Illawarra Area Management Group

1

• Illawarra Area Management Group
• DOCS Presentation
• March 2009

2
Overview

• Current Context
• 2. Background to SAAP
• 2. Regional Funding Profile
• 3. Client Demographics
• 4. Performance Based Contracting
• 5. Issues

3
Current Context

• The NSW Government is committed to preventing and
  reducing homelessness and commits significant
  resources towards programs to assist those who
  are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Currently, the NSW Government is involved in a
  range of national and state initiatives that seek
  to develop a more effective response to
  homelessness including the National Affordable
  Housing Agreement (NAHA) the National
  Partnership Agreement on Homelessness the A
  Place to Call Home initiative and the NSW
  Homelessness Action Plan.

4
Key Directions

• Development of the NSW Homelessness Action
  Plan is well advanced and has been developed in
  close consultation with key non-government NSW
  peak homelessness organisations.
• This Action Plan embeds national homelessness
  policy directions in a coordinated,
  whole-of-government response to homelessness in
  NSW. 

5
Key Directions - Cont

• The Action Plan will form the basis for the NSW
  Implementation Plan for the National Partnership
  Agreement on Homelessness, currently under
  negotiation with the Australian Government, due
  to be completed early 2009. 
• Finalisation of the NSW Homelessness Action
  Plan Action Plan and the NSW Implementation Plan
  for the National Partnership Agreement on
  Homelessness will inform future funding of
  homelessness initiatives in NSW

6
SAAP

• The new National Affordable Housing Agreement
  (NAHA),  replaces all previous housing and
  homelessness support agreements between the
  Commonwealth and the states and territories,
  including the Supported Accommodation Assistance
  Program, from 1 January 2009.
• DoCS will continue to deliver the Supported
  Accommodation Assistance Program in NSW under the
  new NAHA.

7
SAAP Background

• SAAP is a State/Commonwealth initiative that
  funds more than 400 State wide services to
  individuals and families who are homeless and/or
  at risk of homelessness.
• The Commonwealth is responsible for the policy
  leadership role of the program, whereby
  State/territory government provide the day-to-day
  management and distribution of funding.
• The program was established in 1985, and is
  currently in its 5th, 5 year cycle (SAAP V
  2005-2010). SAAP 5 Commenced in October 2005
  note appendix 1

8
SAAP Legislation

• The SAAP Act (1994) is the Legislation the
  governs SAAP and states the program goals
• To resolve crisis
• To re-establish family links
• To re-establish a capacity to live independently
  of SAAP

9
SAAP Agreements

• There are 2 major agreements that set the
  priorities of SAAP
• 1. Multi-lateral Agreement (overarching agreement
  between all States/Territories) note appendix 2
• 2. Bi-lateral Agreement (agreement with NSW)
  note appendix 3
• DoCS is required to report against the terms of
  these agreements
• through the National Data Collection Agency
  (NDCA)

10
DoCS Continuum of Care and Support
Brighter Futures Program
DoCS Crisis Caseworkers Joint Investigation
Response Teams
Families NSW
Better Futures
Out of Home Care Intensive Support Services
Aboriginal Child Youth Family Strategy
CSP - Children's Services Program (Pre-Schools,
Child Care, etc)
SAAP- Supported Accommodation Assistance Program
(Homelessness)
Community Development, CSGP- Community Services
Grants Program, Family Support Services
11
Regional Funding Profile

• In 2008/09, DoCS Southern Region will fund 33
  SAAP projects, totalling 9,767,534 (This
  represents 8 of the NSW SAAP budget).
• Illawarra Network Office funds 15 of these
  services are located in the Illawarra totalling
  5,286,323
• -covering the Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama
  and Shoalhaven Local Government Areas.
• Southern Highlands Network office funds 18
  projects totalling 4,481,211
• -covering the Bombala, Eurobodalla, Bega Valley,
  Boorowa, Cooma-Monaro, Eastern Capital Region,
  Greater Queanbeyan, Harden, Snowy River, Upper
  Lachlan, Yass Valley and Young Local Government
  Areas.

12
Southern Region SAAP Funding (08/09)

• Target Group Project Funding
• Young People 12 3,561,098
• Women and Women
• with Children Affected by
• Domestic Violence 8 2,793,4598.
• Single Men 4 941,516
• Cross Target/
• Generalist Services 9 1,790,610
• Total 33 9,767,534

13
Illawarra /Shoalhaven SAAP services

• Southern Youth and Family Services Association
  Inc - Wollongong Youth Refuge (Combined)
• Illawarra Youth Housing Wollongong Long Term
  Service, Treehouse
• Shoalhaven Youth Accommodation SYA, Aboriginal
  Outreach Worker - Nowra
• Lighthouse Community Care - My/Place Youth House,
  Youth Outreach Worker
• CareSouth Short term Accommodation Service
• Women's Resource Group - Rosa Refuge
• Warilla Women's Refuge
• Wollongong Women's Refuge
• Nowra Women's Housing Scheme
• Women's Housing Scheme Inc
• Wollongong Emergency Family Housing
• The Trustees of the Society of St Vincent de Paul
  (NSW) - Wollongong Diocesan Council St Vincent
  De Paul House

14
National Data Collection

• All SAAP services submit data on clients, and
  services provided to clients to the SAAP National
  Data Collection Agency (NDCA).
• This information is collated and analysed by the
  Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
  in Canberra.
• In 2008/09, all NSW SAAP services will be
  measured for performance against their NDCA data,
  and this will be the tool the Federal Government
  use to determine adherence to the Bi-lateral
  Agreement.

