Aging Services Emergency & Transitional Housing - Allegheny County Department of Human Services, in partnership with housing-, aging-, and vulnerable population-focused providers will: 1) enhance local capacity to meet the emergency/transitional housing and supportive service needs of elder abuse victims; 2) activate effective, equitable, and accessible responses for underserved populations; 3) identify optimal methods for determining and measuring the services or service combinations leading to more optimal outcomes; and 4) contribute to the evidence-base surrounding effective, sustainable, and replicable elder shelter models. Project goals are to: 1) increase the availability of effective emergency/transitional housing supportive of victim needs; 2) increase the availability of effective supportive services, incorporating AgeTech solutions; 3) identify the mechanisms contributing to effective, sustainable, and replicable elder shelter models and improve understanding of optimal methods for determining and measuring the services producing better outcomes and effective approaches to equity and accessibility; and 4) improve local capacity to meet emergency/transitional housing and supportive service needs. Emergency/transitional housing objectives are to: 1) convene providers to identify effective emergency/transitional housing features; 2) quantify the number of emergency/transitional housing units supportive of elder abuse victim needs; and 3) make an additional 15 emergency/transitional housing units available for elder abuse victims. Supportive service objectives are to: 1) determine the supportive service needs of elder abuse victims, preserving victim autonomy and independence; 2) explore traditional and AgeTech services/products to support victim needs; 3) co-design an effective referral and support system with partner providers; 4) implement the supportive service referral process; and 4) monitor service outputs and outcomes. Elder shelter model and method objectives are to: 1) measure and evaluate the system, documenting effective services and service combinations; 2) develop and administer interviews/surveys on lessons learned, challenges, and strengths to identify barriers and determine best practices. Coordinated elder shelter and service response objectives are to: leverage existing provider networks to co-design a coordinated referral and service system; provide partner support and accountability; provide emergency/transitional housing and supportive services; and develop the infrastructure necessary to communicate resource availability. Anticipated outcomes are: 1) increased access to supportive services, housing, and social support, promoting elder abuse victim well-being; 2) increased emergency/transitional housing availability effectively meeting elder abuse victim needs; 3) increased accessibility to effective, person directed, and trauma-informed supportive services.
