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Improving Library Services for our Homeless Patrons
(and those facing housing crises)
Delaware
MLA/DLA JOINT STATE CONFERENCE2016
CATHAY KEOUGH
STATEWIDE COORDINATOR, DELAWARE LIBRARY REFERENCE SERVICE
DELAWARE DIVISION OF LIBRARIES
How widespread this was in Delaware
How it affected library staff
If there was a way I could help staff learn ways to work more effectively, gain resources and tools, I first needed to know:
Assumptions
“Addressing homelessness as librarians can be challenging. Stereotypes, misinformation or lack of understanding, uncomfortable personal experiences, and feeling overwhelmed can all contribute to making this a difficult topic.”
- Julie Ann Winklestein“Library Services for Patrons Experiencing Homelessness”
Questions
Why should libraries be part of the caring community surrounding those experiencing homelessness?
What are the barriers to library service experienced by library users who are unstably housed? What are their information needs?
http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/24/publ
ic-library-portraits-californias-homeless-connect-in-a-quiet-place/
“Public libraries provide the homeless with a way to connect, and many homeless say that browsing the stacks and reading a book there eases a weary street-level perspective of life.”
Edward Rideau reads Statutes and Amendments to the Codes of California at
the Sacramento Public Library Central Branch. With poor eyesight he must
hold the book close enough to be able to read the fine text.
From: http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/24/public-library-portraits-californias-homeless-connect-in-a-quiet-place/
How many view this topic
Homeless man in Paris, Francehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness
“Glen Carney works on a painting in the community room at RedLine Gallery, 2350 Arapahoe St., in Denver. Every Tuesday, the community room — located in the back of the sprawling gallery — transforms into Reach Studio, a creative melting pot of homeless and transient people painting, some for the first time. The gallery is headed by PJ D'Amico, a former shelter worker.”
-Karl Gehring, The Denver Post, 2012
What’s being measured & counted?
2015 U.S. Point in Time Stats
On a Single Night in January 2015 564,708 people were homeless in the United States.
PIT Estimates of Homeless, fromhttp://ldi.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/rte/2015-AHAR-Part-1.pdf
Examining Delaware
A. A. Delaware’s ten year plan and ways to measure success.
B. How many people are we talking about?
C. A look at programs that are already in place and how many of these are successfully working with libraries.
D. Identifying two types of programs:
1. Addressing the immediate problem with the least amount of effort (reactive) – primarily working independently.
2. Exploring a long-term approach on a broader scale (proactive) --working collaboratively.
Delaware’s Plan to End Homelessness Guiding Principles
Compassionate and Consistent. Persons experiencing homelessness should be treated with dignity and respect Compassionate and Consistent. All persons experiencing homelessness are in crisis.
Transparent and Accountable.In order for systems to work effectively and efficiently they must be transparent to all stakeholders (providers, consumers, funders, etc.).
Guiding Principles for Delaware’s Homeless Assistance System: http://www.destatehousing.com/FormsAndInformation/Publications/plan_end_homeless.pdf
Milestones2005: The Delaware Interagency Council on Homelessness (DICH) was created by Executive Order number 65 in March 2005 by Governor Ruth Ann Minner.
DICH released Breaking the Cycle: Delaware’s Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and Reduce Long-Term Homelessness. The Plan included five major strategies for ending chronic homelessness:
1. Develop new housing for persons who are chronically homeless or at risk for chronic homelessness
2. Remove barriers to accessing existing affordable housing
3. Improve discharge and transition planning
4. Improve supportive services for persons who are homeless
5. Enhance data collection and the use of technology
2008: Codified in Delaware law.
2009: Congress and President Obama signed into law the HEARTH Act
2010: Opening Doors was created (federal strategic plan)
2011: The Delaware Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness was created
2013: By this date, 19 federal, state and local partners were working collaboratively – first to address those who have been chronically homeless (close to 450 units of permanent supportive housing, most of it targeted to people with disabilities who have long histories of homelessness)
The State of Delaware has a population of 897,934 people (2010 US Census data) in its three counties, with the most people living in the northern part of the state in New Castle County.
This is 14.6% increase from the 2000 Census count. At this rate, Delaware’s population will surpass 1 million before 2020.
Delaware Census
Some stats – Homelessness in Delaware (from the Governor’s office, 2013)On any given day, there are approximately 1,000 men, women and children staying in Delaware emergency shelters and transitional housing programs.
Over 8,021 people have at least one episode of homelessness during the year than those who are homeless at any given point in time.
Over half (51%) of Delaware’s homeless population is Black—a disproportionate representation of Delaware’s population.
Over half are males (58%).
42% of those experiencing homelessness at any given time are members of a family with the average size of a family being 3 persons.
19% of Delaware’s homeless population are children under the age of 18 and 6% are between the ages of 18 and 24.
8% report being institutionalized before the age of 18.
Code Purple History/NewarkYear # of CP
NightsTotal Guests Avg # of persons
per night
2008-09 28 168 6
2009-10 28 224 8
2010-11 31 403 13
2011-12 4 50 12.5
2012-13 13 196 15
2013-14 34 597 17.5
2014-15 32 688 21.5
2015-16 16 436 27.25
Newark’s population is 32, 529 and is the location of the University of Delaware.
