Washington State Diversion Program: Preventing Homelessness with Timely Support

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Designed to prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless, the Washington State Homelessness Diversion Program offers immediate, flexible financial assistance and support services using a variety of services including the following:

Early Intervention

By targeting individuals and families at imminent risk of becoming homeless or who recently became homeless this program works toward helping those who are in need before they are in a shelter. Early intervention attempts to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless in the first place.

Flexible Financial Assistance

Emergency services may include flexible financial assistance including services to help them maintain their rent or utility payments, assistance with moving costs, transportation such as bus passes and other means of transportation, temporary lodging, and other expenses that may prevent the household from becoming homeless.

Case Management On An Individual Or Family Basis

There is no cookie cutter answer to homelessness. Case managers work closely with those in need to help identify immediate needs and develop a plan to stabilize housing situations. The assistance is highly personalized to ensure that all of their needs are being met on every level.

Resource Connections

The goal of the program is to connect participants with the needed resources and services that can help them to maintain their housing stability. These resources include job training, legal assistance, mental health services, and more. By addressing the root causes of housing instability and not just the immediate situation.

Diversion Programs

In the long run, diversion programs are frequently far more cost-effective than other forms of intervention for the homeless. By utilizing emergency shelters, transitional housing or other services directly aimed at preventing homelessness before the family or individual is homeless works to help rehouse those in need.

Outcome Oriented

The success of such programs is measured by its effectiveness. By preventing homelessness in the first place it’s far less expensive than having to find a family or an individual a situation in a bigger rush. This includes helping to maintain stable housing and understanding the required assistance a family requires.

The Washington State Homelessness Diversion Program is representative of a shift from a more reactive approach by offering shelter after the fact. By early intervention, and adopting a more proactive approach it is the hope of the program to help reduce and ultimately alleviate homelessness.

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