MDHA Board Chair Goes the Extra Yard

Britton Banowsky, Executive Director, CFP Foundation and MDHA Board Chair

(Courtesy of Jake Dean, Dallas Business Journal)

Hearty congratulations to our Board Chair, Britton Banowsky, as he assumes his new position as Executive Director of the CFP Foundation! You can check out this important organization at http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com/foundation. As a former assistant principal, I love the fact that their primary cause is Extra Yard for Teachers, which “strives to honor, celebrate, inspire and empower great teachers”. Check out this cool tagline: “It’s time we go the extra yard for those who have gone the extra yard for us.” Make sure you mark your calendars for Extra Yard for Teachers Awareness Week - October 5 – 10, 2015. You can check out an interview with Britton, from July, when his new appointment was announced, on the Dallas Business Journal website: http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/blog/morning_call/2015/07/banowsky-named-executive-director-of-the-college.html. Good luck in your new position, Britton!

We Can't Have Our Cake and Eat It Too

Last night I attended a fascinating event put on by a few wonderful organizations here in Dallas, led by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, around "The Raising of America - Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation". It included a screening of excerpts of this thought provoking series, and a panel discussion of experts.


Susan Hoff, Chief Strategy Officer of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas

(Photo Courtesy of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas)

One of the concepts they discussed is the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) score. In short, more adverse childhood experiences, the higher the score. Research shows that the higher the score, the more likely it is that the individual will suffer adverse long term effects across all areas of life. This has to do mainly with the influence of stressors such as poverty, food insecurity, housing instability on the development of the brain of the child. It is no surprise that the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Robert Block, has stated, "Adverse childhood experiences are the single greatest unaddressed public health threat facing our nation today."

Another important idea discussed is that social and economic stressors influence children on the epigenetic or genetic expression level. This happens already in utero, and once again has the potential to effect children for years to come. Give children a positive environment to grow up in - get good epigenetic results. Give children a negative environment to grow up in - get bad epigenetic results.

We, in America, contend that everyone should be treated equally. We like to believe that we can and should expect everyone to thrive, and that if one does not, it is their fault. So, it does not matter where you grow up. You should be able pull yourself up by your bootstraps.

It should not matter that we, as a country, have stopped investing in the working poor. It should not matter that we have put in place policies that have eroded the middle class. It should not matter that we have condemned 25% of American children to grow up in poverty, lacking the necessities they need to thrive.

Right, because that makes sense... We should definitely be able to have our cake, not invest in what we need to, and eat it too, expect the results that would come about had we invested in what we needed too. Right?

Well, no, wrong. This does not make sense, and never really made sense. Now, science shows how little sense this actually makes. The question, as Susan Hoff, United Way Chief Strategy Officer, posed it last night, is: Do we have the will to do what we KNOW we need to do? Or will we continue, as we talked about in the last blog post, to waste the vast human potential that we have in this great city, and across our nation?

Only time will tell.

What a Waste!

How much human potential is wasted by the fact that still today, the place you are born, who raises you, how much money they have, and so many other circumstances beyond the individual's control, limit their ability to live meaningful lives, and contribute to society on par with what they could?

Think about homelessness, as an example. How much human potential is robbed from individuals and from society, because if you are homeless, our society looks down on you? Just think of the icons of the three Abrahamic faiths. Moses, shortly after he is born, and again after he slays the Egyptian, experiences homelessness. Jesus is born into an episode of homelessness. The Muslim calendar begins as Mohammed experiences a period of homelessness.

What are the authors of these stories telling us by deliberately including this circumstance in each story? I believe they are telling us, that your contribution to the world cannot and should not be limited by your circumstances or your station in life. After all, what an immense loss the world would have suffered, without these three influential figures making their mark on the world.

Let us resolve to learn the lessons of our ancestors. That is the only way our descendants will not look back on us, shake their heads ruefully, and say, "What a waste..."

Why I Give to United Way?

United Way of Metropolitan Dallas (UWMD) invests in Income, Education and Health, and is making measurable progress in these three areas. 

My organization, MDHA, leads the development of a homeless response system, that will make homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties, rare, brief and non-recurring. How does that connect to what UWMD is doing?

Picture this: It is August 2015. There are tents and other temporary structures, that have formed a tent city under I-45. Our multi-agency Outreach Taskforce has been working with the folks living there for two or three months, getting to know them, building rapport, and connecting them to housing solutions. The Taskforce knows they are making progress, but it is a process. 

Then, our VP, Rebecca, sees something she has never seen in any of her previous visits - a one year old baby. She immediately calls our CEO, Cindy, and they, being moms themselves, decide then and there, that this baby is not sleeping outside of a home that night. Rebecca asks the mom a few simple questions, and Rebecca discovers that the baby's mom has a housing voucher and an apartment waiting for her. So, why on earth is she in a tent? Well, she can't afford the $45 application fee for the apartment. And the program that got her the voucher is funded by a grant, that does not fund application fees. So, she is stuck!

