Diversion Strategies
for Youth and Young Adults
A Client-Centered Empowerment Approach
to Reducing Episodes of Homelessness
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Presenters:
MARY ANN HALEY
Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness
BRENDA CAVANAUGH
Community Mediation, Inc.
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INTRODUCTION
The Connecticut Coalition to End Homeless
The Cleveland Mediation Center
A Brief History of Diversion
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Group Exercise
• Name, Organization, Role/Title
• What do you hope to gain from the training today?
• One thing you love about your work
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Outline of Training
Background and Philosophy
• Introduction
• Housing First
• What is Diversion?
• Coordinated Entry
• Empowerment
Putting Diversion into Practice
• Four Diversion Steps
1. Setting the Stage
2. Active Listening
3. Strengths Exploration
4. Moving Forward: Outcomes
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The Connecticut Coalition
to End Homelessness
The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH) is a
 501(c)3 non-profit organization
 Founded in 1982.
 Membership organization that brings together homeless service
providers and other community organizations across the state for
the common goal of ending homelessness
 CCEH provides training and technical assistance, data and
research, and advocacy and community engagement.
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End Youth
Homelessness by 2020
Unaccompanied Youth aged 13-24, young
families with HOH under 25 years old
o Drive down the number of youth
experiencing housing instability to as close
to zero as possible;
o Enhance and coordinate systems and
interventions to prevent new youth from
entering into homelessness;
o When a youth does fall into housing
instability/homelessness, quickly identify
and rapidly provide the assistance
necessary for them to achieve housing
stability; and
o Ensure formerly homeless youth have the
tools to remain in stable housing –
employment, education, mediated family
relationship or other permanent
connections, appropriate services, etc.
2017 CT Youth Count!
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Estimated 4,396 Homeless and Unstably Housed Youth & Young Adults
in Connecticut
• 74% between 18 – 24 years old
• 26% under 18 years old
Point in Time Count 2017
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29% identify as a member of the LGBTQ community
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23% are pregnant or parenting (of these, 65% female)
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17% indicated they feel unsafe in their living situation
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18% indicated they have been encouraged, pressured or forced to
exchange sexual acts for money, drugs, food, a place to stay, clothing, or
protection.
 24% Decline in individual
homelessness since 2007
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41% indicated they had a chronic health condition, physical disability,
severe mental illness, learning disability, or chronic substance abuse
issue.
 60% drop in chronic homelessness
since 2014
 3rd Year of Decline in Overall
Homelessness
A Brief History of Diversion in CT
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Coordinated Entry System
New London, CT Success Story
Training
Development of regional systems
Statewide systems and support
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New London, CT 2015
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Conflict Resolution Approach
Homelessness is a crisis – as in conflict, persons in
crisis are less able to clearly think through problems
and advocate for themselves than they are when
not in crisis.
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Anger/Anxiety Mountain
AMYGDALA
ACTIVATED – Fight,
Flight or Freeze
¼ OF A
SECOND
TRIGGER
20 MINUTES – 2 DAYS
CALM & TIRED
FIGHT, FLIGHT OR FREEZE
Prefrontal Cortex in Teens
Prefrontal Cortex does
not fully develop until
average age of 25.
Prefrontal Cortex in Young People
Based on the stage of their brain development, adolescents are
more likely to:
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act on impulse
misread or misinterpret social cues and emotions
get into accidents of all kinds
get involved in fights
engage in dangerous or risky behavior
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Conflict Resolution Approach
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A strength-based approach helps clients identify and mine strengths, successes
and resources they’ve used in the past to help them with this episode of
homelessness.
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Support and trust that people want to succeed. Help them identify their own
strengths and successes in their life that can help them with this crisis.
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First listen and validate their experience.
Be non-judgmental.
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Client-centered. Don’t assume what people need; help them articulate their
needs.
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Self-Determined Follow-through
In a 2010 study of Small Claims cases requiring restitution:
90% of defendants who were allowed to play a part in the decision
(through mediation) made full or partial payment.
50% of those compelled by the court made full or partial payment.
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HOUSING FIRST
Housing First Philosophy
Equation on Homelessness
Housing First in Action
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Housing First Principles
 Everyone is ready for housing, regardless of the complexity or
severity of their needs.
 Homelessness is foremost a housing problem and should be treated
as such
 Safe housing is a right to which we are all entitled.
 Contributing factors to a person’s homelessness can be addressed
best once they are housed.
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What Causes Homelessness?
_________ + X = Homelessness
X = __________
Wealthier areas include many people
who face domestic abuse, drug or
alcohol addiction and/or mental
health issues, but we rarely see
people from means in shelter or on
the streets.
*X as the common factor.
The blank as the variable factors
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National Alliance to End Homelessness:
Principles for Homeless Prevention
Principle ONE: Crisis resolution
Principle TWO: Client choice, respect, and empowerment
Principle THREE: Provide the minimum assistance necessary
for the shortest time possible
Principle FOUR: Maximize community resources
Principle FIVE: The right resources to the right people
at the right time
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WHAT IS DIVERSION?
