CSH Initiatives and Products: One roof

These briefs report on the impact of evictions on families and present information on what child welfare and family support leaders and their communities can do now to prevent evictions for families and the importance of immediate and long-term cross-sector prevention strategies. In addition, the briefs include a list of ten steps to advance a family eviction prevention plan aligned with broader shifts in child welfare policy and practice and efforts to build community-based preventative supports that strengthen families and keep children safe.

The publications were made possible in collaboration with Casey Family Programs, whose mission is to provide, improve – and ultimately prevent the need for – foster care.

May 2021 |This data brief guides system providers on how to better coordinate data and services for families involved with systems, such as child welfare, homelessness response, behavioral health, education and justice.

Families with children in supportive housing may face some unique challenges and require additional considerations when providing care during the COVID-19 crisis. This resource includes guidance and resources compiled by CSH including materials from peers in the field. We will update this document as necessary to include additional information and resources related to children and families as they become available. (April 2, 2020)

Earlier today the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $24M in new FY2019 Family Unification Program (FUP)​ vouchers.

CSH and One Roof partners have collectively called for increased investments in this critical resource for children, youth and families with child welfare experience who are also facing homelessness and housing instability, and today’s announcement brings the total investment in the last three awards to $70M.

Given the current crisis, ensuring that vulnerable children, youth and families have access to housing and services resources promotes positive health and safety and decreases risks to these populations and their communities. 

Today also marks the start of Child Abuse Prevention Month. As the child welfare sector continues to focus on upstream prevention of child abuse, neglect and family separations, FUP plays a critical role in providing a platform for family success. Safe and stable housing is a prerequisite to economic mobility and overcoming other challenges to ensure family and youth success. FUP can help to give families and youth that are at high risk for negative outcomes an equitable opportunity to take full advantage of services, engage in their communities and overcome generational challenges. 

FUP also serves as a critical tool for child welfare, partnership with housing, homelessness, and services agencies, to create access to affordable housing integrated with wraparound services as a means to keep families together, and as a means to reunify families, as well as supporting young adults on their transition from foster care to avoid or exit homelessness.  

CSH is working with several of the jurisdictions awarded new FUP vouchers to collaboratively implement or expand Keeping Families Together supportive housing. These new vouchers provide a critical housing subsidy resource in that effort.

For more information and resources visit 1rooffamilies.org.

A new feature for attendees at CSH Summit 2019 offers interaction with peers, and concrete strategies and tools to implement in your community. The Connecting the Dots Design Labs are all about cross-system solutions, breaking down silos and better serving people in need of supportive housing as well as the community at large.

Participants in each Design Lab receive comprehensive exposure and experience over three-sessions:

• Session I: In the first session, participants take a deep dive into the issue and the complex challenges surrounding it – learning through data, their colleagues and experts.
• Session 2: In the second session, participants explore cutting edge solutions and generate ideas to take back to their communities.
• Session 3: In the third and final session, participants create action plans and presentations designed to garner support back home from critical partners, such as funders and elected officials.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SUMMIT

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Connecting the Dots Design Labs

Housing and Health Partnerships Can Improve Health Equity

The supportive and affordable housing sector is increasingly partnering with health care to improve systems and outcomes for shared clients. Common ground for these sectors includes enormous obligations, limited resources, vast regulatory requirements, and strong missions to help the most vulnerable in our communities. These sectors are essential partners as communities work toward addressing the issue of building health equity. This Design Lab will help participants forge the relationships necessary to build more equitable systems of care.

(IN)FUSE @ Summit

This Design Lab will empower participants to begin and then scale their own FUSE (Frequent Users Systems Engagement) projects, reorienting communities around a FUSE framework. FUSE is designed to identify, prioritize, and stabilize frequent users across the housing, health, and justice sectors through data sharing and supportive housing. Sessions will blend data analysis and information management techniques, community and peer engagement, and equity approaches with FUSE best practices. What you learn will help you build and grow a comprehensive, inclusive, and effective FUSE project.

Coordinated Entry System Refinement

Sustaining a successful Coordinated Entry System (CES) involves an iterative process that includes: (1) extensive and inclusive community feedback leading to refinements; (2) implementation of enhancements and expansion, and; (3) leadership through a racial equity lens. Join us in this Design Lab to learn the steps to facilitate review and refinement of your CES; how and why to expand your CES to include other mainstream systems; and ways to see data through a racial equity lens to help you use your CES to address inequities in your community.

Keeping Families Together

Keeping Families Together links housing providers with child welfare agencies to strengthen society’s most vulnerable families and protect children. Targeted to both new and experienced leaders in supportive housing, child welfare, and human services, this Design Lab will identify issues surrounding vulnerable families and build on multi-sector solutions that create equitable opportunities and improve outcomes. Explore collaborative implementation and systems realignment strategies, including leveraging the Family First Prevention Services Act, Family Unification Program and other resources.

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