Using Data to Inform Your Advocacy Work

Think Change. Be Change. Lead Change.

June 8, 2011

Using Data to

Inform Your

Advocacy Work

Telling a story


Thank you for joining us!

• This webinar will be recorded and the Powerpoint slide show distributed to all attendees

• Please TYPE your questions in and they will be answered by the speakers at the end of the presentation


Presenters

• Shelby Mertes – Partnership for Strong Communities

• Matthew Simmonds – Simtech Solutions, Inc.

• Sarah Zucker – CT Coalition to End Homelessness

• Christie Corrigan – Journey Home Connecticut

• Tracy Helin – CT Coalition to End Homelessness, Moderator


Storytellingwith numbers

Shelby MertesChief Policy Analyst

Partnership for Strong Communities

An initiative of the Partnership for Strong Communities


HEARTH / HMIS will make you do it anyway

Improve your work

Articulate the value of your work to funders/policymakers

Why focus on data?


Compassion fatigue. Limited attention span. Competition with other issues/concerns.

Limited public funds

Policymakers want to invest in success. How will this make a difference? Will it work?

Can’t just ask for handouts and pull on heartstrings.


Tell your story.

Use data to make it real.


Don’t fudge numbers, ever: take the long view, credibility matters

Use citations: more credibility, less weight on you

Essential


With all data ask “why am I including that?”Then tell the reader/listener why you’re including it.

Don’t get lost in the numbers. Stick with the story.You can still tell parts of the story that aren’t backed up with numbers.

Essential


A huge academic study

Getting everything before reporting data

Being a geek

Fear (just start small)

Optional


Need

What’s happening

Solutions that work

Whatever policymakers are concerned about

What’s the story?


How many homeless? What type of people?

How many vulnerable?

What’s the story?Need



How many homeless? What type of people?

HMIS

Shelter stays/demographics (beyond HMIS)

Point In Time (PIT) Count

Vulnerability index


How many vulnerable?


Housing waiting listshousing authority, affordable housing developers

Doubled up

High housing costsCensus, HUD Fair Market Rents, newspapers/websites

2-1-1 calls


What funding is being used in the community?Where is it being spent?

State & local governments.

Continuum partners. Other providers.

Philanthropy.

What’s the story?What’s happening


Who is doing what in the communityPeople served

Housing units

What services are available/unavailable

Show where systems are working or not

What’s the story?What’s happening


Cost effectiveness

Progress: people getting out of homelessness, housing stability, employment, etc.

What’s the story?Solutions that work


What’s the story?Whatever policymakers are

concerned about

In conversations, pay attention to what they ask, or seem to not understand.

Share those reactions internally:

Get followup data/material to that official?

Change the overall sales pitch?


Articulate success and need

Justify solutions/investments

Policymakers confident they’re investing in a solid system

Planning and Advocacy Converge


Whose job is it to manage and use data?

EVERYONE

Intake / services / housing

Governments

Philanthropy

Academia

Anyone who communicates about homelessness

Don’t just get data, make data.


Remember…

Stick to your story


Shelby MertesChief Policy Analyst

Partnership for Strong Communities

An initiative of the Partnership for Strong Communities

(860) [email protected]

www.CTReachingHome.org

www.CTPartnershipHousing.com


Matthew Simmonds

Simtech Solutions, Inc.


Community Information

CoC Description - Quincy-Weymouth

Point in Time Count – As of January

27h 2011, 241 persons were

Homeless

General Population Count - 142,013


Examining the Trends

65

72

53

79

60

73

47

63

81

103

75

85

82

123

73

91

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Clients by Age Group

Growing Young Adult Population at Father Bill's Place from 2000-2004

Fiscal Year July 1 - June 30

28-30

25-27

21-24

18-20

Over a four year period the shelter population of 18-24 year olds grew from 137 to 205 representing an increase of 49%. The age group of 21-24 year olds has had a startling increase of 58.5% with most of the increases occurring after the economic downturn in 2001.

2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004


Action Step: Reduce Inappropriate Discharges

This data was shared with

the Mass. Interagency

Council on Homelessness as

well as statewide advocacy

groups such as Mass

Housing and Shelter Alliance.

This research resulted in:

o A change in discharge

policies from statewide

systems of care.

o A new Housing First pilot

program assisting 20 young

adults aging out of state

systems.


Action Step:Determine Our Chronic Population

Chronic Homeless Definition (2004) -

“either (1) an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has been continuously homeless for a year or more, OR (2) an unaccompanied individual with a disabling condition who has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.”


