Solutions start here. ANNUAL REPORT 2013 > MESSAGE FROM MHSA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOE FINN > Looking back on the past year, I am inspired by the many people and organizations who work tirelessly alongside MHSA as we strive to end homelessness in Massachusetts. As you read this report, you will find stories of partnerships between MHSA member agencies, government agencies and private partners who are collaborating to expand housing opportunities for individuals struggling to survive on the streets and in shelters. You will meet Toni, whose life turned around when she moved from homelessness into housing through MHSA’s Home & Healthy for Good program. You will learn about MHSA’s advocacy to link housing and health care; our recently launched Leadership Development Program for people who have experienced homelessness; and the public and private entities that are partnering to make Social Innovation Financing a reality in Massachusetts. None of this would be possible without you – our member agencies, community partners, donors, and all who are willing to stand up for our shared belief that everyone deserves a place to call home. But at MHSA, we’re not afraid to ask the tough questions. Even as we reflect on the accomplishments of the past year, we are faced on a daily basis with the reality that our most vulnerable neighbors – those who are most in need of support – often fall through the cracks of the very systems of care designed to serve them. Individuals struggling with mental illness or substance abuse find themselves unable to access the scarce resources available to them. People leave the corrections system and, unable to secure housing or a job, end up at the front door of homeless shelters. Rents are becoming increasingly unaffordable, leaving many individuals unable to make ends meet. We have work to do. And we can’t do it without you. We need your advocacy, your resources and your energy to continue this mission. We need your vigilance as well. Push your public officials to become sensitive to the incredible problems facing unaccompanied adults on our streets and in shelters around the Commonwealth. Hold us all accountable – advocates and providers, the public and private sectors – for the social disgrace of homelessness and for the change that is necessary to end it. Solutions start here – and you make it all possible. Thank you. Joe Finn President & Executive Director 2 | MHSA 2013 Annual Report > > MHSA AND OUR MISSION The Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance (MHSA) is a nonprofit, public policy advocacy organization with the singular mission of ending homelessness in the Commonwealth. Founded in 1988, MHSA represents nearly 100 community-based agencies statewide. What we do: Educate about the struggles of homeless individuals and solutions to their homelessness Advocate for strategic use of public and private funding based on research and best practices Innovate more cost-effective and humane solutions to homelessness Collaborate with all levels of government and the private sector to bring our poorest neighbors home for good > MHSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Pamela Feingold, Chairperson Kiley Gosselin Eastern Bank Holland & Knight Thomas Collins, Vice-Chairperson Donald Greene Cushman & Wakefield of Massachusetts U.S. Trust Wilton Hyman, Treasurer Suzanne Kenney New England Law Boston Project Place Reverend Linda Wood-Boyle, Clerk Mark Levine HomeStart Boston Rescue Mission/Project Place Dean Atkins Thomas Lyons Transwestern | RBJ MassHousing Anna Bissonnette James O’Connell, MD Hearth Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Peter Burns James Sabitus Mental Health Advocate Self Employed James Cuddy Reverend John Samaan South Middlesex Opportunity Council Boston Rescue Mission Dennis Culhane, PhD Reverend Jep Streit University of Pennsylvania Cathedral Church of St. Paul Lyndia Downie John Yazwinski Pine Street Inn Father Bill’s & MainSpring MHSA 2013 Annual Report | 3 > MHSA STAFF Joe Finn President and Executive Director Kaye Wild Vice President Thomas Yotts Director of Finance and Administration Tom Brigham Housing First Coordinator Melody Brown Senior Support Specialist Jessie Gaeta, MD Physician Advocate Caitlin Golden Director of Public Relations and Community Engagement Daniel Lachar Staff Accountant Allison Lex Director of Development Douglas Tetrault Program Manager > MHSA MEMBER AGENCIES Boston Action for Boston Community Development Back on My Feet Boston Boston Alcohol & Substance Abuse Program, Inc. Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Boston Public Health Commission Boston Rescue Mission Bridge Over Troubled Waters Children’s Services of Roxbury Commonwealth Land Trust Community Resources for Justice Community Work Services Ecclesia Ministries 4 | MHSA 2013 Annual Report Elders Living at Home Program FamilyAid Boston Hearth HomeStart Medeiros Center for Change Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership New England Center for Homeless Veterans Pine Street Inn Project Bread Project Hope Project Place Self Esteem Boston Span, Inc. Boston (continued) Central St. Francis House Starlight Ministries Tri-Ad Veterans League Victory Programs Volunteers of America Women’s Lunch Place AIDS Project Worcester Athol Area YMCA The Bridge House Community Healthlink Dismas House Jeremiah’s Inn LUK, Inc. Our Father’s House RCAP Solutions South Middlesex Opportunity Council Veterans, Inc. Worcester Homeless Action Committee Greater Boston Adbar Ethiopian Women’s Alliance Cambridge Multi-Service Center Cambridge Salvation Army Cambridge YMCA Cascap, Inc. CASPAR, Inc. Catholic Charities Boston, St. Patrick’s Shelter Center for Social Innovation Eliot Community Human Services Harvard Square Homeless Shelter Heading Home Justice Resource Institute Middlesex Human Service Agency On the Rise Shelter Legal Services ShortStop Transitional Housing Solutions at Work Somerville Homeless Coalition Tri-City Community Action Program Youth on Fire Northeast Action Inc. Bridgewell Community Teamwork, Inc. Emmaus, Inc. Grace Center, Inc. Lawrence Community Development Department Lifebridge Lowell Transitional Living Center Lynn Shelter Association Neuro-Rehab Management The Psychological Center Sylvia’s Haven Veterans Northeast Outreach Center Southeast/Cape Cod Bay State Community Services Catholic Social Services of Fall River Duffy Health Center Esther R. Sanger Center for Compassion Father Bill’s & MainSpring High Point Treatment Center Housing Assistance Corporation Nam Vets Association of the Cape & Islands Quincy Community Action Programs Veterans Transition House West Berkshire Community Action DIAL/SELF Youth & Community Services Family Life Support Center, Inc. Louison House Friends of the Homeless Greater Westfield Committee for the Homeless HAPHousing Health Care for the Homeless – Mercy Hospital, Springfield Massachusetts Career Development Institute Mental Health Association, Inc. ServiceNet Soldier On Western Massachusetts Sober Living Alliance MHSA 2013 Annual Report | 5 > MHSA ADVOCACY AND INNOVATION Housing and Supportive Services In FY13, MHSA helped over 1,000 people obtain or maintain permanent housing. MHSA’s advocacy and innovative program development are focused on providing permanent housing opportunities and supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness. From our low-threshold permanent housing initiatives for chronically homeless individuals to our recently launched rapid rehousing initiative for individuals who need time-limited financial assistance and supportive services, MHSA is committed to developing and implementing evidenced-based, cost-effective housing solutions to homelessness. Linking Health Care and Housing Individuals experiencing chronic or persistent homelessness are often among the highest utilizers of emergency health care and other public systems of care. Instead of accessing mainstream preventative and primary care, these individuals often utilize much more costly emergency services to address their health After experiencing homelessness, care needs. Maggie and Sarah now live in The Community Support Program permanent supportive housing thanks for People Experiencing Chronic to CSPECH and MHSA member agency Homelessness (CSPECH), an innovation South Middlesex Opportunity Council. of the Massachusetts Behavorial Health Partnership and MHSA, is a proven model of Medicaid reimbursement that can benefit the development of low-threshold housing opportunities for chronically homeless individuals. With support from the Oak Foundation, MHSA has worked this year with communities in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York to promote the replication of models like CSPECH nationwide. MHSA also serves on the Dual Eligible Implementation Council, which monitors the progress of efforts to integrate health care for adults ages 21 through 64 who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. MHSA continues to lead the way in advocating for initiatives that link health care and housing. 