Programs Federal Rent Subsidy Programs Cont.Cont.

Section 221(d)(3) Lo Income Ho sing• Section 221(d)(3) Low Income Housing

• Section 236 Low Income Housing

• HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (portable)

• HUD Family Unification Program (FUP)• HUD Family Unification Program (FUP)

• National Center for Housing & Child Welfare (www.nchcw.org)

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DMH Rent Subsidy ProgramsDMH Rent Subsidy Programs

• Supported Community Living (SCL) (for MI li t l t bl h th tclients only, portable voucher that

operates like Section 8)

• Shelter + Care (disabled, homeless individuals/families, federal grant to DMH, portable voucher that operates like Sectionportable voucher that operates like Section 8, available to all DMH divisions)

DMH Rent Subsidy Programs DMH Rent Subsidy Programs contcont..

• ADA Supported Housing (unstructured h t t t l i t f d dshort term rental assistance funded

through designated ADA providers)

• MRDD Housing Assistance (short and long term rental assistance funded through designated MRDD providers)designated MRDD providers)

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National Rent Subsidy ProgramsNational Rent Subsidy Programs

• Mainstream 811 (disabled i di id l /f ili f d l t tindividuals/families, federal grant to Community Housing Network, targeted to DMH clients)

• Shelter + Care (disabled, homeless individuals/families, federal grant to DMH,individuals/families, federal grant to DMH, portable voucher that operates like Section 8, available to all DMH divisions)

International ModelInternational Model

• Oxford Houses (self-run by men/women)

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Why Tenants Lose HousingWhy Tenants Lose Housing

• Drug or criminal activity• Tenant abandons units• Negative behavior by the

tenant or guests• Non-payment of rent• Damage to the unit• Persons live in the unit who

are not on the lease• Failure to maintain utilities• Failure to comply with terms

and conditions of the rent subsidy

• Landlord fails to maintain property to minimum standards

Avoiding a Housing CrisisAvoiding a Housing Crisis

• Do everything possible to stop an eviction l dor an unplanned move

• Seek housing that meets the needs and desire of the consumer.

• Make sure the housing is affordable.

Make sure the consumer has the capacity• Make sure the consumer has the capacity to budget their money and pay rent and utilities on time.

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Avoiding Housing Crisis Cont.Avoiding Housing Crisis Cont.

• Make sure consumer understands lease and keeps up their end of the agreementand keeps up their end of the agreement

• Make sure rental unit meets basic housing quality standards BEFORE moving in.

• Make sure landlord has emergency numbers and name of case manager if

blproblems come up.• Make sure tenant has basic household

items within the first two weeks of move-in.

Avoiding Housing Crisis Cont.Avoiding Housing Crisis Cont.

• Deal with past due utility bills prior to l ki f h i itlooking for new housing unit.

• Know where the emergency assistance programs are in your community and their cycles for funding.

• Locate your local consumer credit• Locate your local consumer credit counseling and foreclosure prevention agencies.

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Avoid Housing Crisis cont.Avoid Housing Crisis cont.

• Locate agencies in your community that do minor home repairs at no cost or low costp

• Develop a contact at local legal aid office or with local bar association for no cost legal services.

• Notify landlord and rent subsidy administrator if tenant has moved out of the unit or if the tenant is hospitalized for more than 48 hours.

• Breaking a lease ahead of time may result in g ylandlord trying to collect balance of rent for the lease period even though you have moved and given 30 days notice.

Developing PartnershipsDeveloping Partnerships

• For special needs housing include but do not limit to the following:g

Homeless providers, transitional housing providers, permanent housing providers and community development corporations, faith-based groups, mental health centers, drug and alcohol treatment centers, mental health courts; adult and family treatment courts, housing authority landlord associationshousing authority, landlord associations.

LOOK AT ALL THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS!!!!!!!!!!!

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Top Ten Housing TipsTop Ten Housing Tips

1. Get all consumers on Section 8 waiting list at your local housing authorityyour local housing authority.

2. Project Based Section 8 apartment units are a good source of affordable rental units which are often overlooked (get list from HUD).

