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April 2007:· Sound Families Initiative
Releases Report on Children Living in Transitional Housing
· Pilot Program will Help
Limited-English-speaking Individuals Access Services
· Critical Resource
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Sound Families Initiative Releases Report on Children Living in Transitional HousingExcerpted from the Executive SummaryWhile not designed to rigorously examine children’s issues or
outcomes, the Sound Families evaluation uncovered compelling findings
relating to children in transitional housing. While families and children
have clearly made many gains while in transitional housing, evaluation
findings from interviews with program directors, case managers and families
have also identified existing gaps in services to children and the impacts
these unmet needs have on families. The reality remains that services to children are often the last to
be funded — and the most difficult to find funding for —and that service and
housing providers and the systems impacting these families could do much to
improve their work with children. Sound Families Findings:
Children’s Education ·
The number of
families with school age children who attended one school during a
school year increased from 49 percent at intake, to 80 percent at exit, and
86 percent one year after exit. Even with 40 percent of families moving
during the year following exit, school stability remained high. ·
Obtaining
stable housing also appears to positively impact children’s school
attendance. At intake, 35 percent of children had missed at least a few
weeks of classes in the past year; this declined to 19 percent at exit,
and 11 percent at one year after exit. ·
Parents
reported their children are doing better in school: 58 percent reported their
child was doing “excellent” or “very well” in their school work while in
transitional housing; this increased to 69 percent one year after exit.
Parents attributed these changes to increased housing stability, private
space for the family, and access to services such as tutoring while in the
programs. Sound Families Findings:
Children’s Behavior ·
Parents also
reported that children’s behavior improved while in transitional housing
largely due to housing security, which allows families to create structure
and routine. ·
CPS
involvement declined from 18 percent at intake to 10 percent one year after
exit. ·
For families
with children placed by CPS in out‐of‐home care, transitional
housing was critical in enabling family reunification to occur. ·
Transitional
housing benefited children in numerous ways: ·
From stable
housing: “It has given them their own place to just be.” ·
To activities:
“They had kids’ nights two nights a week.” ·
To supportive
services: “The counseling taught us new ways to treat each other.” Services parents expressed most needing in order to support their
children were: counseling and/or mental health services; extracurricular
activities; tutoring/mentoring; parenting classes; and concrete
assistance/financial aid to help meet children’s basic needs and allow
involvement in activities. Children’s Services in
Sound Families Programs Despite the large number of children of all ages who reside in Sound
Families units, children’s services are not a standard component in most
programs’ service models. Some housing sites lack appropriate play spaces –
indoor or outdoor – for the children. A recent survey of all Sound Families
funded programs found that 24 percent of housing sites reported having no
play space for children, and only 7 percent offered on-site child care. In the same survey, more than two thirds of programs had no staff
person focusing on the needs of the children. Of the nearly one third that
reported having such a staff person, the role could range from a dedicated
staff person to someone on the agency staff team who was able to serve as a
resource on children’s issues. ·
Children’s
programming reflects more activities than therapeutic services. ·
Funding is
typically the largest barrier to offering more comprehensive services. ·
When programs
do have child advocate positions, the majority of time is spent advocating for
children and making referrals: They act as liaisons with schools, other
providers, CPS and community programs. Child advocates also collaborate with
a family’s primary case manager. They provide some direct services such as
group and activity facilitation, childcare and parenting education. ·
Case
managers’ recommendations to improve programs for children included: more
mental health resources; more child care options; access to good health care;
community resources liaisons; and physical spaces at housing sites designed
for children of different ages. Read the whole report here
• Pilot Program will Help Limited-English- Speaking Individuals Access ServicesInformation Provided by Chinese Information & Service CenterIn
conjunction with the Eastside Refugee and Immigrant Coalition, Chinese Information & Service Center
has announced a new pilot program for the Eastside. The Eastside Cultural Navigator Program will assist limited and
non-English speaking individuals and families in accessing appropriate
services and navigating through those service systems. This may include
referral information, providing reference materials, completing application
forms, limited interpretation and follow up, and family support services. The four
service locations are Crossroads Mini City Hall in Bellevue, Hopelink-Eastside Literacy in Bellevue, Family Resource Center in
Redmond, and Peter Kirk
Community Center in Kirkland. Services will be provided by
bilingual/bicultural staff in Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Spanish,
Vietnamese and Russian. For more
information regarding the service locations, hours, and language
availability, please contact Chor Phen Ng at (206) 624-5633 x 4131 or email phenn@cisc-seattle.org. • Critical Resource UpdatesCompiled by Crisis Clinic’s Resource CenterIt is always
recommended to check Community
Resources Online for additional information and for the most current
information updates of the following resources. Family & Adult Service Center is not accepting any new clients for its shelter until April 30 at the earliest. Frye Apartments, operated by the Archdiocesan Housing Authority, has closed its waiting list. It currently has more than 400 people waiting for 234 units of low-cost permanent housing. The waiting list will be reopened when it has dropped to a three-month wait. Staff estimate that will take about 15 months. Jewish Family
Services will be closed on the following days to observe the holidays: Monday, April 2 at 3 p.m.;
Tuesday, April 3; Wednesday, April 4; Monday, April 9; and Tuesday, April 10. The Magnolia
Helpline has closed as of April 1. They
cite a drastic decrease in need from Magnolia area residents, fewer
volunteers and insufficient funding. For more information, click here
for a local news article. NAMI of Greater Seattle’s
Hofmann House for Women is accepting applications for residents. The
application can be downloaded here.
The home is for women with mental illnesses and no roadmap for building
independent, self-supporting lives. Ruby Room will be open a month
longer this prom season, from April 7 through June 2. It provides free formal wear for girls who would otherwise not able to
go to prom. Call to make an appointment. Seattle Indian Center now has a shelter program for men, called See’sha Inn. It’s open nightly and charges $15 per night. The facility can accommodate 20 men per night and provides cots, blankets, dinner, continental breakfast and shower facilities. Space is reserved in person, one night at a time. • April and May Selected ResourcesCompiled by Crisis Clinic’s Resource Center StaffThis column highlights available timely resources in the community information database that might otherwise go unnoticed by our users. It is always recommended to check Community Resources Online for additional information and for the most current information concerning the following resources. April Resource Highlights A Contemporary
Theatre Artist
Trust PlantAmnesty Rebuilding
Together Seattle Seattle’s
Union Gospel Mission Coyote Central May Resource Highlights
Bike Works Cinema Seattle Washington State Parks and
Recreation Commission Women’s Funding
Alliance |
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