A sampling of partnership programs with librariesACA partnerships in place with organizations familiar with health care resources.
VISTA volunteer organizing partnerships with community college nursing students to provide blood pressure screening.
Attempts at partnering with social workers in libraries.
Partner listserv, networking with other non-profits .
Kindness Corner
Lazarus Rising Program
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/latest-links/manchester-council-bans-homeless-people-from-using-the-library
Kindness CornerHighlights:
Early fall 2015: From connection made through a library staff training program called ILEAD, a partnership was formed with a community agency called A.C.E. Peer Center (Mental Health Association of Southeastern PA)
Sept 2015: Created team with pilot library (Georgetown Public Library; county seat, Sussex County). Held first planning meeting.
Oct 2015-Jan 2016: Formed guidelines, descriptions, goals of program. Conducted a survey over two week period.
Accepted by library board.
Feb 1, 2016: Kindness Corner began (4 nights a week, 5-8pm)
As of today, the Kindness Corner is running on a permanent basis 2 nights a week
“The Kindness Corner creates a space that allows various agencies, advocates and individuals to work together with the local library to make sure that no one falls through the cracks of our social support system. We are all links in a chain of social support and the local library is a safe and friendly place to position the "kindness corner" activity within our community where goodness has a chance to happen for a person in crisis or in need.
“I think this approach works because we are building a community who cares for our vulnerable neighbors who are reaching out to others for help. It is also the building of relationships and friendships that help people not just to survive, but to strive for more and thrive. “
-Jim Martin, A.C.E Director
A.C.E. (http://www.acepeercenter.org/ and on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ACE-Peer-Center/116354805189350 )
Lazarus Rising
http://www.lazarusrising.org/
Mission:
“Lazarus Rising aims to effectively and efficiently combat homelessness through the provision of job placement skills. We empower our participants through personalized resume reviews, mock interviews, and job search portal navigation at absolutely no cost to either our participants or our community partners.”
Goals to Prevent and End Homelessness
Delaware has adopted the same goals as the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness in Opening Doors: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness
Finish the Job of Ending Chronic Homelessness by 2015
Prevent and End Veterans Homelessness by 2015
Prevent and End Family Homelessness by 2020
Setting a path to ending all types of homelessness
Placing a person in a permanent home and providing the necessary wrap-around services for that person so they can be integrated in their community leads to a successful outcome. Delaware must invest in these best practices to ensure success at preventing and ending homelessness.
-Delaware’s Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness
What’s next?
What can you do?Take a personal interest in learning and helping.
Attend more workshops, webinars and trainings (PLA, InfoPeople/ALA) Volunteer if you are inclined to really get involved. There are plenty of
opportunities. I find that the more I work directly with various members of my community, the more I see them for what they are – my neighbors.
Learn from experts online on TED, YouTube, such as from Ryan Dowd (see bibliography).
Take a Mental Health First Aid course. Network/ attend meetings and programs that address the homeless
situation in your community. Read – through ALA: http://www.ala.org/offices/extending-our-reach-
reducing-homelessness-through-library-engagement Discover how to more effectively collaborate with community partners. Become an advocate.
Purposeful Collaboration
Homeless singers - Wisconsin State Journal, August 16, 2015 by Claire Bitner
System transformation requires forward thinking and the realization that change occurs when we are all moving in the same direction.
Collective Impact… is a framework to tackle deeply entrenched and complex social problems. It is an innovative and structured approach to making collaboration work across government, business, philanthropy, non-profit organizations and citizens to achieve significant and lasting social change.
_______________________________________________________
Collective Impact
by John Kania and Mark KramerStanford Social Innovation Review, 2011
http://ssir.org/images/articles/2011_WI_Feature_Kania.pdf
Thank you!
CATHAY KEOUGH
STATEWIDE COORDINATOR, DELAWARE LIBRARY REFERENCE SERVICE
DELAWARE DIVISION OF LIBRARIES
BibliographyDelaware’s Plan to End and Prevent Homelessness (2013): http://www.destatehousing.com/FormsAndInformation/Publications/plan_end_homeless.pdf
State of Delaware/DHSS: Community Health Status Assessment: http://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/files/shachsa.pdf
Delaware State Housing list of emergency shelters: http://www.destatehousing.com/FAQs/EmergencyShelters.pdf
Delaware 2-1-1 for Code Purple: http://www.delaware211.org/newsdetail.php?did=120
____________________________________________________________________
Much of the following bibliography and recommended reading comes from an extensive source provided with permission by instructor Julie Ann Winklesteinthrough the four-week course, “Library Services for Patrons Experiencing Homelessness” (Feb-March 2016)
BibliographyUS Dept. of Health and Human Services/Homelessness: http://www.hhs.gov/programs/social-services/homelessness/index.html#
HUD – Homeless Information for Delaware: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/states/delaware/homeless
National Alliance to End Homelessness Snapshot of Homelessness: http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/snapshot_of_homelessness
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans: http://nchv.org/
Homebase for Housing: Housing Type Definitions: http://homebaseforhousing.org/Education/Definitions.cshtml
Library Social Worker help homeless seeking quiet refuge (San Francisco) PBS: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/library-social-worker-helps-homeless-seeking-quiet-refuge/
National Geographic: PROOF: Picture stories: California's Homeless Find a Quiet Place (proof.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/24/public-library-portraits-californias-homeless-connect-in-a-quiet-place), by Fritz Hoffmann.
