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Homelessness services in Snohomish County

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki

Population 772,501
Snohomish County, Washington

Homelessness services in Snohomish County include many types of services in Snohomish County in northwestern Washington State. Point-in-time counts have found about 1,000 residents experiencing homelessness at a given time. The number of people living outside is reported to have risen substantially since 2015. Since 2016, a former prosecutor has spearheaded an effort to identify and conduct street outreach to connect justice-involved homeless individuals to housing and mental health treatment. As of 2018, several low-barrier supportive housing projects are underway.

Need[edit]

Homeless population[edit]

According to the point-in-time counts, around 1,000 Snohomish County residents are homeless at any given time, with around half of those staying in shelters.[1] In 2016, Cocoon House reported that they had over 200 youth in Snohomish County on their waiting list who were looking for housing.[2] Cammy Hart-Anderson, a manager in the county’s human services division, estimates that there are more than 100 homeless campsites in south Snohomish County.[3] The number of people living outside increased 65% from 2015 and 2017, which is one of the largest increases on the West Coast during this period. The number of chronically homeless individuals not staying in shelters increased more than 100% during the same time period.[4][5]

In 2016, fifteen people who were homeless died in Snohomish County, six of whom were veterans.[6] In 2017, eighteen people who were homeless died in Snohomish County, three of whom were veterans.[7]

Point-in-time results[edit]

The following chart reflects point-in-time count totals[lower-alpha 1] for each year, separated by current housing type. The total height of the bars reflects the total number of people experiencing homelessness each year.[11]

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Housing affordability[edit]

Reports from the National Low Income Housing Coalition have consistently found Snohomish and King counties to be the most expensive places to rent housing in Washington state.[12][13][14] Around 2017,[specify] a report found that someone working a full-time minimum-wage job could not afford to rent any apartment without a housing voucher or sharing it with others.[4]

Opioid epidemic[edit]

Snohomish County has been strongly impacted by the opioid epidemic. At its peak in 2011, about 20% of opioid-related deaths in Washington state took place in the county.[4][5] In 2017, the county government partially activated its emergency coordination center designed to respond to natural disasters to respond to the opioid crisis. Everett city officials blamed Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of the painkiller OxyContin, for the problem. They were among the first to sue Purdue for the costs the city government incurred in providing additional addiction and homelessness services.[4][15][5]

Service providers[edit]