Fortunately, MDHA, with the help of UWMD, had created the MDHA Flex Fund. This fund is designed to pay for minor, but impactful expenses, that can and do make a huge difference. So, Cindy had a $45 check for the application fee immediately cut. Rebecca ran back to the office to pick up the check and deliver it. The problem was solved. Mom and baby were housed. 

Think about the ripple effects of that $45. In the business world we would call it the ROI, the return on investment. Better still, think about what happens without that $45. Without that $45, that baby does not have a home. Without a home, how do you escape poverty? Without a home, how do you raise a healthy child? Without a home, how can you and your child concentrate on a kid's number one job, learning? That $45 gets you the package deal - Income, Education and Health. 

That is why I run a United Way campaign at our office. That is why I give to UWMD. That is why I call on you to give to UWMD. So, so do what I do. Figure out how much you can give, and then give that much, plus 10%. On behalf of UWMD, on behalf of MDHA and on behalf of the baby and her mom, thank you for giving. 

De Jong’s Message – Treat Individuals Like… Individuals!

Dr. De Jong

Last week we had the privilege of hosting the renowned Dr. Iain De Jong for a few training sessions, as well as another installment of our series of Hard Conversations. MDHA and Metrocare Services, who co-sponsored the visit with us, also had the chance to consult with him and gain from his wisdom and experience. Dr. De Jong is the President and CEO of OrgCode Consulting. He is a well-known innovator and passionate advocate for those experiencing homelessness. He developed the Vulnerability Index-Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT), a widely used robust evidence based tool that helps objectively assess, score, rank and prioritize individuals for housing solutions.

The three training sessions were fascinating, funny, and down to earth. De Jong spoke about Assertive Engagement Training, Solution-Focused Conversations and Housing First, respectively. The Housing First approach argues that homelessness is a housing crisis, that everyone is housing ready, and that homelessness is best solved by the provision of housing, with supports and services tailored to the needs and preferences of persons experiencing homelessness.

In the Hard Conversation at the Dallas Public Library, which co-sponsored the free event, De Jong’s subject was worded very carefully, “Who Deserves Housing First?” He spoke about what Housing First really means in practice, how the evidence backs it up, and what communities and organizations need to do, if they really want to take Housing First seriously.

The thread that was common throughout De Jong’s visit was that we need to treat every individual experiencing homelessness, as just that, an individual. We need to address every individual where he or she is, not where we wish they were. Basically, we need to treat every individual experiencing homelessness like we would want to be treated. We need to do this, not only because it is kinder and more humane; we need to do this because when we look at the evidence, the cold hard facts, it is the only approach that actually works.

This visit was just the first step. De Jong will be returning to Dallas for future visits, as he helps us at MDHA, with many more partners in the community, build an effective homeless response system, that will make homelessness in our community rare, brief and non-recurring.  So, stay tuned; you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

For more information on Dr. Iain De Jong and the groundbreaking work being done at OrgCode, check out http://www.orgcode.com/

Assets That Need to Be Invested In, Not Problems That Need to Be Solved

Monday morning I was listening to KERA, and I heard this great interview Stella Chavez conducted with incoming superintendent of the Fort Worth ISD, Kent Paredes Scribner: http://keranews.org/post/fort-worths-incoming-superintendent-says-kids-need-stability-relevant-instruction. Towards the end of the interview he said something simple but profound, “We need to treat our children not as problems that need to be solved, but assets that need to be invested in.” It struck me that this statement and the idea behind it are tremendously relevant to homelessness, poverty and many of the challenges we deal with today. Here are just a few examples:

Kent Paredes Scribner

(Courtesy of the Fort Worth ISD)

Are persons with a criminal background, problems to be solved? If so, than it makes sense to erect as many barriers as possible to keep the “problem” away from us. If, however, they are assets that need to be invested in, than HB1510, which makes it much easier for these folks to obtain housing, makes a lot of sense.

Are tent cities problems that need to be solved? If so, it makes sense to forcibly evict all of the persons staying there. Who cares if this does not solve their homelessness, and just means they set up camp somewhere else? If, however, they are assets that need to be invested in, than it makes sense to get to know them as individuals, build rapport and trust with them, and connect them to housing.

Are persons experiencing homelessness problems that need to be solved? If so, we view them all as the same, and the focus needs to be getting them off the street, and then “readying” them for housing through traditional lengthy and costly programs. If, however, they are assets that need to be invested in, we need to treat them as individuals, and the focus needs to be on empowering each person with necessary and cost effective tools that fit their situation. In other words, instead of asking, does this person fit our program, we ask, what solutions best match the needs of this person or household, and will end their homelessness quickly and permanently?

