Best Practice:

Homeless Continuum of Care, housing and social service programs are identified as Best Practice on the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) homepage. This term may also apply to programs receiving awards and/or presenting at national, state and local conferences on homelessness.

Blended Management:

Pertaining primarily to permanent supportive housing, this term applies to any program based on Best Practice models, e.g., Lakefront Single Room Occupancy (SRO) which combines sound, bottom-line compliance driven property and asset management principles with outcomes based tenet service and leadership. Also known as the double bottom line model.

Client(s):

AClient(s) means homeless individual(s) or family(ies) referred to a County-funded provider by Outreach, Assessment and Placement Programs or otherwise, by a County-funded provider, or by a non-County funded provider.

Continuum of Care:

Continuum of Care or Continuum means and refers to the consolidated and integrated homeless housing and services delivery system designed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and described in the 1993 Task Force Plan and subsequently updated in Exhibit 1 of Broward County's HUD Homeless Continuum of Care application and consolidated plan.

County-Funded Provider(s):

A County-Funded provider (also referred to as Contract Provider) means a municipal or state agency, not-for-profit corporation or for-profit corporation, that provides housing and/or services directly to homeless individuals and/or families and that is under contract with Broward County.

Non-County Funded Provider(s):

A non-County funded provider means a municipal or state agency, not-for-profit corporation or for-profit corporation that provides housing and/or services directly to homeless individuals and/or families and that is not under contract with Broward County.

Common Service Plan:

Common Service Plan means an individualized contract that is based upon the participant's current state, capabilities and personal goals and objectives, a comprehensive assessment of Client's conditions and need, as well as case management recommendations, and that describes the participant's needs for supportive services and outlines the steps that the participant must take in order to begin the personal process towards residential and financial stability self-sufficiency and community reintegration.

Phase:

A segment of the Homeless Continuum of Care designed to address specific needs of homeless Clients at specific stages of their recovery from homelessness. Phases are listed in typical chronological order below:

Prevention Phase:

Prevention Phase includes programs, which provide emergency financial assistance, financial, and other forms of counseling and supportive services designed to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless.

Outreach Phase:

Outreach refers to any program coordinated by the Homeless Initiative Partnership (HIP) Advisory Board or Broward Coalition for the Homeless (BCH), Inc. to locate and engage homeless individuals and families, conduct preliminary assessments of immediate unmet needs, and arrange for appropriate placements in housing and/or services provided by County-funded or non-County funded providers.

Outreach usually provides the initial contact for homeless persons within the Continuum of Care. Outreach is conducted through a variety of individual and program efforts, including, but is not limited to, individuals and mobile units to locate, identify and assist the homeless on the street, feeding programs, day shelters, food pantries, clothing banks, and faith-based assistance programs.

Safe Haven and Tiered-Incentive Programs:

Safe Haven refers to programs defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designed to provide initial shelter for homeless persons with severe persistent mental illness (and may involve co-occurring substance abuse problems). A Safe Haven is characterized by flexible rules, harm reduction, adequate personal space and persistent outreach to engage residents in mainstream mental health services and residence.

Tiered-Incentive is similar to Safe Haven programs and targets homeless chronic substance abusers. Tiered-Incentive programs may include detoxification and low-demand sobering stations, link with outreach and provide mentors and incentives for Clients to engage in mainstream substance abuse treatment and housing programs.

Emergency Phase:

Emergency Phase refers to shelters which provides emergency housing and care to homeless individuals and/or families and to such provider's programs. An entry point into the continuum, this is where basic and immediate needs are addressed with a full range of in-house and inter-agency services (see Supportive Services) and a preliminary case plan is developed. Generally limited to a 60-day length of stay, emergency phase includes the countywide network of regional homeless assistance centers (HACs) and other emergency shelters.

Transitional Phase:

Transitional Phase refers to the provision of housing and supportive services to special needs homeless populations comprised of persons with a history of mental illness, substance abuse, victims of domestic violence, HIV infection or AIDS, physical and developmental disabilities, as well as other homeless individuals and families, in order to assist such persons in the transition from homelessness to independent living or to permanent supported housing, and to such provider's facilities and/or programs. Length of stay is normally limited to 24 months but may average less (6-8 months). Time is taken during the Transitional Phase to address specific underlying causes of homelessness.

Permanent Affordable and Supportive Housing Phase:

Permanent Affordable and Supportive Housing refers to a provider who (1) operates or provides access to supported housing for those homeless individuals and families with special needs (i.e., permanent disability, the frail or elderly) and/or (2) assists those homeless individuals and families capable of maintaining independent living with minimal initial support to secure housing in the affordable housing market. Unlike other phases of the Continuum, permanent housing is not time limited.

Supportive Services:

Supportive Services refers to services provided directly to homeless individuals and/or families by a County-funded or non-County funded provider independent of, or in affiliation with, a shelter or housing provider, intended to assist homeless individuals and/or families in attaining residential, financial and personal stability and self-sufficiency. Such services include, but are not limited to, health care, case management, life skills training, mental health or substance abuse treatment, education or vocational training, job counseling, training and/or placement, child care, meals, clothing, therapy and legal services.

After Care:

After Care includes all supportive services, tracking and monitoring activities designed to provide ongoing support to Clients who have attained permanent housing and self-sufficiency. The goal of after care is to help prevent a recurrence of homelessness and facilitation of the ultimate success of Clients in maintaining self-sufficiency and full community reintegration.

Progressive Counseling:

Any policy and/or procedures that are implemented for the purpose of fair enforcement of shelter rules and that utilizes incremental consequences for rule infractions prior to discharge from the facility.