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HMIS 2013 Utilization HMIS Yearly Comparisons (2011, 2012, 2013) HMIS 2013 Demographics HMIS 2013 Onondaga County Community Health Assessment Comparison
587
573 550
511 500
391
Between November 1, 2012 and November 1, 2013, there has been an increase of 181 homeless individuals receiving Emergency Shelter services in Onondaga County (46.2%) The lowest sheltered homeless population occurred on January 1, 2013, and the largest population on October 1, 2013 (a difference of +214 homeless individuals)
325
326 323
320
320
319
315
313
310 310 311 309 309
305
300
Between November 1, 2012 and November 1, 2013, there has been an increase of 9 homeless individuals receiving Transitional Housing Services in Onondaga County (2.9%) The lowest homeless population count receiving Transitional Housing Services occurred on April 1, 2013, and the largest population on February 1, 2013 (a difference of +17 homeless individuals)
1007
990
989
970
971
968
950
Between November 1, 2012 and November 1, 2013, there has been an increase of 72 homeless individuals receiving Permanent Housing Services in Onondaga County (7.4%) The lowest homeless population count receiving Permanent Housing Services occurred on December 1, 2012, and the largest population on September 1, 2013 (a difference of +86 homeless individuals)
Snapshot #1
Emergency Shelter PIT
Emergency Shelter PIT 600
Permanent Housing PIT Between February 1, 2013 and August 1, 2013, the Sheltered Homeless population began to stabilize. (beginning at 435 individuals and ending at 454 a change in 19 homeless individuals over a six month period).
Permanent Housing PIT 1010 1007
550
1000
990
989
500
However, one month later, even with the continued increase in Permanent Housing units, the Sheltered Homeless population jumped higher than it had been before the increase in units (increase in 62 homeless)
980
970 968
960
950
41244
41275
41306
Snapshot #2
Emergency Shelter PIT
Emergency Shelter PIT 600 587
550
511 500
When the initial increase of Single Occupancy Permanent Housing units available in Onondaga increased between December 1, 2012 and January 1, 2013, there was an initial reduction in the Sheltered Homeless Population (decrease in 50 homeless). During much of this time, the number of Permanent Housing units increased and stabilized as well. However, between August 1, 2013 and October 1, 2013, while the permanent housing utilization stabilized (+/-5), the sheltered homeless population again spiked, with the population jumping 29% over the two month period (increase of 133 homeless individuals)
1054
1050
1049
1049
1030
1010
450
454
990
400
970
950
41487
41518
41548
Year-To-Year Comparison
HMIS APR Reports
November 1, 2010 November 1, 2011 November 1, 2011 November 1, 2012 November 1, 2012 November 1, 2013
3100
3050
3000
2950
2900
2850
2800
3200
3000
2800
2600
2400
2200
Over the past three years, the number of homeless adults receiving services (according to HMIS) has been stable, increasing by only one: o 2010/2011 2207 o 2011/2012 2272 o 2012/2013 2208 In contrast, the number of homeless children served during the same time period has been gradually increasing: o 2010/2011 676 o 2011/2012 738 o 2012/2013 870 o Since 2010, the homeless child population shows an increase of 28.7% (194 children)
Adults
Adults in Families
11/1/2011-11/1/2012
11/1/2012-11/1/2013
Single Adults
Adults in Families
Unaccompanied Children
68 66 64 62 60 58 56 54 52 11/1/2010-11/1/2011 11/1/2011-11/1/2012 11/1/2012-11/1/2013 600 700 650 800 750 850
Children in Families
11/1/2010-11/1/2011
11/1/2011-11/1/2012
11/1/2012-11/1/2013
Unaccompanied Children
Children in Families
Over the past three years, the total number of homeless served in Onondaga County has risen from 2885 to 3080 (an increase of 195 individuals). Looking deeper into the numbers shows a more startling trend. While the total individuals served shows an increase, the number of single adults has actually declined over the past three years (from 1808 in 2010/2011 to 1696 in 2012/2013, a decrease of 6.2%). In regard to unaccompanied children, while the total number of children decreased, and then increased again, there has only been an increase of two individuals since 2010. On the contrary, there has been a progressive rise in homeless families over the same time period. Since the end of 2010, the number of homeless adults in families has risen from 399 to 511 (increased by 110 adults, or 27.6%). In regard to homeless children in families, there has been a great increase of homelessness, with the population rising from 611 to 803 over the same time frame (increased by 192 children, or 31.4%).