15
06/07 NDCA Client Profile Illawarra

• Total number of clients 1698 2344
• (nb increase of 40 clients (1218) from 05/06
  possibly due to the inclusion of accompanying
  children, and improvements in data collection
  reporting)
• Total number of accompanying children 1,199 -
  1645
• Number of support days 224,310
• Average length of support 118.9 days
• Average length of accommodation 101.8 days

16
06/07 NDCA Client Profile - continued

• Gender
• Female 65
• Male 35
• Indigenous status 15
• Age
• 20-24 years 19.0
• 15-17 years 16
• 18-19 years 11
• 25-29 years 11
• Person requesting assistance
• Person alone 53
• Person with child(ren) 34

17
06/07 NDCA Client Profile - continued

• Most common location of period before
  homelessness
• Wollongong 32
• Nowra 27
• Length of support period
• 4-13 weeks 27
• 13-26 weeks 10
• 36-52 weeks 7
• Accommodated support periods
• 4-13 weeks 27
• 26-52 weeks 17
• 2-4 weeks 11

18
06/07 NDCA Client Profile - continued

• Tenure before and after support
• Private rental 30 32
• Boarding 17 12
• SAAP crisis/short term 11 5
• Rent free accommodation 7 4
• Living situation before and after support
• With relatives/friends temporarily 19 11
• Living with unrelated persons 16 12
• With spouse/partner and child(ren) 14 11
• Alone 13 13

19
06/07 NDCA Client Profile - continued

• Income support before and after support
• Parenting payment 31 30
• Newstart 19 18
• Youth Allowance 17 18
• No income 6 3
• Labour force before and after support
• Not in labour force 65 65
• Unemployed 23 22
• Accommodation type before and after support
• House/flat 72 68
• Hostel/hotel/motel 6 4
• Boarding/rooming house 6 4

20
06/07 NDCA Client Profile - continued

• Source of referral
• Self 23
• SAAP agency 17
• Other Gvt department 13
• Main reason for seeking assistance
• Domestic/Family Violence 20
• Relationship/family breakdown 17
• Eviction/asked to leave 11
• Support provided to client
• Advice/information 10
• Emotional support 9
• SAAP/CAP accommodation 8

21
06/07 NDCA Unmet Demand Snapshot in time

• Person requesting accommodation
• Person without child(ren) 74
• Person with child(ren) 19
• Total persons 305
• Indigenous status 21
• Gender
• Female 68
• Male 32
• Age
• 15-17 36
• 25-44 19
• 20-24 10

22
06/07 Unmet Demand - continued

• How soon is accommodation needed
• Tonight (within 24 hours) 47
• In 7-14 days 17
• Did person try to get accommodation earlier that
  day
• Yes 74
• Reason why accommodation was not offered
• Insufficient accommodation available 76
• Agency inappropriate /wrong target group8
• One-off assistance provided
• Information 34
• Emotional support/counselling 20
• Referral for non accomm support services 17

23
Performance Based Contracting

• DoCS is in a process of reform an evolutionary
  program of change. In 2007/08, DoCS funded
  services began transitioning onto Performance
  Based Contracting (PBC).
• The aim of PBC is to improve service performance
  by shifting away from telling services how to
  perform the work or deliver services (inputs) in
  favour of measuring results for clients and
  supporting good service performance (results/
  outcomes).
• This allows projects a greater flexibility in
  the delivery of services provided to clients
  and/or the community.
• Another key element of PBC is reporting
  performance and the management of funded
  services.

24
Performance Based Contracting

• - Focuses on results for clients
• - Helps to demonstrate the benefits of the
  services you deliver
• - links results to funding
• - Clear understanding of what is expected of
  service providers
• - Flexibility in service provision
• - Less onerous reporting
• - Ability to gauge how well you are doing
• - Incentives for performance
• - Aligned goals
• - Accountability and transparency

25
PBC involves the negotiation and implementation
of

• 1. Service Specifications.
• (outlines the services to be provided, the
  outcomes / results to be achieved and how they
  will be measured, monitored and reported).
• 2. Performance Monitoring Framework (PMF)
• (provides the basis for monitoring and managing
  all DoCS renewable contracts. It is an annual
  cyclical process and will consider compliance
  with service agreement / extent in which client
  outcomes are achieved against service
  specifications/ progress in integrating GPG into
  practice)
• 3. Good Practice Guidelines
• (The GPG is a set of standards that support
  services to facilitate good practice by improving
  governance, management and service design, and
  ultimately deliver better services to clients).

