Relationship Driven Interventions to Homelessness
In tandem with the non-profit One Starfish and the DeVos Family Foundation, Basis conducted a comprehensive evaluation of interventions against homelessness.
Impact informed by Experience
By combining flexible crisis funding and individualized casework, all with boots on the ground, interventions were able to drastically improve outcomes for a cohort experiencing chronic homelessness.
At Basis, we’re no strangers to the complex problems behind chronic homelessness and its potential solutions. Through a prior research project, a comprehensive needs assessment of Kent County’s housing and emergency shelter system, Basis learned that:
(a) there is a scarcity in supportive housing for youth, elderly individuals, individuals with substance abuse issues, and adults with severe mental and physical disabilities.
(b) there is not enough flexibility in funding to respond quickly to case-by-case challenges.
Informed by first-hand experience in what works (and what doesn’t), Basis was able to answer partners’ questions before they were even asked.
Statistics
Impact in Action
Depth of the Problem:
On any given night in 2023, there were 1,239 people experiencing homelessness in the Grand Rapids Continuum of Care; 139 are individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.
Community that Cares:
Across the cohort, One Starfish has logged 550 interactions and more than 710 hours with 15 cohort members, an average of 37.2 interactions and 47.8 hours per person.
Making Every Dollar Count:
Across the cohort, $21,057.98 in flexible crisis funding was utilized, an average of $1,403.87 per person.
How Research Informs Future Policy
When it comes to solutions for ending chronic homelessness, the RDI pilot project identifies four strategies that drive outcome: opportunities for socialization, access to supportive housing (or housing with proximity to support services), prescription medication access and consultation, and legal system navigation resources. In tandem with these solutions, the project also identified five structural barriers to stable housing: substance use and struggles with sobriety, mental illness, legal issues, securing requires documents, and lack of financial management skills.
One especially impactful strategy, legal system navigation, inspired and informed a partnership project between One Starfish and the 61st District Court. Knowledge gaps in the legal process can contribute to a cycle of structural issues with the law for the unhoused. Though in the early stages, the project provides individual court resources and rehabilitative alternatives to retributive or carceral punishment. One member of the RDI cohort had their legal fees dismissed and court cases closed as a result of the initiative.