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How Homelessness Prevention is Helping ALICE
If you live in Lane County, chances are you or someone you know lives in an ALICE household. ALICE is an acronym created by United Way that stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. Think of ALICE households as our families, neighbors, and colleagues who work hard, earn above the federal poverty level, but not enough to afford a basic household budget.
The United Way ALICE Report for Oregon, Washington and Idaho was released Fall 2015. It shows that in 2013, 44 percent of Eugene is ALICE, which represents more than 65,000 households that are barely scraping by. You can read the full report online at unitedwayalice.org.
The Household Survival Budget is the basis for the ALICE Threshold. It details the average minimum costs for necessities such as housing, food, transportation and childcare. This budget leaves no room for savings, meaning ALICE households are highly vulnerable to unexpected expenses.
Susanne Fendler manages ShelterCare’s Homelessness Prevention Program. She says the United Way ALICE Report data reinforce what her team sees in their work every day. “So many families in our community are just one emergency away from homelessness,” she says.
She shared an example of a Eugene family who was struggling because the husband was laid off from work. Without his income and with no savings, they couldn’t pay rent and were in danger of being evicted. The Homelessness Prevention Program assisted the family with rent subsidies to keep them afloat, but didn’t stop there. They continued to work with the family on a long-term plan. One day the client called his case manager to say he received an offer for a job that paid significantly more than $20 an hour, which would mean so much for his family, but sturdy work boots were a job requirement and he didn’t have the $300 needed to buy a pair. Homelessness Prevention was able to pay for his boots so he could accept the job. This could not have happened without the generous support we receive from private donors.
Homelessness Prevention receives some funding from federal and state programs, but Susanne says that “unrestricted” funds from private donors give her team the most flexibility to help families in need, because the case managers don’t have to ensure the expense falls within the more narrow government guidelines.
“Families at or below the ALICE Threshold are not thriving in our community,” Susanne continues. “And many assistance programs have restrictions based on the federal definition of poverty, which is far below ALICE, so these households don’t qualify.”
The goal of the Homelessness Prevention Program is to 1) Prevent families from sliding even deeper into poverty and 2) Provide families with the tools to achieve financial stability.
It’s that second goal that Susanne feels really sets Homelessness Prevention apart from other programs. “Each HPP family is assigned a dedicated case manager, Susanne says. “We’re not simply giving them a check to cover the rent…we’re working closely with them to provide skills and resources to help them move beyond a survival budget toward stability and independence.”
To designate a donation for the Homelessness Prevention Program, select “Homelessness Prevention” when you donate online or note "HPP" in the memo area of your check.
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Employment: More than Just a Paycheck
Rod Williams and Jessica Richards are ShelterCare's Supported Employment TeamTo many of us employment is a means to an end. We work to keep the fridge full, a roof over our heads, the bills paid. Have you ever stopped to think about the other positives of employment, beyond the paycheck? Employment can also provide daily structure, a sense of purpose, and a chance to be social and engage in the community. These less-tangible benefits of steady employment can form the building blocks of stable, independent lives for people struggling with housing and mental health issues.
According to a study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 87 percent of Oregonians who are receiving some kind of mental health support are unemployed. One reason is that people living with mental illness may have additional roadblocks to finding and securing employment. ShelterCare’s Supported Employment Program (SEP) provides clients with the guidance necessary to navigate the process and overcome any roadblocks
In this program clients work with an employment specialist to articulate and achieve their personal employment goals. SEP employment specialists start a dialog with interested clients to see if employment would be a good part of their recovery plan. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Like all of our work, it is client-centered. Jessica Richards, employment specialist, explains, “Success is helping clients meet their goals. This ranges from having the confidence to successfully complete and turn in an application to working full time in the job of their dreams.” The client decides what he or she is looking for and the staff provides the necessary support to achieve those goals.
The first step in the process is working on creating a foundation. The SEP team works with clients to identify areas of growth, that might include help in getting an ID, learning how to fill out an application, practice interviewing, filling a gap in training or education, or identifying what might be a good employment fit. This first step is often the most challenging. Employment Specialist Rod Williams explains “There are dozens of lesson to be learned and sub-goals to be reached during this process, and these little victories along the way can be just as important as the end goal of getting a job.” SEP offers a ShelterCare Job Club that meets once a month, where clients can share their victories or challenges and support each other on the path to employment.
The next step is putting these foundational skills into action. Finding a good employment match begins with outreach to businesses in the community. The SEP team works to engage businesses, in a variety of fields, that are open to working with our clients. This process is also client-centered as it starts with the needs and wants of the client in mind. A client might have a desire to work in retail, or they might be open to any type of work but only be available to work for a specific number of hours, or they might need a job that can accommodate other disabilities.
