Lived Experience Commission June 25, 2014 Presenters Connie Bacon, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Chicago’s All CoC Meeting Lived Experience Commission June 25, 2014 Presenters Connie Bacon, Larry Smith, Dorothy Yancy

Overview of Chicago’s Plan to End Homelessness • A Collaborative Plan to End Homelessness in Chicago “Getting Housed, Staying Housed” was developed in 2002 and outlined a 10 - year strategic plan to end homelessness in Chicago by 2012 • Mayor Daley endorsed the Plan in January 2003 and made it a priority of his administration • Plan 2.0 was embraced by Chicago’s current Mayor Rahm Emanuel in July 2012 • Having the Mayor’s full endorsement, Plan 2.0 builds on and expands the first Plan. It outlines seven strategic priorities that will help improve access to homelessness prevention resources along with providing housing and support services for those experiencing homelessness

History of the Lived Experienced Commission • The Consumers Commission of the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness was created in 2003 to be one of the key stakeholders essential to the success of Chicago’s Plan to End Homelessness • The Commission recently renamed itself the Lived Experience Commission • Founding Members of the Commission o Fred Friedman o Lonnie Fulton o David Granberry o Dorothy Yancy

Who Comprises the Lived Experience Commission The Lived Experience Commission includes individuals who were formerly homeless, at risk of homelessness or are experiencing homelessness

Purpose of the Lived Experience Commission • Provide a strong and experienced voice in the mission to prevent and end homelessness and for implementing the strategies in Plan 2.0 and the HEARTH Act • Contribute as significant partners with a unique perspective based on direct experiences to promote public awareness around both existing and future homeless services and policies • Give input on direction, funding priorities, issues, and programs around ending homelessness

Testimony Personal Experience with the Commission - Dorothy Yancy

The Roles and Responsibilities of Commission Members on Chicago’s Planning Council • Seven members of the Lived Experience Commission are voting members on the Planning Council to End Homelessness which is responsible to setting the policies and priorities on how Chicago allocates over $56 million dollars a year of HUD funding for housing and support services • A Lived Experience Commission member of the Planning Council is elected every three years by the Council to serve as Chair of the Council for one year and three members serve on the Executive Committee of the Planning Council

Planning Council Committee Representation Are contributing members of the Planning Council and serve on the following Committees - • CRS Managing Entity Advisory • Executive Committee of the Board Planning Council • Coordinated Access Steering • Plan Advisory Committee Committee • HUD McKinney Vento • New Project Process Committee Committee (HMV) • New Project Selection Committee • Systems Performance Goals Task • Ranking Policies Committee Group • Appeals Committee • HMIS Committee • Homeless Services Task Group • Evaluation Instrument • Governance and Structure Committee Steering Committee

Additional Roles and Responsibilities of Commission Members Serves on All Chicago’s Board of Directors As established by the All Chicago’s By -Laws, two members of the Commission are elected for a three-year term by their peers and are limited to serving two consecutive terms and are responsible for: • Sets Direction – Help establish and oversee strategic direction and implementation of All Chicago • Ensure Resources – Establish priorities for acquiring resources • Provide Oversight - Establish financial policies and ensure accountability • Serves on various committees of the Board of Directors

Lived Experience Commission Accomplishments Plan 2.0 • As members the Lived Experience Commission, participated in the writing of Plan 2.0 and provided invaluable consumer driven comments on Plan 2.0 to determine the seven strategic priorities to be implemented over the next seven years • The Coordinated Access System Steering Committee brings together a diverse group of stakeholders representing all major sectors of the homeless assistance system to develop a planning process for creating an effective and efficient coordinated access system for Chicago. Lived Experience Commission members serve on the steering committee • Lived Experience Commission members also serve on the Central Referral System (CRS) Managing Entity Advisory Board that determines policy and programmatic issues that arise through the use of CRS & regular reports of household activity from the system. The Advisory Board is involved in making needed recommendations to the Planning Council on the use & improvement of CRS

Lived Experience Commission Accomplishments The HEARTH Act Provided feedback and support to US Department of Housing and Urban Developments (HUD) on the release of its Interim Rules as it relates to – • Increasing the number of persons of lived experiences that serve on CoC Governing Boards across the country • Support for transparency through full disclosure of conflict of interest • Support for the requirement of a lease for clients for a term of at least one year to be considered as Permanent Supportive Housing • Participated on the Governance and Structure Steering Committee and provided feedback as a Commission that helped develop Chicago’s CoC Charter to align it with new HUD guidelines

Lived Experience Commission Accomplishments The HUD NOFA Application • For the past two years, members of the Chicago Alliance’s Lived Experience Commission have led and conducted Consumer Engagement Sessions with program participants of HUD funded agencies to ensure projects are helping clients meet their goals, ensure client rights are communicated, engage consumer participation to discover best practices and determine ways to improve programs • Focus groups were conducted at eight agencies randomly selected, participation for clients were voluntary of which 74 clients participated and feedback by clients from the focus groups were anonymous. Agencies provided responses to their summary feedback from the sessions which are scored for points on their HUD Evaluation Instrument

Lived Experience Commission Accomplishments Participated in Briefings with the City Council in 2013 • Provided testimony on the impact of the Plan on the ability of individuals and families experiencing homelessness to access housing and supportive services • Highlighted the importance of preserving SROs as one of the options for affordable housing for some of Chicago’s most vulnerable residents

Testimony Personal Experience with the Commission - Larry Smith

Lived Experience Commission Accomplishments Breakfast with Mayor • Commission members have served as Key Note Speakers for All Chicago’s Annual Breakfast with the Mayor to highlight the progress made toward implementing Chicago’s Plan to End Homelessness • Encouraged support and the commitment of resources by the Mayor to fulfill the promises of Chicago’s Plan • In 2013, for the first time ever, the Lived Experience Commission led the Annual Breakfast with the Mayor which highlighted the successes and challenges of providing housing and services to homeless youth and for other individuals and families at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness

Lived Experience Commission Members • Connie Bacon • Robert Cunningham • John Dawkins • Dennis Flint • Fred Friedman • Becki Martello • Anthony Pulli • Larry Smith • Keith Richardson • Richard Rowe • Gwendolyn Turner • Dorothy Yancy

Have Questions and Want to Get Involved? • Sign-up today for more information at the Lived Experience Commission Table and learn about how you can be involved in implementing Chicago’s Plan 2.0: A Home for Everyone and the HEARTH Act! • Attend the next Lived Experience Commission Meeting August 12 th 9:30 until 12:00 pm The Chicago Alliance 651 W. Washington Suite 504