6 | MHSA 2013 Annual Report > > MHSA ADVOCACY AND INNOVATION Supporting Recovery in Housing Some homeless individuals face significant housing barriers due to their history of drug and alcohol abuse. MHSA works with the recovery and housing communities to identify key strategies for supporting recovery in housing. MHSA believes that housing can be the stabilizing factor that allows individuals to pursue their recovery. Journey to Success (JTS) is a 22-unit low-threshold, permanent supportive housing program administered by MHSA in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (DPH-BSAS) with support services provided by Kit Clark Senior Services. Post-Detox/Pre-Recovery (PDPR) program is a 41-unit permanent supportive housing program that is federally funded and administered in a partnership between MHSA and DPH-BSAS. MHSA’s PDPR partners are High Point Treatment Center and the South Middlesex Opportunity Council. Spotlight on New Rapid Rehousing Program MHSA and MHSA member agency HomeStart have launched a new Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Rapid Rehousing program in the City of Boston. The program helps homeless individuals move quickly from Boston’s shelters or streets into housing by offering short- and medium-term rental subsidies, security deposits, utility assistance, and other start-up costs. Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, the ESGRapid Rehousing program is a collaboration between MHSA and HomeStart, with support from the Boston Public Health Commission, Pine Street Inn, St. Francis House, and other Boston-area shelter providers. In FY13, the program housed 344 individuals, far exceeding MHSA’s original goal. Home & Healthy for Good-Boston: HHG-Boston is a 35-unit lowthreshold, permanent supportive housing program for chronically homeless individuals. Modeled after MHSA’s statewide HHG program (pages 8-9), HHG-Boston is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in partnership with the City of Boston Department of Neighborhood Development. MHSA partners with Caritas Communities and Pine Street Inn for HHG-Boston. MHSA 2013 Annual Report | 7 > MHSA ADVOCACY AND INNOVATION > Home & Healthy for Good MHSA’s Home & Healthy for Good (HHG) initiative is at the forefront of a significant paradigm shift in how Massachusetts addresses the costly phenomenon of homelessness, particularly for chronically homeless individuals and individuals who represent the highest usage of emergency public services. HHG continues to demonstrate that providing housing and supportive services to chronically homeless individuals through a low-threshold, Housing First model is less costly and more effective than managing their homelessness and health problems on the street or in shelter. Since 2006, HHG has placed 678 chronically homeless adults into permanent housing with supportive services. HHG results continue to show a trend toward tremendous savings in health care costs, especially hospitalizations, when chronically homeless individuals are placed into housing with services. Housing is a cost-effective and humane solution to homelessness — one that brings stability to individuals’ lives. Annual Cost Per Tenant $40,000 $35,000 Total Overall Savings: $9,464 $30,000 $25,000 Housing First (HHG) Cost $20,000 $15,000 $33,582 $15,468 Medicaid, Shelter and Incarceration Costs $10,000 $5,000 $0 $8,650 Before Entering HHG After Entering HHG As the chart above illustrates, MHSA estimates an annual cost savings to the Commonwealth of $9,464 per housed tenant. 8 | MHSA 2013 Annual Report > MHSA ADVOCACY AND INNOVATION As a result of leveraged private resources last year and effective advocacy for an increase to the HHG line item this year, MHSA welcomed three new HHG partners in FY13: Action Inc. in Gloucester, Boston Public Health Commission, and Mental Health Association, Inc. in Springfield. Special Thanks to MHSA’s HHG Partners: Action Inc. Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program Boston Public Health Commission Community Healthlink Duffy Health Center Father Bill’s & MainSpring Friends of the Homeless Heading Home HomeStart Housing Assistance Corporation Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership Mental Health Association, Inc. Pine Street Inn Somerville Homeless Coalition South Middlesex Opportunity Council Veterans, Inc. Social Innovation Financing The HHG model is the basis for the Commonwealth’s first Social Innovation Financing (SIF) initiative focused on chronic homelessness. In FY13, MHSA was awarded the right to negotiate with the Commonwealth as the “intermediary” for a SIF initiative to expand permanent supportive housing opportunities in Massachusetts. MHSA is partnering with Corporation for Supportive