Homelessness in Placer County Final Presentation of Findings and Strategic Action Plan Recommendations By Dr. Robert G. Marbut Jr. and Shaun Lee MSW &

Marbut Consulting - Placer Presentation - May 21, 2015 1

Homelessness in Placer County

Final Presentation of Findings and Strategic Action Plan Recommendations By Dr. Robert G. Marbut Jr. and Shaun Lee MSW & MBA


Our Research Process:

• Visited direct service agencies.• Reviewed agency web sites.• Conducted “street level” observations throughout Placer County (PC).• Toured 4 regions within PC with LEOs.• Experienced homelessness.• Visited with dozens of individuals experiencing homelessness.• Analyzed all known recent data sets.• Conducted a Survey of individuals experiencing homelessness.• Presentation of Survey Data and Observations February 19, 2015.


Triggers of Homelessness:

Males-• 50-60% of individuals have a major mental health issue.• 70-80% of individuals have a substance abuse issue.• Over 90% of individuals have at least one or both of these issues.• Job retention.

Females-• Add domestic violence.• Add financial hardship caused by divorce/breakup.

Placer County at Our First Glance:• Lacked a strategically interconnected “System.”


Placer County at Our First Glance:• Lacked a strategically interconnected “System.”• Usable/Actionable data was very sparse.• Decisions seemed to be based on anecdotes/myths, not strategies.


Placer County at Our First Glance:• Lacked a strategically interconnected “System.”• Usable/Actionable data was very sparse.• Decisions seemed to be based on anecdotes/myths, not strategies.• “Policies” that existed were tactical, not strategic.


Placer County at Our First Glance:• Lacked a strategically interconnected “System.”• Usable/Actionable data was very sparse.• Decisions seemed to be based on anecdotes/myths, not strategies.• “Policies” that existed were tactical, not strategic.• Roseville, Auburn and Northeast County had different challenges.


Placer County at Our First Glance:• Lacked a strategically interconnected “System.”• Usable/Actionable data was very sparse.• Decisions seemed to be based on anecdotes/myths, not strategies.• “Policies” that existed were tactical, not strategic.• Roseville, Auburn and Northeast County had different challenges.• Relative to the USA, overall homelessness was low (per capita basis). • Relative to the USA, families with children that were in crisis was low.


Placer County at Our First Glance:• Lacked a strategically interconnected “System.”• Usable/Actionable data was very sparse.• Decisions seemed to be based on anecdotes/myths, not strategies.• “Policies” that existed were tactical, not strategic.• Roseville, Auburn and Northeast County had different challenges.• Relative to the USA, overall homelessness was low (per capita basis). • Relative to the USA, families with children that were in crisis was low.• Adult chronic street homelessness was a major problem and getting worse.• There were major gaps in services for adults.



Placer County Homeless Count 2015 (PITC):Preliminary Count• 540 Individuals• Veterans 8%• Severely mentally ill 30%• Chronically homeless 42%• Chronic substance abuse 32%• Domestic violence victims 28%• Prior foster care 7%• Males 61% : Females 39%• Single Adults 86% : Children 14%


Critical Research Questions Still Existed - -Therefore We Conducted a Survey:• Hard data should drive strategic decision making.• Policy decisions should not be based on anecdotes/myths.• Anecdotes can be used to develop research questions.• Analysis should be filtered through national best practices.

Survey conducted at key gathering points. December 2014 to January 2015. Target was “Street-level” and “Chronic” Homelessness.


Our Questions:

1. Is the adult homeless population “homegrown” or “imported”?2. Is the rail yard to blame?3. How chronic is the adult homeless population?4. Is chronic adult homelessness rising?5. How mobile is the population intra-county?6. Would a one-site solution or multi-site solution work better?


Q1: Adult Homelessness in PC is Homegrown• 34% surveyed went to High School in PC.• 50% had other family members in PC.• 55% had a job in PC before they became homeless. • 68% have lived in PC longer than 5 years.• 82% became homeless while living in PC.


