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Executive Summary <br />The Hometess Housing 5-Year Ptanning Committee organized five focus groups facititated by <br />an external facititator, Robin Read. The purpose of the focus groups was to gain the <br />perspective of the community about hometessness and retated issues, and to inform the <br />devetopment of community priorities that can be addressed in the 5-Year Pl.an. <br />The focus groups ranged from four to eight participants each and were made up of <br />community members, peopte with lived experience with hometessness, law enforcement <br />and [oca[ government, service providers, and students, faculty, and staff from Central <br />Washington University. Participation in the focus group questions and activities was robust <br />and atl attendees activety participated throughout the duration of the sessions. <br />Focus Group Questions <br />The focus groups exptored the fottowing questions: <br />ls the homelessness problem in Kittitas County better, worse, or the same thon 5 years ago? <br />Why? Overatt, across the focus groups participants tended to feet that the probtem has <br />either stayed the same or gotten worse. Some participants weren't sure due to tack of <br />knowtedge about the probtem, or limited time in the community. Many fett that the <br />problem is more visibte than it used to be and there are more services avaitabte which is <br />why it may seem tike it has gotten worse. Peopte generatty fett that more needs to be done <br />to address the issue. Participants cited increased costs, poverty, housing costs, and <br />unemployment or low wages as the primary reasons for increases. <br />In a community survey, behavioral health senrices (mental health and substance use <br />disorder) and iob training and employment services were tisted as priorities for individuals <br />experiencing homelessness. Does this resonate with you? Are these priorities? Why or why <br />not? Participants tended to agree that these are priorities, but lots of peopte expressed <br />concern that housing and basic needs aren't considered priorities first. lt was expressed <br />that basic needs [ike housing, food, and ctothing have to be addressed before individuats <br />can address behavioral heatth and/or emptoyment. Substance use disorder was a common <br />theme among the groups as something that is common problem for many peopte who <br />experience hometessness. <br />Unwillingness to participate and limited availability are listed os the top barriers to <br />accessing services. How can we oddress these barriers? White some participants agreed <br />that these are barriers, many listed other barriers that they felt are more prominent, such <br />as compticated processes and stigma and judgment. Many participants took issue with the <br />fact that many of the survey respondents setected "unwittingness to participate" because <br />there are many factors that go into someone not participating in services (i.e. stigma, poor <br />treatment, lack of documentation needed, barriers to accessing services, etc.) Common <br />ideas for addressing barriers were reducing judgment of peopte accessing services, having <br />personat advocates or peer advocates who can hetp peopte watk through the system, and <br />increasing accessibitity of mental heatth services. <br />What are your barriers to accessing services? What wos successfullwhat worked well? (for <br />people with lived experience) Barriers tisted by peopte with lived experience inctuded <br />addiction, experiencing negative judgment, having a crimina[ history, not having <br />2 <br />t