Regional Shift in Veteran Homelessness, Down 21% YTD

Our region’s approach to ending veteran homelessness is working. Veteran homelessness is down 21% this year, and in the last 6 months, we’ve seen a significant shift despite overall increases in homelessness. According to Community Solutions, “a shift constitutes a measurable, meaningful reduction in homelessness for a community. More specifically, it means that a community has driven the number of people experiencing homelessness below their median for six consecutive months.” Shifts tell us when there has been a fundamental, sustained change in our region’s systemic response to veteran homelessness.

Data above from our by-name list tracks the number of veterans experiencing homelessness across the region in real-time. From March to August 2023, we’ve seen a 15% reduction in veteran homelessness. This means our by-name list went from 433 Veterans in March to 366 in August. Year-to-date, the number of veterans has decreased by 21%, from 468 to 370 veterans actively experiencing homelessness. This puts our region on track to reach our goal of reducing veteran homelessness by 25% this year, from 468 to 351 veterans.

Lauren Lapinski, a licensed clinical social worker with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), celebrated the win. “Our community has made a SHIFT in veteran homelessness, which means we have consistently seen a decrease in our overall number of literally homeless veterans in our Continuum of Care for the past 6 months,” shared Lapinski. “Thank you to all our community homeless providers for their incredible efforts to end veteran homelessness in our area, homelessness is solvable.”

A lot of factors and hard work across the region contributed to these reductions, some of which include:

1. Strong Partnership with the VA

2. Abundance of Veteran Housing Resources

3. Veteran-Specific Case Conferencing

4. Local Case Conferencing for Veterans off of BNL

5. Increased Collaboration across the Region

6. Every Sub-Region Using HMIS

7. Community Building at Metro Denver Learning Sessions

8. Community Solutions Investments in Affordable Housing Stock

9. Coordinated, Person-Centered Outreach

Over the last 2 years, MDHI has collaborated with local governments, homelessness agencies, and Community Solutions to create a sub-regional response to end veteran homelessness using the Built for Zero (BFZ) framework. The goal is to reach function zero, a sustainable system where fewer veterans experience homelessness than can be routinely housed in a month.

We began with veterans because of the abundance of resources for this specific population. Having this proof point is essential, as it will provide a framework and guidance on how to end homelessness for other populations. In setting and piloting this foundation, we can begin to identify gaps in our systems, build out capacity, and apply for targeted investments. More information about how the learning and data infrastructure from solving veteran homelessness will be translated to other populations in the near future.

Adams County & Aurora Achieve Quality Data for Veterans

Adams County and the City of Aurora have achieved Quality Data for veterans, a necessary milestone for reaching a functional end to Veteran homelessness (and eventually all homelessness). Quality Data means we can account for every veteran experiencing homelessness by name, in real time. This Quality By-Name List (BNL) helps us understand the scope of veteran homelessness in each subregion, describes the inflow and outflow on an ongoing basis, gives us accurate information to reduce homelessness, and helps us measure our progress toward ending it. Community Solutions certified the data over a 3-month reporting period, assuring that Adams and Aurora maintained 100% data reliability through the end of last month.

Lindsey Earl, CSWB Administrator for Adams County, shared her thoughts on the key benefits of quality data for veterans. “Quality data gives us a level of certainty that we are providing care for all veterans experiencing homelessness in our community. It helps us connect to veterans who have lost housing to quickly reduce and resolve the trauma they are experiencing.” Earl added, “Under the guidance of MDHI and Community Solutions, we continuously research best practices and review our data sets to know they we are implementing evidence-based interventions for veterans experiencing homelessness.” She also mentioned key steps to achieving quality data included “extending an HMIS data-sharing agreement to our municipalities and nonprofit providers and increasing case conferencing participation.”

Margay Witzdam, Improvement Advisor with MDHI, was critical to their success. She added, “Since the beginning of the Built for Zero (BFZ) Veteran initiative in Metro Denver, Adams County and the City of Aurora have consistently showcased their ability to modify a methodology to their own communities' needs for success. Reaching Quality Data for Veterans in both sub-regions shows the importance of forming dedicated improvement teams and ongoing cross-collaboration.”

Boulder County was the first to achieve Quality Data last August. The addition of Adams and Aurora means 3 out of 9 subregions in metro Denver have achieved this milestone and know all veterans and singles experiencing homelessness by name, in real-time.

Aurora’s Certification of Quality Data from BFZ

Members of Aurora Team with Quality Data Cup

Lindsey Earl from Adams County Government

Members of Adams County Team with Quality Data Cup

Final CoC NOFO Application Posted, Feedback Due 9/27

Dear Partners,

Thanks to everyone who already provided input on our region's Collaborative Application for federal homelessness funding! We appreciate your support in strengthening this year’s application to HUD. As part of this important community process, MDHI is posting the final version of the Collaborative Application as well as the Project Priority Listing. 

