COLLABORIATIVE FOR HOPE - NEW STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN SALEM -PUBLIC DIALOGUE PRESENTATION - JULY 2018HOMELESSNESSIN SALEMA Collaborative for HopeCity of Salem | Salem Police Department | Lifebridge | North Shore Community Health | North Shore Community Action Program | North Shore Workforce Investment Board
Tonight’s Conversation•Existing Statistics & Practices•New Strategies:1.Added Patrols & Police Training2.Alternative Giving & Day Employment3.Housing First4.Hub Model5.Outreach Caseworkers•What you can do•Open Q&A and Discussion
Existing Statistics & Practices•Two types of homeless populations:1.Chronic homeless: 13 individuals constituted 1,000 calls for service in a one-year period.2.Larger group of transient individuals, often new to area or recently homeless, couch-surfers, often more responsive to treatment and services. •Each require a different response.
Existing Statistics & Practices•Salem Police homeless-related calls for service 2016 vs. 2017•January: 116% increase•February: 43% increase•March: 275% increase•April: 85% increase•May: 118% increase•June: 168% increase•July: 215% increase•Monthly average – 2016: 51 vs. 2017: 124 (+143%)•Change in coding may account for some of the increase.38473246677454826712085146198170020406080100120140160180200January February March April May June July20162017
Existing Statistics & Practices•2017 Survey of Homeless Individuals by Lifebridge& SSU School of Social Work•Interviewed 26 homeless or transient individuals.•24 self-identified as homeless, 1 week up to 9 years (1 all their life)•20 male, 6 female•Ages: 19-56, average 34.5•How long in Salem? 1 day up to 9 years.•Hometown? 12-Salem or North Shore. •6-other MA town. 8-Out of state.
Existing Statistics & Practices•2017 Survey of Homeless Individuals by Lifebridge& SSU School of Social Work•Where do you sleep? 3-car. 4-Lifebridge. 6-couch surf. 11-outdoors or elsewhere.•13 say they’re in Salem for good.•8 have some kind of work or job.•5 report pan-handling – none of them work.•2 have engaged in prostitution, 2 in selling drugs.
Existing Statistics & Practices•2017 Survey of Homeless Individuals by Lifebridge& SSU School of Social Work•Why Salem?•Personal or family connection to area: 17•Access to services or current job: 6•Attracted due to lifestyle, “witchcraft,” etc.: 3•Came to find housing: 2•Social services received: 15-SNAP, 4-Lifebridge, 1-DMH, 1-MassHealth, 1-Medicaid, 10-none at all.
Existing Statistics & Practices•2017 Survey of Homeless Individuals by Lifebridge& SSU School of Social Work•What services would be most helpful to you?•Housing: 14•Mental health counseling: 5•Job training or employment program: 3•Substance abuse services: 3•“A safe place”: 2•“There’s nothing that can help me” and “There are no services for people like me.”: 2•Doesn’t want any help: 1
Existing Statistics & Practices•2017 Survey of Homeless Individuals by Lifebridge& SSU School of Social Work
Existing Statistics & Practices•Practice to Date•Cite or arrest, if possible, often returning to the street.•Services for high-needs individuals happening by agencies in isolation, when it should be coordination.•Differentiation of service needs between chronic homeless and temporarily homeless or transient.•Reactive response to calls for service, when a pro-active approach may be more sustainable in long term. •No clear alternative for charitable giving makes pan-handling highly profitable.
New Strategies: Patrol Training•Increased patrols with reserves and new officers/strategic task force/CIU & outreach worker.•“Homeless Solutions & Resources: A Police Officer’s Guide to Policing the Community”•Constitutional rights & relevant court decisions•Shelters’ contact information•Mental health treatment programs’ contact information•Medical programs’ contact information•Employment programs’ contact information•Housing programs’ contact information•Trespass Orders: Public and Private Property•Section 35 Commitment•Outreach Worker process•CIU and Patrol responsibilities•Applicable Ordinance & MGL, with fines/arrest info.
New Strategies: Alternative Giving & Day Employment•Panhandling can be a disincentive to seeking employment.•Which populations of homeless or transient need or would make use of day employment opportunities?•Day employment connections: WIB/Career Center, City, private companies.•Alternative giving campaign: text-to-donate.
New Strategies: Housing First
New Strategies: Hub Model•Monthly check-in meeting of service providers and organizations to coordinate activities.•Review status of benchmark statistics.•Review cases of specific high-risk individuals.•Check in on effectiveness of existing strategies.
New Strategies: Outreach Caseworkers•Outreach workers on call out of Salem PD.•Funded through CDBG, in partnership with North Shore Community Health.•Contact Outreach to report non-emergency transient or homeless issues: hope@salem.com.•Identify & work to connect those in need with health insurance, primary care, behavioral health, substance abuse treatment,housing, and/or employment.
What you can do1.Call: Salem Police at 978-744-1212 or Outreach worker at hope@salem.com(number forthcoming).2.Alternative giving option, not panhandlers.3.Employers: offer temporary job opportunities and connect with the WIB/Career Center.4.Keep an open mind about alternatives and options, such as housing first.5.Share your ideas.
Open Q&A and Discussion