HOMEWARD DC
Homeward DC, the ICH Strategic Plan lays out a bold vision:
Together, we will end long-term homelessness in the District of Columbia. The Homeward DC plan is guiding the work to ensure that homelessness in the District will be a rare, brief, and non-recurring experience.
The plan is built on three major goals and identifies a series of action items across five key strategies
We know that homelessness is solvable when we have a common vision, we keep a laser-like focus on outcomes, and we have the resources to get the job done. Together, we can ensure that homelessness in the District of Columbia is a rare, brief, and non-recurring experience.
SOLID FOUNDATIONS DC
Solid Foundations DC is the District's first-ever data-driven plan focused on the needs of unaccompanied youth.
The plan will serve as a roadmap for building an effective system of care for unaccompanied youth experiencing or
at risk of homelessness, with the goal of ending youth homelessness by 2022.
Solid Foundations DC provides a framework for advancing intensive and coordinated work to prevent
and end homelessness among youth.
PROGRESS TIMELINE
POINT-IN-TIME ONE PAGER
Since 2001, The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness (TCP) has coordinated and conducted an annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count on behalf of the District Government. The District of Columbia is one of the hundreds of communities across the country that conduct a PIT Count on one night during the last ten days in January to secure federal homeless assistance funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
COVID-19 RESPONSE
As part of the Bowser Administration’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency, the District fundamentally transformed how it serves and supports residents experiencing homelessness.
Recognizing the high risk to individuals experiencing homelessness during the public health emergency, especially those living in congregate settings, the District developed a comprehensive strategy to keep vulnerable populations safe. To address the disparate impact on vulnerable populations, Mayor Bowser released an Executive Order outlining measures to protect those living outside, staying in shelters, and residing in supportive housing programs. The District modified operations throughout the emergency shelter system to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and help keep unsheltered residents safe. This storyboard shares key strategies, including:
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Helping prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in low-barrier shelters and responding quickly to positive cases;
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Providing private hotel rooms and services for isolation and quarantine; and,
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Keeping our most vulnerable shelter residents safe from COVID-19.
Quarantine and Isolation
The District has dedicated hotel rooms to serve as isolation and quarantine sites for anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19, is waiting for test results, or is a close contact of a positive case, and cannot safely quarantine at home. Demand for rooms has been driven by shelters, outreach workers, and hospitals, and the District has managed the number of available rooms as the need and situation develops.
Residents are provided with a private hotel room and ensuite bathroom, and amenities include internet and television, meals and snacks, laundry, security and privacy, transportation to and from hotels, daily wellness visits by medical staff, and case management supportive services.
The availability of hotel rooms has been critical in our strategy to quickly remove positive cases and close contacts from our low-barrier shelter system, while also meeting the quarantine needs for others in our community.
Vaccinations
In partnership with DC Health, DHS and Unity Health Care are making it easier for residents experiencing homelessness to access the COVID-19 vaccine. Beginning in February 2021, we are setting up vaccine clinics at shelters, hotels, and encampments across the District in order to bring the vaccine to residents. In order to answer questions and address concerns about the vaccine and its safety, we are holding town halls at each shelter, led by Unity Health Care and DC Health medical professionals, and are distributing materials to clients with more information about the vaccine. Through our COVID-19 Peer Educator Program, 23 District residents currently or formerly experiencing homelessness, are sharing information and resources on COVID-19 protective measures, promoting compliance with COVID-19 guidance, and encouraging vaccination participation among shelter residents.
HOMEWARD DC 2.0
Homeward DC 2.0 is the result of a highly collaborative process led by the District of Columbia Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness (TCP), and the ICH’s Strategic Planning Committee, including persons with lived experiences of homelessness.
The plan presents data collected through the District’s Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) and is supplemented by data from other agencies and systems that play a direct or indirect role in the District’s response to homelessness and housing insecurity.