Please send final input to NOFA@mdhi.org by 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 27.

Metro Denver Receives $2.58 Million from Federal Government to End Youth Homelessness

DENVER, COLORADO – On September 20, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $2,580,526 to the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) to prevent and end youth homelessness. The funding was awarded through HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). The grant allows key stakeholders in Denver’s homelessness services community, including those with lived experience, to create and implement a coordinated community plan to end homelessness for youth aged 24 and under.

Metro Denver was one of 16 communities selected by HUD to receive a YHDP grant this year, totaling $60 million in funding. These funds will be sub-granted to support a range of housing programs for youth, such as rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, and transitional housing. “YHDP was developed using vital input from the very communities it serves,” said Rocky Mountain Regional Administrator Dominique Jackson. “With a strong focus on targeted outreach and supportive services, the funding available through this program will enable organizations like the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative to reach more youth and change the trajectory of their lives.”

Layla Said, Communications Specialist at MDHI, led this year’s grant writing, Homeless Youth Needs Assessment, and stakeholder engagement. She shared, “This is a pivotal moment for our community, one that gives us a real opportunity to address a critically unmet need for housing resources and end youth homelessness as a region in collaboration with those we serve.”

Metro Denver’s Homeless Management Information System showed 1,787 youth accessing services related to homelessness in metro Denver between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. During the same period, 632 unaccompanied youth were served by Runaway and Homeless Youth Projects. School districts also identified and reported 8,240 students experiencing homelessness during the 2020-2021 school year, and the annual Point in Time count identified 469 youth experiencing literal homelessness on the night of January 30, 2023. "Youth homelessness is a growing challenge in our community,” said Dr. Jamie Rife, Executive Director of MDHI. “This funding will greatly strengthen the region’s ability to meet the needs of young people navigating this crisis,” she added.  

Dominique Jackson, Rocky Mountain Regional Administrator of HUD, will be presenting the region with a check on September 27th at 10:15 am at Urban Peak's facility located at 1630 S. Acoma St. in Denver. The public and press are invited to attend.

The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) is a federal initiative designed to reduce the number of youth experiencing homelessness. Its goal is to support selected communities, including rural, suburban, and urban areas across the United States, in the development and implementation of a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness.

MDHI is the Metro Denver Continuum of Care, the regional system that coordinates services and housing for people experiencing homelessness. This includes prevention/diversion, street outreach, emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing. MDHI works closely with each county in its continuum (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson) to build a homeless crisis response system that gets people back into housing as quickly as possible.

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For more information, please email info@mdhi.org.

Annual CoC Competitive Application Open for Comments

Dear Partners,

The Consolidated Application is a part of the Annual CoC NOFO process and strengthens our region’s application to secure federal homelessness funding. As part of this important process, MDHI is posting the draft version of the CoC Collaborative Application for public review and feedback. Please review the plan and provide any comments using the “Add Comments” tool.  

We'd love to have your feedback by 12pm on September 21. We'll incorporate it into our final plan and post it for review. Please contact nofa@mdhi.org if you have any questions.

You can also access the application with this link: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:fc56622d-2456-3d0a-9abb-77f9ccba5568.

Thank you for the time to help strengthen our community application!
The MDHI Team

Community Job Board

These postings were submitted by our partners and are important in supporting our region’s homeless crisis response system. Please contact the agency hiring for more information.

Email info@mdhi.org if you have a local job posting in homelessness or related services. Ranked newest to oldest:

• City of Westminster - Homeless Navigator

• Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN) - Multiple

  • Shelter Advocate

  • Housing Stability Coordinator

  • Counselor - Spanish Bilingual

  • Housing Advocate - Spanish Bilingual

  • Program Manager - Legal Advocacy

  • Shelter Advocate - On Call

• Warren Village - VP of Supportive Services

• Colorado Village Collaborative - Multiple

• Urban Peak - Multiple

Equal Access Training

MDHI hosted an Equal Access Rule Training in accordance with HUD’s Gender Identity Rule. The Equal Access Rule (EAR) ensures that all individuals - regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity - have equal access to HUD's programs. This includes shelters, benefits, services and accommodations. As such, it prohibits certain forms of discrimination against persons identifying within the LGBTQIA2S+ umbrella.

The training session offers a deeper dive into the following:

• CoC Policy and HUD's Equal Access Rules

• Laws prohibiting discrimination

• Strategies to provide all individuals who interact with CoC-funded programs a safe, healthy, inclusive, affirming, and discrimination-free environment

Every agency that receives CoC funding should engage with these materials.

