Graduation/After Care - Family Renew Community

Beyond Homeless – Graduation/After Care: Questions for Tony

I’m sure when resident clients graduate there is a ton of paperwork, but is there any kind of celebration or ceremony that inspires them and supports them for a job well done?

Also, when resident clients leave the program, do we keep in touch with them? If so, is there a specific design and structure for these contacts?

Is there a questionnaire or survey that someone uses to ask these former clients to gauge their progress in real life?

Are contacts made on a specific time basis, as in once a year for a specific number of years, or more/less frequently?

Beyond Homeless – Graduation/After Care: Questions for Tony

When resident clients graduate there is a ton of paperwork, but is there any kind of celebration or ceremony that inspires them and supports them for a job well done?

When a family decides to leave FRC it usually involves a lot of planning and preparation over several weeks. This is a coordinated effort between the program staff and the families. Often families need some level of assistance to help them make the transition to their new life. Their needs are assessed and whatever is in FRC’s ability to help we do. Whatever is beyond our ability we try to connect our families with outside resources.

Sometimes families either decide to leave early due to a host of reasons. They may be asked to leave because of their unwillingness to follow the rules, sometimes they self-determine that FRC is not a good fit for them, and most recently families are finding opportunities to unexpectedly move into a more permanent housing situation that requires them to quickly transition out of our program. We view any family leaving our family as a member of our graduation cohort and we attempt to stay in-touch and stand ready to assist them in any way we are able.

Because families transition plans are so intense we do not hold a formal celebration of any kind. Instead like a close friend we celebrate with them and encourage them and wish them great success and try to stay in-touch with them. Families are offered most of the furniture and housewares from their apartments as they ready for transition. Also, families needing start-up financial assistance are connected to various agencies for help whenever possible.

Once a family leaves our program they will be contacted by our dedicated aftercare Project Manager. This person is aware of services available in the County in the event they need additional services. This is in part why FRC continues to participate in Homeless Prevention Grants available without interfering with our core values and foundational mission. Families also often stay connected and receive service from their original Transitional Program Staff. Both tracks offer ongoing supportive services and access to additional services when needed.

Also, when resident clients leave the program, do we keep in touch with them? If so, is there a specific design and structure for these contacts?

Since 2018 we have instituted a more formal and informal follow-up process. It is our goal to stay in contact with our graduating families for as long as we can. It also important to us to be able to determine the impact of FRC’s programs and through tracking and input we can continually determine the effectiveness of our program. We have made some changes in our protocols through these contact which help up continually improve our program. We believe if lives are not changed and improved then we are not doing our job. By keeping contact with our families we have been able to measure a 94% effectiveness in our program.

Is there a questionnaire or survey that someone uses to ask these former clients to gauge their progress in real life?

We utilize two different tracking systems, a self-determined voluntary questionnaire, see example below, and a confidential HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) Survey. The HMIS review allows us to monitor their progress determining if they had to access homeless/homeless prevention services within Volusia/Flagler County.

Are contacts made on a specific time basis, as in once a year for a specific number of years, or more/less frequently?

The questionnaire is performed once per year and the HMIS Survey is performed twice per year, in January and in July. It is our intention to continually monitor our processes using these tools for the foreseeable future.

Self-Determined Voluntary Survey Example

How Are You Doing?

We at Family Renew Community wanted to check in to see how you are doing? If you could just take 2 minutes and answer 5 simple questions we would really appreciate it. We have also included a little benefit. Every family who completes and returns the survey will be entered into a drawing for Walmart Gift Cards, a $100.00 Grand Prize, $50.00 Second Prize and $25.00 Third Prize. Winners will be randomly selected from all of the families who submit a response. We hope you are doing well and know that we continue to pray for you and your success. Thanks for helping us out.

My family and I are still successfully living in a stable situation?

c Yes

c No

2. Have You Been Homeless at any time since leaving Family Renew Community?

c Yes

c No

3. At least one adult in our household is currently working?

c Yes

c No

4. My family is now earning more money than when I stayed at Family Renew Community?

c Yes

c No

5. Since leaving Family Renew Community I have been able to get more education?

c Yes

c No