Examining the Trends

Once we identified the chronically homeless we were able to pinpoint their bed utilization rates and compare that with the utilization rates

ofthe non-chronic. Our findings were as follows:

o Chronic clients served FY04 = 397

o Total clients served in FY04 = 1285

o % clients that were chronic = 397/1285 or 30.8%

o Chronic clients served on 2/1/04* = 72

o Total clients served on 2/1/04 = 146

o % clients served that were chronic = 72/146 or 49.3%

Less than one third of the total clientswere utilizing roughly half of the bed stays!

* One of several randomly selected dates all of which showed similar results.


Action Step: Decrease Cost of Emergency Services

After identifying the issue the continuum moved forward with a pilot Housing First project and studied the before and after results to determine if the model was an effective one. Our findings were as follows:

Cost Benefit Analysis – Shelter Vs. Housing– Hard costs per client at the shelter per year = $14,600.

– Hard costs per client at Claremont House per year = $11,195. Total savings per client = $3,405.

Cost Benefit Analysis – Medical Costs– The Claremont House study showed out of 12 women placed emergency room visits

dropped from 22 visits prior to housing to 11 after housing and inpatient stays dropped from 44 to 4.

– FROM ACTUAL BILLINGS - Dr. Barber from Quincy Medical stated cost savings to the community were roughly $60,000 or $5000 per client for the first year of the study alone.

– IF WE HAD TO ESTIMATE - The average cost of inpatient stays in the US was $1023 per day according to the Medical Care Cost Equation Tool (MCCE). According to MEPS the national average cost of an ER visit was $560. Therefore based on these averages the total savings to the community were $40,964 for inpatient stays and $6160 for ER visits for a total savings of $47124.

http://www.dartmouthatlas.org/data/mcce_instructions.pdf

http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_files/publications/st111/stat111.pdf


Action Step: Increase Housing

– Closed an emergency shelter due to lack of need and took 35

total beds offline.

– 2+ years ahead of pace on the 10 year plan goal to build up 100-

120 housing units for the chronically homeless with 52 new units

– Quincy beats housing goal: City reports 20% drop in chronic

homelessness (Source Patriot Ledger)

Chronic Homeless Population vs. Housing Units

02040

6080

100120

140160

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008Year

Nu

mb

er

of

Pe

op

le/

Unit

s

Chronic Homeless Population# of Housing Units for Chronic Homeless

http://www.usich.gov/newsletter/archive/09-27-07_e-newsletter.htm

http://www.usich.gov/newsletter/archive/09-27-07_e-newsletter.htm

http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2006/06/19/news/news01.txt



Action Step: Improve Regional Collaboration

Initial

Assessment

Triage

Shelter

Program

Supportive

Services

Re-housing

&

Stabilization

Prevention

Our

Community

SHORE(HMIS)

AgencyDash.com(Non-HMIS)

XM

L

Application Inventoryo Initial Assessment*

o HUD HMIS Data Collection & Reporting**

o Bed Register**

o Non-Homeless Data Collection*

o HUD XML and CSV Data Exchange***

o Custom Assessments***

o GIS Mapping*

o Agency Directory*

o Referral Passing Tools*

o Services Tracking***

o Housing Inventory Chart Mgmt Tools*

o Point In Time Counting Tools*

o Advanced Reporting*

o PATH Data Collection & Reporting*

o Data Quality Monitoring Tools & Reports***

* = AgencyDash.com (non-HMIS)

** = SHORE (HMIS)

*** = Both


MHSA Medicaid Cost Savings for Chronically Homeless Placed in Housing


Share the Outcomes


http://www.patriotledger.com/homepage/x1971916793/New-face-of-the-South-Shore-homeless

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/06/24/first_things_first/

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/03/23/not_just_shelter_but_home_for_the_homeless/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV8JnpooWkc&feature=channel_page


Episodes vs. Services


Episodes Per Client – FY10


Length of Stay Per Client


Frequent Users vs Chronic

Clients circled in red were not indicated to be chronic at entry

yet have likely “graduated”.


Matthew D. SimmondsSimtech Solutions Inc.

575 Washington St.Canton, MA 02021

[email protected]

http://www.simtechsolutions.com/

http://www.simtechsolutions.com/


June 8, 2011

Homelessness and Housing Research and Data Toolbox

Sarah ZuckerResearch Manager, CCEH


Helpful Data Sources

CT HMIS Point in Time Count AHAR Out of Reach Report U.S. Census American Community Survey Bureau of Labor Statistics website


Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR)

What is it?• A report to the U.S. Congress prepared by the HUD• Provides nationwide estimates of homelessness, including information about the demographics of homeless persons, service use patterns, and the capacity to house homeless persons. • The reports are meant to be a resource for each community to view its own data in a variety of user-friendly tables and charts. • The reports are based primarily on HMIS data about homeless persons who used ES or TH programs during a 12 month period. • Collected in four categories: Persons in Families in Emergency Shelters, Individuals in Emergency Shelters, Persons in Families in Transitional Housing, and Individuals in Transitional Housing.

