Wednesday, January 10
9:45 am–5:15 pm Site Visits (Site visits begin and end at varying times—see below).
2:00–5:00 pm General Registration
5:30 pm Site Visit Dessert & Debrief
***
Thursday, January 11
8:00 am: Breakfast
9:00 am: Welcome and Keynote Address
Dr. Ralph da Costa Nunez
Dr. Matthew Desmond
10:45 am: Choose from more than ten concurrent program sessions
12:30 pm: Keynote Luncheon
John Bridgeland
2:45 pm: Choose from more than ten concurrent program sessions
4:30 pm: Cocktail Reception and Awards Ceremony
***
Friday, January 12
8:00 am: Breakfast and Keynote
Beth McCullough
9:15 am: Choose from more than ten concurrent program sessions
11:00 am: Choose from more than ten concurrent program sessions
12:45 pm: Keynote Luncheon
“Sapphire” (Ramona Lofton)
2:15–3:00 pm: Choose from six concurrent program sessions
Site Visit Locations
Site visits give Beyond Housing conference participants the opportunity to learn more about exemplary programs that are addressing poverty and homelessness in the New York City area. Site visits begin/end at varying times. Registrants may participate in one site visit; space is limited.
ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty)
ASTEP was conceived by Broadway Musical Director Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Juilliard students to transform the lives of youth using the most powerful tool they had: their art. ASTEP connects performing and visual artists with underserved youth in the U.S. and around the world to awaken their imaginations, foster critical thinking, and help them break the cycle of poverty. Many of their students are homeless. Conference participants will experience both interactive and discussion portions during their visit. They will join a teaching artist for either a visual arts class or a dance workshop, then discuss the rationale behind the lesson, specifically talking about the challenges and best practices that are useful to the participant’s work.
The Floating Hospital
The Floating Hospital has the largest outreach network to family homeless shelters and domestic violence safe houses of all homeless healthcare providers in New York City. Conference participants will be transported to their facilities in Long Island City and will go through mock intake screenings for primary medical, dental, and mental health services to get a feel for the patient experience. Next they will tour the building to see the comprehensive services offered, including specialty services. There will be a presentation on the program model and ample time for Q&A.
Per Scholas
Per Scholas was founded to open doors to transformative technology careers for individuals from often overlooked communities. Conference attendees will get an overview of the student experience, including admissions, career development, and technical instruction. They will tour the facilities and meet with a group of students. Following the tour, there will be a high-level Q&A to discuss program model, how it fits in the continuum of services for those on the edge of homelessness or after homelessness, success rates, and how it fits in different communities.
Prospect Family Inn and Support Center
One of Homes for the Homeless’s Community Residential Resource Centers, the Prospect has year-round educational programming for children ages 5 to 17, early childhood education for children ages 2 to 5, a computer lab, adult education programs, and a counseling center. This is also the location of the Prospect Family Support Center, which offers free respite care for children six and under (up to 72 hours at a time), supportive services for qualifying families experiencing an emergency, and a 24/7 hotline. Following the tour, participants will meet with senior staff to discuss best practices and how the model can be adapted to their own communities.
Saratoga Family Inn
One of Homes for the Homeless’s Community Residential Resource Centers, the Saratoga houses 255 families and combines the basic services of a traditional family shelter with a full range of programs designed to meet the diverse needs of homeless families residing in the shelter and residents from surrounding neighborhoods. At the Saratoga, parents drop toddlers off at daycare on their way to work, after-school teachers greet kids as they come home from school, and families bond together at special community events. Children participate in a full range of after-school enrichment, from team sports to creative writing—and especially school work support. Adults meet with employment and housing specialists who help them prepare for job interviews, learn valuable life skills, and find apartments of their own. Participants will explore the facility, and participate in a discussion on program opportunities and challenges with senior staff.
Detailed Agenda
*Subject to Change: Updated as of 11/20/17*
Thursday, January 11
10:45 am–12:15 pm
1.1 Providing Wrap-around Legal Services to Homeless Families
Homeless families have a constellation of legal needs. Panelists identify best practices for how to meet these needs by outlining key priorities in their respective states that others could consider adopting, and sharing personal experiences working with state and local agencies. Existing innovative legal clinics and advocacy strategies will be discussed.
