Bringing Community-Level

Practice into High Definition:

Integrating OT into a County
Department of Human Services
Homeless Program System
Dr. Anne Marie Witchger Hansen, EdD, OTR/L
Sara Dix, MOT, OTR/L
 Allegheny County
Department of Human Services (DHS)
Contract Year 2009 – 2010 Summary
 Persons Served = 194,972

 Total Budget = $825.1 million

 Funding Sources = 183

 Direct Service Providers = 380

 Filled Staff Positions = 1,090

 Allegheny County
Department of Human Services (DHS)
The Allegheny County DHS is responsible for
providing and administering publicly-funded
human services to County residents through its
five Program Offices:
 Area Agency on Aging (AAA)
 Office of Behavioral Health (OBH)
 Office of Children, Youth & Families (CYF)
 Office of Community Services (OCS)
 Office of Intellectual Disability (OID) (formerly
MR/DD)
DHS - Office of Community Services

Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

Supportive Housing Program (SHP)
Department
 Federal funding - $14 million annually
 70 HUD programs, 32 agencies
 Total homeless adults - 1,769
 Total homeless children - 705
Homeless Program Beds in
Allegheny County
Number of Beds by Program Types

12%

Permanent Housing
35%
15%
Transitional Housing, Bridge, Penn
Free
Safe Haven

2% Shelter Plus Care

Shelter

36%
 Population Needs
Mental Health Issues
Substance Abuse Issues
Domestic Violence/Abuse Histories
Criminal Justice System Involvement
Children, Youth, & Family System Involvement
Multi-Social Service System Users
Lack of Social Supports
Generational Poverty
Environmental Factors Inhibit Occupation
Homeless Participants Receiving
Cross-Systems Services
2010 Opening Doors – Federal Strategic
Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness

Developed by US Interagency Council on

Homelessness
 Dept. of Labor
 Dept. of Veteran’s Affairs
 Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD)
 Dept. of Health and Human Services
 Social Security Administration
 And others…
 2010 Open Doors Plan
4 Overarching Goals
 Finish the job of ending chronic
homelessness in 5 years
 Prevent and end homelessness among
Veterans in 5 years
 Prevent and end homelessness for families,
youth, and children in 10 years
 Set a path to ending all types of
homelessness
 2010 Open Doors Plan
10 Objectives
 #2 - Strengthen the capacity of public and
private organizations by increasing knowledge
about collaboration, homelessness, and
successful interventions to prevent and end
homelessness

 #4 - Provide permanent supportive housing to

prevent and end chronic homelessness
 2010 Open Doors Plan
10 Objectives (cont.)
 #5 - Increase meaningful and sustainable
employment for people experiencing or most
at risk of homelessness

 #6 - Improve access to mainstream programs

and services to reduce people’s financial
vulnerability to homelessness
 OT Filling a Local DHS Gap

HUD supportive service funding cuts in

2007

Major federal budgetary shift from services

to housing focus

Current federal policy reflects connection

of homeless program participants to
mainstream services and increasing
economic stability
WHERE DOES OT FIT??
 OT’s Role in DHS Setting
Consultative
Train-the-trainer approach
Systems focused
Reflective of community level practice
Develop and implement a supportive
program to enhance the skills/knowledge
of homeless program service providers
Ultimately, raise the level of care provided
to program participants
Community Wellness Project Goals
Increase Employment
Facilitate Career Path Development
Encourage Productive Activity
Increase Moves to Permanent Housing
Improve Housing Stability
Improve Utilization of Mainstream Services
Community Wellness Project
Program Development
 Needs/Assets Assessments
Program Directors
Direct Care Staff (Case Managers/Service
Coordinators
Program Participants
 Observation & Learning Mainstream Systems
 Development of Staff Training Tools &
Resources
 Coordination of a Collaborative Community
Working Group
Community Wellness Project
Program Structure (Agency Level)
 Agency Needs/Assets Assessment
 Onsite Staff Training
 Onsite Program Participant Workshops (if
needed)
 Ongoing Support & Encouragement of
Participation in Network-Wide Learning and
Collaboration Opportunities
Community-Level OT Interventions
Agency-Tailored Staff Training Sessions
Local Employment & Training Advisory
Board Coordination
Building Collaborative Community
Partnerships
Educating Community Partners about
Homelessness & Occupation
Improving Collaboration Among Homeless
Providers
 Staff Training Topics
Navigating the PA CareerLink System
Achieving Success in the PA EARN Program
Exploring Local Free/Short-Term Training Options
Motivational Interviewing: Facilitating Change
Effective Goal Planning
Establishing Career Paths
Reframing Transferrable Skills
Finding Employment with a Criminal Record
Resumes: Formatting to Highlight Strengths
SOAR Model: Social Security Outreach, Access, &
Recovery
And others…
Employment & Training Advisory Board
Members
Local Training Mainstream Service
Providers Providers
 Bidwell  PA CareerLink
 Springboard Kitchens  PA EARN
 Manufacturing 2000  Office of Voc Rehab (OVR)
 CCAC MOST  Braddock E&T Center
 Mon Valley Initiative