Housing Hope (founded in 1987)
Provides transitional housing, emergency housing, and helps low-income families find affordable housing to meet their individual budgets. They focus mainly on families with children, and they offer a homeless teen mothers program that helps young women ages 16-23.[16] In 2017, Housing Hope opened a $15 million, 50-unit affordable housing public-private partnership project named Twin Lakes Landing. 38 of the units are reserved to serve individuals coming from homelessness, and the remaining 12 are designated for those with low incomes.[17][18] In addition to housing, residents of this facility receive training in life skills, parenting, and job skills. They will also receive employment support and have access to family support coaches.[18] Housing Hope also operates the North Regional Service Center.[17]
Everett Chronic Utilizer Alternative Response Team
During his time as Everett city prosecutor, Hil Kaman observed that many area homeless are repeatedly processed through jail and emergency rooms at great expense. Kaman repeatedly prosecuted one homeless man exhibiting symptoms of mental illness for trespassing and other nuisance crimes. The man was jailed for 800 nights over a span of eight years. Local officials have estimated that another specific homeless person incurred about $500,000 in criminal justice and health care system costs in one year.[4][15]
Kaman was struck by the ineffectiveness of incarceration and resolved to pursue solutions with better outcomes. In 2016, Kaman resigned as prosecutor and became the public health and safety director for the city of Everett.[4][15] In this role, he created the Everett Chronic Utilizer Alternative Response Team (CHART), composed of law enforcement, social service providers, and health care providers who work with justice-involved individuals experiencing homelessness to find stable housing and meet the underlying needs leading to incarceration. This team maintains a list of 25 individuals in the area believed to incur the greatest costs and attempts to address their individual needs until they are stable in treatment or housing. In 2016 and 2017, 14 chronically homeless individuals on their list have attained permanent housing.[15]
Community Outreach and Enforcement Team
The Everett police department has had a unit called the Community Outreach and Enforcement Team since August 2015, including two social workers, which handles police interactions with homeless persons and connects them to other services. The work of this team is partially funded by First Responders Flex Fund of Volunteers of America and the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative.[19][20][21] From August 2015 until December 2017, this team arranged for long-term treatment for more than 24 people.[4]
Hand Up Project
The Hand Up Project provides street outreach, resource and referral, transportation, and housing to those experiencing substance abuse or homelessness.[22] They also assist property owners in cleaning up homeless campsites.[23][24][5] Many of Hand Up's volunteers were themselves recently homeless.[4]
Marysville transitional housing program
In 2016, Marysville established a supportive transitional housing program for chronicly homeless men. The facility is owned by the city, with supportive services and financial support from Everett Gospel Mission, and churches providing social support and supplies.[25]
Everett drug stabilization center
A drug stabilization center in Everett has 44 beds for men and women to receive meals, shelter, clothing and addiction counseling for up to a two week stay. It was opened in 2018 using $500,000 in one-time state funds, and is expected to cost $1.5 million per year to operate.[3]
Catholic Housing Services
In collaboration with the City of Everett and the Snohomish County government, Catholic Housing Services is building low-barrier permanent supportive housing for 65 chronically homeless people. Residents will have access to mental health, recovery and other services and around-the-clock on-site staff. The project has a construction budget between $10.5 and $17 million and is expected to open in 2019. Even at the time it opens, it will not expected to have the capacity to house all the chronic homeless in the county.[4][5][26][27]
Cocoon House (founded in 1991)
Provides emergency housing (short and long term), focusing on youth ages 12-17. Their outreach program provides food, hygiene, and emergency medical kits for young people age 12-24. Along with these services they also offer counseling to teens and their families.[28]
Monroe Gospel Women’s Mission (founded in 2005)
A women's shelter that provides emergency housing for up to 90 days. They help with employment, disability assistance, addiction and rehab programs, temporary housing, and women suffering from domestic violence situations.[29]
YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association, founded in 1894)
They focus on helping families, women, and girls of all ages and all races by providing housing, job training and employment opportunities, counseling, healthcare programs, domestic violence help, and racial equality for all. They offer an emergency shelter service "pathways for women" that helps mothers and single women to find safe and affordable housing.[30]
Providence Health and Services (In Washington since 1856)[31]
Has several locations and online news that includes coverage in Alaska, Oregon, Montana, and Washington. The Everett location declared in April 2014 that homeless individuals in Snohomish County that required bed rest should have a place to go after discharge.[32] They partnered with the Everett Gospel Mission to provide eight beds for those in need.[33]
Everett Gospel Mission (founded in 1961)
Is a christian based organization focused on providing emergency shelters and transitional housing for men. They offer shelter in return for a small fee or service to the shelter. They also have a 12 step faith based program to help rehabilitate the chronically homeless. They have a partner program "Feed Hope Here" that works with providing meals to men, women, and children.[34]
Friends of Youth (started in 1950)
Friends of Youth provides services to homeless youth and young adults in South Snohomish County including outreach, emergency shelters, transitional housing, supportive housing programs, individual case management, and employment.[35][36]
Compass Health
Compass Health, Snohomish County’s largest behavioral health provider, has not been involved in housing developments before. However, they have determined housing to have the greatest impact on the overall health of the homeless population. and so are developing an housing project for over 80 mentally ill persons homeless in downtown Everett at a projected cost of $21 million.[37][4]
Goodwill Industries
Goodwill Industries in Marysville provides classes designed to be inclusive and useful to those experiencing homelessness.[1]
Everett public library
People without homes often come to the Everett public library as it is one of few public establishments in the area with heat, running water and electricity. The library has struggled to balance their goal of being open to all area residents with their lack of knowledge in how to handle homeless patrons.[38]

