Community Advocates Inc

COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, INC. PROVIDES FOR DIRECT ADVOCACY, SKILLED AND RESULTS-FOCUSED ADVOCACY SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT BASIC NEEDS, HEALTH CARE, UTILITY, AND HOUSING CHALLENGES.

COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT, ADVOCACY, RELOCATION SERVICES, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HOMELESSNESS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE LOW-INCOME AND VULNERABLE TO BECOMING HOMELESS. IN 2021, 28,567 FAMILIES RECEIVED ASSISTANCE AND REFERRALS THROUGH THE MILWAUKEE RENTAL HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER RENT HELP LINE TO RESOLVE TENANT/LANDLORD ISSUES TO SUSTAIN HOUSING; 6,077 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED TEMPORARY RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO MAINTAIN STABLE HOUSING; 9,200 LANDLORDS WERE ENGAGED WITH INFORMATION ON EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND EVICTION DIVERSION PREVENTION TOOLS THROUGH THE MILWAUKEE RENTAL HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER; 320 ADULTS AND 850 CHILDREN RECEIVED INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO INCREASE HOUSING STABILITY, SCHOOL STABILITY, AND FINANCIAL STABILITY; AND 8,787 FAMILIES RECEIVED INFORMATION THROUGH THE GENERAL HOUSING DEPARTMENT HELP LINE TO ADDRESS TENANT/LANDLORD CONCERNS TO MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATES FORMED THE PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE (PPI) IN 2008. PPI FOCUSES ON REDUCING POVERTY BY IMPROVING ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES; AIDING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND HOUSING; AND PREVENTING TOBACCO USE AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE WHILE PROMOTING MENTAL WELL-BEING AMONG MILWAUKEE'S YOUTH, ADULTS AND FAMILIES.

UTILITIES PROGRAMS HELP LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AVOID SERVICE INTERRUPTION AND DISCONNECTION. DURING 2021, 33,585 ENERGY ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS WERE PROCESSED TO PROVIDE NEEDED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND PAYMENT PLANS FOR THESE FAMILIES TO MAINTAIN THEIR UTILITIES AND 12,558 INDIVIDUALS COMPLETED CRISIS APPLICATIONS TO PREVENT DISCONNECTION OR HAVE THEIR UTILITIES RESTORED.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE:THE PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE CONTINUES TO SERVE AS THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE MILWAUKEE BRIGHTER FUTURES INITIATIVE (MBFI). THIS INITIATIVE AIMS TO POSITIVELY IMPACT MILWAUKEE YOUTH BY INCUBATING PROGRAMMING FOCUSING ON TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION, ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION, AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION. AS MBFI ADMINISTRATOR, PPI CONVENED MBFI GRANTEES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO FOSTER COLLABORATION AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE PROGRAM OUTCOMES.DISABILITY ADVOCACY PROGRAMS PROVIDE SSI/SSDI APPLICATION ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND PROTECTIVE PAYEE SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES NEEDING HELP MANAGING THEIR FINANCES. IN 2021, 396 CONSUMERS RECEIVED ASSISTANCE WITH FILING FOR SSI/SSDI BENEFITS AND 112 INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABLING CONDITIONS RECEIVED PROTECTIVE PAYEE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES.AUTUMN WEST SAFE HAVEN IS A LOW-BARRIER HOUSING REFUGE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CURRENTLY HOMELESS AND EXPERIENCING SEVERE AND PERSISTENT MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. THIS PROGRAM IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO EMERGENCY SHELTER AND DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SAFE, SHORT-TERM HOUSING ALONG WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS AS THEY TRANSITION OUT OF HOMELESSNESS. AUTUMN WEST EMBRACES HOUSING FIRST AND HARM REDUCTION PRINCIPLES. OF THE 44 INDIVIDUALS SERVED BY THE AUTUMN WEST SAFE HAVEN IN 2021, 77% WERE SAFELY AND STABLY HOUSED AT AUTUMN WEST OR MOVED ON TO A PERMANENT HOUSING SETTING BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND 66% OF CLIENTS MAINTAINED OR INCREASED THEIR TOTAL INCOME AS OF THE END OF THE YEAR OR UPON EXITING THE PROGRAM.THE HOMELESS OUTREACH PROGRAM (HOP) PROVIDES PERSON-CENTERED, HOUSING-FOCUSED OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TO INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND OTHER DISABILITIES WHO ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS OR OTHER PLACES NOT MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION. CLIENTS ARE ASSESSED BY CLINICIANS AND ADVOCATES AND ARE PROVIDED SERVICES TO ASSIST THEM IN STABILIZING THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND HOMELESS SITUATIONS. DURING 2021, HOP SERVED 230 MEN AND WOMEN.PROJECT BRIDGE/AUTUMN WEST PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAM PROVIDES IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO 100 MILWAUKEE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS CHRONICALLY HOMELESS AND LIVING WITH A DISABILITY. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES THAT EMPLOY UP-TO-DATE BEST PRACTICES SUCH AS TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, AND HARM REDUCTION TO HELP PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ACHIEVE HOUSING STABILITY.THE FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER (FSC) PROVIDES SHELTER, FOOD, CLOTHING, PERSONAL CARE ITEMS, AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO HELP FAMILIES ACCESS AND SECURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO ALLEVIATE HOMELESSNESS. IN 2021, 111 LOW-INCOME WOMEN AND MEN AND 165 CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS RECEIVED SHELTER AND ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE FSC.