• Watch the EAR Training

• EAR Training Slides

• Sample Anti-Discrimination Policy

Annual 2023 Homeless Count Released

Data for the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count shows increases in homelessness, specifically those experiencing homelessness for the first time. 

[Denver, CO – July 24, 2023]: The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) released the 2023 annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count data today. The count, conducted in January each year, is required by HUD to capture the number of unduplicated individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night.  

“We are still awaiting HUD’s verification of the region’s data, but for planning purposes, it is important to share this data,” said Dr. Jamie Rife, MDHI’s Executive Director.  

The count occurred on Monday, January 30, 2023, and included both those staying in shelter and outdoors. This year, 9,065 people were counted, or a 31.7% increase from 2022. The numbers of families experiencing homelessness showed a significant rise across the region, from 1,277 last year to 2,101 this year. Additionally, those who are new to homelessness rose sharply, from 2,634 to 3,996. Families experiencing homelessness for the first time were 597 in 2022 and 1,316 in 2023. 

“While the world is no longer in a pandemic, we are beginning to feel the full economic fallout of the COVID-19 era,” shared Rife. “With COVID-19 relief funds for the prevention of homelessness coming to an end, as well as many other COVID-era protections, we’ve seen a sharp increase in the number of eviction filings as more households struggle to pay rent. This, paired with inflation and the increased cost of housing, is resulting in many people falling into homelessness and many being unable to obtain housing.”  

The PIT is an annual snapshot of homelessness on a single night with numerous variables such as weather, count participation, volunteer engagement, and a variety of other factors. “While the region continues to improve our count and was able to locate 9,065 individuals on a single night experiencing homelessness, the Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) used by our providers allows us to see this number is closer 28,000 throughout the course of the year,” stressed Rife. “We need to keep moving towards understanding who is experiencing homelessness in real-time and by name, so our response is as effective as possible”, she added.  

The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative is the Lead Agency for the region’s Continuum of Care. The organization coordinates the annual count at the regional level with local teams across the seven-county Denver region conducting counts locally. Per HUD requirements, the PIT must be conducted during the last ten days of January. For more information on the PIT count, 2023 data and county-by-county breakdowns, please visit MDHI’s website. A more comprehensive look at homelessness can be found in MDHI’s State of Homelessness Report.  

Annual CoC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Released

The Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has officially posted the Annual CoC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 on Grants.gov. The submission deadline for the CoC Application and CoC Priority List is September 28th, 2023 at 8:00pm EST.

MDHI hosted a NOFO Grantee Presentation on July 26th for current Grantees and anyone interested in applying. You can review the slides here or watch the webinar recording.

Timeline

• Review the NOFO Grantee Presentation slides or watch the webinar for more information

• Letters of Intent are due August 1, 2023

• Applications are due in e-snaps by 2pm on August 28, 2023

• MDHI submits Collaborative Application by September 28, 2023

Project Applicants

• Returning project applicants may choose to import FY 2022 renewal project application responses; however, this must be requested during your registration of the Renewal Funding Opportunity in e-snaps and is only available if you submitted a project application in the FY 2022 CoC Program Competition. Imported responses must be carefully reviewed to ensure accuracy.

• Projects renewing for the first time, that were previously awarded prior to the FY 2022 CoC Program Competition must complete the entire renewal project application.

• New project applications must be completed in full and in accordance with the new project application components permitted in this year’s Competition.

Additional Guidance

The following additional guidance will be posted on the CoC Program Competition page of HUD’s website by the end of this month: 

• FY 2023 CoC Estimated ARD Reports

• Detailed Instructions

• CoC Application

• CoC Priority Listing

• Project Applications – all types

• Navigational Guides

• Accessing the Project Application

• New Project Application

• Renewal Project Application

• UFA Costs Project Application

• Planning Costs Project Application

• CoC Priority Listing

Questions 

Questions regarding the FY 2023 CoC Program Competition process must be submitted to CoCNOFO@hud.gov.  

Questions related to e-snaps functionality (e.g., password lockout, access to user’s application account, updating Applicant Profile) must be submitted to e-snaps@hud.gov.

You can also contact MDHI at nofa@mdhi.org.

Welcome, New Staff!

Please join us in welcoming Jalicha, Jeevan, and Olive to our HMIS team! We are so excited to expand our team’s (and region’s) capacity to better support our information and impact.

Jalicha Davis
Training Specialist

"I'm excited to play my role in healing the world, one community at a time."

Jeevan Surendra
Data Analyst

"I'm excited to join MDHI's work to end homelessness because it's a chance to make a real difference in people's lives, providing them with the stability and support they need to thrive. It's an opportunity to be part of a compassionate community that is dedicated in creating lasting solutions for those who are most vulnerable."

