Action Strategy and Recommendations
TPMA Strategy / Recommendation

This report identifies many issues that need to be addressed by the community; however, without trivializing the other issues, there are three that were notably echoed in every aspect of the assessment - in focus groups, interviews, surveys and discussions. As a result these issues will be examined and best practices models offered. The three issues include:

· Homelessness
· Transportation
· Information Coordination / Referral

Homelessness ASR
As previously stated, homelessness is an issue that seems hidden to some in LaPorte County. However, during the course of this assessment, the need was made clear. Currently, the problem is two-fold: there is only one shelter for the entire county and there is no homeless shelter in LaPorte County that will accept single males. This represents a major gap in services considering national statistics show that single men comprise 45% of those who are homeless. Since the current service provider in LaPorte County only accommodates families, the only way a male can receive services is if he is married with children.

If a male is homeless in LaPorte County, he is referred to organizations or agencies in Lake and St. Joseph Counties; this not only sidesteps, it disguises the problem. To further exacerbate the problem neither Lake nor St. Joseph Counties' facilities have capacity to accommodate the volume of homeless people. The Center for the Homeless in St. Joseph County accepts males but has a capacity of only 80 beds. Consequently, they are frequently at capacity with a waiting list. People seeking a place to stay are told to check back at 9:30 pm for availability. Often, space is only available if a previous client does not return.

Limited resources are similar at the Hope Rescue Mission in St. Joseph County and at My Brother's Keeper in Lake County. Although both facilities have openings more often, they require that anyone staying be drug free. In addition, people are required to pass an assessment in order to receive services. While it is important to require a person to be drug free and sober, this requirement does leave many unassisted.

A possible contributor to the high incidence of homeless in LaPorte County is the number of prisons in the area. LaPorte County is home to six of the state's correctional facilities. These facilities range from transitional to maximum control. Several focus group discussions included the ramifications of families moving to the area to be near their incarcerated friend or family member. Often these individuals/families move to the area without advance planning or making arrangements for housing. In addition, their household income may drop dramatically if the incarcerated person was the primary breadwinner. With a very limited supply of affordable housing, the risk of homelessness increases dramatically.

While the most glaring service gap exists for single males, the services currently available for homeless families are also very limited, if not inadequate. Only one facility, the Homeless Shelter in Michigan City, offers space for families. More often than not, the shelter is at capacity with a waiting list. The facility has only four rooms to accommodate the needs of the homeless - another indication of inadequate resources to solve a problem. Nationally, homeless families are the fastest growing homeless population constituting 38% of the homeless. As these numbers continue to grow, the lack of resources will present more of a problem.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness indicates that there are three main reasons for homelessness: lack of affordable housing, inadequate income to cover basic living expenses, and a lack of services to help overcome personal challenges. These reasons are consistent with observations in LaPorte County.

Transportation ASR
Transportation was consistently mentioned as a critical unmet need in LaPorte County. The current lack of transportation is a major barrier for many people, preventing them from accessing social services as well as many activities to enhance their quality of life, such as recreation and the arts.

Currently, Michigan City and LaPorte offer public transportation options, but the schedules limit their effectiveness. Many people rely on public transportation to access services, but the transportation schedule ends before some services, as well as employment opportunities, conclude. During one focus group session, a gentleman mentioned that he could use the transportation system to get to the YMCA, but if he stayed until the end of some services at the facility, he would be stranded. Others questioned the bus routes, indicating they need to be more extensive to be effective.

Another issue, discussed repeatedly, was the need for transportation between Michigan City and LaPorte. Many people in Michigan City need to travel to LaPorte for various services. LaPorte, the county seat, is home to the county courts as well as a host of other agencies. If a person in Michigan City, who lacks transportation, needs to get to LaPorte for a court hearing, they would be unable unless they could arrange private transportation (a friend or relative).

A recent study was conducted on the issue of transportation in LaPorte County. The firm conducting the study recommended a shuttle which would run between Michigan City and Westville and between Westville and LaPorte. The shuttle was recommended to run five days per week, making 4 round trips from 7:00am - 7:00pm, and it was estimated that the number of daily passengers would be 40 persons. Annually, it would accommodate an estimated 10,400 people. However, the study did not include consideration for a direct line run between LaPorte and Michigan City even though utilizing Johnson Road could complete the triangle formed by the three major cities on the route. Although somewhat limited in solutions, the study clearly illustrated the need for transportation among the three cities.