The thing is there is nothing new here, after all. It all goes back to the Golden Rule. Do YOU want to be treated as a problem that needs to be solved, or an asset that needs to be invested in? Treat other persons, regardless of their circumstances, background, life choices or luck, the same.

The MDHA Flex Fund

So, here is the next thing I shared with folks I met at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’, “Chat. Connect. Repeat. Speed Networking Event.” The theme for the event was “Referral Guide: Criminal History Backgrounds”:

The Need

The question effective homeless response systems ask is: “What solutions best match the needs of this person or household, and will end their homelessness quickly and permanently?"

This question leads to the most humane, most efficient, less disruptive and less costly solutions. Leading sociologist of homelessness, Dennis Culhane, states^[i], “The majority of homeless households are able to resolve their housing emergencies in a relatively brief time. Given this, providing such households time limited assistance either avoids or limits the private trauma and public expense of a homeless episode.”

There are many challenges consumers deal with, that prevent them from self-resolving their housing emergencies in a relatively brief time. These include, access to critical documents (photo identifications, birth certificates, social security cards, documentation of homelessness), security deposits, transportation (bus passes or car repair), medical and dental costs (glasses, medication, medical equipment, wheelchairs), job placement, job related expenses (tools, uniforms, boots, certification, licensing), mainstream benefits (SNAP, TANF, SSI, SSDI), food assistance, legal services, basic furniture and household items. Most of these minor but impactful expenditures may not be covered through existing federal, state and local grant funds.

The Solution – the MDHA Flex Fund

During her tenure as Executive Director of the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition (TCHC), Cindy J. Crain, current MDHA President and CEO, designed the Direct Client Services Fund (DCSF), in partnership with Directions Home Fort Worth and United Way of Tarrant County. This was designed to provide case managers with a fund of last resort to pay for expenses associated with resolving the type of challenges discussed above. Clients served must be enrolled in a program or participating in active case management, and the maximum award is $800 per annum. Case managers are required to document the need for the funds, how they will help the client self-resolve, and why the need cannot be funded through other available resources.

Kiley Gosselin^[ii] cites a recently completed five year pilot program in Washington State, where flexible funding played a major role. The success of this program provides powerful evidence for the success of flex funds:

In 2009, with the financial backing of the Gates Foundation, the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) launched a five year pilot program testing the success of a survivor-centered, Housing First approach to preventing homelessness for survivors of domestic violence and their families… Funding for the pilot was flexible, allowing advocates to address survivors’ self-identified needs including transportation, child care, school or employment supplies and more direct help such as rental assistance…The results of the pilot… are impressive. Of pilot participants, 96% remain stably housed after 18 months… And the cost to the participating programs… also went down - 76% of survivors received only minimal services… at minimal costs… Participating programs repeatedly cited the flexible spending and organizational change brought about by the survivor-driven approach… The ability to offer survivors the things they needed… was powerful…

Gosselin’s actual examples of how such assistance works are edifying:

One advocate cited an instance where a survivor had obtained a new job and spent her own funds for a new apartment and security deposits, but was told on her first day of work she needed to purchase steel-toed boots at a cost of $100 in order to keep the job. Just $100 of the pilot program funds allowed for the purchase of the boots, supporting her ability to maintain employment – critical to her ability to maintain stable housing.  Another advocate echoed that the ability to buy new tires for a survivor, whose abuser had slashed hers, was a small expenditure that allowed the survivor to attend legal hearings required to maintain her housing and meet the obligations of other program services. Without the flexibility to cover these minor but impactful expenditures, advocates are often challenged with having to identify new housing options for the survivor – a much more difficult and costly endeavor than a pair of boots or new set of tires…

Gosselin aptly summarizes, in a statement MDHA would wholeheartedly endorse: “While few homeless service providers are lucky enough to have a Bill Gates in their backyard, the pilot highlights that the power of flexible philanthropic dollars, even in small amounts, is real and worth pursuing…”

In her 2015 State of the Homeless Address, Crain called on funders to partner with MDHA in establishing such a fund for Dallas and Collin Counties. United Way of Metropolitan Dallas answered this call, and stepped forward to fund a pilot program, modeled closely on the above DCSF, to be called the MDHA Flex Fund. They have given MDHA $38,742 of seed money for this purpose. MDHA will need an estimated $250,000 annually to fully fund this program.

Interested in giving to the MDHA Flex Fund? Contact David Gruber, Development and Communications Director at 469-222-0047 or david.gruber@mdhadallas.org

 

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[i] http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1105&context=dennis_culhane

 

[ii] http://www.funderstogether.org/positive_outcomes_for_victims_of_domestic_violence_and_families_through_housing_first_pilot_program All emphases mine.