Michael Santos, Attorney, National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
Amy Horton-Newell, Director, American Bar Association Commission on Homelessness & Poverty
1.2 Income Building Program: Improving Outcomes through Employment Gains
Clients transition to the workforce and make employment gains that lead to self-sufficiency. This income building program partners with employers, job training and placement specialists, and volunteer organizations to achieve results. Attendees leave with knowledge of best-practices, including data-driven methods of service delivery.
Raysa S. Rodriguez, Vice President, Policy & Planning, Women in Need, Inc.
Kathleen Agaton, Director, Research & Evaluation, Women in Need, Inc.
Elizabeth Figueroa, Associate Vice President, Support Services, Women in Need, Inc.
Karen Cole, Income-building Specialist, Women in Need, Inc.
1.3 Using Educational Data to Find Practical Solutions
Education researchers discuss the various factors impacting the educational outcomes of homeless students. Presenters analyze the approaches to addressing these barriers from the perspectives of both families, and educational service providers. Attendees will emerge with a better understanding of the service landscape and best practices.
Stacy Deck, PhD, MSSW, Associate Professor of Social Work, Spalding University
Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj, PhD, Associate Professor & Director, Center for College Readiness, Seton Hall University, College of Education and Human Services
Liz Cohen, Chief of Staff, Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness
1.4 Achieving Remarkable Outcomes with Homeless Families without Government Funding
Speakers will describe methods used by Homestretch to minimize dependence on government funding, and replace all revenue from private sources, in order to maintain its remarkable client outcomes. Presenters hope to inspire other service providers to do the same, while also advocating for more sensible government policy.
Christopher Fay, Executive Director, Homestretch
Ken Bradford, Director of Development, Homestretch
1.5 Building Community Wellness Partnerships
Promoting family wellness is an essential component when providing holistic homeless services. With a scope that includes both mental health (including loss and grief), and physical health, this session educates participants in the development of community partnerships and programming to assess and address family wellness.
Geleen Donovan, Executive Director, Family Promise Union County
Christina Johnson, MD, Physician, Maplewood Family Medicine
1.6 Affordable Housing: New Horizons
This session unpacks The New Horizons Housing Collaborative, a program The City Mission of Cleveland has developed to move single-mother families from homelessness to homeownership by leveraging community partnerships. Participants emerge with practical, innovative ways to combat the affordable housing crisis and break the cycle of poverty in their communities.
Rich Trickel, Chief Executive Officer, The City Mission
Linda Uveges, Chief Operating Officer, The City Mission
1.7 Summer: An Opportunity for Learning
This session provides participants with tactics for establishing summer enrichment programs and camps for homeless children and youth. Each presenter provides a case study of their summer programs which offer learning enrichment opportunities, in addition to forging partnerships between communities, shelters, and school organizations.
Lisa Phillips, State Coordinator, North Carolina Homeless Education Program, SERVE Center at University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Johnnye Waller, Director of Student Services, Lee County Schools
Mike Moroski, Executive Director, Upspring
Greg Essenpreis, Senior Operations Associate, Homes for the Homeless
James Canfield, Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati
1.8 Self-care for Leaders: More than Yoga
Incorporating self-care into work can make for stronger leaders and more productive organizations. This session focuses on important concepts of trauma stewardship, resonant leadership, and emotional intelligence. Participants will then create a plan of self-care for themselves and those they lead.
Beth L. Morrison, Chief Executive Officer, Our Family Services
1.9 Using an Executive Functioning Informed Coaching Approach and Tools to Disrupt Poverty for Families in Temporary and Transitional Residential Settings
This session introduces attendees to an evidence-based executive functioning informed model, called Mobility Mentoring®. It is designed to mitigate the high levels of stress caused by poverty, trauma, and oppression, using long-term planning, goal setting, and coaching to reinforce skills that serve as pathways from poverty. Multiple provider perspectives will be shared to enhance participants’ understanding of how this model could be used in various settings.
