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Alameda Countywide Homeless and Special Needs Housing Plan 2006-2007 ACTION STEPS: PREVENTION Homelessness prevention is a primary goal of this plan because it is both the most humane and the most cost-effective approach to achieving the plan's vision of an integrated system that ensures that individuals and families are safely, supportively, and permanently housed and provides appropriate services in a timely fashion to all who need them. Prevention Strategy P-I-A establishes a "no wrong door" policy-meaning that information on all systems will be available from many points of access 24 hours a day and that assessment and referral for appropriate housing and services are available throughout the county. With full implementation of this strategy, an individual or family nearing crisis would be able to obtain the information or assistance they needed to remain in their housing and stabilize their household. Action steps in 2006-2007 for Sponsoring Agencies include: )> Creating a complete inventory of current, relevant information systems. )> Mapping all related services in the county in the three systems. )> Comparing existing housing and service referral protocols and materials and identifying areas for standardization. )> Assessing the physical accessibility of points-of-access for information, referral, assessment, and services and where people experience barriers to finding or receiving assistance. Prevention Strategy P-I-C calls for the Sponsoring Agencies to work toward increasing consumer enrollment in Supplemental Securitv Income (SSn, Medi-CaI. Food Stamps, and other mainstream programs among those who are eligible. Full utilization of benefits will increase the incomes of eligible households and, thereby, stabilize their housing and help prevent homelessness and other financial crises. Action steps for 2006-2007 include: )> Initiating collaboration with the Social Security Administration and other mainstream systems regarding the assessment and enrollment in existing benefits programs. The focus will be on people who are homeless and have disabilities. )> Exploring strategies to increase and expedite enrollment used in other communities, such as Columbus Ohio's expedited process for participants in the Rebuilding Lives Initiative, serving chronically homeless people. )> Documenting the best practices that benefits specialists in different parts of the system already use. Creating training protocols and reference materials that disseminate these practices to all caseworkers and benefits advisors throughout the various systems. 2006-2007 Action Plan-Page 3