Supportive Service DHS & HUD Housing

Providers Programs
 Traveler’s Aid
Employment & Training Advisory
Board Activities
Employment Resource Fair
Mock Interview Event (with Regional
Internship Center)
E&T Provider Open House Tour
CareerLink Open House Tour
EARN/DPW Orientation
E&T Career Fair
Other Collaborative Partners
SOAR Model
Social Security Administration (SSA)
Disability Determination Services (DDS)
Homeless Children’s Education Fund
Allegheny Intermediate Unit
CORO’s Regional Internship Center
 Improving Program Outcomes &
Collaboration Among Homeless Providers
Implemented new Outcomes Ranking
reporting system in Fall 2010
Quarterly provider meeting to review
ranked results
Speakers representing various supportive
community services to improve program
outcomes/quality
Highlight opportunities for collaboration
between providers
 Michael’s Place
Single, male,
ex-offenders

HUD transitional
housing program
 Michael’s Place
CWP Interventions
 Staff training (Train-the-Trainer) – Utilizing
Mainstream Services (CareerLink), Local Free
Training Options, & ONET Career Interest
Assessments
 Active involvement with Employment &
Training Advisory Board activities
 OT Student Groups/Life Skills Onsite
 YWCA – WISH & Bridge
Families (primarily
women & children),
most dual-diagnosed,
w/disabilities (PH)

HUD transitional
housing (Bridge) &
permanent housing
(WISH) programs
 YWCA – WISH & Bridge
CWP Interventions
 Staff training – Utilizing Mainstream Services (EARN),
Local Free Training Options, & ONET Career Interest
Assessments
 Staff were SOAR trained to assist women with
disabilities in obtaining SSA benefits
 Onsite SOAR technical assistance
 Program participant workshops for career path
development & registration into CareerLink system
 Active involvement in Employment & Training
Advisory Board activities
 Duquesne University OT Research Project
 Sojourner House - MOMS
Families (primarily
women & children),
w/disabilities

HUD permanent
housing program
Action Housing – Braddock Apartments

Single, male/female,
w/disabilities, many
chronic homeless

HUD permanent
housing program
Action Housing – Braddock Apartments

CWP Interventions
 Staff training – Recognizing Mental Illness
Symptoms & Motivational Interviewing
Techniques, Local Free Training Options, Job
Readiness, & Criminal Record
Expungments/Pardons
 Staff were SOAR trained to assist in obtaining
SSA benefits
Adagio – Healthy Start House
Families (primarily
women & children),
many expectant/new
mothers

HUD transitional
housing program
Adagio - Healthy Start House
CWP Interventions
 Staff training – Local Free Training Options &
Job Readiness
 Coordinated a tour of local community E&T
Center for staff to establish a partnership &
open communication
 OT Student Group/Life Skills Onsite
 Sister’s Place
Families (primarily
women & children),
w/disabilities (PH)

HUD transitional
housing & permanent
housing programs
 Sister’s Place
CWP Interventions
 Staff training
 Staff were SOAR trained to assist women with
disabilities in obtaining SSA benefits
 Onsite SOAR technical assistance
 Program participant workshops for career
path development
 Onsite workshops with CWP social work
intern
 OT Student Group/Life Skills Onsite
Mercy – Operation Safety Net
Singles, Street
Homeless

HUD transitional
housing program,
Street outreach
program, S+C
housing program
Mercy – Operation Safety Net
CWP Interventions
 Staff were SOAR trained to assist women with
disabilities in obtaining SSA benefits
 Staff consistently referred job seekers to CWP
social work intern at CareerLink
Challenges & Lessons Learned
Breaking social service departmental silos
Changing homeless service provider
perspectives about mainstream services
Re-defining/clarifying indicators of success
internally and to community
Marketing homeless programs to establish
community partnerships
Creating realistic career pathways for individuals
affected by generational poverty
 Tips for Getting Started
Evaluate your local opportunities
Learn about social service systems
Choose one appropriate area to explore
Think about mutually beneficial partnerships
Consider volunteering or student projects as
an entry point
Talk with local social service administrators
about service gaps and potential role for OT