5.1 Retooling Transitional Housing II: Implementing Changes to Your Program Speaker: David Jordan If you are planning to make significant changes to your transitional housing program, this workshop will help you identify the steps you can consider and provide examples and tools for taking those steps. Providers who have retooled their transitional housing will share their experiences about making the shift, and cover topics such as staffing, contracts, and working with board members.

1. Agape’s Families in Transition (FIT)
Transition-in- Place Model
David Jordan, MSSW
Executive Director
901.323.3600 (Memphis)
731.668.9698 (Jackson)
www.AgapeMeansLove.org

3. Background
• Agape is a Christian-based non-profit, serving the
Greater Memphis (TN) community since 1970
• FY2011 Agape serve nearly 10,000 children and
families with community-based and adoption/foster
care programming.
• Agape began our Families in Transition (FIT)
transitional housing model in 2002 – initially serving
6 homeless, pregnant women and their children.
• FIT has grown to now serve 48 homeless pregnant
and parenting families at a time
• Transition in Place model began being initiated in
May 2010.

4. Transitional Housing vs. Transition-in-Place
Transitional Housing: Moving homelessness individuals
and families into permanent housing within a reasonable
amount of time (up-to 24 months).
Transition-in-Place (TIP): Homeless families can remain in
the scattered-site apartment complex, if not the same
apartment unit, at conclusion of services as participants in
a transitional housing program. Agape’s place-based
strategy also provides for ongoing support, after “leaving”
the TIP program.

5. Traditional Transitional Housing Model
7 Year Average Permanent
Housing %
2003-2010 63%
Transition-in-Place Model
Permanent Housing
%
2010-2011 90
(20 months)

6. Bent Tree Apartments

7. The mission of
Powerlines Community Network is…
…a place-based strategy to
connect at-risk neighborhoods
with the resources they need and want
for children and families to be successful

9. Bent Tree Apt.
Hope Center
Homework
Assistance Lab

10. Overall Transition-in-Place
Challenges/Opportunities
• Changing Paradigm for Board, Staff, Participants and
Supporters
• Participant behaviors can jeopardizing apartment
owner willingness to continue investment in process.
• A more Efficient and Effective Service Delivery model
• Funding and Agency Capacity

11. Challenges/changes for Staff
• Move to a lower barrier model – client self determination
• No longer have staff residing at apartments/campus
• Clients will stay, in general, less than our average of 12
months…moving to 3-6 months, while continuing to
support via the place-based model
• Continued training of a new model – no longer an “adult to
child” model, but an “adult to adult” model
• Training staff with Vandenberg Wrap Around model

12. My Board’s Questions
• Why change?
• What will this mean relative to our “maternity home
licensure”?
• What are the risk issues in a less controlled
community?
• Funding implications?
• Are we saying now “anything goes” and clients can do
anything they want in our program?

13. What Agape FIT staff have to say
“One of the things that has assisted the women with
feeling comfortable with their transition out of the
program is the after-care services they can take
advantage of. We have women coming back to us to give
donated goods, request job listings, and even take
advantage of goods that we supplied while in the
program. “

14. A client’s Perspectives
“Mr. David, why would I want to leave my (traditional
transitional) housing after 2 years when I finally have
people around me that care about me, my kids are in
school and don’t have to move, and I feel stable?”

15. Steps to consider “Transition in Place” model
1. Do what you are doing now
2. Contemplate your mission and strategic plan
3. Look at your data and the needs in your community
4. Talk with your decision makers and funders
a. Your Board
b. HUD
5. Process the above information, and their
experiences, with your staff
6. Address barriers
a. Permanent structures/buildings

16. Next Steps for Agape through the
Transition in Place Model
• By this summer, will have moved other 2 campus
settings into a scattered site apartment complex for
TIP services – total of 48 families to be served
• Using model for similar populations with specific focus
areas
– DOJ-OVW funding to use TIP model for homeless
families fleeing from domestic violence
– Strategizing in Memphis to move model to become
more scalable (within apartment communities
served via Powerlines Community Network)

17. THE MISSION
To be a Christ-centered ministry that is dedicated
to providing children and families with healthy homes.
THE VISION
By 2015 AGAPE will be the premier voice and resource for children, adults, and families, annually
serving more than 50,000 people throughout the Mid-South. We will be a catalyst for Christ-centered
services, education, and advocacy, setting the standard for excellence and effectiveness in
preserving and enhancing relationships, transforming lives and building loving community for those
we serve.
Vision Approved by Agape Board of Directors
March 23, 2009
David Jordan
Executive Director
901.323.3600 (Memphis)
731.668.9698 (Jackson)
www.AgapeMeansLove.org