Once a match is made and a client has applied and been accepted for a position, there is one more final piece of support: maintenance. SEP helps clients get the proper clothes and equipment for the job, helps clients figure out transportation and for those who may never have held a job SEP helps with adjusting to life with a job. Having a job might bring up changes to doctor appointments, simple tasks like laundry day, or larger adjustments like childcare. In addition SEP staff continue to have check-ins with employers to ensure positive relationships or to help mediate issues that arise.
Getting and maintaining a job is not always straightforward or simple process, but with each little victory client confidence is improved and limitations are removed. SEP is a powerful tool that helps ShelterCare clients achieve their financial, personal and mental health goals.
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Consumer Council Corner: Spring Update
Consumer Council is open to anyone enrolled in ShelterCare programs. The group meets monthly and discusses a variety of issues. Consumer Council also encourages community advocates and professionals to speak at its meetings.
When I first became Consumer Council President, several years ago, we were traveling to a different program campus each month for meetings while awaiting readiness of what was then still a warehouse in the Whit. When the main conference room at ShelterCare's Center for Programs and Services became usable, one of our standard agenda items (Life at…) was no longer applicable. We needed a replacement. In response, I instituted a sharing of positivity. My goal was, in part, to share positive feedback and give everyone a reason to smile, but also to infuse the meeting with an overall attitude of positivity. After the formalities of reviewing rules and minutes, we begin each Consumer Council meeting by offering everyone the opportunity to share a personal triumph or positive update.At our last meeting, one consumer beamed as she told the group she finally got her photo ID, a goal she had been working toward for months with help from her ShelterCare peer support specialist. The room erupted with applause and cheers. It was a nice reminder that the things many people take for granted (like having a valid photo ID) can present significant challenges for those who are struggling with poverty, homelessness, brain injury or mental illness. ShelterCare staff helps its consumers navigate these challenges so they can regain their independence and stability. It was especially poignant for me, because I also recently acquired a valid Oregon ID (my Washington driver's license expired more than eight years ago) with the help of my family.
In January, our guest speaker was Alina Wiant. Alina is a former ShelterCare employee (and was, at one time, my personal Counselor-Advocate) who is now a Licensed Massage Therapist and an instructor at Lane Community College, where her class focuses on "Alternative Bodies," or those who do not fit the "normal" mold, whether due to obesity, anorexia, amputation, etc. Alina, along with one of her colleagues, talked about the benefits of massage, which include reduced anxiety and stress, increased circulation and better sleep. She asked for a show of hands and found that the majority of folks at the meeting had never had a massage. Alina hopes to change that by offering therapeutic massage to ShelterCare clients for low or no cost.
Current Consumer Council projects include working with ShelterCare’s development department to update the Consumer Council brochure. The last update was about five years ago, and many, many things have changed, including: Council officers, policies, and our address (just to name a few!). Along the way, we'll be updating the language to better reflect our mission and goals, as well as our general evolution as an integral part of ShelterCare's administration and future.
I have also had many requests to “bring back the drum circle." I, too, would add my voice to the throng. Drum therapy is an ancient approach that uses rhythm to promote healing and self-expression. Before I was elected president of the Council, my predecessor, Kelley, led a meeting where everyone was provided a drum or instrument, and with some minimal guidance from a guest facilitator, we all “rocked out” so hard we didn't want to stop! It was a blast that went on for upwards of ten minutes, and I’m working to organize another such experience in the near future.
I encourage members of the ShelterCare community to come lend their voices to affect change, encourage hope, increase communication, and help lead our collective programs into a bright, productive future! Also, for anyone (client, staff or community member) who wants to contribute as a featured presenter or activity leader please contact Deb Holloway, our staff liaison and Uhlhorn Program manager.
Thank you so much to all who have participated (including those of you behind the scenes) to help make ShelterCare a vibrant, progressive community where hope happens, and respect is given, not earned!
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Supporting ShelterCare Runs in the Family
Betty Lou Duncan and Tim Duncan are connected in a number of meaningful ways. They are mother and son. They are both successful real estate professionals affiliated with Windermere Real Estate. And they are both committed ShelterCare supporters, each in their own way.
Betty Lou is a Minnesota native but has made Eugene her home for 35 years. She enjoys the community’s easy access to great amenities, including the mountains and the coast. She also appreciates the fact that her children and grandchildren all live nearby.
Tim has lived in Eugene his entire life. He thinks it is a great city and a perfect place to raise a family—an important issue to him now that he has two children.
