1.2 Implementing the HEARTH Act: Preparing for Changes to the Continuum of Care Speaker: Suzanne Wagner The HEARTH Act makes many changes to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care programs, including to the incentives and expected performance outcomes. In this workshop national and local experts will share strategies for positioning your program and your community for these changes.

1. Suzanne Wagner
Housing Innovations

2.  HEARTH – Homeless Emergency Assistance
and Rapid Transition to Housing
 Means Change and Transformation
 Not Business as Usual
◦ Focus on New Performance Measures
◦ Align Funding – public, private, homeless and
mainstream
 Need for processes that support and enable
change
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3.  Focus on Preparing for HEARTH
◦ Data and Performance – Elaine deColigny
◦ Governance - SW
 Discussion and Q+A
◦ Share examples of what you are doing in your
community
 Many sessions in this conference on
Preparing for HEARTH. See:
◦ 2.3 – Retooling Transitional Housing
◦ 3.1 – Systems Transformation
◦ 3.7 – Employment
◦ 5.3 – Mainstream Services
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4.  Refers to administration and management
◦ Expectations, performance and decision-making
 For HEARTH, must focus on:
◦ System goals – e.g., LOS, returns to homelessness
◦ Outcomes for various system components – e.g.,
shelter, transitional housing, permanent supportive
housing
◦ Program level performance outcomes
◦ How money is spent
 Not just SHP and S+C, also ESG
 Other funds targeted to homelessness
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5.  Local/State Government
◦ Human Services
◦ TANF/Welfare Authority
◦ Housing and Community Development
◦ Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
 Housing Authorities
 Private Funders and Foundations
 Academics
 Business/Banks
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6.  Evaluation of Program and System Performance
◦  Length of Time Homeless
◦  Number of Homeless People
◦  Number of Newly Homeless
◦  Returns to Homelessness
◦  Exits to Permanent Housing
◦  Income and Employment
 Adopt Best Practices – RR, Progressive Engagement
 Evaluate Cost per Outcome
 Align and Repurpose Funds
 Ensure ALL Homeless People are Served
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7.  Change is Hard
 Current CoC Structures
 Conflicts of Interest
 Getting Others Involved
 No or Limited Local Government
 Others?
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8.  HEARTH Informational Forums
 Federal Strategic Plan Forums
 Point to Other Communities
 Use Your Ten Year Plan Leaders
 Create Executive Council/Steering Committee
 Adopt Clear By-Laws/Policies Regarding
Voting and Conflicts of Interest
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9.  What has your community done that has
worked?
 What have you done around the HEARTH
performance measures so far?
 How have you increased partners at the CoC
table?
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