Housing and United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, with the support of Third Sector Capital Partners, to pursue this initiative. Under this innovative form of financing, also known as “pay for success,” MHSA must raise funds from private investors, which will be used to scale up the HHG program; when certain benchmarks are met, those who invested in the program will be paid back with public dollars. MHSA has consulted with communities across the nation that are exploring the opportunities and challenges of SIF. In April 2013, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco published an article on SIF by MHSA’s Joe Finn and Jeffery Hayward of United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. MHSA 2013 Annual Report | 9 > MHSA ADVOCACY AND INNOVATION Toni’s Story Toni’s apartment is spotless. Pictures of her children and grandchildren decorate the walls, and a puzzle – one of her favorite pastimes – is spread out on a table by the window. But Toni doesn’t take any of it for granted. She remembers what it’s like to sleep on the streets. Toni first became homeless 14 Toni, seated in her apartment. years ago, when she fled domestic violence. She moved from shelter to shelter across Massachusetts for seven years, occasionally spending nights sleeping outside. Toni was already recovering from substance abuse at the time she became homeless, but the stress of homelessness put her recovery in jeopardy. “I don’t think I could have stayed [sober] if I stayed homeless,” Toni says. Toni’s homelessness was exacerbated by her hereditary heart condition, which was difficult to manage on the streets and in shelters. Since she didn’t have a primary care doctor, Toni had to resort to the hospital emergency room for medical care. “I was glad when they took me to the hospital because of my heart condition,” she recalls. “I had a home for four days.” Toni’s life began to turn around seven years ago when she moved into an apartment through MHSA’s Home & Healthy for Good program. Toni receives support services from her case manager at MHSA member agency Heading Home, and she pays 30 percent of her income toward her rent. Toni will eagerly tell you that her life is “180 degrees different” now that she has her own apartment. Now Toni has a wonderful primary care doctor, and she hasn’t been to the hospital in several years. She is actively involved in her church, and she loves to read and chat with her grandchildren using the webcam on her computer. Even staying sober is much easier now that she has her own housing. Toni beams when she talks about her life today. “I love the house,” she says simply. 10 | MHSA 2013 Annual Report > > MHSA ADVOCACY AND INNOVATION Bringing Veterans Home Advocacy MHSA has partnered with the Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness, the Department of Veterans’ Services, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of a statewide Steering Committee to address homelessness among veterans. In March 2013, the Steering Committee released the Massachusetts Integrated Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness Among Veterans. Through this committee and our veteran-specific programs, MHSA works tirelessly to expand housing opportunities for veterans experiencing homelessness. Housing for Veterans Home Front: Home Front is a 15-unit scattered-site permanent supportive housing program that serves chronically homeless veterans in Greater Boston. Home Front tenants are veterans with the highest barriers to housing who cannot otherwise access traditional housing programs. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and jointly administered by MHSA and the City of Boston Department of Neighborhood Development. MHSA partners with the New England Center for Homeless Veterans and Caritas Communities for this program. Home & Healthy for Good: Of the 678 individuals housed in MHSA’s Home & Healthy for Good (HHG) program as of June 2013, 123 of those were veterans, representing 18 percent of the total population served through that program. Housing First, a fundamental concept to the HHG program, has been identified as a best practice for housing homeless veterans by a number of grant-making and planning bodies throughout Massachusetts and the nation. Safe Haven: Safe Haven is a low-threshold, residential program administered by MHSA in partnership with VA, Boston Rescue Mission and South Middlesex Opportunity Council. Each of the two Safe Haven sites provides 10 units of transitional housing for chronically homeless veterans who have had difficulty navigating other systems of