3. Stay informed about special rent subsidy programs and housing agencies that are d di t d t d l i i l d h idedicated to developing special needs housing (Mental Health Associations, Corporation for Supported Housing, Local Community Development Corporations).

ContinuedContinued

4. Apartment units that were developed in the last 10 years utilizing the Low Income Housing Tax10 years utilizing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit must take tenants with rent subsidies.

5. Emergency assistance funds are available in most communities to help low income people deal with emergency housing problems.

6. Designate a person in your organization to be th HOUSING EXPERTthe HOUSING EXPERT.

7. Use local computerized rental referral system (in Kansas City it is socialserve.com)

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ContinuedContinued

8. Have your agency honor your good landlords –e g host an appreciation lunche.g., host an appreciation lunch.

9. Get involved in your local HUD continuum of care planning process which oversees federal money coming into your community to deal with the homeless population (S+Care).

10. Partner with the VA medical center in your Th h t f di farea. They have access to funding for case

management and supportive services for vets dealing with substance abuse and homelessness.

TWO COMMUNITY TWO COMMUNITY APPROACHESAPPROACHES

Center for Children and Families: Billings, Montana

Amethyst Place: Kansas City, Missouri

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Working to ensure the safety, permanency and well being of children by strengthening families.

We believe…We believe…we can positively affect we can positively affect

generationsgenerationsThe Beginning of Second Chance Homes….

Community addressed need for housing for families with substance addictions.

2004: Need Identified by group of providers convened by YCFDTC2005: AmeriCorps Vista Awarded to work with Roots of Promise2007: ACF Grant Awarded to Family Tree Center and Second Chance HomesHomes2008: First House Opened2011: SCH merged with Arrowhead Psychological & Behavioral Sciences and became The Center for Children and Families

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“Many clients “Many clients really do not really do not know what aknow what aknow what a know what a

healthy healthy relationship relationship looks like. looks like. Nobody Nobody

showed themshowed themshowed them showed them how to how to

parentparent….”….”

Top reported reasons for children entering foster care in

Montana as of 2005:Montana as of 2005:

69.8% neglect & housing issues18.3% physical abuse8.3% parent inability to cope8.3% parent inability to cope

-The Pew Charitable Trust

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Adverse Childhood ExperiencesAdverse Childhood Experiences

# of Adverse Childhood

Total % of SCH P t

Total % of CDC ACE Study

ExperiencesParents

ySample

0 5.0% 36.1%

1 0.0% 26.0%

2 2.5% 14.8%

3 2.5% 9.5%

4 or more 90.0% 12.5%

Adverse Childhood ExperiencesAdverse Childhood Experiences

• 95.0% had been a witness to domestic violence as a child;

• 85.0% indicated their parents were divorced or separated;

• 85.0% had been emotionally abused as a child;

• 47.5% had been physically abused as a child;

• 45.0% had been abandoned by one or more parents; y p ;

• 82.5% had been sexually abused as a child;

• 77.5% had been sexually abused by a non-relative; and

• 25.0% reported being a victim of incest.

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Child WellChild Well--Being OutcomesBeing Outcomes

• Improvement in Emotional & Behavioral Status of Children– Improved language development,– Better self-control and emotional regulation,– Fewer trauma symptoms,– Increased social competencies,– Fewer internalizing and externalizing behaviors,– Stronger attachment,– Following directions of adults during activity,– Following the rules, o o g e u es,– Significant academic progress and increased school

engagement,– Improved problem solving,– Increased prosocial behavior,– Improved coping

Sobriety ResultsSobriety Results•95.9% of all drug and alcohol tests have been negative

•2.6% of all drug and alcohol tests have been positive for a drug or alcohol

•2.5% of the time parents have failed to show for drug and alcohol testingshow for drug and alcohol testing

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Attendance at TreatmentAttendance at Treatment

• Parents have attended 95% of all treatment obligations!obligations!

