Programs for Homeless Families

Outreach to Homeless Families Living in Brookline's Dept. of Transitional Assistance Assessment Center

This Program serves homeless families living in the DTA Assessment Center located in Brookline. The hotel has the capacity to serve 16 families at one time. Many of the families are composed of single parents and have between one and four children. Each family is provided with a room, and three meals a day.

The Brookline Center has a full time social worker who is based at the family shetler and provides crisis intervention, evaluation, short term counseling, and case management for parents and children. The social worker regularly consults to other staff at the shelter, including those from the Department of Public Health, DTA, and Crittenton Hastings House, who provide assessment, assistance with locating housing, management and meals services, and referral.

Brookline Housing/BCMHC Homeless Families Collaboration

In June, 2005, the Brookline Center entered into a collaboration with the Brookline Housing Authority (BHA) to provide housing and case management services for up to ten homeless families at one time, each of whom are referred by the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). The referred families are usually living in a DTA or other homeless shelter at the time of referral. BHA provides housing at one of its three family developments, and the Center provides a full time case manager. The case manager reviews all referrals, evaluates families for placement, develops a Self Sufficiency Plan with each family selected for participation, and provides case management services for up to one year for the family. Those families who reach the majority of their goals within a pre-designated time frame, generally during a 6 to 12 month period, are transitioned to permanent housing and are able to remain in their housing unit. The case manager provides services, as needed, for up to six months following a families’ transition to permanent status. Brookline BCMHC clinicians provide ongoing counseling and consultation as indicated.

Community Outreach to Homeless Families

BCMHC’s Community Team regularly consults with other town agencies, e.g. the schools, housing authority, courts, health and police departments, and frequently receives referrals for homeless families living in Brookline, e.g. lost housing due to fire, domestic violence situations, financial misfortune, etc. The Team also receives referrals for and works to prevent homelessness of families that have “doubled up” with relatives, or families at risk of losing their housing for any number of reasons, including non-payment of rent, court involvement, etc. In these cases, the Team helps families to stabilize their living situation often through negotiating with a landlord/site manager, working on budgeting issues, and providing vocational referrals, etc.