Community Shelter Board is leading implementation of a robust, systems approach to preventing homelessness through the new Homelessness Prevention Network.
With support from the Nationwide Foundation, Battelle, Cardinal Health, and Franklin County, this is a comprehensive approach to stabilize more families facing homelessness. This three-year pilot project is a one-of-a-kind effort in the U.S.
This new program:
- formalizes new collaborations with key social service agencies who will serve as certified access points and/or homelessness prevention service providers;
- meets families where they are, expanding the locations where families at highest risk can be identified before they become homeless and need emergency shelter;
- gets at-risk families connected or referred to the housing stabilization supports they need and want;
- helps focus limited resources on the families most likely to become homeless, and;
- reduces current demand on our homeless crisis response system.
IMPACT: Prevent more families from becoming homeless by identifying their housing instability sooner.
Several partners have been trained and certified by CSB in housing stabilization best practices. These partners provide prioritized access to their services for families at highest risk for homelessness as determined by a standardized screening protocol. Client assistance dollars are available to provide resources for housing stabilization such as rent and utilities.
IMPACT: Grow the number of anti-poverty organizations that assess families for housing stability.
Additionally, CSB is training organizations working with low-income families throughout the community on the use of the standardized screening protocol so we can gather data on families in various risk categories for homelessness to allow better planning and policy decisions across the community.
NETWORK PARTNERS