Jennifer Lowe, PhD, Vice President of Shared Learning & Member Networks, Economic Mobility Pathways
Delphia Simmons, Chief Strategy & Learning Officer, Coalition on Temporary Shelter
Raysheema Rainey, Assistant Director of STEPS & Stabilization Programs, Economic Mobility Pathways
1.10 Working Title: Breaking Down Silos: Shining a Light on the Education of Homeless Students Through Practical Partnerships
Description to Come
Wayne Richard, Associate Director of Organizing, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
Chris Chenet, Community Development Professional, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
Jennifer Mitchell Mayer, Program Development & Design Manager, New York City Department of Education, Office of Community Schools
Joshua Hall, Family System Integration Manager, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
Mary Tarullo, Associate Director of Policy, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
Melissa Schoonmaker, Consultant II, Homeless Education, Division of Student Support Services, Los Angeles County Office of Education
1.11 All About ESSA: How the Every Student Succeeds Act Changed Education for Students Experiencing Homelessness
The ESSA changed the McKinney-Vento Act in many ways, including improving access to preschool services; increasing staff capacity and monitoring; enhancements to school stability; and several measures designed to increase high school graduation. This session will review these changes and corresponding improvements to Title I.
Barbara Duffield, Executive Director, SchoolHouse Connection
Patricia Julianelle, Director of Program Advancement & Legal Affairs, SchoolHouse Connection
Christina Dukes, Federal Liaison, National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE)
2:45 pm–4:15 pm
2.1 Evidence-based Stabilization: A Solution to End Family Homelessness
This session provides participants with evidence that, for homeless families, stabilization requires more than rapid rehousing. The presenters examine the strengths and weaknesses of stabilization practices in programs currently serving families experiencing homelessness, and will leave participants with a framework and model for implementing an evidence-based stabilization program in their own work.
Carmela DeCandia, Psychologist, Artemis Associates, LLC
2.2 The Math Doesn’t Add Up: The Illusory Success of Rapid Re-housing in High-rent Communities
Across the country, rapid re-housing is among the most common tools for addressing the family homelessness crisis. This session provides data from a 2017 report showing DC’s rapid re-housing of families sets many up to fail. Attendees leave with alternatives to rapid re-housing, and strategies for conducting critical analyses of program efficacy in their own communities.
Max Tipping, Staff Attorney & Spitzer Fellow, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless
2.3 Advocacy 101 and Coalition-Building
The most effective way to change public policy is through citizen-centric advocacy. This session provides basic information on policy advocacy, including the difference between “lobbying” and “educating.” It also provides attendees practical techniques for holding meetings, sending letters, making phone calls, relationship-building, and using the media as an advocacy tool. There are opportunities to plug into state and issue-oriented groups.
Paul Webster, Director of Strategic Advancement, Solutions for Change
Barbara Duffield, Executive Director, SchoolHouse Connection
Cara Baldari, Senior Policy Director for Poverty & Family Economics, Housing and Homelessness, First Focus Campaign for Children
2.4 Mapping A Path Forward: How District Data and Geographic Analysis Can Create Locally-informed Insights into the Impact of Homelessness on Students
Regardless of the size of a school district, data analysis can be a useful tool for improving the lives of homeless students. In this session, evidence from Seattle on the academic impact of homelessness will be used to show how local data can be translated into action. Mapping where these students attend school illustrates the effect that gentrification and other factors have had and where educators and policymakers can direct assistance. Attendees will also hear how a multi-pronged approach with local stakeholders created this project, and how similar strategies could be used to generate data-driven insights of their own.
Josef Kannegaard, Principal Policy Analyst, Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness
Adam Petkun, Data and Policy Advisor, Innovation Team at City of Seattle, Mayor’s Office of Policy and Innovation
2.5 Working Together: The Power of Faith-based Partnerships for Long-term Outcomes
This session highlights ways to initiate and maximize partnerships with faith-based organizations. With a focus on garnering time, treasure, and territory to benefit children and families experiencing homelessness, the discussion includes information on how to implement innovative models to empower these families, using Charlotte Family Housing programs as examples.
Stephen Smith, Executive Director, Charlotte Family Housing
Elizabeth Trotman, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Charlotte Family Housing
2.6 Improving Tenancy Sustainability through Tenancy Training
This session gives attendees insight into an innovative model, tenancy training, which improves housing placements and tenancy sustainability. Attendees explore the model—what it is, who it’s for, why it’s useful—and learn how Crisis UK utilizes tenancy training to improve the access that homeless people have to housing.
Chris Hancock, Head of Housing, Crisis UK
Nicole Bramstedt, Director of Policy, Urban Pathways
2.7 Kids’ Power: Creating Positive Futures
When children experience adversity, there are lifelong effects for them, their families, and their communities. This workshop explores how to help these children rise above challenges and create promising futures by teaching them essential coping skills like mindfulness. Participants also learn to build resilience through five major messages: Autonomy, Social Competence, Interdependence, Problem Solving, and a Sense of Purpose.
