Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/919874
Father Bill's & MainSpring, the leading homeless-service provider in Southern MA, is about halfway through a 5-year strategic plan that aims to address some of the major challenges affecting individuals, families and veterans who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. FBMS believes in ending homelessness — not managing it. The most ambitious part of this plan is the development of a HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER, a day center that would direct more energy, staffing and funding toward helping individuals retain or regain housing. The center's major functions would be as follows: • Remain open during daytime hours to engage with individuals as early in their housing crisis as possible, helping them obtain skills, jobs, housing and other services. • Partner with local organizations/institutions to provide assistance and flexible resources to those in need. • Reduce the total number of shelter beds, offering short-term emergency shelter only when there is no other alternative. WHY IT'S NEEDED? The current individual shelter model is not a cost-effective approach. FBMS' shelters in Quincy and Brockton have limited space and are funded for overnight operations only at a time when resources for prevention, diversion and rapid rehousing are limited. Plus, FBMS is seeing an increase in young adults, the elderly and women seeking help, many of whom have complex needs for challenges such as substance abuse, mental health and domestic abuse. WHO BENEFITS? The individuals served by the resource center — once connected with supportive resources, employment assistance and housing — are in a better position to achieve more self-sufficiency. You, the taxpayer, also benefit. Every $1 spent on services helping homeless individuals obtain stable housing translates into $2.43 in savings on public costs for emergency healthcare, according to a 2017 study authored by Thomas Byrne, PhD, Assistant Professor of Social Welfare Policy at Boston University School of Social Work, and George Smart, LICSW. In addition, downtown neighborhoods will benefit because there will be a resource center open during daytime hours for individuals in need, reducing their reliance on other public spaces. OTHER ONGOING GOALS IN FBMS' STRATEGIC PLAN FAMILIES: Creating a new program model for our family shelters to help families avoid shelter, leave shelter sooner and exit to stable housing and employment. HOUSING: Develop 100 new housing units of permanent, supportive housing to support the Housing Resource Center model plus 25 units for other high-need populations. HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER: FATHER BILL'S & MAINSPRING'S INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO PREVENTING & ENDING HOMELESSNESS 24