Cold Weather Shelters: Cold weather shelters are operational from November-March. The host sites are usually local churches and city designated buildings. They're open to the public during weather periods that drop to and below 33 degrees and last for longer than a period of 4 hours.[39]

Healthcare and services[edit]

Rehab Programs: These programs are offered to those struggling from a drug addiction, alcohol abuse, and mental health disorders. The programs cost for each individual varies because its based on personal affordability.[40]

Medical care and Counseling: Several shelters and programs offer counseling through the housings transition process. PATH is one such program.[41] They offer outreach groups, counseling, psychiatric assessments, case managers, medication help, housing, and assistance with medical coverage plans. Another option is the Community Mental Health (CMH) Program. The program focuses on both youth and adults helping with jail transitions, health coverage with state enrollment, case management (on a short term basis), and, if necessary, treatment options for personal issues.[42]

Government Funding[edit]

In his proposed 2017–2019 budget, Washington Governor Jay Inslee proposed allocating $91 million to the Housing Trust Fund for building new affordable housing, $20 million dollars for chronically homeless adults, $13 million for youth and other focused groups, $10 million dollars to improving existing shelters and designated buildings, and $8.2 million for those suffering with mental health issues and/or disabilities.[43]

As of 2017 Washington was granted an increase of $1.4 million dollars in federal funding to end homelessness. Making the total amount of funding for the state 2.4% higher than the previous year.[44]

Federal Funding for Homelessness
County 2016 awards 2017 awards
Everett/Snohomish County $7,982,600 $8,205,677
Washington State balance $6,373,115 $6,478,975
Washington total across all counties $58,134,240 $59,556,796

Notes[edit]