Cathey Brown, Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Rainbow Days, Inc.
Kelly Wierzbinski, Director of Children, Youth, and Family Services, Rainbow Days, Inc.
2.8 Break Payday Lending: A Model to Strengthen Low-income Families
This session educates attendees about toxic lending, and how it keeps families entrenched in poverty and debt. Using the work of Community Services League and Holy Rosary Credit Union of Missouri as a case study, presenters provide alternative lending schemes for low-income families, and a framework for dismantling the payday loan industry.
Doug Cowan, President & Chief Executive Officer, Community Services League
2.9 Award Winning Academics Meets Safe & Stable Housing for Homeless Students
San Francisco leaders use an academic model that works by providing supports from workforce development, conflict resolution, and family support, to college and transition services. In this session, they come together for an action-oriented conversation addressing education for homeless youth, speaking to the efficacy of their model, as well as its expansion to include housing.
Teri Delane, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Principal, Life Learning Academy
Amy Price, Program Executive, Zellerbach Family Foundation
Hydra Mendoza, Mayor’s Education Advisor & San Francisco Unified School District Board Member, Office of Mayor Ed Lee
Patricia Lee, Managing Attorney, Office of the Public Defender
2.10 Establishing the Permanency of Hope: Affecting Meaningful Change for Children and Family Homelessness in Tennessee Using a Trauma-informed Statewide Integrative Approach
The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has reduced the impact of poverty and homelessness on children and families through the use of a trauma-informed, statewide integrative approach. This session delves deeper into the details of this approach, and provides an opportunity for attendees to interact with members of the panel.
Michael Davis, Director of Housing & Homeless Services, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Kisha Ledlow, Project Director, Tennessee Healthy Transitions Initiative, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Jessica Mullens, Assistant Director, Office of Child & Youth Mental Health, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Abigail Dowell, Cooperative Agreement to Benefit Homeless Individuals Program Manager, Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Friday, January 12
9:15 am–10:45 am
3.1 Homelessness: A Cause and Effect of Incarceration
Public policy should reflect the fundamental role of housing in community safety, family unity, economic equality, and successful reentry. This session explores incarceration as both a cause and an effect of homelessness. The Fortune Society’s service and advocacy programs are discussed, as well as the myriad of ways attendees can get involved with the issue.
Stanley Richards, Executive Vice President, Fortune Society
Casimiro Torres, Superintendent at Castle Gardens, Fortune Society
JoAnne Page, Chief Executive Officer & President, Fortune Society
3.2 Employment Training and Debt Reduction as Critical Components to Solving Homelessness: Strategies and Challenges in Increasing Incomes for the Formerly Homeless
Three employment training programs from diverse areas of the country will present their findings, strategies, and challenges in preparing participants for employment. Presenters discuss issues of overcoming debt, financial management, workforce training, social enterprise, and employment readiness for a diverse population, as well as long-term strategies to increase incomes.
Paul Webster, Director of Strategic Advancement, Solutions for Change
Katie Allston, Executive Director, Marian House
Christopher Fay, Executive Director, Homestretch
3.3 Human Trafficking & Family Homelessness: Identification and Intervention Strategies
This session provides an overview of human trafficking, focusing on domestic trafficking within the United States. Using the risk factors identified for victims of trafficking and research on vulnerability within the homeless experience, attendees gain knowledge on the impact of trafficking within a family unit, and how homelessness impacts victims. Attendees leave with strategies that can be implemented by agencies serving homeless families to identify and support human trafficking victims.
Melissa Brockie, New Day Center Director, UMOM
Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, MSW, PhD, Director, Arizona State University Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research
3.4 Working Title: National Network for Youth
Unaccompanied youth face unique challenges. While there are housing and supportive services available to this demographic, it is often difficult to know what to look for or what might be appropriate. This session helps participants understand what programs are available to these young people, and how they can help unaccompanied youth access these services.
Eric Masten, Director of Public Policy, National Network for Youth
Amy Louttit, Public Policy Associate, National Network for Youth
3.5 Grandfamily Housing Needs: Grandparent, Child, and Professional Perspectives
Grandparent caregivers face significant housing challenges stemming from the experience of poverty, which can trap their families in unsuitable homes and unsafe neighborhoods, and may place them at risk of homelessness. This session discusses the needs of these caregivers, based on the findings of a recent qualitative study.
