Rapid Exit Initiative
hopeFound believes that shelters are an unacceptable form of permanent housing.
Well-intentioned public policy and program models over the past 25 years have created support systems for the homeless that have had the effect of sheltering these individuals rather than providing solutions for ending their homelessness.
With funding from the City of Boston, hopeFound is piloting a “Rapid Exit” strategy in the emergency shelter. A full-time Rapid Exit coordinator now conducts an in depth assessment of every shelter guest within 72 hours of their first arriving. This assessment is then used to refer the client to support services that will enable them to leave the shelter and secure and maintain permanent housing.
hopeFound expects the Rapid Exit Initiative to increase housing placements for single adults along with increased access health care and employment. One measure of success will be a reduction in the length of shelter stays. The initiative is expected to serve as a pilot project and ultimately a model to inform public policy and program design for the benefit of the broader homeless community. |