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 13
Year-To-Date Demographics
(November 2012 November 2013)
Gender Age Race/Ethnicity Domestic Violence History Veteran Status Disabling Conditions Cash-Income Resources
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 14
Male
Female
Transgender
Other
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 15
86%
Male
Female
Transgender
Other
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 16
0%
45% 55%
Male
Female
Transgender
Other
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 17
0%
49%
51%
Male
Female
Transgender
Other
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 18
Age
700 600
500
400
300
200
100
0 Under 5 5-12 13-17 18-24 25-34 Age 35-44 45-54 55-61 62+
Ethnicity
10% 0%
90%
1% 0%
0%
Race
8%
0%
43% 48%
White Black/African American Asian American Indian/Alaska Native Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Multiple Races Don't Know/Refused Information missing
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 21
25%
74%
3%
13%
31% 7% 8%
38%
Less Than 3 Months Ago 3-6 Months Ago 6-12 Months Ago 12+ Months Ago Don't Know/Refused Yes No Don't Know Refused Information Missing
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 22
Veteran Status
1% 0%
9%
90%
Veteran
Not a Veteran
Don't Know
Refused
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 23
In Percent (%)
35
30
25
20
15
10
0 Mental Illness Alcohol Abuse Drug Abuse Chronic Health Condition HIV/AIDS Developmental Disability Physical Disability
Number of Disorders
41%
None
1 Condition
2 Conditions
3+ Conditions
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 25
500
516
400
417
300
245
200
258
239
122
100
80 50
0
90 44
94 50 3
Percent of Individuals Living Below NYS Poverty Standards (More Than $11,170 Yearly) - At Follow-Up/Discharge
0% 1%
33%
66%
Don't Know/Refused
Missing/No Follow-Up
In terms of this graphic, individuals making less than $1,000 a month are listed below poverty standards. Standards have been taken from: http://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/publications/docs/gis/12ma009att.pdf
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 27
600
500
382 319
100 90 0 59 28 26 21 11 46
Employment Rate (Adults Only) = 16.6% (Total with Earned Income / Total Adults at Follow-Up/Discharge)
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 28
146 0
117
108
65
38
TANF Transportation
Other Sources
Length of Stay
1000 900 124
800
700
600
500 808 251 300 174 228 200 75 223 100 166 482
400
117
0 Less Than 30 Days 31-60 Days 61-180 Days 181-365 Days
111
94 13
70
104
17
3-4 Years
11
4-5 Years
12 5+ Years
1-2 Years
2-3 Years
Leavers
Stayers
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 30
Race/Ethnicity Domestic Violence History Veteran Status Disabling Conditions Cash-Income Resources
According to the Onondaga County Community Health Assessment, the following percentages represent the
differences in race characteristics between Onondaga County as a whole and the homeless population (through HMIS): HMIS Onondaga County Community Health Assessment
0% 1% 0% 48%
0% 8%
1% 3%
1%
2%
43%
11% 82%
White Black/African American Asian American Indian/Alaska Native Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Multiple Races Don't Know/Refused
White Black/African American Asian American Indian/Alaska Native Other Race Multiple Races
According to the Onondaga County Community Health Assessment, the following percentages represent the
differences in ethnicity characteristics between Onondaga County as a whole and the homeless population (through HMIS):
HMIS
0% 10% 0%
Onondaga County
4%
90%
96%
According to the Onondaga County Community Health Assessment, the following percentages represent the
differences in income status between Onondaga County as a whole and the homeless population (through HMIS): Chart Title
Please note HMIS measures monthly income ($0-$750, $751-$1000, $1001-$1250, etc.). In regard to this data, individuals making less that $750 a month ($9000 yearly) were included in the first column. $751 to $2000 a month ($9012-$24000 yearly) were included in the second column. Any individual making more than $24000 a year was included in the final column.
The following was included in the Onondaga County Community Health Assessment:
Among all residents, 14.7% had income in the last 12 months that was below the federal poverty level. Especially striking is the poverty rate among children in Syracuse, where 49.0% of those under age 18 live in poverty, compared to 21.0% of children in Onondaga County. Poverty rates for families can be seen in Figure 12. Poverty rates are consistently higher in Syracuse than in Onondaga County, peaking at 56.0% among femaleheaded households with related children under 18 years of age.
