New program to work with those entering homelessness

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — There's a new program in Oklahoma City that assists people and families who might be at risk of entering homelessness. It allows their team to work with Oklahomans and avoid staying in a shelter.

"It can prevent them from entering shelter in the first place or rapidly exit within 30 days, that's the target of this intervention," said Jamie Caves, the Homeless Strategy Implementation Manager, Key to Home.

The program is a partnership with Key to Home and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, which gives desperate families emergency help. 

"We will work with them to identify strategies or different ways that we can help pair them with supportive services, and quickly move them out of the homeless response system," said Caves.

Catholic Charities has a team of people working on housing problem-solving.

After a quick interview with those entering a shelter, a diversion specialist from Catholic Charities will start the next steps.

"Then that diversion specialist will help work through a plan with them. That plan is gonna look different for every person," said Caves.

Those plans could be as simple as helping someone reconnect with family and friends and mend a relationship.

Sometimes, it's as easy as helping a person get caught up on bills or rent to keep a roof over their head.

"The earlier we intervene in homelessness, the less expensive it is, so this can be very cost-effective, and it's a very trauma-informed approach to help people avoid entering the homeless response system," said Caves.

Key to Home said this is a pilot program, meaning they're going to test it first to see if it's successful.

If it is, they'll focus on the strategies that work best and expand the program to help more residents who are entering homelessness for the first time.