Lauren Polvere, PhD, Senior Research Scientist & Research Professor, Center for Human Services Research, University at Albany
Camille Barnes, PhD, Research Scientist & Research Professor, Center for Human Services Research, University at Albany
3.6 Bringing Education Home: Building Partnerships to Improve Educational Outcomes
The research is clear: children and youth experiencing homelessness have worse educational outcomes. This session outlines the current housing-education partnership landscape in the United States, and explores the successes of the Vancouver Housing Authority’s partnership with Vancouver Public Schools. Audience members emerge with a better understanding of why connecting education and housing is so critical.
Abra Lyons-Warren, Senior Program & Policy Manager, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
Jan Wichert, Director of Employee & Resident Services, Vancouver Housing Authority
Tamara Shoup, Director of Family Engagement & Family-Community Resource Centers, Vancouver Public Schools
3.7 Cultural Diversity, Microaggressions, and Other Intersections in Practice
This session offers an interactive experience to better understand how perceptions can impact homeless services, by placing attendees in the role of someone receiving those services.
Bridie Johnson, Division Director, Saginaw County Youth Protection Council/Innerlink Shelter Division
Jasmine Calhoun, Case Manager Supervisor, Basic Center & Transitional Living Services, Saginaw County Youth Protection Council/Innerlink Shelter Division
3.8 Beyond Awareness
This session, using Washington state as an example, teaches audience members how to get involved in state and national-level advocacy on behalf of homeless students and families, and highlights advocacy success stories. The program demonstrates how collaborating with schools, housing, and other community-based organizations is critical to sustaining advocacy wins.
Katara Jordan, Senior Manager of Policy & Advocacy, Building Changes
Michael Santos, Attorney, National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
3.9 Photovoice as a Tool for Exploring Perceptions of Hope and Well-being Among Impoverished Children and Families
This session explores perceptions of hope and well-being among impoverished children and families. The workshop will include a discussion about the construct of hope and how it’s culturally and contextually shaped. The use of photography as a tool to guide personal narratives is emphasized in discussion, and applied through a hands-on demonstration of the Photovoice process.
Dana Harley, Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati
James Canfield, Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati
Viann Barnett, Director, Off the Streets Program, Cincinnati Union Bethel
Aarin Cox, Master of Social Work Graduate Student, University of Cincinnati
3.10 Advocacy at the Intersections of Domestic Violence, Housing, and Homelessness
Unhealthy family relationships create a toxic home environment and contribute to youth homelessness. Strengthening healthy relationship skills like communication, conflict management, and parenting is an effective prevention strategy. This session provides free research-based tools and strategies so participants can integrate these skills into existing services to strengthen youth and families.
Christie Bevis, Director, Safe Housing Practices & Initiatives, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
Anne Menard, Chief Executive Officer, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
Debbie Fox, Senior Policy & Practice Specialist, National Network to End Domestic Violence
Peg Hacskaylo, Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance for Safe Housing, District Alliance for Safe Housing
3.11 Trauma-informed Care for Families and Staff
In this session, participants learn about the principles of trauma-informed care—emotional and physical safety, building dignity, restoring power, and promoting autonomy—as well as the science driving advancements in the field. Participants also engage with the tenants of the Assertive Engagement approach to working with clients, and learn how to apply this to their own organizations.
Brandi Tuck, Executive Director, Portland Homeless Family Solutions
Kurt Briggs-Ungerer, Program Director, Portland Homeless Family Solutions
11:00 am–12:30 pm
4.1 NYC Every Student, Every Day: Supporting Our Most Vulnerable Students
This session provides an overview of chronic absenteeism, including its negative impact on the City’s most vulnerable youth. Participants will leave with effective attendance strategies as developed through New York City Community School’s “Every Student, Every Day” campaign.
Sarah Peterson, Director of Research & Development, New York City Department of Education
Sarah Jonas, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Community Schools, New York City Department of Education
Jean Lahage Cohen, Executive Director, Mentor New York
4.2 A Movement Begins: Los Angeles County’s Homeless Initiative
The Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative (HI) is leading a social movement to combat homelessness by coordinating a comprehensive regional approach and securing dedicated funding of $3.55 billion through 2027. In this session, leaders of the initiative discuss the planning process that HI underwent to bring together both public and private stakeholders with a sense of shared ownership for all involved.
