112 | Housing First, Not Housing Only: Promoting Understanding in Rural and Urban Communities
Tracks
Workshop
| Tuesday, April 9, 2024 |
| 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM |
| Room 202 |
Session Overview
Communities push back on Housing First because they do not understand the research that supports the practice, nor the outcomes that rise from it. This can be even more profound in rural communities, where common values include independence and self-reliance. This session will introduce some of the recent data that underlines the effectiveness of Housing First. The session will cover some of the myths and realities about being unhoused and offer ways to use the realities to combat community push-back. It will also include examples of the resourcefulness and resilience that comes with implementing Housing First in areas with vast geographies and lengthy windshield time between services and clients, and lack of rental housing. It will also examine what Housing First does and does not do and encourage participants to think through ways they can combat negative community pressure.
Description
Communities push back on Housing First because they do not understand the research that supports the practice, nor the outcomes that rise from it. This can be even more profound in rural communities, where common values include independence and self-reliance. This session will introduce some of the recent data that underlines the effectiveness of Housing First. The session will cover some of the myths and realities about being unhoused and offer ways to use the realities to combat community push-back. It will also include examples of the resourcefulness and resilience that comes with implementing Housing First in areas with vast geographies and lengthy windshield time between services and clients, and lack of rental housing. It will also examine what Housing First does and does not do and encourage participants to think through ways they can combat negative community pressure.
Ms. Sherri Downing
Senior Consultant Ii
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.
Presenter
Sherri Downing is nationally recognized as a thought leader around issues of homelessness and housing with an emphasis on frontier and rural communities. She manages a portfolio of projects and leads technical assistance initiatives on Housing First/Permanent Supportive Housing initiatives in Washington and Virginia. She speaks and trains nationally and has spent much of her life building capacity in rural and frontier communities.
Ann Denton
Senior Fellow
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.
Presenter
Ann Denton, M.Ed. is an expert on effective systems and interventions for people with disabilities, including mental illness, substance use disorders, and co-occurring disorders. Her expertise includes use of evidence-based practices, homelessness and housing issues for people with mental illness and other disabilities. Her experience includes programs for persons with substance use disorders, mental illness, and co-occurring disorders.