Q2: The Rail Yard is Not to be Blamed


Q3: Placer’s Adult Homelessness is VERY Chronic

USA PI TC 2014 PC PI TC 2015 PC " St reet " Survey 2014-15

85.5%

58.4%

33.3%

14.5%

41.6%

66.7%

Rate of Adult Chronic HomelessnessNon-Chronic (HUD) Chronic (HUD)


Q4: Adult Chronic Homelessness is Rising in Placer

2009 2011 2013 2015

102110

152

214

Individuals

Individuals


Q5: Intra-county Mobility is Very limited


Q6: A Multi-site Solution Would Work Best


Macro Observations (beyond the data):1. There is no strategic level policy making . . .

Instead, “policy” is a net of independent tactical activities.


Instead, “policy” is a net of independent tactical activities.2. Services are not integrated and seldom coordinated.



Instead, “policy” is a net of independent tactical activities.2. Services are not integrated and seldom coordinated.3. Quality data is sparse and HMIS is not universal/real-time.



Instead, “policy” is a net of independent tactical activities.2. Services are not integrated and seldom coordinated.3. Quality data is sparse and HMIS is not universal/real-time.4. Un-validated myths have become fact.



Instead, “policy” is a net of independent tactical activities.2. Services are not integrated and seldom coordinated.3. Quality data is sparse and HMIS is not universal/real-time.4. Un-validated myths have become fact.5. Placer County lacks a true 24/7 emergency center.



Instead, “policy” is a net of independent tactical activities.2. Services are not integrated and seldom coordinated.3. Quality data is sparse and HMIS is not universal/real-time.4. Un-validated myths have become fact.5. Placer County lacks a true 24/7 emergency center.6. Auburn lacks emergency and portal services.



Instead, “policy” is a net of independent tactical activities.2. Services are not integrated and seldom coordinated.3. Quality data is sparse and HMIS is not universal/real-time.4. Un-validated myths have become fact.5. Placer County lacks a true 24/7 emergency center.6. Auburn lacks emergency and portal services.7. The Roseville “operational model” needs updating.



Instead, “policy” is a net of independent tactical activities.2. Services are not integrated and seldom coordinated.3. Quality data is sparse and HMIS is not universal/real-time.4. Un-validated myths have become fact.5. Placer County lacks a true 24/7 emergency center.6. Auburn lacks emergency and portal services.7. The Roseville “operational model” needs updating.8. There is a lack of transitional services and affordable housing.



Instead, “policy” is a net of independent tactical activities.2. Services are not integrated and seldom coordinated.3. Quality data is sparse and HMIS is not universal/real-time.4. Un-validated myths have become fact.5. Placer County lacks a true 24/7 emergency center.6. Auburn lacks emergency and portal services.7. The Roseville “operational model” needs updating.8. There is a lack of transitional services and affordable housing.9. Challenge of homeless families with children is minor relative to adults.



Recommendation 1:

Transform HMIS from a “Score Keeper Model” to a

“Proactive Case Management Tool”


Recommendation 2:

Roseville’s “Operational Model”Needs Updating in Order toIncrease Graduation Rates

Recommendation 3:

Open a Come-As-You-Are Services Center

in Auburn


Recommendation 4:

Within the Continuum of Care,Create a Work Group toFocus on Chronic Adults


Recommendation 5:

Align “Street Feeding” Efforts withHolistic Service Programs


Recommendation 6:

Increase “Longer Term” Housing Placements


Recommendation 7:

The Culture of How theCommunity Addresses Homelessness

Needs to Change


Recommendation 8:

Develop a Coordinated Case Management System



Q & A

Documents

Homelessness in Placer County Final Presentation of Findings and Strategic Action Plan Recommendations By Dr. Robert G. Marbut Jr. and Shaun Lee MSW &