Leticia Colchado, Principal Analyst, Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office, Homeless Initiative
Jerry Ramirez, Manager, Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office, Homeless Initiative
4.3 Federal Child Care Policy Impacts States Serving Young Children Experiencing Homelessness
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 authorized the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). Panelists discuss how the CCDF serves children receiving federal assistance, focusing on state efforts that specifically benefit families experiencing homelessness.
Marsha Basloe, Senior Advisor for the Office of Early Childhood Development, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services
Christi L. Jeffcoat, Manager, South Carolina Voucher Program Control Center for the Division of Early Care & Education, South Carolina Department of Social Services
Grace Whitney, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, SchoolHouse Connection
4.4 Meeting the Health Needs of Homeless Families
The overall health of homeless children and families is of the utmost importance. Panelists conduct an immersive discussion on innovative ways to reach their most vulnerable patients.
Anna Shaw-Amoah, Principal Policy Analyst, Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness
Representative, The Floating Hospital
Representative, Cook Children’s Hospital of Dallas
4.5 A Tale of Two Partnerships (And Everything in Between): Creating Mutually Beneficial Partnerships
This session uses interactive storytelling to share two real-life programming partnership examples, one ideal and one undesirable, to highlight best practices for creating mutually beneficial partnerships. Participants learn to set organizational standards and requirements for partnerships, and learn how to determine appropriate partnership levels for programming—including forgoing partnerships altogether.
Lila Anna Sauls, President & Chief Executive Officer, Homeless No More
Kayla Mallet, Children’s Services Coordinator, Homeless No More/St. Lawrence Place
Laura Stokes, Special Projects Associate, Homeless No More
4.6 Advantages of After Care to Aid in Ending Homelessness
Looking at the best practices of Drueding Center’s After Care Program, this session gives details about the 7-year program’s rates of success. This After Care model shows how access to a support system once permanent housing is secured can add to the chances of long-term housing retention, and advancement in sufficiency.
Cheree Webster-Jones, After Care Family Advocate, Drueding Center
Sherlonda Dozier, After Care Family Advocate, Drueding Center
Ronald Allen, Director of Community Services, Drueding Center
4.7 Two-generational Approach in Practice: Organizational and Programmatic Considerations
Our House uses a two-generation approach to lifting families out of homelessness and poverty, built on high-quality, closely integrated programming for parents and children alike. This session provides practical guidance on how social service providers and advocates can incorporate two-generation principles into their program design and increase the effectiveness of their work.
Ben Goodwin, Assistant Director, Our House, Inc.
Chris Ramsey, Lead Central Arkansas Family Stability Institute Case Manager, Our House, Inc.
4.8 Give “Littles” Their Due: What Can Yay Babies! Do for Your Community?
Babies and toddlers experiencing homelessness are often met with little consideration for their needs. In this session, participants consider their local community’s attention to babies and toddlers, and learn local and state-wide strategies for improving care and services for this often-overlooked homeless population.
Diane Nilan, Founder & President, HEAR Us
Mary Haskett, Professor of Psychology, North Carolina State University
4.9 Nurturing Resilience in Youth and Adults
Resilience is incredibly important to young people experiencing homelessness. Luckily, research shows that anyone can learn the thoughts and behaviors that comprise resilience. This session reviews that research, suggesting specific ways school staff and service providers can nurture resilience in young people. Most importantly, youth who have, themselves, experienced homelessness will share practical advice and describe how adults have helped them to succeed.
Patricia Julianelle, Director of Program Advancement & Legal Affairs, SchoolHouse Connection
Jose Mendoza, Student, Columbia University, SchoolHouse Connection Young Leader
Katlin Pridy, Graduate of University of Central Florida, Parent pursuing second advanced degree
Sasha Mansaray, Student, Delaware County Community College, SchoolHouse Connection Young Leader
Paul Turner, Student, Hamilton College, SchoolHouse Connection Young Leader
4.10 The Power of Community Partnership to Make Research Possible and System Change a Reality
Utilizing community research on family homelessness, this workshop will focus on the essential components that make community research possible and how to transform research to change. By including examples from local projects that use linked data with other systems impacting families, presenters reflect on lessons learned from these projects, and their measurable outcomes.