Information/Coordination/Referral ASR
As we have seen throughout this process, many people noted the lack of coordinated communication within the county as a contributing factor to the limited effectiveness of services. For instance, even when people mentioned the need for transportation, they were often unsure, and in some cases unaware, of what services were available. When they discussed problems with accessing appropriate medical care, the issue of information and referral surfaced repeatedly. Similar to transportation, communication and knowledge of resources is critical to the solution of many problems. Focusing on various problems without tackling the systemic contributors to these problems, will never result in true solutions.

This assessment process has also demonstrated that referrals are not as effective as they should be. In some cases agencies simply give inquirers a phone number or information they believe to be accurate when in reality, it is not. Consequently, instead of helping to alleviate a problem, the referral actually contributes to the problem. People who are looking for help call agencies seeking answers and solutions. When they are given referral information that is inadequate or outdated, their faith in the system is shaken and their hopelessness accentuated. This is a strong indicator that information and referral services need to be provided in a more complete and organized system. A central location or "one-stop" service would provide the comprehensive solution to help individuals in the community better understand their needs, as well as identify and access appropriate resources.

Although high tech options for information are being offered more and more, research has shown, and this assessment echoes, that people who do not fully understand the Internet or other high tech ways of obtaining information are not interested in expanding their skills until their basic needs are met. These needs include food, clothing, shelter, and support services. Consequently, although many high tech options are emerging and being utilized by professionals, information and referral must be offered through a method with which everyone is comfortable and which will lead them to the resources they need. Perhaps, as basic needs are met, individuals will gradually be willing and interested in learning new methods of expanding their knowledge base.

TPMA Strategy / Recommendation Top

As described in the previous section of this report, the data collected during this process illustrated that homelessness, transportation and information coordination / referral are the greatest needs facing LaPorte County. While the issues are easily identified the solutions to these problems may seem daunting. In some cases the answers to the issues are simply out of the hands of the community. The problems are so large that current resources and funding have little impact. As a result a complete solutions to these problems may seem remote. However, by building partnerships and working together any issue, no matter the size can be solved. Each partner and agency brings unique talents and expertise to the table. By communicating and collaborating on these needs, the power to do great things is enhanced. The possibility of solving issues in LaPorte County can become a reality by this cooperation.

· Homelessness
· Transportation
· Information Coordination
· Education

Even through collaboration these issues are daunting and possible solutions may take longer to implement and progress will be slow. It is however possible to pick particular segments within these issues and address them on a compartmentalized basis. This will make the issue being addressed more manageable. It will also allow for quick victories to take place.

TPMA suggests the recommendations in addressing issues facing LaPorte County.

· Centralize information on services and market the access point through the media
· Attack the homeless issue through the faith community
· Collaborative efforts
· Devote your primary resources to working through the of health community
· Connect literacy to health
· Focus on education and the issues that surround it
· Partner with the CAPE grant
· Build upon current frameworks already in place
· Create synergistic momentum among partners, agencies, schools, government and the public

Homelessness TPMA
In the area of homelessness TPMA suggests the following course of action.

While this issue is hidden in LaPorte County the need is clear. There is a lack of temporary shelter in the county for those who need. The situation for single males stands as the most glaring need. Currently these individuals are referred to neighboring counties for assistance.

The work outlined in Michigan City's Horizon 2000 Strategic Plan is a great start. Their efforts must be applauded and the momentum must be continued. This is an example of collaboration that is identifying an issue and taking steps to address the problem. The effort, which is a partnership involving, the Michigan City Housing Authority, Michigan City Police Department, Coalition for the Homeless, LaPorte County Task Force for the Homeless, a Township Trustee, and the Ministerial Association offers great hope for those in need in LaPorte County. The group's goal in the near term is to apply for funding that will result in more short-term housing.

This effort should broaden their scope to include other services. The issue of homelessness also includes issues of work skills, education, nutrition and health concerns. These groups should also be include in the decision making process. Broadening the efforts among the faith-based communities is needed as well.

Transportation TPMA
In the area of Transportation TPMA suggests the following course of action.

The transportation concerns facing LaPorte County deal with three separate issues, which should be addressed. These issues are listed below.

· Lack of countywide transportation
· Lack of coordinated transportation in the city
· Availability of transportation

The lack of countywide transportation was addressed in a recent study, conducted by a group based in Massachusetts. One of the study's recommendations was to offer shuttle service between Westville, LaPorte and Michigan City. The report did not offer a direct line between LaPorte and Michigan City, which is needed. Simply closing the triangle by utilizing Johnson Road would allow for a continuous loop that would be very effective. This would allow people in these areas to be transported to these cities to utilize the services needed. People who live in and around these areas could access the shuttle from their location.

