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<br />The Chronically Homeless individuals screened through the
<br />VI-SPDAT system have been homeless an average of 27.9
<br />months in the past three years, or most of the past three years,
<br />and 83.6% were continually homeless for at least a year. These
<br />individuals have high instances of contact with emergency rooms
<br />and hospitals, the police, emergency ambulance services, and
<br />crisis services. The most common medical conditions they
<br />experience could be the result of homelessness itself and the
<br />conditions that led to homelessness, including frostbit and
<br />hypothermia, liver diseases, and Hepatitis C. Other chronic
<br />conditions include asthma, heart disease, and diabetes. The
<br />majority have had problems in their lives with alcohol and drug
<br />abuse, and mental health issues. Over one quarter lived at some
<br />point in Foster Care. Boulder County's chronically homeless
<br />are living in shelters, on the street, and in parks and cars. These
<br />are overwhelmingly white, and male.
<br />The Boulder County Self Sufficiency Matrix is used by multi-
<br />ple public assistance agencies throughout the County to assess
<br />the needs of residents entering the assistance system, either for
<br />homeless assistance, for family assistance, work support, housing,
<br />or other support. The matrix scores households on a variety of
<br />factors. Homeless agencies and advocates agree that the factors
<br />most impactful to homelessness that are tracked in the Self
<br />Sufficiency matrix are:
<br />Mental Health Issues
<br />Substance Abuse Issues
<br />Instable Housing
<br />Income Instability
<br />Lack of Access to Benefits
<br />Other factors that can contribute to homelessness, but that may
<br />not be the driving factor, are:
<br />Lack of Employment or Underemployment
<br />Physical Health
<br />Support System
<br />Criminal Justice System Involved
<br />Lack of Transportation
<br />CSI was given access to atomized SSM data for households
<br />with baselines administered for 2015 in Boulder County. Those
<br />with a score of 1 or 2 for Housing are considered homeless or
<br />precariously housed, and in danger of becoming homeless. Of
<br />all households entered into the system in 2015, 1,557 were
<br />homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. Of the total
<br />1,557, the following are issues that these households faced that
<br />relate to homelessness:
<br />Mental Health Issue
<br />14%
<br />Substance Abuse
<br />3%
<br />Income Instability
<br />83%
<br />Access to Benefits
<br />18%
<br />Unemployment or Underemployment
<br />69%
<br />Physical Health
<br />10%
<br />Support System
<br />21%
<br />Criminal Justice System Involved
<br />3%
<br />Transportation
<br />18%
<br />Many homeless providers interviewed for this study reiterate
<br />that mental health issues are a challenge a large segment of
<br />their clients face. The Boulder Shelter has determined that 85%
<br />of their clients have a mental health issue that either has caused
<br />their homelessness or been a barrier to regaining stability in
<br />their lives. Other issues highly impacting homelessness are
<br />substance abuse and a history with the criminal justice system.
<br />Income instability, a lack of access to benefits and unemployment
<br />are the economic challenges faced by homeless persons that
<br />make transitioning to stability difficult.
<br />For those chronically homeless individuals in the HMIS data
<br />system who were served in Boulder County during 2015, the
<br />following is a demographic profile. Almost 25% were age 55
<br />and over. Two thirds were men, and almost 10% were veterans.
<br />Mental health issues affect over half, and almost half have
<br />physical disabilities.
<br />19
<br />HMIS Data Profile
<br />Men
<br />65%
<br />Women
<br />34%
<br />Transgender
<br />10/0
<br />Age 25 or Younger
<br />14%
<br />Age 55 or Over
<br />23%
<br />Average Age
<br />44
<br />Veterans
<br />9%
<br />Developmental Disabled
<br />9%
<br />Mental Health Issues
<br />54%
<br />Alcohol Problems
<br />16%
<br />Drug Problems
<br />7%
<br />Both Drug/Alcohol
<br />8%
<br />Physical Disabilities
<br />43%
<br />HIV/AID
<br />2%
<br />According to the Corporation for Permanent Supportive
<br />Housing, the demographics of those Boulder County residents
<br />counted in HMIS as chronically homeless follows national
<br />demographic trends. Tenants are disproportionately men, single,
<br />and tend to be older compared to the general homeless popu-
<br />lation. Levels of employment are also low, as are those being
<br />served in Boulder County, and those who have been through
<br />the Boulder County self-sufficiency matrix. Often, upon oc-
<br />cupancy or upon beginning case management, chronically
<br />homeless individuals are able to access public services and
<br />income sources that they were eligible for but not accessing,
<br />such as social security disability, SNAP food benefits, and
<br />Medicaid or Medicare.
<br />The County Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), which is
<br />provided to households who have been cycling through home-
<br />lessness, served 31 households in 2015. The following demo-
<br />graphics were collected by the County about these households:
<br />Adults
<br />37
<br />Children
<br />47
<br />City of Origin
<br />Boulder
<br />9
<br />Longmont
<br />21
<br />Superior
<br />1
<br />Demographics From Provider Referrals
<br />Single Adults
<br />5
<br />Families
<br />4
<br />Single, Transitioning Youth
<br />3
<br />Child Welfare Involved Families
<br />13
<br />Families Referred from Domestic Violence
<br />Provider
<br />6
<br />Many of those served by the ESG program are families and
<br />not individuals, though there were three youth transitioning
<br />from foster care and five single adults served in 2015.
<br />CSI reviewed the files of households on the waiting list for
<br />ESG funding who have been approved for service and housing
<br />from the panel, but who have not yet been able to secure housing
<br />assistance. In March of 2016, there were 29 persons in 15
<br />households on the waiting list for ESG assistance. The follow-
<br />ing chart provides information about these households. Almost
<br />all households waiting for assistance have been living in Boulder
<br />County for over five years. They come primarily from Longmont
<br />and Boulder, but households also had last permanent residenc-
<br />es in Lafayette and Evans. Almost all were adults age 25 to 61.
<br />Most are staying in shelters, couch surfing, and living in cars.
<br />Household Size
<br />1 Person
<br />6
<br />2 Person
<br />5
<br />3 Person
<br />1
<br />4 Person
<br />1
<br />Adult Ages
<br />18-24
<br />4
<br />25 - 61
<br />16
<br />62+
<br />0
<br />Tenure in Boulder County
<br />Less than 1 Year
<br />3
<br />1-5Years
<br />3
<br />6-10 Years
<br />3
<br />11 + Years
<br />5
<br />Community Living In
<br />Boulder
<br />6
<br />Longmont
<br />5
<br />Lafayette
<br />3
<br />Evans
<br />1
<br />Where are You Living Now?
<br />Shelter
<br />5
<br />Couch Surfing
<br />4
<br />Car
<br />3
<br />Hotel/outdoors
<br />2
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<br />Boulder
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