Abstract
The Hand in Hand program operated by Maricopa County leverages partnerships with non-profits and smaller jurisdictions to address homelessness. On a micro level, this effort provides street outreach services and financial assistance to reduce and prevent homelessness in each community. On a macro level, this effort focuses on providing expertise, building capacity, and partnerships on a regional level to effectively address issues in communities with limited resources. Many communities react to homelessness too late and find themselves starting from a deficit by the time investments begin. Effective preparation and planning can alleviate the causes and conditions of homelessness through improved coordination and regional coverage of services. Maricopa County Human Services sees it as a priority to support smaller communities in building capacity, expertise, integration, and structure to reduce and prevent homelessness before it gets worse.
Problem or Need Addressed by the Program
The primary issue being addressed is homelessness, which has increased in Maricopa County by over 14% since 2017 with a total of over 9,642 people experiencing homelessness. With the disbursement of homelessness from the central area, smaller communities, and unincorporated areas are seeing increased numbers of people experiencing homelessness. This paired with increasing rent rates, high evictions, inflation and other issues, the problem is only poised to get worse without intervention.
Program Description
The Hand in Hand program has been operating for over two years and has undergone a revamp in this last year to have more structured partnerships with jurisdictions and to adapt the service model based on lessons learned. The service area includes:
- Unincorporated Areas: Sun City, Sun City West, Waddell, Wittman, and other select areas in the west valley.
- Urban County Communities and select Jurisdictions: Buckeye, El Mirage, Goodyear, Tolleson, Youngtown, Avondale, Peoria, Surprise, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Scottsdale and Guadalupe.
The Hand in Hand program involves 4 primary services: Community engagement, administration, street outreach and financial assistance:
Community Engagement: The Hand in Hand initiative will have a dedicated Coordinator role responsible for increasing coordination to respond quickly and effectively to homelessness issues with the target jurisdictions (encampments, people sleeping outside, etc.). This role will be focused on establishing strong relationships with key stakeholders in each of the target cities to bolster efficient coordination for clients experiencing homelessness, develop procedures, and develop and share data.
Administration: The County provides this service to provide an option for jurisdictions to pay the county to cover administering and expanding the program. A jurisdiction can contract with the County and the County will cover administering the effort through procurement, contract management, technical assistance and more. Currently the County has received over $60,000 from partners to expand the Hand in Hand effort in the Community.
Street Outreach: Outreach teams will work collaboratively with key stakeholders and the Community Coordinator, to respond quickly and effectively to needs related to clients sleeping outdoors. The Outreach teams are responsible for locating people experiencing homelessness, providing case management services to connect to shelter and other needed resources and providing transportation to clients to needed services.
Financial Assistance: This activity consists of providing one-time financial assistance to eligible clients to obtain or retain housing. This focuses primarily on keeping people in housing who are at risk of eviction.
Responding to Economic Downturn
The Hand in Hand program leverages a model that helps extend investments to impact as many people as possible. Through this effort the County invests in regional activities and has those activities supplemented by communities that would like to participate. Smaller communities often do not have the capacity or dollars to fully fund personnel or activities related to homelessness. This led the County to identify an opportunity to act as the primary investor to fund the base level program and smaller communities to invest to bolster that. In general, $15,000 is not enough to hire a staff member, but that amount adding on to other funds from the County and other municipalities allows to have outreach team and flex funds that can help regionally. In a time where each dollar needs to be allocated strategically, this program highlights a model that does that effectively.
Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Homelessness disproportionately affects people of color and those with low income. Despite various barriers, including limited access to services in downtown Phoenix, our program aims to enhance outcomes for homeless individuals by extending outreach efforts to areas currently lacking such services. Hand in Hand establishes a vital link, connecting people to housing pathways and case management services, ensuring safe and stable housing and equitable opportunities. Hand in Hand dismantles barriers faced by marginalized communities, providing essential access to resources necessary for individuals to reach their full potential. As a crucial component of the County’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the program contributes to creating a more equitable future for all.
Program Cost
The Hand in Hand Street Outreach program operates with an annual budget of $729,390. These operating dollars are supplemented through partnerships with municipalities which total $65,000. This budget comprehensively covers all program costs, including those related to outreach workers, case management services, and transportation for both workers and clients.
For other counties seeking to replicate this program, there are several factors to consider. First, they must decide to outsource operations or fully manage the program using County resources, or perhaps a combination of both. Operating costs would encompass salaries for outreach workers and support staff, as well as expenses for supplies and transportation. Additionally, counties should evaluate the cost of developing referral structures, establishing relationships with community stakeholders, and ensuring culturally competent service delivery.
Implementing case management systems and providing clients with access to a range of health and social services are also crucial considerations. Lastly, ongoing evaluation and monitoring are essential to ensure the program achieves its intended outcomes and effectively meets the needs of program participants.
Results/Success of the Program
The program has established IGAs with 2 municipalities and plans to expand to more in the coming months as the model produces resources and outcomes. Partnerships have been developed in each region, care coordination meetings happen regularly, and regional procedures are being drafted to better coordinate services across City lines. This program highlights the importance of regional efforts.
The Hand in Hand Program serves both East and West Valley residents who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless by way of outreach services to mitigate crisis, assist with diversion and connect individuals to long-term preventative and chronic condition care management. The program is designed to support the work of smaller communities that lack the services to provide effective street outreach and helps to transform neighborhoods by conducting outreach in public places where individuals experiencing homelessness typically live including riverbeds, canals, and washes.
Since July of 2023, the Hand in Hand program has successfully enrolled over 162 individuals experiencing homelessness with over 561 unique contacts. 59% of the individuals who were enrolled in the program exited to a positive housing destination including, but not limited to permanent supportive and transitional housing, assisted living and substance use facilities.
While the Maricopa County Hand in Hand program’s success can be quantitatively measured by the number of individuals it has connected to essential services and positive housing outcomes, there is also a qualitative aspect to consider—the improvement in their overall quality of life. By providing access to housing, food, benefit programs, mental and physical health services, substance use treatment, case management, transportation, employment, and long-term care, the program has not only transformed individual lives but also reached communities that might otherwise have been underserved.
