Save the date for next year’s Housing Ohio conference on May 7-9, 2024!
Thank you for joining us at Housing Ohio 2023, COHHIO’s first-ever hybrid conference!
It was great to see everyone in person again after four years! We appreciate our in-person attendees for suffering through the heat in the Sheraton, and we want to thank our virtual attendees for your patience with our technical difficulties.
Tuesday Plenary
COHHIO’s new Executive Director Amy Riegel kicked off the 2023 conference with an overview on the evolving state of housing and homelessness. In recent years, housing advocates and providers have demonstrated how expanding access to affordable housing can help Ohio tackle other public policy issues, like healthcare, education, and criminal justice. Amy discussed the emerging opportunity for affordable housing to play a key role in state policymakers’ economic development agenda.
We also heard U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Regional Administrator Diane Shelley discuss HUD’s role in the Biden Administration’s plan to reduce homelessness by 25 percent by 2025. She provided an update on HUD’s efforts to address the affordable housing shortage, strengthen tenant protections and fair housing rules, and embed racial equity into the agency’s daily operations.
Wednesday Plenary
Documentary filmmakers Don Sawyer and Tim Hashko’s last film “Under The Bridge” focused on the criminalization of people living outside in Indianapolis and ultimately prompted city leaders to enact new homeless protection laws. Their next film “Beyond the Bridge” explores the Housing First approach, and why so many communities have failed to embrace effective policies to end homelessness. Don and Tim screened clips from their upcoming documentary and discussed what they’ve learned from experts, politicians, and most importantly – the people who directly experience the impact of communities’ homelessness policies.
All of the conference presentations and handouts have been uploaded to the conference app and to the schedule below. In sessions where presenters did not use handouts or detailed presentations, no materials will be posted.
The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board has authorized COHHIO (Provider # RSX110701) to provide up to 12 Social Work CEUs for attending this conference. To obtain CEUs, applicants must complete the online conference evaluation form that will be sent out to all attendees. CEU certificates will be e-mailed out within 30-days post-evaluation completion date.
Please note: If you registered for the conference but were not able to attend, you will be able to obtain Social Work CEUs by watching the videos only if you had previously registered for the conference.
For more information about CEUs, contact Aubre Jones.
Housing Ohio Conference Materials
Tuesday, April 11
Plenary 1, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
| *Ohio Housing and the Intersection of Opportunity | COHHIO’s new Executive Director Amy Riegel will kick off the 2023 conference with an overview on the evolving state of housing and homelessness. In recent years, housing advocates and providers have demonstrated how expanding access to affordable housing can help Ohio tackle other public policy issues, like healthcare, education, and criminal justice. Amy will discuss the emerging opportunity for affordable housing to play a key role in state policymakers’ economic development agenda.
