particular staff position. Rather, all staff should have (and all job descriptions require) an understanding of how to navigate tenancy barriers, knowledge of housing resources in the community, and understanding of client centred/client driven planning. This is important so that every interaction with a client can be focused on a quick move to permanent housing. Emphasis on the goal of connecting clients back to housing should also be done by prominently displaying information in the shelter about how to access housing.
Housing supports should take a progressive engagement approach 12 . Within the first couple days of entry to shelter, all clients should be pre-screened and supported in developing a preliminary individualized housing plan. New clients (those who have not previously accessed the shelter system) should initially be offered light housing assistance and then progressively asked to complete more in-depth assessments and be offered more intensive assistance if they are unable to secure housing after a set period of time. All shelter clients should be provided/connected with housing navigation services and clients should be engaged in intentional conversations about housing at least daily for the first two weeks. An individual or family’s housing plan should be reviewed an d discussed with them weekly, at a minimum. After two-weeks each person or family should be assessed using a standardized tool and they should all have an individualized housing plan, which is refined based on the results of the assessment. Clients should also be supported in collecting documentation necessary for determining program eligibility (e.g. Housing First program). Shelters should either directly conduct assessments with clients and participate in the process of matching clients with the most appropriate housing and services, or integrate with, and provide on-site access to the coordinated access process.
Participation in services or compliance with service requirements should not be conditions of a stay, aside from the expectation that clients will be working on permanent housing while in shelter 13 . Housing plans that are developed should be highly client-driven, where staff work with the client as a team, building on the client’s strengths, to address the housing needs of the client. The services that are provided in shelter should emphasize engagement and problem-solving, rather than therapeutic goals (e.g. mental health recovery goals). When reviewing the services provided in shelter, shelters should consider whether the service could be provided in the community once the client is housed, or whether the service encourages longer stays, or takes time away from the client’s housing search.
Promote Dignity and Respect
According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, shelters should have stated values, policies and measurable goals and actions/practices promoting inclusion, cultural competence, dignity and respect 14 .
One way inclusion should be promoted is by monitoring the proportion of shelter access and housing success rates across racial, ethnic, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation differences to determine if there are disparities in who is receiving access to shelter and being supported to re-gain housing 15 . Shelters should have practices to ensure the shelter exhibits cultural competency and
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12 OrgCode Consulting, Housing Focused Sheltering: Thoughts from OrgCode
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13 OrgCode Consulting, Housing Focused Sheltering: Thoughts from OrgCode
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14 United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, 2017, Key Considerations for Implementing Emergency Shelter Within an Effective Crisis Response System
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15 United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, 2017, Key Considerations for Implementing Emergency Shelter Within an Effective Crisis Response System 10