1 Not Just an Urban Issue: Rural System Building Utilizing Your HMIS ImplementationRachael Coen & Matt Hedrick WV Coalition to End Homelessness

2 Please do the twits and the facial space. . .Not Just an Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Please do the twits and the facial space. . . WVCEH @mattshedrick Feel free to Tweet, Post and/or share your thoughts and questions today!

3 Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Who We Are… State Advocacy body for issues of homelessness in West Virginia Collaborative Applicant/Lead Agency for the WV Balance of State CoC HMIS Lead for the WV BoS CoC Direct Service Provider of Street Outreach and Rapid Re-housing SSI/SSDI Outreach Access and Recovery State Lead/Trainer

4 West Virginia HUD Continua of CareNot Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick West Virginia HUD Continua of Care

5 Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Who We Are…

6 Rachael Matt Who We Are… Not Just a Urban Issue…Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Who We Are… Rachael Matt

7 Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Who We Are Not…

8 Our tenets… The only solution to homelessness is housingNot Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Our tenets… The only solution to homelessness is housing Homelessness is incredibly costly and housing is much less so. Anyone can be housed. Limited resources must be focused on those who require it the most. If something isn’t working, change it. Admit mistakes, adapt, and change .

9 Advantages to a rural system… Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Advantages to a rural system… In smaller communities, the homeless population can be low Although resources are mostly limited, they usually collaborate HUD and other grantors have began to identify the needs of rural systems A sense of community

10 Challenges to a rural system… Limited Resources Community Perception Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Challenges to a rural system… Limited Resources Community Perception Geographical Challenges Substance and Mental Health Issues Unique HMIS Challenges Challenges as a CoC

11 Limited Financial Resources Housing Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Limited Resources… Limited Financial Resources Housing High Amount of Home Ownership (WV has the highest rate in US), but a Limited Amount of Subsidized, Low-Income Housing Low Amount of Rental Housing Limited Service Resources

12 Geographical Challenges… Transportation Employment Housing resources Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Geographical Challenges… Transportation Employment Housing resources Actual Geography (we are the Mountain State) Large Area to Cover with Outreach or Service Provision

13 Substance Use and Mental Health…Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Substance Use and Mental Health… **Byrne, Brian Patrick. ”This graphic show drug overdoses by US State.” Voactiv, 22 June 2015, businessinsider.com/this-state-has-the-most-deaths-from-drug-overdose Accessed 28 August 2016

14 Balance of State CoC Challenges…Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Balance of State CoC Challenges… Mobilizing a PIT Effort Completing the Collaborative Application Engaging Youth Providers (which are limited) and Veterans Providers (which are numerous) Coordinating Medical, Mental Heath and Corrections discharge planning Engaging Local Housing Authorities

15 Limited Computer Skills Provider/User Apathy Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick HMIS Challenges… Training Data Quality Connectivity Limited Computer Skills Provider/User Apathy No Stick for Non-Funded Proivders

16 Community/Provider Perceptions…Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Community/Provider Perceptions… Culturally, West Virginians are leary of outsiders Not in my backyard mentality Providers not understanding/caring that they are a part of a bigger system Thinking expeirence trumps data Clinging onto how it has always been done!!

17 Super Bowl Champs, 2006, …. Not Just a Urban Issue…Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Super Bowl Champs, 2006, ….

18 Best Picture, 2006, …. Not Just a Urban Issue…Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Best Picture, 2006, ….

19 World Series Champs, 2006, …. Not Just a Urban Issue…Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick World Series Champs, 2006, ….

20 World Series Champs, 2016, …. Not Just a Urban Issue…Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick World Series Champs, 2016, ….

21 How we have attempted to meet these challenges…Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick How we have attempted to meet these challenges… Using HMIS as the glue Simplify the process for people to get housed Be applicable to any kind of geography Implementing one uniform, evidence based tool Increasing outreach Identifying those who are not actively engaged in the system, especially in extremely rural areas Creating a way to priortize those Clients by acuity of need Engaging the private rental market

22 How we have attempted to meet these challenges…Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick How we have attempted to meet these challenges… Using RRH to house high acuity Focusing on population centers or counties Leaving the office Pushing and enforcing adherence to the process Keeping in mind that concensus was unlikely

23 Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick

24 Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Prioritization is Key. . . Move away from “first come, first serve” which relies on who is lucky enough to get the service With limited resources, time and money, we need to invest in those people who DO need our help Instead of the “ideal candidates”, we need to triage which person would most benefit from the service next. Prioritization is on-going and results in the better referrals, service delivery and outcomes

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26 How did it turn out? Three communities and three examples…Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick How did it turn out? Three communities and three examples… The Morgantown Example The Clarksburg Example The Martinsburg Example

27 The Morgantown Example...Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick The Morgantown Example... One of our most resource-rich communities Home of WVU Right folks around the table

28 The Morgantown Example...Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick The Morgantown Example... Meetings became case conferencing instead of priotization Didn’t adhere to the system Got into a mindset that their community was soooo unique

29 The Clarksburg Example...Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick The Clarksburg Example... Mid-size community in North Central WV They began prioritizing those with the highest need Active Housing Authority Hired a Centralized Intake Coordinator Engagement from local mission and local landlords

30 The Clarksburg Example...Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick The Clarksburg Example... Lots of success on the outset, but then rested on their laurels Big Heart Syndrome Intake person stopped taking people in

31 The Martinsburg Example...Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick The Martinsburg Example... Eastern Panhandle community, very close to DC Large VAMC in community Strong outreach activities Meetings were focused and stuck to prioritization

32 The Martinsburg Example...Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick The Martinsburg Example... Lack of engagement of local housing authority Not all providers were committed to the process Providers wanted to stick to how it had always been done.

33 Other stuff we found or what worked…Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Other stuff we found or what worked… A lot more mid-acuity than first anticipated We had a lot of low acuity folks in PSH End Users loved doing the prescreen!! (sometimes multiple times on the same day) A single community can’t have a ‘’list keeper’’ The list brought community stakeholders together

34 And that is how we ended homelessness in West Virgina!!Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick And that is how we ended homelessness in West Virgina!!

35 And that is how we ended homelessness in West Virgina!!Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick And that is how we ended homelessness in West Virgina!!

36 There was a big problem…Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick There was a big problem…

37 Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick

38 What the future holds… Not Just a Urban Issue…Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick What the future holds…

39 Not Just a Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick

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41 Questions?? (or better yet, convo??) Not Just an Urban Issue…Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Questions?? (or better yet, convo??)

42 Thanks!!!!! Matt Hedrick HMIS Specialist [email protected]Not Just an Urban Issue… Rachael Coen & Matt Hedrick Thanks!!!!! Matt Hedrick HMIS Specialist Rachael Coen Project Specialist WVCEH @wvceh wvceh.org Advocates to Prevent and End Homelessness WV Coalition to End Homelessness, Inc. 929 West Main Street Bridgeport, WV 26330 (office)