Olive Strauser
Quality Assurance Specialist

"I can’t wait to see a world where individuals that now experience homelessness finally have the life and dignity they deserve, and for future generations to see this as a tragic part of history, but not a possibility for their lives."

Information & Impact - May 2023

A Monthly Homeless Management Information System Update

We’re holding off on our quarterly DPAL meeting until we receive more information about the HMIS data standards coming later this year. This means no DPAL meeting in May. Please review this newsletter for updates, which will be sent on a monthly basis to all active HMIS end users. Thank you for all your collaboration and support!

Data Quality

There has been an increase in Data Quality errors recently. Please review the reminders below so we can fix some common errors.

Zendesk Resources

As a reminder, please use Zendesk for all updates and resources. It has copies of documents and forms, announcements, quick reference guides, and the training signup link.

Client Duplicates

Before entering a new client, you must search for the client in the database using a combination of the following information:

• Name or Alias

• SSN

• Date of Birth

You can use partial information to prevent false negative results. For example, if you are searching for Candy Cane, entering “can can” in the search field makes it much easier to find the client. If you searched “candee” instead of “candy” the result would not populate. Note that Clarity will populate results as you type. You can click on the correct client as soon as they show in the pending results dropdown.

Household Management

Please ensure that you are creating and enrolling households appropriately. Use this Zendesk resource for reference.

• All program enrollments must have a Head of Household (HoH) assigned

• Children generally cannot be assigned as the HoH

• Exception: Runaway & Homeless Youth (RHY) programs​

• Make sure that families are enrolled together as a group

• If an individual enrollment is assigned to a child, email the helpdesk with the appropriate information to connect the child to the household

Clients Not Put on CQ

Remember to send a referral to the OneHome Community Queue (CQ) when you enroll a person into the OneHome program. If you do not add the person to the Community Queue, they cannot be considered for a resource referral through OneHome.

Data Standards

HUD released documentation for the FY24 HMIS Data Standards earlier this month. These changes will go into effect in HMIS on 10/1/2023.

Our team is reviewing the updated standards and preparing materials to review with DPALs and share with end users in the coming weeks. We’ll be working on updated COHMIS paperwork to be released on 10/1 when the updated data standards go into effect.

For a sneak peek of the FY24 HMIS Data Standards, review the slides from the most recent HUD HMIS Lead System Administrator webinar, beginning on slide 14. A link to the webinar is also available here.

Tableau Server Access

The COHMIS Leads recently rolled out access to an interactive suite of statewide dashboards that reflect a variety of HMIS data breakdowns. These dashboards are hosted on Tableau Server, a secure online platform provided to us by our partners at Community Solutions.

If you or staff members at your organization would like access to Tableau Server, please request access through our Tableau Server End User Agreement. Access will only be provided to staff who:

• Are employed at an organization that has a valid COHMIS Agency Partnership Agreement (APA) on file, and

• Will abide by the requirements outlined in the COHMIS Tableau Server End User Agreement

HMIS Training

How to Get Setup

All training is now conducted virtually on our Learning Management System (LMS). Only the agency DPALs can register staff for training. DPALs must log in to Zendesk and access the DPAL zone to register staff for the LMS.

Once the request is received, staff will receive an automated email with instructions on how to access the LMS. It can take up to 2 hours for the courses to be assigned after registration, so please be patient.

The email from the LMS may be marked as SPAM, so we ask that DPALs send the following message to your staff after signup. You should also work with your IT department to whitelist the LMS site.   

You will receive an email from <noreply@talentlms.com> with your username and temporary password. Check your spam folder and have your agency whitelist this email address. Please be sure to change your password when you log in. If you don't have this email, you can visit this link and use your email to reset your password. Do not change your username. Before logging in, you need to watch the video on the home page labeled “How to use Talent LMS.” Once you login to the LMS, you will only see a single course assigned. As you complete the courses, the next one will appear 15 hours later.

HMIS Login Credentials

To get HMIS login credentials, end users will have to complete both HMIS 101 and the FY 2023 set of HMIS courses (Days 1-3). The HMIS training will be spread out over a minimum of 3 days. 

Practical exam: As part of the day 3 training, staff will be expected to enter client information into the training website. The instructions will provide a login to the training site and a fake character bio. Staff must showcase proficiency in the system and a clear understanding of HUD concepts. If staff do not pass the practical exam, they will be given the next steps on a case-by-case basis. Once staff passes all of these sections, they will be issued login credentials to HMIS for their agency.

OneHome Access

If staff need access to OneHome:

1. The DPAL will need to send a request to the HMIS helpdesk

2. The Coordinated Entry course will be assigned to staff in the LMS

3. Once they pass the Coordinated Entry course, email the helpdesk to let us know

4. Our HMIS team will add OneHome access in HMIS

Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) Grant Open

Up to $15 million in federal funding available to prevent and end youth homelessness in metro Denver. See below for ways you can support our community’s application.