What is Diversion?
When does Diversion take place?
Who do you Divert?
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Diversion is…
Empowering people facing imminent homelessness to identify
safe and appropriate housing options & assisting and
supporting them to
avoiding shelter and returning immediately to housing.
Diversion is NOT a barrier to shelter.
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Permanently back
with friends or
family
Return to their own
residence
Temporarily
diverted as they
seek new housing
Relocating
permanently to
safe place out of
town
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Diversion
Outcomes
Diversion Work
•Help people determine if it’s possible for them to stay
anywhere else that’s safe, other than a shelter.
•Financial assistance is used for food, local and
Greyhound bus tickets, grocery and gas station gift
cards, or utility assistance that can be used to help
people stay with friends or family.
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Operationalizing Your Definition
CT Definition (work in progress)
DIVERSION IS… a strategy that prevents homelessness by helping
people experiencing a housing crisis and seeking shelter to
preserve their current housing situation or make immediate
alternative arrangements without having to enter shelter.
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COORDINATED ENTRY
Designing Diversion into Your System
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Proposed Coordinated Entry
Process for Youth
Step One: 211 (Brief Risk/Pathway Assessment)
Risk: Suicidality, EMPS
Pathway: Veteran, DV, RHY, Young Adult
Step Two: Initial Support Meeting (Youth Navigator or Designated Youth Specialist)
Shelter Diversion
Assessment of Needs and/or Vulnerability
Begin Connection to Services
Step Three: Community Service Linkages (Youth Navigator/Community Providers)
Housing
Emergency Housing/Shelter
Consistent Follow Up
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EMPOWERMENT
Paradoxical Theory of Change
Validation
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Impact of Crisis on Self Worth
Experiencing conflict and crisis
makes people shut down, and
become defensive/closed off.
Our job is to help people shift
gradually to the right -empowered – side.
Empowerment Shifts
Weak
a
Powerful
Unsure
a
Confidant
Hopeless
a
Optimistic
Unclear
a
Organized
Frustrated
a
At Ease
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How People In Crisis View Others
In the midst of crisis people tend
to be protective, defensive, and
not open to others.
As we help them become
empowered, they are more able
to listen, consider, and negotiate
with others.
Recognition Shifts
Closed
a
Open
Suspicious
a
Trusting
Self Absorbed a
Generous
Ignoring
a
Listening
Dismissing
a
Negotiating
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Four Diversion Steps
1. Setting the Stage
2. Active and Empathetic Listening
3. Strength Exploration
4. Moving forward
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STEP ONE:
SETTING THE STAGE
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Getting Yourself Ready
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Time
Space
Mindfulness
Prepared
Non-verbal messages conveyed
Improving/Learning
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What You Might Need:
Keep it Simple!
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Notepad
Diversion Guideline Sheet
Pen
Seating for face-to-face interaction
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Introductions and
Managing Expectations
• Describe your role as assisting them to find safe alternatives to
shelter
• Clarify this is not a barrier to shelter
• Describe shelter reality
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STEP TWO:
ACTIVE AND EMPATHETIC LISTENING
ROLES
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Listening Skill Building
What helps you prepare, get centered to listen?
Physical Preparedness:
R - Relaxed
O - Open
L - Leaning towards the speaker
E - Eye Contact
S - Squared toward speaker
Note Taking
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Listening Skill Building (cont.)
Acknowledge by:
• Summarizing
• Paraphrasing
• Open-ended questions help the speaker illuminate what they
are saying.
Examples: Can you tell me more about… ? Has this happened
before?
• Never ask Why!
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Getting Clearer (partner activity)
Pair off with another person.
• Each person think for a moment about something that is on your
mind – a decision you need to make, a problem, or something you
are trying to figure out.
• The purpose is to have someone listen to you, not give you advise,
but help you feel clearer, gain insight, help you think through or
be more confident about your situation.
• Take about 5 minutes each telling your story to the other, and then
we switch listener/speaker roles.
• Listeners: Do not offer opinions or give advice.
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Recap Step One: Introductions
Briefly introduce yourself.
• Name, organization, role
• Describe the conversation
• Hear their experience
How can we help
them return to
housing?
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Recap Step Two: Active Listening
• Body language
• Paraphrasing
• Empathy
Keep this listening
step separate from
problem-solving.
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Video
CMC Diversion Training Video
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Questions When Reality Testing
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How would this look?
What is the timeline?
Have you done something like this before?
What other options have you considered?
What resources do you have to carry this out?
In case this does not work out as well as you would like,
would you like to explore a back-up plan?
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Reality Testing Decisions
• The agreements and decisions need to work for the parties
(not for us).
• By starting with what has worked previously, we increase the
odds of it working again.
• If you have a concern – do not ignore it – use that as an
opportunity to help our client think through their options and
decisions.
