Beyond Shelter: The Institute, Overview

Founded in 1991, Beyond Shelter's Institute for Research, Training, and Technical Assistance (the Institute) is a nationally recognized training and technical assistance leader in the fields of family homelessness and affordable housing. As a complement to the agency as a whole, the Institute provides the means by which Beyond Shelter's program methodologies are shared with others, through two-day national workshops, local, regional, and national presentations, program methodology manuals, research and policy briefs, and direct consulting to nonprofit and governmental agencies.

The organization's programs serve as a "laboratory" for the development of cutting-edge program methodologies, intended to demonstrate innovative ways of structuring and funding existing services, resources and partnerships to promote policy and practice change nationally. Rather than promoting replication of our programs, however, the agency - through the Institute - promotes adaptation of the key generic components of these initiatives to be compatible with and responsive to the available resources and identified needs of local communities.

Through this approach, the information offered via presentations, workshops, and print material is relevant to, and can be customized for, all audiences ranging from grassroots and faith-based program operators in small, rural areas to sophisticated public and private agencies in large, urban settings like New York and Chicago.

The Institute's technical assistance activities include regional and national technical assistance workshops, direct consulting, and presentations at state, regional and national conferences. To date, the Institute has conducted trainings and presentations in 30 states and over 75 communities across the country, and provided consulting services to dozens of agencies and localities. To view a list of workshops and presentations conducted since 1990, click here.

"Housing First": Ending & Preventing Family Homelessness, Models & Methodologies

This workshop covers "housing first," an innovative approach to ending and preventing family homelessness. The workshop provides a forum for dialogue and interaction, to share ideas, problem solve, and learn new ways to implement and adapt "housing first" methodologies - from single agency program operations to countywide, collaborative systems. Geared toward agency directors, social services administrators, project managers and front-line staff working with homeless and at-risk families, the workshop provides hands-on instruction on how to adapt this basic methodology in their own communities.
Service-Enriched Affordable Housing: Models & Methodologies

Beyond Shelter's Service-Enriched Housing workshop promotes the incorporation of social services mechanisms into the ongoing operation of affordable rental housing for the low-income population at-large, not necessarily targeted to those who are at-risk or with special needs. The workshop is geared to housing developers and owners, property managers, public officials, funders, community development banks and community-based service providers who currently operate or would like to develop service-enriched housing.
Alternative Emergency Shelter Models: Master-Leased Apartments As Shelter

This workshop discusses the limitations and challenges of traditional shelter models, including facility-based programs and motels, and examines the financial and human benefits of leasing apartments in the community at-large for use as emergency shelter. Program planning and design considerations are discussed, including staffing, property management, potential funding sources, rapid rehousing strategies and transition-in-place options, the creation of house rules or contracts, and the provision of voluntary support services. The workshop is geared to shelter providers, program planners, funders, and public officials.

Examples of Recent Technical Assistance Workshops

August 27, 2009 - Permanent Housing Resources and Working with Landlords, held in Los Angeles, CA - two-hour training for LA County Department of Mental Health contracted housing specialists and case managers

July 9, 23 and August 6, 2009 - Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program (HPRP) Program Design & Implementation TA Workshop, held in Los Angeles, CA - fulll-day workshops for HPRP grantees and potential subgrantees

July 1, 2009 - Prototypes Hope and Home Program, held in West Covina, CA - half-day workshop on accessing affordable housing resources for homeless families, conducted for grantee and partner agencies of the Hilton Foundation's Strengthening At Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children Initiative

June 18, 2009 - OC Partnership, held in Orange, CA - half-day workshop on homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing, and federal funding priorities, for nonprofit homeless service providers throughout Orange County

May 13, 2009 - 2009 HUD Regional HPRP (Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program) Training: Transforming Lives and Communities through Housing Stability, held in Los Angeles, CA - Presentation on Beyond Shelter's "Housing First" Program for Homeless Families

February 12 & 13, 2009 - National Alliance to End Homelessness’ National Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, held in San Diego, CA - Workshops on Housing First for Homeless Families; Employment and Income Strategies; and Working with Landlords

December 18, 2008 - United Way of the Midlands, Partners in Compassion (PIC) Institute's "Homeless Prevention Workshop," held in Colombia, SC - Half-day workshop for grantees and other housing and service providers on Housing First for homeless families