Offering more coordination of transportation in cities is highly recommended. People can use public transportation to access services but in some cases the transportation schedule ends before some services. An example of this is that the YMCA stays open past the last run for the buses. Offering extended hours of operation and coordination will help to solve this problem. Possible grants could be applied for that would help fund extra hours of service.

Union County, North Carolina, one of the counties benchmarked in this study, may offer a unique solution that could remedy the lack of transportation. Utilizing the local school district's buses during the middle of the day offers a resource that otherwise goes unused. The buses can be used when they are not transporting children. This is a time when many people who need transportation could be funneled into using the buses. Once again coordinated efforts among agencies, schools and those in need of the services this could provide a possible solution.

The issues surrounding the lack of transportation offer difficult questions that need to be answered by the community. Solutions to these questions tend to come with a high price tag, and very little community buy-in. However by working in concert with various partners on pieces of the problem the issue will be easily managed.

Information Coordination TPMA
In the area of Information Coordination TPMA suggests the following course of action.

Centralizing information on services into one location should be the first action taken. This process indicated that overwhelmingly people in the community were unaware of what types of services are currently being offered in the community. An indication also existed that people who did know what services were being offered still did not know where to go or who to call to get the assistance they needed. The written survey indicated that if a centralized office were established that providing information and referral close to 60% said they would utilize the service.

Centralizing information into one area and providing a hotline number is recommend. A listing of all agencies and services those agencies provide would be available. Any person in the community could call the number and they state their question, concern or need. An attendant would quickly provide information to the individual. This system could be established quickly and it could be modified as needed. The best practice section of this report discussed the 211 initiative, which will be available in Indiana in the next year. This would provide the necessary framework that a centralized hub for information and referral can be plugged into. The 211 number is easy to remember and it can be simply be marketed countywide.

An additional issue, which was discussed in focus groups, stakeholder interviews and surveys, was education. The community repeatedly voiced this issue as a concern. The issue has many components that effect other issues such as nutrition, housing, family support and many other issues. TPMA believes that the community can address this need and as a result pay dividends in many other community areas. By utilizing current resources as well as new initiatives beginning to take shape this will allow for groups to make a greater difference in LaPorte County. This is truly a unique time for LaPorte County.

Education TPMA
In the area of education and the CAPE Grant TPMA suggests the following course of action.

Education is an issue that permeates many segments of the community. Today schools are expected to provide many types of assistance for their students. The days of the three R's have made way to include: nutrition, after school care, health and wellness. One such program in LaPorte County is the Community In Schools initiative or CIS.

CIS brings social and community service organizations into the school to provide coordinated care for students. These services include mentors, tutors, health and dental exams, drug and alcohol education, mental health services, nutrition, literacy, career counseling, technology training and so on. Services also reach out to parents and families of students.

Even though the CIS initiative is new to LaPorte County, it has been a model for success across the country for over twenty years. Schools who have implemented the program have seen marked increases in educational attainment, connections between students and caring adults, parental involvement, reduction in suspensions and absenteeism.

In 1995, the Urban Institute initiated an independent evaluation of randomly selected CIS programs. Their findings included:

· High proportions of CIS students remain in school and graduate

· 80% of students participating in CIS services during the 1989-90 or 1990-91 school year were still in school or graduated 3 years earlier

· The cumulative dropout rate for these students was 7% annually

· 70% of students with absenteeism prior to CIS participation improved their attendance

· 60% of students with low initial grades improved

· Of those students with the lowest grades (GPA below 1.0), 79% raised their grade point average, with an average increase of a full grade point.

In 2000 Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded The Discovery Alliance a $5 million dollar grant through an initiative called CAPE or Community Alliances To Promote Education. This money was awarded to assist the communities with educational achievement. This is significant because the CIS initiative was written into the grant as a model. This means that the program will receive additional funding and will be expanded into other areas of the community.

Specific aspects of the CIS Model will include:

1. Build personal relationships between students and caring adults

2. Creating a safe place to learn

3. Give children a health start

4. Teaching students marketable skills

5. Giving students a chance to give back to the community

The CAPE time line calls for the expansion of the program by 2001-2002. During the first year the CIS program will be organized regionally within the three counties that make up The Discover Alliance. The program will select 4 elementary / middle school sites and four high schools where the program will be expanded. By 2002-2003 the schools that have been selected as sites for the program will expand. This same year an additional 6 elementary / middle schools and 6 high schools will be selected for additional expansion.

The CIS program offers a framework that can be built upon and modified to meet the needs of the community. It offers customization and flexibility in a program that otherwise would be difficult to adjust. The timing for this project is perfect considering the framework of CIS will be expanded through the CAPE process. Many community agencies and the partners of this initiative can plug their services into the program to meet the community's needs.