• Treatment obligations include chemical dependency groups, Seeking Safety/Untangling Relationships group, Celebrating Families, Ind’lMental Health therapy, Life Skills groups, Moral Reconation Therapy, Case Management and py, gHouse Meeting to mention a few.

SelfSelf--Sufficiency Outcomes Sufficiency Outcomes Education and EmploymentEducation and Employment

Income Federal Poverty L l

Employment Stability

Adult Education

Level

Graduation

Intake

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Career Resiliency/Training

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Self-Sufficiency Outcomes Child Areas

Safety

Children Education

Parenting

y

Graduation

Intake

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Childcare

Self-Sufficiency OutcomesLife Skill Areas

Setting Goals & Resourcefulness

Human Relations

Financial Matters

Resourcefulness

Graduation

Intake

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Household Management

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Self-Sufficiency OutcomesHealth Areas

Support System

Mental Health

Physical Health

pp y

Graduation

Intake

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Substance Use

Self-Sufficiency OutcomesOther Areas

Community Involvement

Legal

Access to Services

Transportation

Graduation

Intake

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Housing

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Parent OutcomesParent Outcomes

• Improvement in Mental Health Status of ParentsParents– Reduction in Cognitive Distortion,

– Increase in Self-Esteem,

– Decrease in Shame,

– Decrease in Trauma Response,

– Decrease in Parenting Stress,

– Decrease in Risk of Child Abuse Potential,

– Increase in Mood Regulation

INITIAL SCH PARTNERSHIPS

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CURRENT PARTNERSHIPS

It only costs $13,193 a year to provide rental assistance and supportive services to prevent a family from experiencing homelessness; ;

It costs $56,892 to place that family’s

children in foster care.-Donna White

HUDHUD

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Amethyst PlaceAmethyst Place

“where families come “where families come home to heal”home to heal”home to healhome to heal

Amethyst PlaceAmethyst Place

• 1993 -- Metropolitan Task Force on Drug-Exposed Infants created special committee to explore p ptransitional living for recovering women and their children.

• 1999 – Committee formed AGAIN to explore how to utilize Shelter + Care vouchers and create housing for women in recovery. Board created initially representing 7 agencies who could refer clients.

• 2000 Amethyst Place opens its doors for 7 families• 2000 – Amethyst Place opens its doors for 7 families after a local landlord partners with the Committee and significantly renovates one of his properties.

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• 2008 – expansion to 2732 Troost and an i t 11 t t (t AND thincrease to 11 apartments (two AND three bedroom apartments.

• 2009 – expansion now included the Courtyard Properties across the street which now serves alumni families – 36which now serves alumni families 36 apartments (one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom – all fully furnished).

• In the beginning the Amethyst Place operating budget was around around $100,000. The 2012 gbudget was nearly $827,000.

• Local grant and foundation awards have ranged from $5,000 to $75,000. Harvest A Change third annual fundraiser made a net profit of nearly $23,000 in 2011.

• Over 200 families have been served in the past 12 years Goals include the following: increasedyears. Goals include the following: increased sobriety; improved parenting; improved mental health functioning; life plan initiated.

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You have to start some where!You have to start some where!

• Form a committee and list all potential partners.• Talk to other drug courts in your area and ask “how” they g y y

tackled housing issues.• Do not be hesitate to think outside the box.• Be sure to keep local, state and federal policymakers

informed of your needs. Send them success stories that emphasize the connection between safe housing and continued sobriety.

• GET LOUD ABOUT YOUR NEEDS!!!

Perseverance is a great element of If l k k l hsuccess. If you only knock long enough

and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellowy g

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Questions and DiscussionQuestions and DiscussionContact Information:Contact Information:

Penny Penny ClodfelterClodfelter

Penny.Clodfelter@courts.mo.govPenny.Clodfelter@courts.mo.gov

www.amethystplace.orgwww.amethystplace.org

816816--435435--47574757

Kansas City, MOKansas City, MO

Brenda K RocheBrenda K Roche

brendar@forfamilies.orgbrendar@forfamilies.org

www.forfamilies.orgwww.forfamilies.org

406406--294294--50905090

Billings, MTBillings, MT