But Betty Lou and Tim admit that not all is perfect in Eugene. For both, seeing so many homeless people on our streets is not acceptable. They think it is an issue that we all need to address.
“I see homeless people and I think there but for the grace of God. I realize that some of those people could be my children or even me, if life had gone differently,” Betty Lou admitted. She believes that homelessness will always be present but that simply means we have to work harder to find solutions. “We especially need to address mental health issues that lead to homelessness.”
Betty Lou first learned about ShelterCare a few years ago when she heard a presentation about the agency at her former employer’s office. “I was impressed and encouraged that there really was a solution to end homelessness for many people,” she remembers. She was so impressed that she quickly wrote a check to the agency and has been a loyal ShelterCare donor and supporter ever since.
Betty Lou’s loyalty also extends to getting family members involved in supporting ShelterCare. When Tim was looking for a meaningful volunteer experience last year, Betty Lou encouraged him to call ShelterCare.
“I could not believe how perfect Tim’s timing was,” explained Development Director Don Gulbrandsen. “Our volunteer driver/courier had just stepped down. I was wondering where I’d find a new one.” He offered Tim the volunteer driving gig and arranged a test run around town. “I knew he’d be perfect,” admits Don, “because of all the challenging questions he asked about homelessness. He wanted to learn about this issue, and make a difference in the community.”
Tim describes his volunteer job as an easy way to get involved. “I enjoy the flexibility and the opportunities to meet ShelterCare staff and clients and learn more about the programs,” Tim explains. And the staff definitely appreciates Tim: He’s responsible for delivering paychecks to the agency’s locations around Eugene and Springfield.
What advice do Betty Lou and Tim have for ShelterCare? “You need to tell more people about the work you are doing,” they both urged. “Let them know that you do a lot more than give people a free meal and a bed for a few nights. You’re giving people treatment and support. You’re changing lives.”
We couldn’t have said it any better. Thank you, Betty Lou and Tim!
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A View From the Board: Eric Van Houten
Health Informatics Will Help ShelterCare Demonstrate the Importance of Its Work
Talking about hea
lth informatics is likely one of the least interesting ways to start a newsletter article, but it is something that we all should be increasingly aware of and focused on. Health informatics is guiding the decisions, funding, resources and attention at all levels of healthcare. It is the driving force behind the phrase “data-driven decision-making,” which is a core component of ShelterCare’s recently completed and board-adopted strategic plan for the next three years.Health informatics uses essential data—including clinical guidelines, information aggregated out of the electronic medical record, information from collateral providers, health information management systems and regional data from public health—to improve the overall effectiveness of care delivery and generate identifiable outcomes. It is these outcomes that ShelterCare and all healthcare providers are expected to change to demonstrate the improved health of our community, one individual at a time.
There are numerous (and a growing number of) entities that define the targeted changes in health that must be met to achieve—or dare we say, exceed—expectations. In Oregon, we generally focus on the Oregon Health Authority−identified Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) Metrics, the targeted changes in health of Oregonians that will determine the overall success or failure of our state’s groundbreaking Health System Transformation Initiative. These 17 targeted measures run the continuum of health issues from frequency of screening for depression to controlling high blood pressure or diabetes. However, the great question and challenge for ShelterCare is who gets credit for an individual’s change in their health status.
For more than a decade, hospitals, primary care providers, specialists and insurance companies have been tracking health data that is generated from electronic health records, health information systems, and claims data. This data gets reported and used as a rating system for increased reimbursements rates and incentive payments. Often, social service agencies have been left out of these payments, for the most part because they lack the data analytics necessary to support the notion that they have made a difference in changing health. This omission occurs despite the fact that we know that less than 20 percent of health improvement occurs from treatments, hospitalizations, or doctors’ visits. It is our actions, efforts and resolve every day that makes a difference in our health and the health of the individuals who access services. It is our ability to address the social determinants of health that will drive and sustain improved health of our clients.
The good news is that in this next wave of health transformation, social determinants of health is finally getting some of the attention needed to truly change our community’s health. However, the challenge remains that we must be able to demonstrate that our work, effort and focus are identifiable, measurable and that we are able to bring this data forward in an aggregate manner. An added challenge is that our array of services does not fit nicely into a single category or line of service that is identifiably responsible for creating change in the health of an individual.
The work of ShelterCare is essential for changing our community’s health. We provide a level of care that makes improving health possible. Our goal now is to take the amazing work we do and demonstrate the value and importance in a manner that is accepted in the health arena: using health informatics.
