Introduction
This case study describes the Family Assessment Centers (FACs), which provide emergency shelters for families experiencing homelessness in Honolulu, Hawai`i. The FACs were one of the first initiatives under the `Ohana Nui service delivery framework, which is used across the Hawai`i Department of Human Services (DHS) and focused on supporting multigenerational families. FAC staff work closely with families to help them apply for public benefits, increase their income, and engage in a housing search, while also bringing other services on-site so participants can access them easily. The goal of the FACs is to move participants to permanent housing within 90 days. Catholic Charities Hawai`i—a private charity—has run the FACs in Honolulu City and County: Kaka`ako in Honolulu and the Villages of Ma`ili (VOM) in Waianae.
This case study is part of the State TANF Case Studies project, which is designed to expand the knowledge base on innovative approaches to help people with low incomes, including TANF recipients, prepare for and engage in work and increase their overall stability. Mathematica and its subcontractor, MEF Associates, were contracted by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to develop descriptive case studies of nine innovative state and local programs. The programs were chosen through a scan of the field and discussions with stakeholders. TANF practitioners and staff of other programs can learn about innovative practices through the case studies. The studies also can expand policymakers’ and researchers’ understanding of programs that support people’s success in work and highlight innovative practices to explore in future research.
Purpose
The purpose of this case study is to describe the `Ohana Nui — Family Assessment Centers in detail and highlight their key features: where the FACs operate and their context; what the FACs offer; whom FACs serve; how FACs are staffed and funded; what services FACs provide; how FACs measure program participation and outcomes; and accomplishments, challenges, and future plans.
Key Findings and Highlights
- The FACs’ main approach to serving people with low incomes is to provide transitional housing and supports.
- The FACs’ primary services include intensive case management to help participants (1) obtain necessary personal documents to apply for public benefits, jobs, and housing; (2) apply for benefits and medical coverage; and (3) search for jobs and housing. Other on-site services, such as food banks, child care programs, and mobile health clinics, support families navigating their next steps to secure housing and work.
- Promising practices include providing safe temporary housing before addressing families’ other needs; integrating services on-site to support families; and actively and deeply engaging and interacting with families.
Methods
To select programs for case studies, the study team, in collaboration with ACF, first identified approaches that showed promise in providing employment-related services to individuals and linking them to wraparound supports, such as child care and transportation. The next step was to hold initial discussions with program leaders to learn more about their programs and gauge their interest in being featured in one of the case studies. Once the list of programs was narrowed, the project team, in collaboration with ACF, selected the final set of case study programs to reflect diversity in geography and focus population.
Two members of the research team visited two Hawai`i Department of Human Services offices and the two FACs. The two-and-a-half-day visit took place in February 2020. The team conducted semi-structured interviews with seven DHS staff, including administrators, project directors, state coordinators, and benefits eligibility workers. Two of these conversations were telephone interviews conducted after the site visit. The team also interviewed seven FAC staff members and two participants—one from each FAC—in depth. In August 2020, the team followed up by phone with a program leader to learn how the FACs responded to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Citation
Jayanthi, A., and A. Glosser (2021). “Case study of a program serving families who are homeless: `Ohana Nui — Family Assessment Centers.” OPRE Report #2021-68, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.