26
Elements of new SAAP Service Specifications

• New 2008/09 Service Specifications was developed
  in consultation with DoCS Central Office and SAAP
  peaks (YAA, NSW Womens Refuge Movement and
  Homelessness NSW)
• Document will include new outcome costings (in
  trial until June 09) and activities. Activities
  to be negotiated include
• SAAP homelessness Prevention and Community
  awareness (not a SAAP client)
• SAAP Case Management (Early Intervention and Post
  Crisis)
• SAAP Intensive Supported Crisis Accommodation (24
  hour on site)
• SAAP Supported Crisis Accommodation (24 hour on
  call)
• SAAP Supported Transitional Accommodation SAAP
  service has nomination rights to the property eg
  CAP
• SAAP Supported Semi-independent Accommodation
  arrangement with other housing providers where
  case management is time limited

27
Identified Issues Surrounding Service Provision
as described by Service Providers

• Possible impact of NAHA
• Renegotiation of new specs and unit costings
• Lack of growth funding for the program
• Increased proportion of clients with high support
  needs and complex problems. Eg dual diagnosis of
  mental health / drug alcohol problems.
• High demand for services hence high turnaway
  rates. ( more turned away than housed.)
• Lack of exit points in provision of basic
  long-term permanent housing particularly for
  larger single parent families and koori families.
• Difficulties in physical maintenance of SAAP
  housing stock. Eg high rates of wear and
  tear/vandalism.

28
Identified Issues Surrounding Service Provision
as described by Service Providers

• Need for better inter-agency cooperation between
  other government agencies such as Health, Housing
  and Juvenile Justice, In relation to
  case-management of clients.
• Diminishing capacity of agencies to attract and
  maintain well qualified staff due to inequities
  between the community and government awards and
  provisions.
• Increase turnover in staff.
• Difficulties in maintaining and retaining casuals
  and volunteers, particularly at short notice.
• Statistical information of people of an
  Aboriginal background.
• Shorter stay in women refuges, particularly women
  with DA issues.
• Initiatives need increase funding to meet demand
  but no funding available. The more complex the
  client the more strain on resources .

29
What is SAAP sector doing to address homeless -

• Quality partnerships and linkages with other
  support services eg health, housing
• Attendance at interagency networks ie X SAAP
  sector meetings and Social Housing Forums,
• representation and participation in peak
  organisations.

30
Support provided to SAAP Service Providers

• Access to free NGO Training Unit courses
• Support provided to transition services to
  electronic data collection tools
• Regular information and communiqués forwarded to
  service providers
• DOCS internet

31
Appendix 1

• SAAP V Program Results
• Clients immediate crisis is resolved and they
  are offered safe temporary accommodation where
  require and
• Clients are supported to recover and avoid
  recurrence of crisis
• Clients who have required temporary
  accommodation do not become, or cease to be,
  homeless
• Clients resume self-sufficient living

32
Appendix 2

• Multi-lateral Agreement
• The Multi-lateral agreement, is the contract
  between the Australian Government, and all
  states and territory governments. The
  Multi-lateral agreement focuses on the following
  three Strategic Priorities over the life of the
  SAAP V.
• 1. Improving early intervention/prevention
  strategies for those at imminent risk of
  homelessness
• 2. Strengthening post crisis/ transition
  strategies for clients exiting SAAP,
  particularly those with multiple and/or complex
  support needs.
• 3. Providing better linkages and assistance to
  people who have a number of support needs

33
Appendix 3

• Bi-lateral Agreement
• The Bi-lateral agreement is the arrangement
  between the Commonwealth and the state of NSW
  with DoCS as the administrator of SAAP funding in
  NSW. This agreement was signed in January 2006.
  The State Strategic priorities are
• Address service viability in the NSW SAAP service
  system through reforms to the SAAP sector.
• 2. Improve client assessment processes so that
  clients are linked to the most cost efficient
  service that meets their presenting need.
• 3. Provide better assistance to people who have a
  number of support needs
• 4. Increase involvement in early intervention and
  prevention strategies, and provide ongoing
  assistance to ensure stability for clients post
  crisis
• 5. Improving service responses for Aboriginal
  and Torres Strait Islander people

34
Resources

• DoCS Homepage
• Provides information about DoCS, SAAP info
  QAs and communiqués, publications and
  resources, media
• releases and news, career information and program
  updates.
• www.community.nsw.gov.au
• FAHCSIA website SAAP
• - Provides program information and policy
  directions
• -www.facs.gov.au
• Community Builders Website
• Lists funding opportunities, info on programs,
  policies
• www.communitybuilders..nsw.gov.au
• NGO Training
• www.commuinity.nsw.gov.au -gt for our community
  partners -gttraining -
• Lists regional training courses on the DoCS
  Website
• gtshort courses