care and housing. MHSA works closely with VA and our service partners to identify ways in which Safe Haven can lead these veterans from homelessness to permanent housing. MHSA 2013 Annual Report | 11 > MHSA ADVOCACY AND INNOVATION Housing Young Adults The FY13 Massachusetts State Budget included language establishing the Special Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth. MHSA was named in the legislation as a member of the Commission and has been a leader in policy discussions on appropriate housing responses for homeless young adults. Young adults between the ages of 18 to 24 often fall into a gap in services available to children and older adults. MHSA’s advocacy is focused on creating low-threshold housing opportunities for young adults living in adult shelters or on the streets. MHSA’s legislative advocacy during the spring of 2013 resulted in a $200,000 increase to the Home & Healthy for Good line item in the FY14 Massachusetts State Budget. This increase is specifically designated for a low-threshold, permanent supportive housing pilot for LGBTQ unaccompanied homeless young adults. Through rigorous data collection and evaluation, MHSA will work with the Commonwealth to test the hypothesis that providing housing and support services targeted to unaccompanied LGBTQ homeless young adults will result in positive housing outcomes for these young adults and produce cost savings for the Commonwealth in the form of reduced Medicaid costs and other emergency expenses. Ending Elder Homelessness Homeless older adults face a number of unique challenges, particularly in terms of access to medical care and – for those who are disabled – long-term supportive services that will allow them to age with dignity. In November 2012, MHSA presented the results of the 2012 MHSA Survey of Homeless Older Adults to the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness (ICHH). As a result of the advocacy of MHSA and our members, the ICHH formed a Homeless Elder Working Group charged with formulating policy recommendations to address the challenges of homeless older adults. MHSA and our member agencies conducted the second MHSA Survey of Homeless Older Adults in March 2013. In April 2013, MHSA presented at the The Keys to Ending Homelessness Conference Series in Lowell in a session focused on providing care to homeless seniors. 12 | MHSA 2013 Annual Report > > MHSA COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Massachusetts Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau The Massachusetts Faces of Homelessness Speakers’ Bureau is part of a national network AUDIENCE founded by the National Coalition for the Homeless MEMBERS and supported through the AmeriCorps VISTA REACHED IN program of the Corporation for National and FY13: Community Service. MHSA began the Massachusetts branch of the Speakers’ Bureau in 2010, bringing together a roster of currently and formerly homeless individuals to share their personal experiences with communities across Massachusetts. Over the past three years, the Speakers’ Bureau has traveled to schools, faith communities and civic organizations to encourage community members to look beyond the stereotypes of homelessness and take action to ensure that everyone has a place to call home. 5,300 Leadership Development Program In January 2013, the Speakers’ Bureau launched the Ending Homelessness Leadership Development Program (LDP) for individuals who have experienced homelessness. The LDP is a nine-week, workshop-based program. This initiative provides an opportunity for participants to strengthen their leadership skills so they can actively The first graduating class of the Leadership participate in community efforts to Development Program. end homelessness, with the hope that participants will serve as informed advocates on MHSA member agency boards and throughout Massachusetts. The workshops provide a comprehensive overview of the leadership responsibilities and skill sets needed to be on a board of directors, and many of the workshops draw on the expertise of pro bono guest speakers from the MHSA community. MHSA 2013 Annual Report | 13 > MHSA EVENTS 10th Annual Spring Event, Home for Good: Solutions Start Here On May 8, 2013, MHSA and more than 200 supporters gathered at the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston to celebrate MHSA’s tenth annual fundraising event, Home for Good: Solutions Start Here. The evening honored Tom Lorello of Heading Home, Susanne Beaton of The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, and Michael Durkin of United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. MHSA