Beyond Barriers: A Housing Model for Families with Substance Abuse Issues

SHIELDS for Families

SHIELDS is a non-profit agency serving the Compton and Watts communities of South Los Angeles. We provide 34 programs, act as the lead agency in 5 collaboratives and a partner in 4, with over 60 partnerships with agencies serving this community. We currently have approximately 350 employees and an annual budget of $25 million, involving over 50 contracts from multiple sources. SHIELDS programs are offered in multiple sites in the community, including 20 school locations.

SHIELDS for Families

SHIELDS provides programs in multiple sites, including:

• 10 Substance Abuse Programs• 12 Mental Health Programs• Community Assessment Center• DUI/DV/Anger Management• 3 Youth Programs• 5 Child Development Programs• Family Preservation• Family Support• Partnership for Families

• Prevention Initiative• Jordan Downs Families First• Vocational Services Center/Jericho• Legal Services• Adoption Support• Federal Healthy Start Program• 126 Units of Low-income Housing• Transportation• Food Bank

Housing and Substance Abuse Treatment:The Exodus Program

The Exodus Program

The Exodus Program

The Exodus program is located at Keith Village, an 86 unit apartment complex in Compton, California. Services on-site include: treatment program, child development center, youth program, vocational services center. The facility also houses two play grounds, a community room and a laundromat.

Keith Village was purchased in 1994 and the Exodus program has been in operation for eighteen years.

The Exodus Program

Originally funded through the SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s (CSAT) perinatal initiatives in 1994, the Exodus program provides comprehensive care for women and their families including: counseling, child development, vocational services, mental health, medical care, family support and family reunification.

Upon admission, all Exodus families are homeless with substance abuse histories of 10 or more years.

The Exodus Program

Static capacity for the program is 45 families. Average enrollment includes 45 moms with approximately 170 children and significant others attending services on-site.

Annually, approximately 60 women and 250 children and family members are served with an average length of stay of 12-18 months (456 days average LOS in past 3 years).

The Exodus Program

Services are provided in four phases and are offered five days a week (Monday thru Friday) from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Families are allowed to remain in housing one year post completion in order to transition back to the community

The Exodus Program

Completion rates have remained at 70% or higher since the program was implemented. For the last 5 years, those rates have remained at 81% or above. In the past Fiscal Year, positive completion rates were 95.6%.

Family reunification rates have averaged 85% since implementation. In the past 5 years, those rates have increased to 95%.

Moving Beyond the Barriers to Address Homelessness and Substance Abuse

Beyond the Barriers

Housing for Substance Abusing Families

Housing

Housing

Why is housing in combination with treatment an

effective model for substance abusing women and

their families?

1.Families stay together

2.They do not have to face transition when they

graduate (continue to live in their own homes without

disrupting their support system)

Housing

3. The independent unit model leads towards a more normalizing social environment preserving privacy when needed.

4. An increase in participants' autonomy and control of their own environment.

5. Empowerment of families by providing a safe, affordable environment to raise their children.

Housing

6. Increases in the opportunities for a proper involvement of the father and extended family, if any, as part of the support system.

7. Participants are less likely to drop out since they remain unified with their families and do not have to relocate after treatment.

8. Participants can increase their skill development in both daily living and money management enhancing their ability to function in the community.

Housing

ESTABLISHING INDEPENDENCE

•Lease Agreement

•Utility Bills

•Rules and Regulations

•T & D Services

•Transitioning Out

Housing

HOUSING STAFFCritical Roles

•Property Manager

•Housing Case Managers

•Resident Managers

•Maintenance

Housing

Organizational Strategies That Support Housing and Treatment

Build Strong Partnerships• Creating Win-Win Situations• Maximizing your Resources

through Leveraging and Bartering

• Developing Community Support

• Strengthening Support for Your Families

Organizational Strategies That Support Housing and Treatment

Organizational Strategies That Support Housing and Treatment

Blend Funding for Services

• Creating a Seamless System of Services

• Thinking out of the Box

• Don’t let the Dollar Drive You

Discussion

The EndSHIELDS For Families11601 South Western AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90047Tel 323.242.5000 / Fax 323.242.5011www.shieldsforfamilies.org

Presentation designed by SHIELDS for Families Development Department