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STEP 3:
STRENGTHS EXPLORATION
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Group Exercise:
Using Strength-based Language
Glass Half-Full
• Form groups of 4-5 people
• Come up with other phrasing
for each wording
• Share
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Prompts for Identifying Strengths
Must be give and take dialogue , not interrogation
Explore strengths beyond the individual
• What worked well for you? How can you recreate that?
What can go right?
• Explore what has worked. Let client lead, but follow-up on
employment, housing, relationship, support successes.
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Strengths Exploration
What were things
like for them when
things were going
better?
Who have
they
helped?
Who are their
allies, friends, and
family members?
Our clients may feel dependent – we can help them remember times of interdependence.
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Group Exercise
Imagine this scenario:
• Your client is an unaccompanied youth, age 18, who has been homeless for 2 weeks.
• He was working on his GED and works part time at a fast food restaurant that does
not pay enough to afford an apartment.
• Client moved out of the house due to conflict with mother.
• Client loves grandmother and used to help her in the garden.
• Mom was taking care of two other younger siblings and was frustrated with the kids
lack of help around the house & attitude.
• Client’s position is he shouldn’t have to take care of the house, should be free to do
what he wants while he’s young – ran away
• Mom is frantic to get him back in the house.
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Group Exercise (cont.)
Goal – to uncover strengths, successes, and networks.
Each group will focus on a different aspect of this story.
Group One
Group Two
Group Three
Think of all the
aspects (strengths,
skills, successes,
networks) that went
into finding and
maintaining client’s
own housing.
Think of all the
aspects (strengths,
skills, successes,
networks) that went
into finding and
maintaining client’s
job at restaurant.
While being doubled
up with Mom, how
did client contribute
to the household?
How was client
helped, and how did
client help others?
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Strengths and Resource Exploration
Using a client’s previous experience as a way to identify
a variety of successes:
• knowledge education (was getting GED),
• relationships (caring mom) and
• networks (knows neighborhood)
• work experience (fast-food restaurant)
Noticing aspects of their life as a springboard
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Ideas for Strengths
 Motivated
to change
 Has
a support system –friends, family
 Has
been employed in the past, has done volunteer work
 Skills/competencies:
vocational, relational, transportation
savvy, activities of daily living
 Intelligent,
artistic, musical, good at sports, good with their
hands, can fix things, funny
 Awareness, ability to observe and assess situation
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Ideas for Strengths
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Advocate for themselves, sought help, able to convey their needs
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Resourcefulness - Has been able to survive, take care of
themselves, medications
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Spirituality - connected to church, higher power, nature
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Good physical health
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Adaptive coping skills, things they were able to handle so far
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STEP FOUR:
MOVING FORWARD - OUTCOMES
ROLES
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Moving Forward: 4 Diversion Outcomes
After we have listened, then
explored past strengths, what
housing options do they want
to pursue?:
What other needs has
the client identified?
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Permanently back
with friends or
family
Return to their
own residence
Temporarily
diverted as they
seek new housing
Relocating
permanently to
safe place out of
town
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Diversion
Outcomes
Outcome One
Permanently
back with friends
or family
When? Under what circumstances?
 No better option
 No housing history
 No income history
• How can our client contribute to the household?
• How can our client use this time to further education and/or employment
opportunities?
• Is a doubled up situation safe & appropriate?
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Outcome Two
When? Under what circumstances?
 Walk-Aways
(have lease but cannot pay current or back rent)
 Non-DV relationship issues
(significant other, sibling, friend is in home)
Return to their
own residence
 Previous places they have lived are options (i.e.
parents, family home)
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Outcome Three
Temporarily
diverted as they
seek new housing
 When? Under what circumstances?
 Wish to live on their own and have done so before
 Current or past income
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Outcome Four
When? Under what circumstances?
• Safe, appropriate host
• Support systems – family, friends, employment,
education
How?
Relocating
permanently to safe
place out of town
 Confirm with host (30 day minimum)
 What travel and other logistics do we need
to work out?
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Moving into their own place!
Help clients consider:
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A walk through before moving in
Discussing how and when rent is paid
How to discuss repairs with landlord
Fallback plans if they have a change in income
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Troubleshooting
What’s the reason for them being stuck?
Can we help them address their concerns?
Buyers Remorse
• Listen
• Validate
• Empathy
What happens if they do not get diverted?
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Diversion not possible –
shelter is needed…
• Diversion conversations can be first step to finding a housing
permanent solutions – so you have not wasted anytime!
• Be clear with client that this is the beginning of finding a
housing solution, shelter is not the answer.
• Keep the focus on housing, strengths, empowerment
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SUMMARY
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Recap
• Remember to listen first, understand, validate. Be empathetic.
• Leave no stone unturned in helping people think of safe places they can
live or stay other than the street or shelter.
• Help people think through options – help them clarify their choices and
the steps needed to carry out their plan.
If a client is difficult:
– Remember that homelessness is a crisis and people are usually not at
their best when under this stress.
– Help them realize strengths and resources they have forgotten.
– Visualize sitting next to them, supporting them in how they choose to
address the problem.
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Thank You!
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