We’ll also hear U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Regional Administrator Diane Shelley discuss HUD’s role in the Biden Administration’s plan to reduce homelessness by 25 percent by 2025. She will also provide an update on HUD’s efforts to address the affordable housing shortage, strengthen tenant protections and fair housing rules, and embed racial equity into the agency’s daily operations. |
Workshop Set A, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
| *Harm Reduction: Overdose, Naloxone and Housing* | Experts in the field will lay out the basic principles of harm reduction, and help you understand how to apply these strategies in your everyday work with people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. |
| Authentic Stakeholder Engagement | Learn valuable lessons on the ongoing work of partnering with Persons with Lived Experience (PLE). This workshop will focus on the need for professionals to meaningfully and authentically engage people with lived experience in the decision-making process. This session will include discussion on reflecting on community readiness, providing an overview of lessons learned with real life examples, as well as sharing teachable moments and learning spaces. |
| Supportive Housing Development | Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is long-term, community-based housing that includes supportive services to move people with disabilities out of homelessness. PSH is a vital resource to enable the special needs population to live as independently as possible in a safe and permanent setting. This session will address the preliminary considerations in developing projects and planning for the coordination of supportive services for residents. |
| Influencing Federal and State Policies on Housing and Homelessness | Join this interactive session to hear about COHHIO’s efforts to advance better state and federal policies and secure adequate funding to expand affordable housing to end homelessness. And Paul Jarvis, of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, presents his incredible Mr. Potato Head lesson to put your advocacy skills into action to win policies and funding to empower your community. This unique experience will have a long-lasting impact on your advocacy. |
Workshop Set B, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
| *Equal Access & Racial Equity | Explore efforts to remove systemic barriers and provide equal access to BIPOC and those historically oppressed due to racism. Learn about inclusionary policies designed to advance equity and HUD’s final rule requiring service provision to be in accordance with an individual’s gender identity. This session will cover guidance to further ensure equal access to individuals in accordance with their gender identity in homeless programs and shelter programs as well as affords equal access to the individual’s family. |
| Ohio Landlord Tenant Law | This workshop will provide the foundational knowledge of Landlord-Tenant Law essential to helping individuals exiting homelessness and supporting newly-housed tenants to remain stable. Attendees will learn how to help tenants navigate common landlord-tenant transactions such as how to make repair requests, the eviction process, and more. |
| Increasing McKinney-Vento Awareness and Response | The Ohio Department of Education has teamed up with COHHIO to provide communities of practice and other professional development supports to Ohio school districts and educational service centers. The purpose of COHHIO Course to HOME is to increase resources and coordinate intentional district responses for meeting the needs of vulnerable students experiencing homelessness. This session will provide an overview of youth homelessness in Ohio, the importance of the McKinney-Vento Act and the role of local homeless education liaisons, and the components of COHHIO Course to HOME. |
| ‘You Can’t Lift People Up by Putting them Down’ |
This facilitated discussion will focus on the article, “You can lift people up by putting them down” by Tribian Shorters, which highlights how social-impact organizations working with marginalized people and unhoused individuals often describe them in language that is offensive and denigrating, which can perpetuate institutionalized racism and systemic issues. Participants will discuss in small groups the importance of shifting the narrative around these populations to focus on their aspirations and contributions instead of solely defining them by their challenges. Group discussions will also center on the need for philanthropy and social-innovation organizations to do more to support these communities and advocate for systemic change to address the root causes of inequality. The discussion will conclude with a call to action for individuals to work toward a society that prioritizes the well-being of all its members, including those who are marginalized and stigmatized.
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| Ensuring Equal Access for Older Adults Facing Homelessness | Adults 65 and older are the fastest growing segment of Ohio’s homeless population, presenting new health, housing and accessibility challenges for social services providers. In this workshop attendees will examine the risks and causes of homelessness among older adults, and learn how to reduce barriers and tailor supportive services specific to this population. |
Workshop Set C, 3:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
| *Case Notes and Goal Setting | Recording case notes is an essential task in our work. Learn how to quickly document assessment summaries and keep well-documented notes that allow you to capture newly emerging barriers and inform revisions in the client’s action plan as they go. HMIS is considered the “system of record”, and is considered the authoritative source for homelessness data for your community, which allows for internal oversight and makes monitoring and auditing easier on the agencies. |
| PATH: Asset Mapping for Collaborative Solutions |
Join guest speaker, Sherri Downing, for a hands-on asset mapping session where you will gain access to insights and tools for taking your PATH program to the next level through strong local partnerships. SAMHSA’s Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) funds services for people who are experiencing homelessness and who have serious mental illness (SMI) or SMI and co-occurring substance use disorders. These grants are designed to reach and engage people who are experiencing homelessness, and they make a big difference. The reality is, however, that no one program can do it alone. You will with ideas for creating a thriving network and the beginning of a local asset map. Sherri Downing, a senior program manager II for Advocates for Human Potential (AHP) is nationally recognized for her expertise in homelessness and housing. She currently manages a portfolio of PATH projects from around the country, and formerly served as deputy director for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Homeless and Housing Resource Network (HHRN) contract. |
| Cradle to Career: Supporting Youth Experiencing Homelessness | Children and youth experiencing homelessness are not a single homogeneous group. They include students and young adults across a range of grades and from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. This workshop will highlight the work of one agency offering a full range of supports for children and youth. Rehousing services for this population also address the educational needs and seek to impact chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, and college-going rates. |
| Multidisciplinary Street Outreach | Participate in an interactive discussion in the-round with a multidisciplinary street outreach team. Learn how this model of service delivery works to improve client physical and mental health outcomes, engage in harm-reeducation with direct access to recovery services, and housing-focused outreach. |
| OhioRISE |
As a part Ohio Medicaid’s effort to launch the next generation of Medicaid, ODM has launched OhioRISE (Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence), a specialized managed care program for youth with complex behavioral health and multisystem needs. Hear from a panel of subject-matter experts about specialized behavioral health services.