December 9, 2008 - Rapid Rehousing Collaborative of Austin, held in Austin, TX - Full-day workshop on case management in Housing First, provided to the nine partner agencies in the City's Rapid Rehousing Pilot

November 17, 2008 - San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services' Homeless Summit, "One Step Closer to Home," held in Rialto, CA - Workshop on Housing First for Diverse Populations, provided to community-based providers and elected officials

September 25, 2008 - Westchester County Housing Conference, "New Approaches Toward Housing the Homeless," held in Yonkers, NY - half-day workshop on Housing First for Homeless Families, provided to the Commissioners, Board of Legislators, and service providers in Westchester County

For a comprehensive list of workshops and presentations conducted since 1990, click here.

About the Trainers:

Click here for bios of the Institute's principal trainers: Tanya Tull, President/CEO, Ryan Macy-Hurley, Director of the Institute for Research, Training and Technical Assistance, and Christine Mirasy-Glasco, Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer.

Consulting Services

For over 15 years, Beyond Shelter's Institute for Research, Training, and Technical Assistance has helped to promote "housing first" programs nationwide, through training, consulting, workshops and publications. For agencies seeking to adapt the "housing first" methodology, the Institute offers an array of consulting services that can be tailored to an organization's needs. Institute staff conduct needs assessments, design service delivery mechanisms and assist in the adaptation of service methodologies.

Consulting services are also available to developers, property managers, owners and others interested in establishing a service-enriched housing development. Institute staff will help interested parties work through issues of service delivery, partnerships and collaborations, resident participation, program development, and site design and funding, according to the goals of their project.

In addition, consulting services are available to agencies and localities interested in alternative emergency shelter models, particularly the master leasing of Apartments in the community at-large for use as shelter.

Click here to access a brochure on our training and consulting services.

Conference Presentations

Beyond Shelter's key initiatives are regularly presented at state and national conferences and workshops. Some recent conferences in which Institute staff have participated include: the National Alliance to End Homelessness' Annual Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, Oakland, CA (February 2007); Toward Understanding Homelessness: The 2007 National Symposium on Homelessness Research, Washington, DC (March 2007); Washington State Coalition to End Homelessness' 17th Annual Conference, Yakima, WA (May 2007); Colorado Coalition for the Homeless' 20th Annual Conference on Homelessness, Denver, CO (May 2007); National Alliance to End Homelessness' Annual Conference, Washington, DC (July 2007); Homeward's Conference, "Regional Best Practices to Prevent and End Homelessness", Richmond, VA (September 2007); National Alliance to End Homelessness' National Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, Seattle, WA (February 2008); National Network of Social Work Managers' Annual Institute, Los Angeles, CA (April 2008); the National Alliance to End Homelessness' Annual Conference, Washington, DC (July 2008); San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services' Homeless Summit, "One Step Closer to Home," Rialto, CA (November 2008); and National Alliance to End Homelessness' National Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, San Diego, CA (February 2009); HUD Regional HPRP Training: Transforming Lives and Communities through Housing Stability, Los Angeles, CA (May 2009); National Alliance to End Homelessness' Annual Conference, Washington, DC (July 2009); and National Alliance to End Homelessness' National Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, Los Angeles, CA (February 2010).

Publications

Beyond Shelter's publications provide in-depth information on our key initiatives. Presented in curriculum and manual formats, these publications represent a useful resource for housing developers, social services providers and public and private organizations addressing poverty, homelessness and welfare dependency.

The "Housing First" Program for Homeless Families: Methodology Manual
(First edition 1992; revised 1999) Funded by the Seaver Institute and the Soref Foundation; 205 pages/$32.00.
Service-Enriched Housing: Models and Methodologies
(1998) Funded by the Ahmanson and ARCO Foundations; 192 pages/$32.00.
Successful Household Money Management
(1993) Funded by the Bank of America Consumer Education Fund; 53 pages/$11.50.
Family Survival Guide
(First edition 1995; revised edition 1998) Funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation. Also available in Spanish & Diskette/Electronic Version; 97 pages/$15.00.

The Institute Hotline

Beyond Shelter's Institute staff are available 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (PST), Monday through Friday, to respond to general inquiries and questions regarding service provision for high-risk families and other residents of low-income communities.

To contact us, please call the Institute at (213) 252-0772, or email us at institute@beyondshelter.org.