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Pacific Benefit Consultants: Trusted ShelterCare Advisors
Pacific Benefit Consultants, Inc. provides insurance and financial services to individuals and businesses in Eugene. For more than 20 years, ShelterCare has trusted Pacific Benefit Consultants for its employee benefits solutions.
James M
enezes, founding member and vice president at Pacific Benefit Consultants, believes his company’s structure gives his sales consultants the flexibility to create completely customized solutions. “Because we are an independent brokerage, we have the ability to work with a wide range of insurance carriers, which enables us to tailor plan options to the needs, wants and budget of the client,” he explains.In addition to ensuring ShelterCare continues to offer a comprehensive benefits package to its employees, James has also volunteered his financial planning expertise by serving on a community advisory committee to ShelterCare’s board of directors, helping determine the long-term financial strategy of the organization.
Pacific Benefit Consultants representatives specialize in employee benefits planning; commercial and personal insurance lines; life, disability and long-term care insurance; retirement and financial services; senior and disability services; and individual health and dental insurance. The company also believes strongly in serving the community through volunteer work.
James says, “PBC’s shareholders have served, and currently serve, on numerous nonprofit boards to help guide those organizations. Our employees spend hundreds of hours volunteering in the community, both on company and their own time."
For more about Pacific Benefit Consultants and its services visit pbcins.com.
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Teaming up With CAHOOTS to Help People in Crisis
There’s a common misperception that nonprofits don’t partner with other organizations. For ShelterCare, this is far from true. We value our strong community partnerships, because only by collaborating will we solve a problem as complex as homelessness. Together, we extend the reach of our collective services and come closer to realizing our shared vision of a community where everyone is housed and living the best life possible.
One of our valued partners is CAHOOTS, a diverse collective of people committed to providing compassionate care. The acronym stands for Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets, and it describes a mobile crisis intervention team that serves the cities of Eugene and Springfield.Providing services that are confidential and voluntary, CAHOOTS is funded by the City of Eugene and the State of Oregon, and staffed and managed by White Bird Clinic. Each CAHOOTS team consists of a medic and a crisis worker with extensive training and experience in the mental health field, which is highly valuable in situations where someone is experiencing a mental health crisis. CAHOOTS workers can often help de-escalate a situation and get someone the help they need without dispatching a police officer. This saves the city money and resources.
Many CAHOOTS clients are homeless. To help them stabilize after a mental health crisis or other emergency, ShelterCare has two units at our Housing, Health and Wellness facility that are dedicated for use by CAHOOTS for its clients.
The ShelterCare-CAHOOTS partnership was formed because there is a shortage of emergency housing in Eugene. CAHOOTS team members often need a safe place for their clients, and housing people in crisis is an area where ShelterCare specializes.
The ShelterCare units are available to CAHOOTS year-round and CAHOOTS has total discretion over how the units are used. ShelterCare and White Bird work in collaboration to help connect occupants with appropriate services. For example, several people who currently live in ShelterCare’s Supported Housing program began their journey toward independence and stability with a stay in one of the CAHOOTS-dedicated units.
Susan Ban, ShelterCare executive director, is proud of the partnership between ShelterCare and CAHOOTS. “Some community challenges are so complex that only when we respond in partnership with others can we make an impact,” she said. “ShelterCare and White Bird have coordinated services for many years and it is apparent that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts when we work together.”
To learn more about CAHOOTS mobile crisis intervention service visit whitebirdclinic.org/cahoots.
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Alliance Insurance Group: A ShelterCare Partner From the Beginning
Alliance Insurance Group is a commercial insurer serving for-profit and non-profit businesses. Alliance writes the commercial insurance for ShelterCare, including property, professional liability, business auto, directors and officers liability, and umbrella coverage.
In addition to helping the agency get the broadest coverage possible at the least expensive price,
Alliance generously supports ShelterCare through donations and sponsorships. Most recently Alliance helped sponsor our “I ShelterCare About Homelessness” campaign, which raised more than $62,000 to help people in crisis keep, recover and stabilize their housing.Ron Crawford is Alliance’s vice president. He has managed the ShelterCare account for more than 30 years. Prior to his role with Alliance, Ron was owner and president of Smith & Crakes, an independent agency in Eugene that has written ShelterCare’s insurance since it was founded in 1970. Smith & Crakes merged with Alliance Insurance Group in 2013.
Giving back to the community is an important piece of the company’s philosophy, Ron said. Alliance Insurance Group established the Alliance Cares Committee to help focus the company’s philanthropic efforts. ShelterCare is among Ron’s favorites, but Alliance generously supports many local nonprofits.
“I have a great passion for nonprofits, especially those involving the homeless,” Ron says. “I love ShelterCare because they are able to help families.”