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Reception 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12
Plenary 2, 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
| *Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness | Documentary filmmakers Don Sawyer and Tim Hashko’s last film “Under The Bridge” focused on the criminalization of people living outside in Indianapolis and ultimately prompted city leaders to enact new homeless protection laws. Their next film “Beyond the Bridge” explores the Housing First approach, and why so many communities have failed to embrace effective policies to end homelessness. Don and Tim will screen clips from their upcoming documentary and discuss what they’ve learned from experts, politicians, and most importantly – the people who directly experience the impact of communities’ homelessness policies. |
Workshop Set D, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
| *Housing First in Practice | Housing First is a consumer-driven approach that provides immediate access to permanent housing with flexible, community-based services for people who have experienced homelessness. In this session we will: increase basic understanding of Housing First practices; explore common challenges in implementing a Housing First program; build a culture of evaluation where data informs programming; and preserve the Housing First approach in a tough housing market. |
| Affordable Housing Finance for Homeless Services Providers | Ohio’s affordable housing shortage has grown more dire in recent years, complicating efforts to help move people quickly out of homelessness. Join the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, and YWCA Hamilton to learn about the basics of affordable housing development and how agencies can leverage a variety of funding sources to develop shelter and affordable rental units in their communities. |
| Developing the COHHIO Youth Data Dashboard | With funding from the Ohio Department of Health, COHHIO worked with Ketchbrook Analytics to develop a Youth Data Dashboard for the visualization and analysis of data from the ODH Homeless Youth Program. This dashboard uses Homeless Management Information System data to allow for use across Ohio’s nine Continua of Care. The app provides detailed information on youth-specific data and could be expanded in the future to accept data from other youth dedicated programs. This session will provide an overview of the app, as well as the technical and programmatic partnerships necessary for the development of useful data analysis tools. |
| Homeless Outreach and Engagement in Rural Areas | Join this interactive session to learn about the unique challenges and opportunities of serving people experiencing homelessness in rural areas. The session will cover person-centered strategies, from outreach and engagement, to shelter and housing options in small towns and rural communities. |
| Ohio Tenant Protection Roundtable |
Co-hosted by COHHIO and the Ohio Poverty Law Center, the Ohio Tenant Protection Roundtable is a forum for local advocates to share information about efforts to enact local ordinances to protect tenants’ rights in communities throughout the state. Join this session to learn more about source-of-income discrimination, pay-to-stay, and eviction prevention ordinances, as well as state legislation to crack down on institutional housing investors. |
Workshop Set E, 1:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
| *Fair Housing 101: What Everyone Needs to Know | Learn about the Fair Housing Act and how it protects people from discrimination when they are renting, applying for housing, or engaging in other housing-related activities. This session will review the types of discrimination in housing prohibited under federal and Ohio law and focus on disability discrimination, including reasonable accommodations and modifications. |
| Narrative Shift: Storytelling, Homelessness, and the Media | More than hard data and facts, a compelling story has the ability to broaden perspectives and change minds. As we push elected officials, funders, the media, and the general public to support more effective solutions to housing insecurity, we must get better at telling the stories of people who experience homelessness. Join this session to learn how providers and advocates can shift the narrative by helping people represent their stories with dignity. |
