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15 <br /> <br />• Engaging volunteers, interns, and community members to support providers by creatfng structured <br />opportunitfes, pathways for involvement, and training to strengthen long-term workforce capacity. <br />This goal focuses on strengthening the professional workforce engaged in the local homelessness response system. <br />Shared learning also contributes to broader collaboratfon and communicatfon across the system, reinforcing efforts <br />outlined in Goal 1. <br /> <br />Goal 3: Prevent episodes of homelessness whenever possible. <br />Preventfng homelessness is both humane and financially responsible. Studies 1,2 show it is less costly to prevent a <br />housing crisis through diversion and/or evictfon preventfon, than to assist individuals and families after they become <br />homeless. In additfon to the financial benefit, keeping individuals and families stably housed avoids the trauma of <br />homelessness and reduces the demand on emergency services and housing programs. Kittitas County already <br />supports preventfon through diversion, and evictfon preventfon efforts, but coordinatfon and communicatfon can be <br />strengthened. <br />Kittitas County’s approach to achieving this goal focuses on improving coordinatfon and early interventfon through <br />community partnerships. Preventfon must be seen as a shared responsibility across the system, including non-profit <br />providers, public agencies, private organizatfons, and landlords. Partnerships with the private sector, partfcularly <br />property owners and managers, are an important part of this effort, and creatfng opportunitfes to engage landlords <br />as actfve partfcipants in preventfon is a priority. <br />The county will pursue this goal through the following strategies: <br />• Improve coordinatfon of existfng preventfon resources across the community, with an emphasis on aligning <br />diversion funds, strengthening data coordinatfon, and supportfng shared evaluatfon of outcomes. <br />• Strengthen partnerships with private organizatfons and landlords to increase early identfficatfon of <br />households at risk of homelessness and promote collaboratfve preventfon efforts. <br />• Expand and support diversion practfces that resolve housing crises without system entry, including <br />consistent referral pathways and cross-sector collaboratfon. <br />• Increase public awareness of available preventfon resources and promote early help -seeking by individuals <br />and families at risk of homelessness. <br /> <br />Goal 4: Prioritize assistance based on the greatest barriers to housing stability and the greatest risk <br />of harm. <br />Individuals with the greatest barriers to housing stability and the highest risk of harm often face the most complex <br />challenges, chronic health conditfons, severe behavioral health needs, generatfonal poverty, or histories of trauma. <br />Many are also the least well served by traditfonal systems and may not consistently engage with available services. <br />Ensuring that the community prioritfzes assistance for these individuals requires clear definitfons, stron g <br />partnerships, and shared understanding across sectors. <br />Kittitas County recognizes that refining prioritfzatfon practfces and defining “high risk” will require further community <br />discussion and collaboratfon. This work must balance equity, safety, and system capacity, while responding flexibly <br /> <br />1 Natfonal League of Citfes: Evictfon Preventfon as a Tool for Citfes <br />2 Urban Instftute: Cost Effectfveness of Evictfon Preventfon Programs