Ron also knows someone who has directly benefitted from ShelterCare’s Uhlhorn program, which serves people who have survived a brain injury. “He loves it there. It is his home; Uhlhorn has given him pride and independence, and provided peace of mind to his family.”
To learn more about Alliance Insurance group, its services and community involvement, visit allianceinsgroup.com.
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What is Housing First?
Housing First is getting a lot of attention in Lane County, but what exactly is it?
Housing First is not a new, or untested, idea. It’s a model for addressing chronic homelessness—meaning people who have been homeless for a year or more and also face serious behavioral and/or physical challenges—that was developed in New York in the 1990s. It has been put to work in cities around the U.S., vigorously studied, and deemed effective for permanently housing some of the nation’s most difficult-to-house people.
Portrait of a rugged-looking fisherman The concept behind Housing First is simple but revolutionary, turning upside-down the traditional model for addressing homelessness among individuals with mental illness and/or addiction. In the past, the philosophy was “treatment first”; housing was offered as a reward if individuals successfully addressed their personal issues.
Yet homeless people will tell you that living on the streets is the worst scenario for addressing behavioral health problems. Staying alive is a full-time job and you are often living in close proximity to cheap drugs. It’s a challenging world to escape from, and if you fail in your attempts to do so, so what? Failure leaves you in exactly the same place.
Housing First changes the formula—and improves success—by putting chronically homeless individuals in a clean, safe apartment and immediately offering the support they need to stay there. That support can involve a variety of things, including behavioral and physical health treatment, training in daily living skills, or help maintaining a good relationship with landlords.
With their basic survival needs met, formerly homeless individuals find themselves in a much better place to address their personal issues—and on their own terms. Because Housing First emphasizes self-determination, clients are empowered to change, and in a way that works for them. Because they have so much to lose (their new home), they have incentive to make real changes that prevent eviction and a return to the streets. And thanks to the support services in place, failure is much less common than with other homelessness-prevention models.
Housing First also makes sense from an economic standpoint. Studies around the U.S. have shown that each chronically homeless person costs a community $30,000–$50,000 per year thanks to repeated emergency room visits, law enforcement time, and unsuccessful social service efforts. Homeless persons also hurt the parks they inhabit and businesses in areas they frequent. Housing First programs—including the expense of a place to live and the necessary supports—can cut public costs by half or more as well as reduce the negative impacts on parks and businesses.
ShelterCare has been using the Housing First model successfully since 2006. We obtained a private grant that year and launched a pilot program for six individuals; it worked. Federal and state money has allowed us to steadily expand our use of the model. By the end of 2016 about 130 of our clients will be receiving housing and support thanks to Housing First.
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Contractors Electric Shines New Light on Housing, Health & Wellness
Contractors Electric serves Lane County and nearby surrounding communities, providing quality electrical construction and repairs.
In December 2015 the company donated $1,500 in materials and labor to improve the exterior lighting at ShelterCare's Housing, Health & Wellness facility, which provides emergency shelter, transitional housing and longer-term respite care to families and individuals. The new, brighter lights provide an added level of security, and by replacing the old, incandescent bulbs with new LED bulbs, the upgrade also offers cost and energy savings.
Co-owners Steven Leuck and Jeff Brown believe that an integral part of serving their community is supporting local charitable organizations that provide crucial services to those who would otherwise have no one to turn to in times of need.
"Being able to support groups like ShelterCare is a privilege," shares Steven, "because we know anything we can give genuinely helps others."
Contractors Electric provides new, remodel, troubleshooting and diagnostic repairs for all electrical and low-voltage systems—for commercial, residential or industrial clients. They also offer 24/7 emergency services. "When you call our main office number," Steven says, "you will reach one of us in person—not an answering service—no matter the time of day or night."We are grateful to Steven and Jeff for all the work they did for our Housing, Health & Wellness program. Ensuring that our housing units are clean, comfortable, and worry-free places to live is an ongoing task, and the financial obligation for upkeep and maintenance is only increasing. Sponsors like Contractors Electric help ease this burden, and allow us to focus more money and attention on people and programs.
Steven also shares another reason he and Jeff choose to support ShelterCare. "ShelterCare is special to us because someone we know has a close family member who struggles with some of the very things ShelterCare works to heal."
"We often wish there was a way to give more than we have," Steven adds. "Our hope is that others in our community will recognize the incredible value ShelterCare provides our community and society."
If you are interested in sponsoring a ShelterCare project, contact Cheryl Breuer at (541) 686-1262 or email cbreuer@sheltercare.org.
Hope is Here
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541-686-1262
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