Advocating for the Unsheltered Homeless:

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Advocating for the Unsheltered Homeless

• An Action Research Model

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A Presentation by

• The Homeless Count Taskforce
• a subcommittee of the
• Springfield MSA Continuum of Care
• sponsored by

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Presented by

• Alissa C. Jecklin, MSW
• Missouri State University
• Mary Anne Jennings, PhD
• Missouri State University
• Christopher P. Smith, MSW
• Community Partnership of the Ozarks
• and
• Danell McCoy Vaughan, MSW
• Community Partnership of the Ozarks

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Project Overview

• Service learning partnership
• Missouri State University School of Social Work
• Community Partnership of the Ozarks
• Continuum of Care (CoC)
• Assessment of needs of homeless persons in a
  tri-county, rural-urban community

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Reciprocal Benefits

• Continuum of Care
• Methodologically sound assessment of the homeless
  population
• Greater legitimacy of data
• University/Faculty
• Exploration of research questionsspirituality
• Greater engagement with community
• Fulfillment of public affairs mission
• Students
• Professional development
• Applied research experience
• Skills in professional collaboration

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Reciprocal Benefits

• Community-at-large
• HUD grant funding (over 1 million)
• Targeting resources to critical needs
• Engagement/advocacy opportunities
• Homeless Community
• Opportunity to have voices heard
• Targeted resources should meet needs more
  effectively

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Methodology of 2007 Count

• Street Count of Unsheltered Homeless
• Built rapport
• Sample
• Data collection
• Approach
• Training

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Methodology of 2007 Count

• In-depth Interview Instrument
• Informed consent
• Incentives
• Training
• Examples of categories of items
• Disabilities
• Demographics
• Experiences with homelessness (e.g., frequency,
  injury, length)
• Veteran status
• Use of services
• Perceived needs

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Initial Project Findings

• Street Count 266 unsheltered homeless
• 500 increase
• Solid baseline data
• Initial database completed
• In-Depth Interviews 114 completed
• Comprehensive report with detailed information on
  26 variables
• Useful tool for grant writers, advocates, and
  researchers

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Sample of Initial Project Findings

• Mean age 41.32 years (range 20 to 65)
• Mean education 11.63 years
• 37 no permanent place 2 or more years
• 66 in Springfield more than 2 years
• 52 family contact 0 to 7 days
• 80 some kind of disabling condition
• 95 belief in higher power
• 25 in foster care
• 18 veterans

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Student Activities

• Fundraising
• Street counting
• Interviewing
• Training
• Instrument Design
• Volunteer Recruitment
• Data Analysis
• Presentation of Results

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Community Engagement

• Donations
• Reports in the media
• Homelessness Policies
• Community Volunteers
• Simulation Exercise
• Survival Game

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What Learned from Counts

• Best locations
• Training
• Expansion of count
• In Springfield
• In rural areas
• Capacity building activities
• Expansion to other disciplines and other
  universities (nutrition)
• Community volunteers to count (e.g., churches)
• Modification of interview instrument

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Long-Range Plan

• Funding
• Grants
• Business community
• Additional CASL opportunities
• Interdisciplinary Cooperation
• Methodology

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• Questions?