  1. ↑ In 2006 the point-in-time or "PIT count" was started in counties all over Washington. This is an annual count one night per year in the last two weeks of January. Typically, it is held on that calendar year's coldest night. Surveyors travel to common homeless areas, such as encampments and food banks. Their purpose is to gather information of a county's homeless population in which they survey how many individuals stayed in shelters or other (car, street, friends, couch surfing, etc). Amidst this survey they also gained information about the individuals ethnicity, health issues, income, veteran’s status, and whether or not they have children. When PIT counts first began, some of the initial counts were found to be unreliable due to the counting methods of surveyors. The first few years the "tic" system was used, this system consisted of counting all individuals at or around encampments or individuals on the street. In 2015, they added new survey regulations to the "PIT" system. These regulations prevent information duplication and allow for the most accurate information to be gathered from the individuals being interviewed.[8] The "tic" system was phased out during the 2011 and 2012 PIT counts.[9] In 2013, HUD stated that permanent housing rental subsidies were no longer to be included in PIT counts because they did not meet the definition of homeless. This greatly impacted PIT totals.[9] In general, PIT counts are not expected to include everyone due to practical limitations.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Buell, Douglas (26 January 2018). "Homeless count helps them connect with services". Marysville Globe. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  2. ↑ Winters, Chris (22 February 2016). "Everett youth shelter Cocoon House plans big expansion". The Daily Herald. Everett, Washington. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Whitney, Michael (24 January 2018). "New hub to streamline helping homeless people". Snohomish County Tribune. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Le, Phuong (13 December 2017). "Addiction, mental illness complicate help for the homeless". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Everett forms team to target the most vulnerable homeless". Peninsula Daily News. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  6. ↑ Tompkins, Caitlin (21 December 2016). "6 veterans among homeless who died on streets this year". The Daily Herald. Everett, Washington. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  7. ↑ Russell, Melanie (20 December 2017). "Vigil on Thursday to memorialize homeless people". Snohomish County Tribune. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  8. ↑ "Annual Point in Time Count". Washington State Department of Commerce. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Snohomish County Human Services (9 December 2015). "2015 PIT Summary for Snohomish County". p. 14.
  10. ↑ Cooper-McCorkle, Angela (31 January 2018). "Homeless count across county shows need hasn't reduced". Snohomish County Tribune. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  11. ↑ Snohomish County Human Services (14 September 2017). "Snohomish County Point-in-Time Count Summary: For the night of January 23, 2017". p. 26.
  12. ↑ {{cite |last=Aurand |first=Andrew |display-authors=etal |Out of reach 2017: The high cost of housing |publisher=National Low Income Housing Coalition |url=http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/oor/OOR_2017.pdf#page=253 |p=253f
  13. ↑ {{cite |last1=Yentel |first1=Diane |last2=Aurand |first2=Andrew |display-authors=etal |Out of reach 2016: No Refuge for Low Income Renters |publisher=National Low Income Housing Coalition |url=http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/oor/OOR_2016.pdf#page=236 |p=236-238
  14. ↑ Hastings, Patty (2 June 2016). "Report looks at lack of affordable housing". The Columbian. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Davis, Jim (5 April 2017). "Hil Kaman: Finding a better way for those in need". The Daily Herald. Everett, Washington. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  16. ↑ "housinghope". housinghope. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Powell, Steve (4 November 2016). "Homeless-housing project under way at Twin Lakes". Marysville Globe. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Powell, Steve (11 December 2017). "Housing for homeless opens in 'serene' setting (slide show)". Marysville Globe. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  19. ↑ Law, Karen (18 January 2017). "Everett's embedded social workers have a tough job". Snohomish County Tribune. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  20. ↑ Cooper-McCorkle, Angela (24 January 2018). "Snohomish Police Department to gain outreach officer". Snohomish County Tribune. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  21. ↑ Snell, Aaron (25 May 2016). "Everett joins PAARI to connect addicts with treatment centers". City of Everett Police.
  22. ↑ "Our Vision". The Hand Up Project. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  23. ↑ "Volunteers clean up homeless camp infested with garbage". The Daily Herald. Everett, Washington. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  24. ↑ "Behind Home Depot Clean Up". The Hand Up Project. 21 September 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  25. ↑ Winters, Chris (3 April 2016). "Through partnership, Marysville begins housing the homeless". The Daily Herald. Everett, Washington. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  26. ↑ King, Rikki (29 November 2017). "Everett to county: Where's the money for low-barrier housing?". HeraldNet.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  27. ↑ Haglund, Noah (12 December 2017). "County frees up $1.6M for Everett's low-barrier housing". HeraldNet.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  28. ↑ "Home". Cocoon House. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  29. ↑ "About". monroegospelmission. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  30. ↑ "YWCA Seattle King County Snohomish Empowering Women". www.ywcaworks.org. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  31. ↑ "History | Providence Washington". washington.providence.org. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  32. ↑ "Shelter offers the homeless a place for rest and healing". communitybenefit.providence.org. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  33. ↑ "Locations & Clinics | Providence Health & Services | Providence Health and Services". www.providence.org. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  34. ↑ "About". Everett Gospel Mission. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  35. ↑ "Wiggins named new director of homeless services at Friends of Youth". Snoqualmie Valley Record. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  36. ↑ Gustafson, Jeanne (26 June 2013). "Youth Haven Open for the Business of Housing Homeless Teens". Kirkland Patch. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  37. ↑ King, Rikki (28 December 2017). "Compass Health wants to build supportive housing complex". HeraldNet.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  38. ↑ Winters, Chris (21 February 2017). "Everett Public Library faces challenge of homelessness". The Daily Herald. Everett, Washington. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  39. ↑ "Cold Weather Shelters". City of Everett, WA. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  40. ↑ "Alcohol & Other Drugs Treatment". Snohomish County, WA. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  41. ↑ "Project for Assistance in the Transition from Homelessness (PATH)". Compass Health. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  42. ↑ "Community Mental Health". Snohomish County, WA. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  43. ↑ "Bold Action Now: Proposed 2017–19 Budget Highlights". Office of Financial Management. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  44. ↑ "Washington gets federal funding boost to fight homelessness". MyNorthwest.com. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]


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