In comparison, 66% of all individuals receiving Homeless Services were below the poverty level, compared to 14% of the population of Onondaga County.
Conclusion
The following graphic was included in the 2013 Onondaga County Community Health Assessment and defines what is needed to promote better health related services in Onondaga County:
Improved health means to not only provide the medical and mental health care, but to also follow that with additional support and services needed to maintain the improved health. This same concept can be used to determine what can assist the homeless population of Onondaga County. In order to improve an individual or familys housing status, finding safe and affordable housing is only the beginning. Maintaining housing is where the bulk of the services need to come. For example, if an individual lost his job and thus his housing due to mental health concerns or substance use, placing the individual in low-income housing and not addressing the other concerns will only lead to continued recidivism.
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 38
Clients in Onondaga County become homeless for a variety of reasons whether it was the loss of employment, mental health stability, substance use, or any other reason. Providing the individual with low-income housing and no additional services is not solving the problem it only masks it. By placing an individual into housing without supporting, teaching, and encouraging an improved life style only sets the client up to fail. What if an employee at your agency continues to make the same documentation errors week after week and you, as the supervisor, follow them and edit their mistakes as they make them. You may be solving the problem, but you are masking the true issue that the employee has learned a way of working that is detrimental to their employment. In order to correct the problem is to teach the employee the correct way of documentation. Same can be said for housing stability. If you have a client that lost their housing due to mental health and substance use, finding them and placing them in low-income housing can only be the start. This individual will need assistance finding and maintaining mental health and substance abuse treatment. Once this has been stabilized, other avenues (such as employment) can be addressed. Just placing the individual in housing and expecting a change in behavior and outcomes without providing the additional services is unacceptable. In 2012, the Gaps and Needs survey shed light on how important follow-up services are for our clients: 57% clients stated that they are not ready to live independent from services The following services were needed by at least 10% of the clients served: o GED/Educational Training (12.2%) o Counseling (17.5%) o Budgeting (22.4%) o Cooking/Nutrition (10%) o Employment (25.9%) o Social Skills (12.6%) o Transportation (27.5%) o Section 8 Housing (36.3%) The following services over 30% of clients stated that they would be receiving in the next 12 months: o Counseling (34.4%) o Schooling (30%)
2014 Gaps and Needs Analysis 39
o Employment (35%) o Health/Medical (32.8%) o Mental Health (31%) Its apparent that the number of safe, secure, and healthy low-income housing will not be increasing to the level needed in this county, so in order to provide clients with the opportunity for a better future, the ability to maintain housing and improve their education/employment status needs to be addressed. I propose the following to serve as a blueprint for housing homeless services in Onondaga County:
The idea is that, in contrast to the term permanent, Permanent Supportive Housing should be viewed as a long term stabilization program. The individual could be in the program for six months, two years, or ten years, but the overall goal is to reach a level of self-sufficiency where the client can maintain their own apartment (whether it is turn-key or public housing). As stated above, 57% of clients stated that they could not live without their current program leaving 43% ready to leave services. For the purposes of this argument, lets say 25% are truly ready and able to exit supportive housing and live independently from services. As of November 1, 2013, there were 1043 individuals housed in permanent housing programs, with an additional 573 individuals in emergency shelters. If 25% of individuals in housing moved out (via turnkey or completion of the program) and entered their own apartments, this would make 260 apartments available, leading to almost half of the emergency shelter population becoming permanently housed. The lack of low-income affordable housing is an issue, however this is not what is being discussed. If the client becomes stabilized, and is able to find and maintain employment, low-income housing would not be an issue. According to the HMIS data, there are 94 individuals with a monthly income of $2000 and currently receiving services (taking into consideration of HUDs 30% rule, their rental amount would be $600 per month). Depending on their stability, these could be 94 individuals who could exit permanent housing programs and enter public, nonsupportive, permanent housing, in return, adding an additional 94 units for individuals in shelters. This potential solution cannot be utilized overnight. Clients will not stabilize tomorrow and obtain suitable, sustainable income sources by next week. However, if the focus shifts from providing an apartment to educating the homeless population how to maintain their housing while giving them housing, the upward trend of homelessness in Onondaga County will change.