Interested in learning more about the YHDP? You can read the full HUD notice here or review our first stakeholder presentation from May 1.

Provider Survey

Do you work with young adults aged 24 and under that experience homelessness or housing instability? Please add your input to our Needs Assessment and Coordinated Community Plan by May 15 at 11:59pm.

Youth Survey

This survey is for young adults that have experienced homelessness or housing instability while aged 24 or under. This input will support our Needs Assessment and Coordinated Community Plan.

We encourage providers who work with young people to designate a time for them to complete it before May 15 at 11:59pm. All of the questions are optional. Young people should be compensated for their time via monetary or in-kind incentives.

Board of Directors Application Open!

Apply until noon on May 12.

Would you like to join our mission of leading and advancing collaboration to end homelessness in metro Denver? Our Board of Directors is accepting applications until May 12 at noon. Please read the Application Guide and Conflict of Interest Policy before submitting an application. We strongly encourage individuals with lived experience of homelessness and other life challenges to apply.

HUD Announces Awards for Annual CoC Competition Funding

On March 28, 2023, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced this year's Continuum of Care Competition (CoC) Awards. The Metro Denver CoC received a total of $30,714,291 in funding, the vast majority of which goes to assuring households remain housed. The region did receive $876,641 in new funding, which will support the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’s new ‘Housing is Healthcare’ project. A full list of recipients and awards can be found here.  

Semi-Annual Stakeholder Meeting

Nearly 200 stakeholders from across the metro region attended this year’s Stakeholder Meeting on February 24, 2023. You can review the meeting slides or watch the recording below. The agenda was as follows:

• Overview of a Continuum of Care (C0C) and Membership

• Updates on Our Collective Work in Four Core CoC Areas

• Proposed Five-Year Goals for CoC

• Overview of Proposed Committee Changes •Breakout Sessions for Feedback/Discussion on Committees

Annual State of Homelessness Released

New Report Shows Nearly 28,000 in Metro Region Experienced Homelessness Annually

DENVER, COLORADO – January 27, 2023 – The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) released its third annual Metro Denver State of Homelessness report today, highlighting new data in the region related to homelessness.

The report, for the third year in a row, demonstrates the overall issue of homelessness across multiple sources including the region’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), the 2022 Point in Time (PIT) count, as well as school district data on students experiencing homelessness.

The HMIS showed 27,860 unique individuals accessed services related to homelessness between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. This shows an annual snapshot of homelessness as compared to the region’s one night count, the PIT, which occurred on January 24, 2022, locating 6,884 individuals. Additionally, the report shared that 7,334 people stayed outdoors at some point during the year, compared to 2,078 on the evening of January 24, 2022.

“This shows the drastic difference between how many individuals are experiencing homelessness on a given night as compared to over the course of a year,” said Dr. Jamie Rife, Executive Director of MDHI. “Having more real-time data, like we do via the Homeless Management Information System, allows us to plan more effectively and demonstrate the full scope of the crisis of homelessness in our region,” she added.

Consistent in this year’s report as compared to last two years is the overrepresentation of BIPOC individuals in the population of those experiencing homelessness. “Once again, and glaringly so, the data show the overrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color among those experiencing homelessness. This the direct result of multiple systemic failures which are ultimately the root causes of homelessness,” stated Rife.

The report also outlines, in detail, the top causes of individuals experiencing homelessness. They are consistently related to economic barriers, such as the inability to pay rent or a mortgage, evictions, or familial challenges such as relationship issues or family break-up. Additionally, the report details the steps the region has been working on together to solve homelessness, specifically the Built for Zero work which is aimed at creating a path to measurable reductions. Due in part to this work, the region has seen a 31% reduction in veteran homelessness over the past two years, which is nearly three times the national average of an 11% veteran reduction.

READ THE FULL REPORT

Member Highlight: Denver Indian Family Resource Center

This Native American Heritage Month, we’re exploring the impact of culturally-inclusive programs and services with a local Native-led and serving organization that has been authentically leading this work since 2000. Denver Indian Family Resource Center (DIFRC) was founded to address the critically unmet need for culturally responsive services. They have been dedicated to addressing the overrepresentation of Native children being removed from their families, home, community, and culture through direct services and systems change efforts. DIFRC has become a trusted community resource because of the way they meaningfully support Native community members and organizations with child welfare or resource-related questions.

