UNDERSTANDING THE "CHRONICALLY" HOMELESS POPULATION

Please answer the following questions prior to attending the Pre-Academy meeting. Your response to these questions will prepare you for the meeting by:

• giving you a better understanding of this population within your State and how different systems are responding
• assessing whether specific programs are working for this population and evaluating their outcomes
• helping you think about a range of cost options

I. SCOPE OF CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS IN YOUR STATE:

1. How many people are estimated to be "chronically" homeless?

 

2. Where are they located?

 

3. If you looked at your most expensive clients in substance abuse, mental health, and Medicaid can you determine if there is overlap among the high users across these programs?

• if they have homeless histories?
  
  
  
  
  
• if there is a lot of housing instability?

 

• if there is overlap between the two?

II. SERVICE NEEDS OF THE CHRONIC HOMELESS:

1. Who is currently responding to the service needs of this group?

 

2. Do "chronically" homeless persons appear to meet eligibility criteria in other programs with relevant services?

 

3. Can you identify problems in program administration, location, or staff skills that makes it hard for a "chronically" homeless person to access, participate/comply, and benefit from the service?

 

4. How good is your program about helping people maintain their tenure in the community (i.e.- how available is affordable housing, do you help them find it, offer good case management models, 'home health care', good discharge planning, and linkages with other services)?

III. OUTCOMES

1. Identify the outcomes you hope for "chronically" homeless persons (i.e.- better health status, less crowding of shelters, self-sufficiency, successful placement in housing, community tenure, etc.).

IV. ACTION ITEMS

List 5 things you could do to improve services for "chronically" homeless persons under each cost scenario.