CSH AND THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL POLICY COLLABORATE TO SUPPORT FEDERAL INITIATIVE CONNECTING HOUSING AND CHILD WELFARE
WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 4, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — The Child Welfare and Supportive Housing Resource Center, a joint effort of CSH and the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), will provide technical assistance , facilitate information-sharing and assist in capacity-building for grantees of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) Partnerships to Demonstrate the Effectiveness of Supportive Housing for Families in the Child Welfare System initiative.
Five grantees – Broward County (Fla.), Cedar Rapids (Iowa), Memphis (Tenn.), San Francisco and the state of Connecticut –will test an intensive approach to providing child welfare involved families with supportive housing that integrates the social and health services they need in order to stay together. The initiative reflects the growing recognition that placing children in foster care is too often detrimental to their health and well-being and that more should be done to help families stay together safely.
The Child Welfare and Supportive Housing Resource Center will provide a wide range of support, expertise, resources and tools to the grantees, including tailored one-on-one technical assistance to meet each site’s needs. In addition, the resource center will encourage and support peer learning among the five sites, building on existing local capacity and the experience of people working in the field.
“Supportive housing is a solution to some of the most complex and costly social problems our country faces. When it comes to our most vulnerable families, supportive housing provides a platform for the services and the help they need to stay together, be stronger and live happier, healthier lives,” said Deborah De Santis, CSH President & CEO.
The Child Welfare and Supportive Housing Resource Center is part of an innovative partnership that includes CSH, CSSP, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ACYF and four private foundations: the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Programs and the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation.
“Keeping children safe and secure with their families and out of the child welfare system is a longtime priority for us,” said Judith W. Meltzer, deputy director of CSSP. “This new collaboration emphasizes the value of an integrated, multi-partner approach to providing housing with supportive services designed to improve overall child and family well-being.”
The ACYF initiative grew out of CSH’s innovative and successful pilot effort in New York City — known as Keeping Families Together — that paired supportive housing with on-site case management and a comprehensive array of services for families experiencing chronic homelessness. While the pilot showed
great promise for preserving families struggling with serious challenges in one community, the ACYF project will explore whether this approach can be adapted and replicated across the country.
The ACYF demonstration will be evaluated by the Urban Institute, whose uniquely qualified team will work collaboratively to conduct a national evaluation that recognizes the goals of grantees, local evaluators, funders and policymakers.
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About CSH
CSH transforms how communities use housing solutions to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people. We offer capital, expertise, information and innovation that allow our partners to use supportive housing to achieve stability, strength and success for the people in most need. CSH blends over 20 years of experience and dedication with a practical and entrepreneurial spirit, making us the source for housing solutions. CSH is an industry leader with national influence and deep connections in a growing number of local communities. We are headquartered in New York City with staff stationed in more than 20 locations around the country. Visit csh.org to learn how CSH has and can make a difference where you live.
About Center for the Study of Social Policy
For 30 years, the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), a nonpartisan Washington, D.C. nonprofit, has been working with state and federal policymakers and communities across the country. Focused on public policy, research and technical assistance, CSSP promotes smart policies that improve the lives of children and their families and works to achieve equity for those too often left behind. Using data, extensive community experience and a focus on results, CSSP’s work covers several broad areas, including promoting public policies that strengthen vulnerable families; mobilizing a national network to prevent child abuse and promote optimal development for young children; assisting tough neighborhoods with the tools needed to help parents and their children succeed; educating residents to be effective consumers securing better goods and services; reforming child welfare systems; and promoting, through all its work, an even playing field for children of all races, ethnicities and income levels. For more information on the Center for the Study of Social Policy, visit www.cssp.org or call 202.371.1565.
Contact:
Jessica Robinson, CSH
Amrit Dhillon, Center for the Study of Social Policy
