Consumer Involvement in Homeless Services

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Consumer Involvement in Homeless Services June
11, 2008 Facilitator Gloria Dickerson, PATH and
HRC
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This training is a collaboration among HRC, the
PATH Consumer-Provider Network, and the National
HCH Consumer Advisory Board. This training was
developed by the Projects for Assistance in
Transition from Homelessness (PATH) Technical
Assistance Center and delivered today by the
Homeless Resource Center, both contract vehicles
through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration. None of the information
expressed today is intended to represent the
opinions of the federal government.
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What we do matters!

• How we do it matters!

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Agenda

• The Role of Consumers in Improving Quality of
  Services (Amy Grassette Carol Hall)
• First Person Account (Michael Kelly)
• How to Involve Consumers (Kim Murphy)

• Realities, Challenges Solutions A Providers
  Perspective (Laura Gillis)
• Solution Wall Activity Panel Discussion
  (Training Team)
• Personal Action Plan (Gloria Dickerson)

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Consumers Give Back

• Lived experiences of mental illness, trauma,
  homelessness, substance abuse
• Direct access to experiences of homelessness
• Intimate knowledge of paths to recovery
• Commitment and passion for recovery

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Consumer Involvement is Essential to Improving
Services

• A person with experiences of recovery acting
  in valued social roles improves organizational
  effectiveness in service delivery, policy
  development and evaluation.
• (Prescott Harris, 2007)

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Consumer Integration is Key

• Integrating people with experiences of mental
  illness, substance use, trauma homelessness is
  necessary to transform organizational culture.
• (PATH, Consumer Involvement Workgroup, 2007)

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Recovery Opportunities for All

• Consumers use personal experiences and
  knowledge to educate, collaborate with, mentor
  and support peers and non-consumer practitioners
  in recovery partnerships.
• (Prescott Harris 2007)

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Recovery In Action

• Consumers are ambassadors of recovery.
• (Prescott, Harris, 2007)
• Consumers have the ability to model for others
  the value of reconnection with self, other and
  the community.
• (Spaniol, 2005)

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Comprehensive Homeless Services

• Recovery
• Mental Health
• Trauma
• Medical Care
• Substance Abuse

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Consumers Need

• Skills, support and opportunities
• (Anthony, 1990)

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Role of Consumers in Improving Quality of
Services Amy Grassette Carol HallNational
Consumer Advisory Board National Health Care for
the Homeless Council
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• From Homelessness to Work
• Michael Kelly
• PATH Consumer/Provider Network

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• Involving Consumers in Homelessness Services
• Kim Murphy
• PATH Consumer/Provider Network

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• Realities, Challenges and Solutions A Providers
  Perspective
• Laura Gillis, RN, MS
• Homelessness Resource Center

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• Solution Wall
• Gloria Dickerson
• PATH Homelessness Resource Center

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• Achieving Consumer Involvement in Homeless
  Services Panel Discussion

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• Individual Action Plan

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We Are All Change Agents

• Build positive changes through conscious action
  over time.

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• What is NCAB?
• The National Consumer Advisory Board is made up
  of homeless and formerly homeless persons who
  have been clients of Health Care for the Homeless
  projects across the country and who are involved
  in the governance of those HCH projects. NCAB is
  a standing committee of the National Health Care
  for the Homeless Council, and the elected
  Chairperson of NCAB sits on the National
  Councils Board of Directors. 
• Mission To be the vehicle for consumers of
  Health Care for the Homeless Projects to become
  a collaborative voice on national issues. We hold
  central the priority of assisting consumers in
  the development of by-laws and/or guidelines for
  local CAB's and serving as a clearing house of
  information and assistance to consumers.
• www.nhchc.org

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What is PATH?

• The PATH Program, is a formula grant program that
  funds the 50 States, District of Columbia, Puerto
  Rico, and four U.S. Territories to support
  service delivery to individuals with serious
  mental illness, as well as individuals with
  co-occurring substance use disorders, who are
  experiencing homelessness.
• PATH provides technical assistance to states and
  local providers funded by the PATH program
  including on-site consultation, collection of
  annual reporting data, the development of an
  annual report to Congress, holding bi-annual
  meetings of PATH contacts, and identifying and
  disseminating best practices from the program.
• www.pathprogram.samhsa.gov

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• What is HRC?
• The HRC seeks to improve the daily lives of
  people affected by homelessness and who have
  mental health and substance use disorders and
  trauma histories. 
• Training and technical assistance
• Publications
• On-line learning opportunities
• Networking
• www.homeless.samhsa.gov
• Operated by the Institute on Homelessness and
  Trauma

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Literature on Consumer Involvement

• Prescott, L. Harris, L. (2007). Moving Forward,
  Together Integrating Consumers as Colleagues in
  Homeless Service Design, Delivery and Evaluation.
  
• Consumer Practitioners in PATH-Funded Programs
  Report of the Consumer Involvement Workgroup.
  (2006).
• Dumont, J., Ridgeway, P., Onken, S., Dornan, D.,
  Ralph, R., (2006). Mental health recovery What
  helps and what hinders?
• New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. (2003).
  Achieving the promise Transforming mental health
  care in America Final Report (DHHS Pub. No.
  SMA-03-3832). Rockville, MD. http//www.mentalheal
  thcommission.gov/

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Other Resources

• National Association of Consumer/Survivor Mental
  Health Administrators http//www.nasmhpd.org/nac_s
  mha.cfm
• Georgia Peer Specialist Program
  http//www.gacps.org/
• Davidson, l., Harding, C., Spaniol, L.,
  (2005). Recovery from Severe Mental Illnesses
  Research Evidence and Implications for Practice.
  vol.1 Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation
  Boston, MA. www.centerforpsychiatricrehabilitation
  .com