| Direct Cash Transfer: Incorporating Equity into Homelessness and Housing Program | Attendees will learn about emerging evidence that Direct Cash Transfer (DCT) is an effective way to provide immediate and impactful support to households experiencing a housing crisis. Cash Transfer is one tool for advancing equity by offering this type of assistance to BIPOC that have been underserved by other cash stimulus programs. Join us for an stimulating conversation about the potential to broaden our communities’ perceptions and openness to fund and support these types of initiatives. |
| Pets are Family Too: Keeping Humans and Companion Animals Together | In this session attendees will hear from My Dog is My Home, a national organization on a mission to increase access to shelter and housing for people experiencing homelessness with companion animals, as well as Found House, an Ohio-based organization which provides temporary shelter for dogs, cats, and other pets whose owners are in shelters, hospitals, and rehabilitation programs throughout Greater Cincinnati. Come learn why, what, and how this important work is being done. |
Thursday, April 13
Housing Institute, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
| Prevent And Reduce Homelessness with Shared Housing | Join us to build your organization’s shared housing capacities. The full-day session will provide your team with: the opportunity to engage with national experts in the shared housing field; practical tools based on effective shared housing practices that are easily adapted to help you support shared housing efficiently; and field-tested resources to empower clients to choose housemates and navigate conflicts for long-term housing stability. |
| Racial Equity Action Committee on Homelessness in Ohio | The racial inequities in the homeless system stem from centuries of structural racism that pervades American institutions. Join R.E.A.C.H. Ohio to explore how historical and modern systemic racism contributes to housing insecurity among Black Americans, and how providers can disrupt entrenched patterns of racism and discrimination. |
| Housing-Focused Case Management | Housing-Focused Case Management (HFCM) is a best practice approach for human services professionals to help people avoid or quickly resolve a housing crisis and then stabilize in permanent housing. This includes rapid rehousing, homelessness prevention, outreach, shelter, and other staff who directly support people with finding and stabilizing in housing, even if only providing short-term assistance. |
The Housing Ohio conference is made possible with major support from the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, the Ohio Department of Development, the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, and Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Thank you Housing Ohio 2023 sponsors!
Other confirmed 2023 sponsors include:
AARP Ohio
Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Barbara Poppe & Associates
Buckeye Community Hope Foundation
Buckeye Health Plan
CareSource
CHN Housing Partners
Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority
Community Housing Network
Corporation for Supportive Housing
Enterprise Community Partners
Episcopal Retirement Services
Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati
Finance Fund
First Financial Bank
Homeport
Humana Healthy Horizons in Ohio
Ice Miller LLP
JPMorgan Chase
The Kroger Co.
Lument
Miami Valley Housing Opportunities
Model Group
Molina Healthcare of Ohio, Inc.
Mount Carmel Health System
MRI Real Estate Software
Mutual of America
National Church Residences
National Equity Fund, Inc.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Neighborhood Development Services, Inc.
NeighborWorks Collaborative of Ohio
New Era Benefits Consulting
Novogradac & Co., LLP
NRP Group
Oberer Companies
Ohio REALTORS
The Ohio State University College of Social Work
Park National Bank
The Provident Companies
Renewal Housing Associates
RiverHills Bank
Sedgwick
The Community Builders
Third Federal Savings & Loan
Tidwell Group
U.S. Bank
Wallick Communities
Woda Cooper Companies
Other Supporters Include:
Porter Wright
St. Mary Development Corp.
If you would like to sponsor Housing Ohio 2023, contact Marcus Roth, Communications/Development Director, 614-280-1984 X 111; marcusroth@cohhio.org
