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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHHAP Round 2 Racial Equity Efforts and Goals for Serving Marginalized CommunitiesHHAP Round 2 Racial Equity Efforts and Goals for Serving Marginalized Communities Homeless Response System Gaps Assessment How have organizations that have historically served communities of color but may not have previously participated formally in the CoC and may not be a part of the homelessness provider community had meaningful and purposeful opportunities to participate in and inform the most recent gaps assessment and how they will be engaged in system planning over time? The CoC recently convened a racial disparity analysis panel that included two African Americans and three Latinx (two of the largest minority populations in the region), all of whom have deep experience working with people experiencing homelessness in Fresno and Madera Counties. Several panelists at the racial disparity analysis meeting asked whether the CoC is equally skilled at communicating with all racial and ethnic groups – from the CoC’s point of view, the CoC is actively distributing the message that services are available, but some sub-populations may not be receiving that message. Some panelists suggested that African American clients may assume that they are not going to receive services because of past experiences with violence from law enforcement officials and/or because needed services have repeatedly been unavailable in the past. There is often a history of justified mistrust. This can reduce clients’ level of interest in cooperating with service workers. One panelist pointed out that the primary source of data on outreach services is not necessarily reliable because it bundles together time spent on outreach, counseling, navigation, and transportation of clients. A recent time study indicated that only about 10% of hours described as “outreach” actually involve meeting with new clients and helping them access services. Even when outreach workers are available, the outreach team may not have enough diversity for all clients to feel comfortable accepting services. For example, there is currently only one youth outreach worker in the CoC, who is Caucasian. One of the major street outreach teams has only one African American, who was recently hired as the team’s new coordinator. Even where services are offered to people of all different backgrounds, services may be less accessible to certain populations if clients do not feel that they are able to trust and relate to their designated outreach workers. The CoC will continue to seek to provide meaningful and purposeful opportunities for organizations that have historically served communities of color to participate in system planning and HHAP-2 program implementation. HHAP-2 Funding Plans Describe how the applicant will incorporate meaningful collaboration with individuals that have lived experience being homeless throughout funding planning, design, implementation, and evaluation. The FMCoC has individuals in the roles of CoC member agency staff, the Board, and the General Membership with lived experience of homelessness. These individuals provide ongoing input in the analysis of where services are needed throughout the CoC. This occurs during monthly meetings of the Board and General Membership and as input on funding planning is requested and will have continued meaningful opportunities to inform HHAP-2 program implementation and broader system planning. However, the CoC will take intentional steps to include members with lived experience in the program evaluation in the coming months, to inform any necessary adjustments to the program design. HHAP-2 Goals for Racial Equity and Youth Services In addition to setting clear goals on numbers served and numbers moved into permanent housing, applicants must also provide the following: At least one clear, measurable performance goal related to how HHAP -2 funding will address racial disparities identified in the jurisdiction’s homelessness response system. 1) A revised CES prioritization tool will be developed with both race/ethnicity and medical/other vulnerabilities to COVID-19 in mind 2) The CoC will identify a minimum of five non-traditional providers who are members of the CoC or adjacent to the CoC through their work with member agencies and seek ways to partner to ensure meaningful access to HHAP services for those in marginalized communities. At least one clear, measurable, youth-specific performance goal related to HHAP-2 investments, including an explanation of how the applicant’s jurisdiction accounts for the unique service needs of youth when determining how to set performance targets for youth set-aside funding interventions. Through the braiding of HHAP-2 and Social Services funding, five youth households will be assessed for services, assigned a navigator and a case manager, and enter a rapid rehousing program for assistance with transitioning to permanent housing. Racial Equity Efforts Describe how the local homelessness response system or projects the applicant is planning use policy and practices to ensure equal access and non-discrimination when serving prospective and new program participants. The Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC) believes to equitably serve new and/or prospective program participants, it is important to examine and advance solution for any inequities in the current system. As such, the FMCoC homeless response system is working on implementation of processes to ameliorate disparities in services and housing in our community utilizing the following strategies: • Use of data to examine the Coordinated Entry System for bias in the process. An examination of the By Name List and resultant housing placement by race/ethnicity is being undertaken; • A revised CES prioritization tool is being developed with both race/ethn icity and medical/other vulnerabilities to COVID-19 in mind; • Convene staff, persons experiencing homelessness and community stakeholders to review policy and procedures for barriers that may cause a specific group to avoid housing and other services, i.e. racial balance of program staff, rules on previous behavior, culturally biased dress codes; • Program design o Addressing discrimination in the housing market, i.e. landlord engagement o Existence of culturally responsive community based supports o Existence of culturally inclusive environment, i.e., what holidays are celebrated, bilingual signs; • Review data on who has been terminated for services, checking for disparities in who is terminated and why; • Provide anonymous ways for participants to give feedback on program experience, specifically racial and cultural experience. • Multilingual assistance: all County-administered subrecipient contracts require language access and most agencies assisting those experiencing homelessness employ staff proficient in the multiple languages spoken in this region. In addition, the community has partnership with translation services and other linguistic communities, i.e. Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center in Fresno. Assistance with application, accessing resources and housing units will be provided to all regardless of English proficiency. How are the voices of Black, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander and Indigenous communities being developed as central in creating effective approaches to reducing and ending homelessness? The FMCoC is currently in the process of discussing racial equity in our community on many levels and has developed a survey for two primary audiences: our CoC partner agencies and persons experiencing homelessness – both sheltered and unsheltered. We seek to hear the voices of Black, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander and Indigenous communities on their thoughts regarding our current processes. It is only as we make those voices central can we undertake true change. Without those voices, we would implement perhaps condescending or patriarchal change, which would not engender the equity we seek. The FMCoC would also like to invite at least two panelists to review applications for funding from the relevant community – those who are presently or who have experienced homelessness and are of the marginalized communities above. The FMCoC member agencies operate several housing and services programs for those experiencing homelessness and an outreach team who engages with those still on the streets. The FMCoC has an ample pool from which to choose. Describe how the priority population(s) learn about and enter local homelessness programs, including marketing and communication strategies used. The FMCoC has a few outreach teams who service all parts of the County. These teams are primary in engaging with persons experiencing homelessness on the street and informing them of the services, including emergency shelter that are available. These teams will also transport persons to shelter locations where shelter staff are available for welcome and assistance to whatever services the individuals wishes to engage. The FMCoC previously had some marketing materials in the form of ‘flash cards’ that can be given out on the streets, at businesses where persons experiencing homelessness often frequent, Department of Social Services locations, and Fresno’s police department. This strategy may be employed again. The Department of Social Services is developing a Desk Guide to ensure that all staff and partners who encounter persons experiencing homelessness are informed of how to access services available throughout the County. How is the applicant making community project grants accessible to smaller organizations that have historically served communities of color, but may not have previously participated formally in the CoC or as a part of the “h omeless provider” community? Again, in addition to the normal procurement process which may not always be accessed by these organizations, the FMCoC will reach out and encourage partnerships where the smaller organizations with relationships in communities of color can access grants with some of the capacity issues are shared with another larger provider. How does the applicant partner with organizations that are addressing racial equity in the housing and homelessness response system? Currently Fresno Housing – the FMCoC Collaborative Applicant – is undergoing agency-wide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work. Lessons learned and practices engaged in will be shared with the FMCoC. In 2019, Fresno Housing engaged in a series of thought-provoking, educational opportunities by sharing with the Fresno community various guest speakers on issues of health and socio- economic disparities, evictions (Matthew Desmond) and redlining policies (Richard Rothstein), and race inequities in homelessness (Jeff Olivet). The agency has also hired Ivy Planning Group, a leading diversity and inclusion firm that is coming alongside Fresno Housing to review its practices, strategies, policies, etc. through a DEI lens. The agency acknowledges those harms caused to Black, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander and Indigenous communities by past governmental policies of redlining and other systemically racist practices. It is believed that a comprehensive look at agency practices will better inform the work with those who are served. This view was arrived after extensive research via surveys and roundtables were conducted with Fresno Housing staff, residents/participants of housing programs, Board of Commissioners, agency partners and community at large. DEI strategies include increasing the power and influence of diversity through an increase in representation of race/ethnic diversity and other dimensions of diversity across the organization, especially at the leadership level. How will the applicant ensure that racial disparities are addressed with this funding? Data collection and analysis will be key in this area. In terms of data collection and reporting, the FMCoC relies on the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). This system is used by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to report on its CoC funded projects. In addition, the State of California has begun to require use of HMIS in its homeless programs; indeed the State is seeking to create an HMIS system for all California Continua of Care. The By Name List (BNL) is another tool that will be employed. The BNL is a listing of all who are experiencing homeless and have touched our homeless response system in any way. This list is prioritized with housing referral and resource allotted to those most vulnerable by measure of an assessment tool, and in this moment a COVID vulnerability assessment has been created. Particularly, HMIS can be utilized to track by race both on the BNL, who is referred for housing and who is eventually housed. With this data and communication with those who we serve, ineffective strategies can be adjusted to improve outcomes. Racial Equity Assessment Applicants were required to complete a racial equity self-assessment and answer each question with “Implemented”, “Planning to implement”, or “Implementing but could use assistance”. Below are the answers provided for the CoC: Planning to Implement: • We collect racial, ethnic, and linguistic data on clients and constituents outside of HMIS • We collect data on service-user or constituent satisfaction with our organization regarding racial equity • We allocate resources for engagement and outreach in communities of color • Racial equity and cultural competency training are offered to employees within your organization • We meet regularly with leaders from communities of color specifically to discuss racial equity within the homelessness system. • We have convened and actively engage with a lived experience board that represents the population served. • We ensure strategies and communications efforts have broad geographic reach, including into rural areas and in support of Tribal communities. • Our work includes performance measures to determine how well we are doing to address racial disparities. • We have developed and implemented a plan to address racial disparities in the homelessness response system. • We host or participate in trainings dedicated to improving equitable outcomes Implementing but could benefit from assistance: • We analyze to assess whether equitable access to new and existing shelter facilities is being provided to people of color, especially Black, Latinx, and Indigenous populations most impacted by homelessness, and examine data to determine if there are other disparities to be addressed, such as age, ethnicity, disability, gender status, family composition, etc. • Providers and front-line staff reflect the people they serve including the necessary language skills to serve sub-populations. • We have access to data on racial/ethnic disparities to guide our planning and implementation of HHAP funding Implemented • We have a racial equity policy within the organization I work for. • We provide language interpreter/translator services for people who speak languages other than English. • We have formal partnerships with organizations of color. Regional Collaboration and Partnerships Has a youth-specific strategy been identified within the applicant’s region? If so, please describe. If not, why not? The FMCoC has found it challenging to pinpoint the needs of the region’s youth. As a result, some of the interventions previously identified were underused. In the coming year, the FMCoC will work with partners and stakeholders to develop a youth-specific strategy to identify and address the needs of the youth in the region, including leveraging other available resources and funding through the Department of Social Services to increase program funding and employ innovative strategies to ensure the specific needs of youth are identified and accessed.