BibliographyNational Coalition for the Homeless (nationalhomeless.org/about-homelessness).Includes issues, reports, publications, links to other resources.
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (www.naehcy.org/about-naehcy/mission)."NAEHCY is the only professional organization specifically dedicated to meeting the educational needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness. We provide professional development, resources, and training support for anyone and everyone interested in supporting the academic success of children and youth challenged by homelessness."
National Center for Homeless Education (center.serve.org/nche/IBT/aw_video.php)Includes a range of excellent resources on education and homelessness. Good for public and school librarians. Their video links are excellent, too.
For Further Reading "Extending Our Reach: Reducing Homelessness Through Library Engagement" is designed to help librarians and library staff create meaningful library services for people who are experiencing homelessness: http://www.ala.org/offices/extending-our-reach-reducing-homelessness-through-library-engagement (American Library Association) Online resource and downloadable pdf. Includes ALA policy on services to people experiencing poverty and homelessness.
Byrne, Terri and Plumadore, Julian (2014). Language Matters (mentalhealthsf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/16ICHC-A1_C5-Language-Matters.pdf). Mental Health Association of San Francisco.
Culhane, Dennis (July 11, 2010). Five myths about America's homeless (www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/09/AR2010070902357.html). The Washington Post.
Dunlap, Nathan, Rynell, Amy, Young, Melissa, and Warland, Chris (January 2012). Populations Experiencing Homelessness: Diverse Barriers to Employment and How to Address Them(http://nationalinitiatives.issuelab.org/resource/populations_experiencing_homelessness_diverse_barriers_to_employment_and_how_to_address_them ). Working to END Homelessness.
For Further Reading Warth, Gary (December 30, 2015). Libraries pitch in with homeless count (www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/dec/30/homeless-count-county-libraries). The San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Conversation (2015). Libraries on the front lines of the homelessness crisis in the United States (theconversation.com/libraries-on-the-front-lines-of-the-homelessness-crisis-in-the-united-states-44453)
Pateman, John (June 26, 2013). Relationships: The Heart of a Community-Led Library Service (libr.org/isc/john-pateman-relationships-the-heart-of-a-community-led-library-service-edmonton-public-library-26-jun-2013) Information for Social Change.
WebJunction (September 26, 2011). Putting the Public Back in Public Libraries: Community-Led Libraries OCLC (www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/Putting_the_Public_Back_in_Public_Libraries_Community-Led_Libraries.html)
National Coalition for the Homeless (n.d.). How YOU Can Help End Homelessness (www.nationalhomeless.org/want_to_help/index.html)Includes suggestions for anyone who wants to be part of ending homelessness. Some suggestions could be adopted by libraries.
Recommended videos/audio clips◦ A Librarian's Guide to Homelessness (www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYiEEhhrFh4)
Ryan Dowd. YouTube video (38 minutes)
◦ Bryan Dozier – A Hard Way Home (vimeo.com/90078802)Video about homelessness and mental health; includes facts and interviews. Focuses on David Pirtle, who now works for the National Coalition for the Homeless. (Length: 9:47)
◦ National Coalition for the Homeless (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iV446txbfQ)Video about their work. Includes facts about what they do, statistics about homelessness, interviews, examples of speaker's bureau talks. This is definitely a marketing tool for NCH, but provides excellent insights and information. Text with video says: "The National Coalition for the Homeless, founded in 1982, is a national network of people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, activists and advocates, community-based and faith-based service providers, and others committed to a single mission. That mission, our common bond, is to end homelessness. We are committed to creating the systemic and attitudinal changes necessary to prevent and end homelessness. At the same time, we work to meet the immediate needs of people who are currently experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of doing so. We take as our first principle of practice that people who are currently experiencing homelessness or have formerly experienced homelessness must be actively involved in all ofour work." (Length: 10:29)
◦ Faces of Homelessness II (www.nationalhomeless.org/faces/video.html)The second in a series of videos created to introduce presentations given by members of the National Coalition for the Homeless'Faces of Homelessness Speaker's Bureau. Provides excellent insights into lives of those experiencing homelessness. (Length: 9:42)
◦ American University Radio (wamu.org/programs/metro_connection/15/02/20/after_years_of_homelessness_former_government_worker_struggles_to_maintain_identity)A government worker talks about losing first his job and then his home. He makes some great points. For example, he didn't know how to be homeless – where to go, who to contact; he feels like a different person being on the streets. Interviewer met him at the public library. Very moving. (Length: 4:48)
