[BoulderCouncilHotline] Change in Severe Weather Shelter

[Firnhaber, Kurt]

Dear Council members and Hotline followers,

I am writing this afternoon to inform you of a revised approach to the Severe Weather Shelter (SWS) program, caried out by Boulder Shelter for the Homeless.  In this shelter season a policy was introduced for SWS to be used a maximum of 30days for those that decided not to enter long term programs or for which long term programs were not available.  The purpose of this policy was to help move individuals into services or in combination, a path to a housing solution.  It was also meant to help ensure enough beds were available for individuals in Navigation and Housing Focused Shelter programs.  Currently there are three programs in the homeless system. Diversion Services is the primary intervention for people who are new to the community and focuses on reconnecting people to support systems or other light-touch actions which keep individuals from entering long-term homelessness. Navigation Services is a short-term program that combines case managed housing plans with sheltering for people with few barriers to stability. Housing Focused Shelter aids people who experience chronic homelessness and disabling conditions with long-term sheltering and connection to housing resources.  Long term shelter and support is available for Navigation and Diversion Services.

As this is a new policy for this year, it is important to evaluate its effectiveness.  By in large the policy has been effective in assisting individuals into longer term programs.  However, we have heard from the community, their concerns that 30 days is not enough time to make this transition into services.  I have also consulted with staff at the Boulder Shelter for the homeless as well as a couple council members.  In light of these concerns and consultation, we will make an immediate adjustment to 60 days for the remaining season.  During this time the staff at BSH as well as HOT and BTHERE staff will continue to work with residents, new to our community, to help them understand the limits of our resources and programs and to work with them towards Diversion Services.  As we know that roughly 4 to 5 new individuals who are experiencing homelessness enter our community each day, this ongoing engagement and communication will continue to be a priority.

Thanks to those who have expressed their views and input to this work,

Kurt



Kurt Firnhaber
Director of Housing and Human Services
[https://bouldercolorado.gov/links/fetch/41501]
O: # 303-441-4424
C: # 303-917-0914
FirnhaberK at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:FirnhaberK at bouldercolorado.gov>
Department of Housing & Human Services
1300 Canyon Blvd  Boulder, CO 80302
Bouldercolorado.gov<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bouldercolorado.gov%2F&data=04%7C01%7CFirnhaberK%40bouldercolorado.gov%7C8fc55d016c544fe7152708d8cf99f304%7C0a7f94bb40af4edcafad2c1af27bc0f3%7C0%7C0%7C637487607402794132%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=Hyf2AH2VmnnIOpomxCVvuk07Ti3sXTLOOOGYQ4m8cWE%3D&reserved=0>


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://webappsprod.bouldercolorado.gov/mailing-lists/mailman-archive/bouldercouncilhotline/attachments/20210212/2335270f/attachment.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 15389 bytes
Desc: image001.png
Url : https://webappsprod.bouldercolorado.gov/mailing-lists/mailman-archive/bouldercouncilhotline/attachments/20210212/2335270f/attachment.png