DIFRC recognizes that the extended family is the heart of American Indian life. Honoring the tradition of strong American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) families drives DIFRC’s work. Thus, DIFRC strives to help families create a safe, healthy, and supportive home environment where children are nurtured and can remain connected to their culture. DIFRC offers culturally appropriate services to families built upon traditions that have sustained Indian tribes, communities, and families for centuries. DIFRC acknowledges and honors the tribal diversity in the urban Indian community of which it is a part and treats every child and family member with dignity and respect, regardless of tribal affiliation, degree of cultural or tribal connectedness, enrollment status, or family knowledge of Native lineage or tribal background.

Culturally-Centered and Impactful

Denver Indian Family Resource Center offers Family Services, Housing Services, the Nurturing Parenting Program, Basic Needs Services, the Seven Stars Collaborative, the Wakanyeja Waka Youth Program, and more. Their mission is to strengthen vulnerable AI/AN children and families through collaborative and culturally-responsive services.

In 22 years, DIFRC has provided services to 2,000 families and more than 3,000 children. Of these families, nearly 89% had positive permanency outcomes, much higher than the national average of 54%. As of 2022, DIFRC has successfully reunified and preserved nearly 90% of all AI/AN families in these services. DIFRC has also been instrumental in reducing the overrepresentation of AI/AN children entering area foster care by 162%.

“Denver Indian Family Resource Center has played an important role in mine and my children’s lives. When we had open cases with the Department of Human Services, they were there to support us through the difficult process of getting out of a domestic violence situation and beginning the journey of healing. They have stood by my family every step of the way, whether it was through encouragement, planting seeds of self-belief, or listening to the hardships we have faced and helping me to work through those issues. Denver Indian Family Resource Center will always be in my family’s lives because of the amazing help and knowledge they have given us. Thank you DIFRC!”

— Previous Client Family

The Nurturing Parenting Program blends traditional Native American beliefs and practices with the national Nurturing Parenting Program curriculum. This type of culturally inclusive service is critical to supporting healthy family development in our community in a way that aligns with a family’s AI/AN culture and values rather than imposing Western ideals and beliefs. Their cultural responsiveness is what drives the long-term success of DIFRC and its client families. In 2021, a total of 274 parenting services (equivalent to 293 individual services) were provided in the parenting and adult education category to a total of 52 families:

• Nurturing Parents/Nurturing Parents Prenatal: 127 (43.35%)

• Home Visits: 94 (32.08%)

• Supervised Visitation: 29 (9.9%)

• Court Advocacy: 21 (7.17%)

• Life Skills: 19 (6.48%)

• Strengthening Families: 2 (<1%)

• Safe and Secure: 1 (<1%)

From January-October 2022, DIFRC served 25 families (33 adults and 20 children) through its Housing Services:

• 14 families moved into a new place

• 4 families were prevented from eviction

• 7 families were given rental assistance

• 72 months of rental assistance provided

• 9 months of rental arrears paid

This data doesn’t include all the basic needs provided to client families such as food vouchers, transportation, shower assistance, clothing, utilities, school supplies, medical assistance, and more. In 2021, DIFRC provided 943 Basic Needs Services (equivalent to 2,060 individual services) across all programs. These services truly meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our community with the dignity and inclusiveness they deserve.

Contribute to the Solution

Seven Stars Collaborative - DIFRC serves as a resource of culturally competent professionals to serve families in need and to support partner agencies in their efforts to increase cultural responsiveness through the Seven Stars Collaborative. Anyone is invited to join Seven Stars. To participate, email Alisiana Medina, the Resource and Referral Specialist who facilitates the monthly meeting. They meet on the second Tuesday of the month from 9-10am via Zoom.

Wakanyeja Waka Youth Program - By focusing on a youth’s needs, especially youth in foster care, kinship care, or at risk of entering foster care, this program helps establish strong resiliency and life skills to support their growth and development while serving as a prevention tool for their own future families. To join the youth group, call DIFRC at 720-500-1020.

Be Informed - In 2021, DIFRC partnered with the Native American Housing Circle to conduct a Housing Needs Assessment to examine the housing needs of Native Americans in the Denver Metro area. This is the first report of its kind in our community. View the report here.

Join their Team - DIFRC is growing and currently hiring! Please visit their website to view open positions.

Support their Needs

DIFRC needs to replace their van, which they use to transport equipment to outreach events and deliver thousands of supplies and food to families in need. In 2021, this van helped to support 191 families, including the delivery of food boxes to 168 individuals. They need $35K to make this possible!

Director of USICH to Visit Metro-Denver

MDHI is pleased to share the Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), Jeff Olivet, will visit Metro-Denver November 21 and 22.

According to the USICH website, “USICH is the only federal agency with the sole mission of preventing and ending homelessness in America. We coordinate with our 19 federal member agencies, state and local governments, and the private sector to create partnerships, use resources in the most efficient and effective ways, and implement evidence-based best practices.”

