A Home For All: People Pillar

A HOME FOR ALL: PEOPLE PILLAR

The People pillar focuses on person-directed care and includes three of the nine initial priority initiatives that will move forward. Moving to a system-wide person-directed care model will require implementing new tools and functions that will work together to make systems more accessible for people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. This pillar includes the following initiatives:

1. Systems navigators who will provide guidance and support to people experiencing housing instability or homelessness as they engage with the complex network of resources available to them along the housing continuum.
2. Integration of a database that follows people or families as they move through the systems, reducing the burden to the person by only asking information once.
3. The creation of a flexible funding account that utilizes public and private dollars that can be used for a range of wraparound support services.

Systems navigation is needed for both the housing insecure and those currently experiencing homelessness. Nationally, there are existing models that have successfully utilized navigators to provide broader, longer-term support that connects the housing insecure to existing resources and those experiencing homelessness to long-term sustainable housing solutions. Systems navigators will provide a single touch point for people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. The role is centered on establishing trauma-informed, culturally relevant, on-going relationships with people to help them navigate through the many options for service provision and ensure that they get access to the supports available in the community. What this role looks like, and the parameters around the role, will be developed during a planning period with a technical assistance consultant and the implementation team for this pillar.

Having an integrated data system creates a more person-centered experience for those moving through the system. Their information will be located in a database that is shared amongst appropriate community stakeholders to reduce the trauma associated with the amount of times the participant has to share their story with various providers, social workers and case managers. Building out a system that the community can share information to increase access to services is essential to the future development and growth of these individuals and families.

Additionally, there is a clear need in Charlotte-Mecklenburg for a funding source that responds to the wide variation in the type and acuity of services needed by households. To support this, A Home For All has envisioned the creation of a flexible pool of both public and private funding sources that can be used for a range of services to support housing stability. Rather than being tied to a specific program, this funding source would be person-directed and aimed at filling in gaps in service provision not covered by existing funding sources.

WHERE WE ARE NOW/ NEXT STEPS

For each of the initiatives moving forward, an implementation team, consisting of those with lived experience as well as leaders invested in this work, has been created to guide the work forward. A Request for Proposals was released for a consultant to provide technical assistance to evaluate the current system and make recommendations for a pilot encompassing all three initiatives in the People pillar. The Implementation team for this pillar is currently reviewing proposals and will make a selection in the coming weeks.

Once awarded, the consultant will work with the implementation team to elicit feedback on all aspects of objectives and outcomes. The consultant will evaluate current case management practices, as well as the existing data system to understand how they interact and can be further developed to improve information sharing about existing services and availability of housing. Additionally they will conduct an audit of skills necessary to complete the systems navigator role and make recommendations for testing the pilot. Finally, the consultant will work with key private and public funders to determine what should be included in the flexible spending account and how funds would be equitably dispersed.