Ashley Williams Clark, Assistant Director, Institute for Social Capital, University of North Carolina Charlotte Urban Institute
Courtney Morton, Housing & Homelessness Research Coordinator, Mecklenburg County
4.11 Preventing Family Displacement and Homelessness at Earl Boyles Elementary School
In the high-poverty and rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Southeast Portland, multi-sector partners have come together to implement a short-term rent assistance program in an elementary school. Panelists discuss the evolution of their partnership and explore their challenges and best practice recommendations for preventing family displacement and homelessness.
Rachel Langford, Education & Youth Initiative Program Director, Home Forward
Josue Peña-Juárez, Earl Boyles Housing and Family Advocate, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization
Elena Rivera, Health Policy & Program Advisor, Children’s Institute
Christine McHone, Licensed School Counselor, Earl Boyles Elementary School
2:15 pm–3:00 pm
5.1 Homeless Prevention and Behavioral Economics: Curating Critically Timed Choices to Prevent Homelessness
Behavioral economics offers a unique perspective into the phenomenon of homelessness. By examining how and why individuals are forced to make choices that may result in homelessness, this economic method offers attendees insight into how upstream interventions in housing instability and the curating of critically timed choice sets can preserve housing and prevent homelessness. This work is especially targeted to high-risk populations, such as young adults with children.
Daniel Farrell, Senior Vice President, Homeless Prevention & Rehousing Services, HELP USA
Tina Goodrich, Program Director of New Beginnings Critical Time Intervention Program, HELP USA
Renee Fueller, Executive Director of HomeBase I Homeless Prevention Network, HELP USA
5.2 Durham’s Collaborative to End Family Homelessness
In this session, members of Durham’s Collaborative to End Family Homelessness discuss the methods and successes of their collaborative process to develop an end-to-end system for reducing homelessness in their community. They examine the lessons they’ve learned along the way, and leave attendees with specific strategies to utilize volunteers and partners to empower families.
Ryan Fehrman, Executive Director, Families Moving Forward
Sheldon Mitchell, Executive Director, Urban Ministries of Durham
Laura Benson, Executive Director, Durham’s Partnership for Children
Catherine Pleil, Director of Partnerships & Programs, Families Moving Forward
5.3 The ForKids Housing Crisis Hotline: Connecting 14 Cities & 1100 Programs
The ForKids Housing Crisis Hotline is a call center that assists over 18,000 households annually. Organization representatives discuss the center’s history, system metrics, and community data. They also give a system demonstration, and share how communities and service providers were able to overcome barriers and work together to grow a system that connects individuals with services.
Thaler McCormick, Chief Executive Officer, ForKids
Shirley Brackett, Crisis Response Director, ForKids
5.4 Collaborating for Change: Addressing the Needs of Homeless Children and Youth
Providing an understanding of the complexity of youth homelessness, this panel explores elements that have made San Bernardino’s Homeless Youth Taskforce successful. It also provides advice on best practices for participants and their collaborators.
Brenda Dowdy, Homeless Education Project Manager, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
James Ramos, Third District Supervisor, County of San Bernardino
Andre Bossieux, Transitional Age Youth Program Manager II, San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health
Molly Wiltshire, Chief of Staff, Office of Supervisor James Ramos, 3rd District
5.5 Shelter Transformation: How to Curtail Repeated and Generational Homelessness One Family at a Time
This session introduces audiences to a shelter curriculum model called Going Home. Through the lens of this highly recognized, specifically designed model, attendees are given practical steps to transform services and programs to focus on curtailing generational or repeated homelessness.
Margaret Lovejoy, Founder & Executive Director, Family Place
Susanne Lovejoy, Fund/Program Developer, Family Place
Susan Dyrud MacDonald, Head of School & Guide at Casa de la Bella Montessori, Family Place
5.6 Compassion Fatigue: Making Self-care a Priority to Improve Your Effectiveness
Compassion fatigue is common in fields associated with trauma. Prioritizing self-care is critical for long-term success in direct care and supervisory staff. This session engages participants in the important practice of self-care for caregivers, increasing awareness and providing tools to avoid burnout.
Jamie Meyer, Senior Director of Education, Metropolitan Ministries
5.7 From Homelessness to Stability: The HomeFront Model
HomeFront serves over fifteen thousand homeless and low-income individuals each year using an innovative campus and a range of housing and supportive services. This session focuses on the role that shelter and effective interventions have in serving families at risk, allowing attendees to improve and integrate their own services.
Sheila Addison, Director of the HomeFront Family Campus, HomeFront
Sarah Steward, Chief Operating Officer, HomeFront