wishes to express our gratitude to this year’s Raise the Roof sponsor, Eastern Bank, and to all of our honorees, event sponsors and attendees. Clockwise from top left: Honoree Susanne Beaton, MHSA President & Executive Director Joe Finn, Honorees Tom Lorello and Michael Durkin; MHSA Board Member Dr. Jim O’Connell of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and Jerry Ray of Mental Health Association, Inc.; Jane Tewksbury of United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, Secretary Coleman Nee of the Department of Veterans’ Services, Liz Rogers of the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness, Bob Pulster of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Laila Bernstein of Victory Programs, and Rose Evans of the Department of Housing and Community Development; MHSA Advisory Council Members Nathaniel Stinnett, Marnie Gale and Dan Dworkis. 14 | MHSA 2013 Annual Report > > MHSA FINANCIALS Statement of Activites StatementForoftheActivities fiscal year ending June 30, For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013 2012 Statement of Activites the fiscal year ending June 30, Financial For Position 2012 For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013 Revenues and Support Revenues and Support Government contracts $8,816,476 Grants and contributions 474,098 Program fees 108,321 Interest income 16,409 Realized and unrealized 39,652 gains on investments Total Revenues and Support $9,454,956 Expenses Expenses Program Expenses Program expenses: Transitional program and emergency shelter services $5,167,071 Permanent housing2,896,784 Rapid rehousing 967,333 Advocacy, planning and technical assistance 62,215 Program Expenses Total $9,093,403 Assets Current Assets Revenues and Support $262,808 799,238 477,185 13,697 10,250 $1,563,178 Total Current Assets Program expenses: $9,154 Total Furniture and Equipment, Net Cash and cash equivalents Contracts receivable Investments Prepaid expenses and other assets Security deposits Total Assets Liabilities and Net Assets Current Liabilities Due to subrecipients Accounts payable and accrued expenses Fundraising and development $120,003 Total Current Liabilities General and administrative 137,762 Total Expenses $9,351,168 Change in Net Assets $103,788 Net assets at beginning of year Net assets at end of year 443,116 546,904 MHSA Revenues Government Contracts 93.6% Grants and Contributions 5.0% Program Fees 1.2% $1,572,332 $878,328 147,100 $ 1,025,428 Net Assets $440,076 106,828 $546,904 Unrestricted Temporarily restricted Total Net Assets Total Liability and Net Assets $1,572,332 MHSA Expenses Program Expenses 97.2% General and Administrative 1.5% Fundraising and Development 1.3% Interest Income and Gains on Investments 0.2% MHSA 2013 Annual Report | 15 > THANK YOU MHSA extends our thanks to the following recent corporate and foundation donors. We also extend our deepest gratitude to the many individuals, member agencies, and others who contribute financially and otherwise to our work every day. Thank you for being a part of solutions to homelessness. André and Marilyn Danesh Fund Apex Medical Products The Baupost Group Ben & Kate Taylor Foundation Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation BMC HealthNet Plan Boston Community Capital The Boston Foundation Boston Private Bank & Trust Company Bowman Selig Families Charitable Foundation Brian J. Honan Charitable Fund Clipper Ship Foundation Cosi Cushman & Wakefield Eastern Bank Ellen D Kunkel Revocable Trust Foundation Realty Group Fresh Pond Trust The Gannett Foundation G.T. Reilly & Company Glassman Family Fund Healthcare Financial, Inc. Highland Street Foundation Jus and Kumud Singh Giving Account Krokidas and Bluestein LLP Lazar Scientific Margulies Perruzzi Architects Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership MassHousing Moon Family Charitable Gift Fund NAIOP Neuro-Rehab Management, Inc. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency O’Neill and Associates Oak Foundation Patricia P Irgens Larsen Charitable Foundation Inc The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Foundation Petit Robert Central Bistro Ray Family Fund Red Sox Foundation Shirley Goldstein Trust The Staples Foundation The Stifler Family Foundation Sucherman Consulting Group Inc. United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley We strive for accuracy and regret any omissions or mistakes. Please contact MHSA at 617-367-6447 with any corrections. P.O. Box 120070 Boston, MA 02112 617-367-6447 www.mhsa.net
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