Jeff Olivet is the current executive director of USICH. Here is information about Director Olivet:

Jeff Olivet is the executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). He has worked to prevent and end homelessness for more than 25 years as a street outreach worker, case manager, coalition builder, researcher, and trainer. He is the founder of JO consulting, co-founder of Racial Equity Partners, and from 2010 to 2018, he served as CEO of C4 Innovations. Throughout his career, he has worked extensively in the areas of homelessness and housing, health and behavioral health, HIV, education, and organizational development. Jeff has been principal investigator on multiple research studies funded by private foundations and the National Institutes of Health. Jeff is deeply committed to social justice, racial equity, gender equality, and inclusion for all. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama and a master's degree from Boston College.

During the visit, the USICH team will meet with several key stakeholder groups, tour various facilities, and share information about the direction of the federal strategy to address homelessness.

Common Sense: Quality Data with Lived Expertise

Accurate data and equity are at the core of how we solve homelessness. We believe in transparently and responsibly sharing accessible, quality data to inform the public of the realities of homelessness in Metro Denver. A common sense approach to homelessness is one that adheres to a peer-reviewed, data-driven methodology rooted in equity and lived expertise. Data that mischaracterizes or misleads the public is harmful to our regional efforts and those with lived experiences of homelessness.  

Here's how we’re implementing real-time quality data to inform Metro Denver’s local and regional efforts to end homelessness. 

Homeless Management Information System 

MDHI serves as the lead agency for Colorado’s Homeless Management Information System (COHMIS), which houses data about people accessing programs or services related to homelessness. We use this data to track client and program outcomes, measure system performance, and inform regional and local efforts to end homelessness. Our goal is quality, real-time data that captures everyone experiencing homelessness by name.  

Quality, By-Name Data 

Quality data means we can account for everyone experiencing homelessness by name, in real time. This Quality By-Name List (BNL) helps us understand the scope of homelessness, describes the inflow and outflow on an ongoing basis, gives us accurate information to reduce homelessness, and helps us measure our progress towards ending it. Boulder County was the first of Metro Denver’s nine subregions to achieve quality data for all singles in August 2022. Community Solutions certified the data over a 3-month reporting period, assuring that Boulder has maintained 100% data reliability through July 2022. This means we are 100% sure we know every single adult experiencing homelessness in Boulder County. All 9 subregions of Metro Denver are on track to have quality, real time data for all single adults, youth, and families experiencing homelessness by December 31, 2027. 

Implementation of By-Name Data 

Our regional approach is working. Veteran homelessness has decreased by 31% since 2020 due to regional coordination on the issue. As of September 2022, we have operationalized the Active Veteran By-Name List reports, which share identifying information about each Veteran experiencing homelessness along with their contact information. Subregional Leads receive this data weekly. The data includes all Veterans enrolled in the Veteran By-Name List project in HMIS, as well as those specific to their subregion. Reports are sent via encrypted email to maintain client confidentiality. These reports support care coordination across the region so that unhoused veterans can be connected to housing and services more quickly as we move toward functional zero. 

Voices of Lived Expertise 

Quality data is as qualitative as it is quantitative. We must root numbers in the stories of people with lived experience to shed light on the realities and impact of homelessness. We believe in collecting these stories in a way that is healing and non-traumatizing, always compensating people fairly for their time and expertise. Last summer, our Young Adult Leadership Committee (YALC) conducted listening and healing spaces in partnership with Syah B. Consulting to understand more about the needs and struggles of unhoused youth. The YALC are using this data to inform their action cycle and create systems-level change for youth experiencing homelessness. While we work on standing up a committee for adults with lived expertise, we’ve connected with community groups such as the Native American Housing Circle that are already doing the work. Our CoC has plans to get community-wide feedback from people with lived expertise coming 2023.  

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Challenges a Recent Report by the Common Sense Institute Regarding the Economic Impact of Homelessness in Denver

Press Release
Friday, October 21, 2022

Alexis Whitham
Director of Communications, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
970-541-9048, awhitham@coloradocoalition.org

Cathy Alderman
Chief Communications and Public Policy Officer, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
303-312-9638, calderman@coloradocoalition.org

For the second year in a row, the Common Sense Institute (CSI) has released a misleading and loosely-informed report on the economic impact of homelessness in the Denver area. Instead of taking the advice of experts in the field, service providers on the ground, and government agencies supporting the homeless response system who offered solutions to the flawed assumption about unhoused individuals and an unsound methodology for calculating costs, CSI has released a report with inflated and inaccurate numbers in order to generate “shock value” conclusions about the “total cost of homelessness” and an ill-advised “cost per person experiencing homelessness.” Despite advising CSI multiple times that their assumptions and methodology failed to accurately capture the complex issue of homelessness and how the response and resolution system actually works, CSI told the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) that they still “elected” to overcount funds, include unrelated costs in their total costs, and create a conclusion that can only be described as reductive.