- http://hudhdx.info

http://hudhdx.info/


Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR)

What’s included?• National & Community level data

• Comprehensive Report of Sheltered Homeless Persons• Total Extrapolated Counts of Sheltered Homeless Persons• Two-Year Comparison Counts of Sheltered Homeless Persons• Demographics of Sheltered Homeless Persons• Demographics of Sheltered Homeless Persons• Length of Stay of Sheltered Homeless Persons• Demographics of Long-Term Stayers in Emergency Shelter

Where to find it• All past published AHAR reports: http://bit.ly/k3EfQM• To pull down community reports: http://hudhdx.info/PublicReports.aspx

http://bit.ly/k3EfQM

http://hudhdx.info/PublicReports.aspx


Out of Reach Report

What is it?• An annual report produced by the National Low Income Housing Coalition intended to help inform “public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes (NLIHC).”


Out of Reach Report

What’s included?• Fair Market Rent (FMR) for various sizes of rental housing• Change trends in rent• Area Median Income• Annual income needed to afford FMR• Housing Cost burden statistics• Pull down reports from ten offered metropolitan areas and two counties

Where to find it• http://www.nlihc.org/oor/oor2011/

http://www.nlihc.org/oor/oor2011/


U.S. Census

What is it? • The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States… and takes place every 10 years.• Data collected determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities.


U.S. Census

Where to find it• American FactFinder: http://bit.ly/exR4dS• Data by subject: http://1.usa.gov/jDQiAn• Data access tools: http://1.usa.gov/9aH0Y• Map products: http://1.usa.gov/7frFCa

http://bit.ly/exR4dS

http://1.usa.gov/jDQiAn

http://1.usa.gov/9aH0Y

http://1.usa.gov/7frFCa


American Community Survey (ACS)

What is it?• The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing survey that provides data every year - giving communities the current information they need to plan investments and services. Information from the survey generates data that help determine how more than $400 billion in federal and state funds are distributed each year.


American Community Survey (ACS)

What’s included?• Age • Sex • Race• Family and relationships• Income and benefits• Health insurance• Education • Veteran Status • Disabilities• Where you work and how you get there• Where you live and how much you pay for some essentials

Where to find it• http://www.census.gov/acs/www/• American FactFinder: http://bit.ly/exR4dS

http://www.census.gov/acs/www/

http://bit.ly/exR4dS


U.S. Department of LaborBureau of Labor Statistics

What is it?• The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the field of labor economics and statistics.


What’s included?• The BLS specializes in data concerning a number of subject areas such as unemployment & employment, pay & benefits, and inflation.

Where to find it• Tables and calculators by subject: http://www.bls.gov/data/• Connecticut-specific data: http://1.usa.gov/m3Asdo

U.S. Department of LaborBureau of Labor Statistics

http://www.bls.gov/data/

http://1.usa.gov/m3Asdo


What is it? • The Connecticut Department of Labor's Office of Research gathers, analyzes, and disseminates information on the economy, workforce and careers that is used to evaluate the economic health of Connecticut, to support and promote state workforce development activities, and to assist students and job seekers in making career choices.

- www.ctdol.state.ct.us

Connecticut Department of Labor

http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/


What’s included?• Connecticut Department of Labor provides data and publications on current information and statuses on employment, wages, labor force & market, and prices.

Where to Find it• Connecticut Labor Market Information: http://bit.ly/lqQgc2• Regional information: http://bit.ly/lqQgc2• Data and publication for research: http://bit.ly/kTpFbD

Connecticut Department of Labor

http://bit.ly/lqQgc2

http://bit.ly/lqQgc2

http://bit.ly/kTpFbD


Connecticut Point in Time Count(CT PIT)

What is it?• A census of homelessness, both sheltered and unsheltered across the state• Conducted every other year on one night during the last week of January• Helps inform efforts to prevent and end homelessness • Currently transitioning towards using CT HMIS to generate PIT results


Connecticut Point in Time Count(CT PIT)

What’s included?• Total populations counts

• Includes number of adults in families, children in families, number of families, number of adults without children, unaccompanied youth

• Special sub-populations • includes vets, mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, chronic

• Demographic data on adults, both sheltered and unsheltered

Where to find it• 2007-08-09 full CT PIT reports: http://www.cceh.org/count/docs.htm• 2010 CT PIT data is included in CCEH’s Portraits of Homelessness in Connecticut report• CT PIT Factsheets: http://www.cceh.org/count/publications.htm

http://www.cceh.org/count/docs.htm

http://www.cceh.org/count/publications.htm


Connecticut Homelessness Management Information System(CT HMIS)

What is it?• The database in which Connecticut's homeless data is housed• All DSS funded programs are mandated to use it• About 80% of all emergency shelters in Connecticut enter data • Transitional Housing programs enter data• Fewer PSHs enter data, more are coming online all the time• DMHAS is coming on CT HMIS now



What’s included?

