Keeping the Door Open: Strategies for Moving People Who Are Homeless to Employment Joyce Grangent Program Officer Corporation for Supportive Housing June.

Keeping the Door Open: Strategies for Moving

People Who Are Homeless to Employment

Joyce GrangentProgram Officer

Corporation for Supportive HousingJune 30, 2005www.csh.org

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The Professional Support Person

– Duties and responsibilities

– Product oriented– Caring (We hope!)

The Homeless (Formerly Homeless) Person

– Multitude of losses– Depth of mostly

negative feelings– Unique and

uniquely acquired strengths

A Clash of Agendas

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Don’t create more losses Understand the feelings Uncover and build on strengths Using strategies and techniques

– Harm Reduction– Stages of Change– Motivational Interviewing– Reflective Listening

Resolving the Clash

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There are many different harm reduction strategies and plans.

Drug use is usually a coping mechanism for larger issues.

Quality of life and well-being measure success not drug use reduction.

The individual in collaboration with the service provider sets his or her own goals.

Guiding Principles

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Person-Centered Counseling Strategies

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“…A client-centered approach to working with people ‘where they are’ rather than ‘where they should be’ as dictated by treatment

providers.”

G. Alan Marlatt, Ph.D.

Harm Reduction

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The user’s decision to use drugs is accepted as a fact.

The user is treated with dignity as a normal human being.

Harm reduction is neutral regarding long-term intervention goals.

Three Principles of Harm Reduction

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“When given a choice between changing and proving that it is not necessary, most people

get busy with the proof”

John Galbraith

Enhancing Motivation for Change

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Pre-Contemplation: Who, me? Contemplation: I can handle it. Preparation: I have a goal. Action: I am doing this. Maintenance: Hey, it works! Lapse (Relapse): Here’s what worked.

The Stages of Change

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“Habit is habit and not to be flung out the

window by anyone, but coaxed downstairs,

a step at a time.”

Mark Twain 

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“A client-centered, directive intervention

focused on resolving ambivalence in the

direction of change.”

Miller and Rollnick, 1991

What is Motivational Interviewing?

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Goals – Increase client’s internal motivation to change– Increase hope that change is possible

Style– Non-authoritarian and client has final

responsibility for change Strategies

– More supportive and emphasizes why to change, not how to change

What is Motivational Interviewing?

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Express empathy/understanding by using reflective listening

Develop discrepancy between client goals/values and their behavior

Avoid argument and direct confrontation Adjust to client resistance rather than directly

opposing it Support client ability and optimism

Principles of Motivational Interviewing

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OARS

– Open-ended questions

– Affirmations

– Reflective listening

– Summaries

Motivational Interventions

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“How can I help you?” “Would you tell me about ?” “How would you like things to be different?” “What are the positive things and what are the less good

things about ?” “What will you lose if you give up ?” “What have you tried before?” “What do you want to do next?”

Motivational Interventions

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Statements of recognition of client strengths

Builds confidence in ability to change

Must be genuine in your praise

Affirmations

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Reflect back what is heard to help build motivation-active selection

Clarifications by staff of what the client is saying to be sure that we hear and see is what our client meant

Has the potential to strengthen your relationship with your client

Reflective Listening

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Special form of reflective listening Ensures clear communication Use at transitions in conversations Be concise Reflect ambivalence or uncertainty Highlight “change talk” or self-motivational

statements

Summarizing

Job Development and Placement

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“Focus on what the person wants to do and can do now rather than determining

what he or she has to do to change to become ‘job ready’…”

Hoff, Gandolfo, Gold, Jordan. Demystifying Job Development.

Individualized Job Placement

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Help job seeker identify his or her personal needs and wishes around employment– Preferred job settings– Social needs– Supervision needs

Choosing: Planning to Increase Success

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Builds from the planning process of determining job seeker’s employment preferences

Work from an asset based approach Job seekers can be job developers for

themselves Fit skills and assets of the job seeker to the

right work environment

Getting: Job Development

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Plan supports ahead of time to head off problems after placement– Drug use triggers and how to deal with them– Plan for doctor’s appointments and medication

needs– Who will provide which supports-residence,

family, employer– Budgeting and money management-entitlements

Keeping: Post Placement Supports

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Discussion questions: Using the stages of change framework, identify

where you think Craig is right now. Depending on which stage he is in, how will his

status affect your working with him? Identify an employer that could match Craig’s

interests and skills.

Job Placement Case Study: Craig

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Work at the tenant’s pace. Don’t jump ahead. Be a good listener, observer, and

communicator. Have realistic expectations. Don’t make assumptions or judgments about

the tenant. Be consistent and reliable.

Keep the Door OpenEngage Your Tenant

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Explore and identify individual’s skills and strengths

Evaluate drug or alcohol use issues in relation to skills, strengths, needs, and problems

Celebrate the smallest success Stay “up” when your client is “down”

Keep the Door OpenFocus on Strengths

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Our Mission

CSH helps communities create permanent housing with services to prevent and end homelessness.