“CSI’s report does a substantial disservice to the providers of homelessness services working day in and out to resolve the crisis of homelessness by attempting to reduce the complexity of these services into a single number,” said Cathy Alderman, Chief Communications and Public Policy Officer for CCH. “Further, the report perpetuates a stigma against people experiencing homelessness by asserting that all people experiencing homelessness are somehow one in the same with the exact same needs. And, while we all know that housing is the solution to homelessness, the report fails to demonstrate how best practices in the homelessness response system like Housing First, Denver’s Social Impact Bond Program, or the Denver ReHousing Collaborative might offset some costs to the current system.”

Although CSI made minor adjustments to its methodology in response to multiple experts in the field and service providers on the ground, these changes did not address many of the most egregious flaws identified including:

• The inclusion of costs of services like healthcare, housing, meal delivery, domestic violence assistance, and others provided by service providers to both housed and unhoused individuals. These costs are not attributable to the “footprint of homelessness.” CSI’s contention that they are comfortable overcounting some of these costs, as they did for Denver Health, because they also excluded some other potential costs doesn’t rectify the flaw of overcounting.

• The inclusion of people living in supportive housing and the costs of supportive housing cannot logically be said to relate to the costs of responding to homelessness. These individuals are housed and many people who live in supportive housing are people living with disabilities, seniors, and individuals and families escaping and recovering from domestic violence.

• Overestimating the number of employees and volunteers who operate in the homelessness response system to arrive at the conclusion that there is “one job related to every person experiencing homelessness” is inflammatory and insulting to the community. While many of these employees and volunteers are dedicating time to assist the unhoused community, they are also serving in other roles to assist housed individuals. Further, for those of us in the nonprofit space, we know that volunteers often offer services more than once to an organization or offer their service to multiple organizations.

• Although the Stout Street Health Center (SSHC) is owned and operated by CCH, healthcare services are provided to both housed and unhoused individuals (much like the healthcare services at Denver Health). Therefore, including all SSHC costs significantly inflates the costs included in CSI’s numerator. In fact, the inclusion of all of CCH expenditures is flawed since as a housing and healthcare provider, the Coalition spends the majority of its funds to keep people in housing and to provide healthcare to the community

• The report doesn’t account for any offsetting cost-savings associated with the proven benefits of providing people experiencing homelessness with housing, services, shelter, and other supports as demonstrated in the Denver Social Impact Bond program evaluation.

• The report also mischaracterizes subsidized housing such as that provided through the Denver Social Impact Bond Program as “free housing” when in fact, participants are responsible for paying 30% of their income towards rent.

“CSI should go back to the drawing board if they want to publish a meaningful report on homelessness,” Alderman said. “For some people experiencing homelessness, a single month’s rent or security deposit would resolve their situation whereas other people may require a higher level of supportive services, housing assistance, and health care. Other cost per person estimates referenced in CSI’s report are based on actual, not assumed, identified populations of individuals experiencing homelessness. In this report, attempting to arrive at a ‘cost per person experiencing homelessness’ without identifying a specific population of people is the very antithesis of common sense.”

While CSI claims the report is intended to bring a “critical eye to the issue” by including results from homelessness response programs in other states, they fail to acknowledge that many of these programs were only possible with significant and increased investments in homelessness resolution. CSI’s report repeatedly infers that Denver and surrounding areas might be “spending too much on homelessness,” when increased financial investment in other states and cities is the very thing that achieved the type of decreases in the number of people remaining unhoused we would hope to achieve locally.

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is proud of the work we have done for decades to provide housing, health care, and supportive services to the housed and unhoused community and we are deeply frustrated at having our work and the work of our partners misrepresented. CSI’s flawed assumptions, questionable methodology, and failure to include off-setting cost savings and increased levels of investments from successful homelessness response programs should be a red flag for anyone questioning whether they should take this new report seriously.

The Coalition recommends the following resources in lieu of this report:

Denver Social Impact Bond Final Report from the Urban Institute

NLIHC summary of UCLA Department of Economics Working Paper

Housing First Impact on Costs and Associated Cost Offsets: Review of Literature

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About Colorado Coalition for the Homeless:

The mission of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is to work collaboratively toward the prevention of homelessness and the creation of lasting solutions for people experiencing and at-risk of homelessness throughout Colorado. The Coalition advocates for and provides a continuum of housing and a variety of services to improve the health, well-being and stability of those it serves. Since its founding, the organization has earned state and national recognition for its integrated healthcare, housing and service programs. The Coalition’s comprehensive approach addresses the causes of homelessness, as well as the consequences, offering critical assistance to over 22,000 individuals and families each year. Learn more at