• Unique client records for families and adults without children who enter Connecticut housing and homelessness programs that participate in CT HMIS• HUD-mandated ‘Universal Data Elements’ (UDEs) • DSS-mandated elements in addition to UDEs

Where to find it• Recently published data for the state can be found in CCEH’s Portraits of Homelessness in Connecticut report:

• http://www.cceh.org/pdf/portraits_full.pdf• Providers can run reports for their programs to help improve data quality, review demographics, and track outcomes• New upcoming shelter demographic reports will streamline valuable information and also include both bed and unit utilization rate information

• These reports are on track for fall 2011

http://www.cceh.org/pdf/portraits_full.pdf



What’s in the future?• New HEARTH Act emphasizes data and the use of HMI Systems to generate that data

• Reductions in Homelessness• Length of Stay• Returns to Shelter

• These metrics can help inform Ten Year Plans & state/federal advocacy • These metrics are effective in building public awareness• Connecticut must meet our goals together


For more information on CT HMIS and CT PIT contact Sarah Zucker at [email protected]


Local Best Practice: Journey

Home Report Card and

evaluation


Why create a report card for our Ten

year Plan?• There’s been less attention on the TYP in the past

few years

• To document progress

•To be accountable to the community that created

the TYP

•To reenergize partners on implementation

strategies

• To prepare for re-aligning the TYP with Opening

Doors since the original plan was specifically for

the chronic homeless


Methodology

Reviewed measurable outcomes

Researched resources for information

Met with sources from agencies to collect data


Key Web Resources

• DECD (Department of Economic and Community Development) – Housing

appeals and percentage of affordable housing in each town

http://www.ct.gov/ecd

• CHFA (CT Housing Finance Authority) – Funding

http://www.chfa.org

• HUD (Housing and Urban Development) – Funding, Distribution of affordable

housing

•www.hud.gov

www.hudhre.info

DOL (Department of Labor) - Unemployment numbers

www.ctdol.state.ct.us

CERC (CT Economic Resource Center) – Commuters

www.cerc.com

U.S. Census Bureau – Population information

www.census.gov

http://www.ct.gov/ecd

http://www.chfa.org/

http://www.hud.gov/

http://www.hudhre.info/

http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/

http://www.cerc.com/

http://www.census.gov/


Other Resources

•HMIS (Homeless Management

Information System) – Needed

permission from CoC

•PIT (Point In Time) charts

•HIC (Housing Inventory Chart)


Compiling Data

• Breaking down information into

charts

• Creating an easy to understand

format

• Creating a summary document


Presentation of key findings will be June 14,

2011, 10am, The Lyceum, 227 Lawrence

Street, Hartford

Mayor Pedro Segarra will be in attendance

to comment since this was the City of

Hartford’s Initiative

The full report will be posted on the Journey

Home Website

www.JourneyHomeCT.org

http://www.journeyhomect.org/


Other local initiatives being

presented

•Findings of the Vulnerability Index

•Facts and results from HPRP (Homeless

Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing

Program)


Contact Information:

Christie Corrigan

Program Associate

Journey Home

(860) 808-0336, ext. 229

[email protected]

Or

Matt Morgan

Executive Director

Journey Home

(860)808-0336, ext. 242

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


QUESTIONS?????Please type in your questions and let us know which presenter to direct them to.


THANKS!

Many thanks to all of you for taking time out of your busy schedules.

Thanks also to our guest presenters for making this a great webinar.


CCEH has joined forces with the Travelers

Championship (Connecticut’s PGA Tour

stop) in its Birdies for Charity fundraising

program and are collecting pledges now.

You can pledge on our pledge link.

Or visit our website:

www.CCEH.org

@CCEHTWEETS “CT Coalition to End Homelessness”

https://events.r2it.com/BIRDIES/DefaultPage/TravelersChampionship/Default.aspx?site=TravelersChampionship&siteId=32&charity=ConnecticutCoalitiontoEndHomelessness&charityId=30875

http://twitter.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/CT-Coalition-to-End-Homelessness/72026098250?sk=wall

Documents

Using Data to Inform Your Advocacy Work