"It’s like my life is brand new" - A success story from the FUSE Program
Out of the Streets of Portland
Release Date: 09/20/2024
Terry's Story: "I really didn't think I'd make it"
Out of the Streets of Portland
In this episode of the podcast "Out of the Streets of Portland”, we hear the story of Terry and Tiffany, a couple that lost their housing right at the beginning of the pandemic, and was faced with a medical emergency soon after that, when Tiffany contracted bacterial meningitis. She lost her ability to hear, and to walk more than a few steps without assistance. Terry became her full-time caregiver, while the couple lived in their van on the streets of Portland. The podcast also discusses the support and resources provided by the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) and the...
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Overview of the New Homeless Services Data Dashboard
Out of the Streets of Portland
The by the Joint Office of Homeless Services in Multnomah County provides a comprehensive and dynamic view of homelessness, enhancing transparency and accountability. The Joint Office of Homeless Services introduced a new data dashboard that consolidates various reports into a single, user-friendly platform. Lori Kelly, the planning and evaluation manager, explains, "We're looking for a very user friendly site that has a lot of definitions. It has line charts and bar charts depending on what kind of data we're sharing." This dashboard will allow users to filter data by demographics, such as...
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"Having an advocate makes all the difference": Benita's Story
Out of the Streets of Portland
The "Out of the Streets of Portland" podcast, produced by the Joint Office of Homeless Services, focuses on sharing the stories of individuals who are currently or formerly homeless and the services provided to help them move into housing. This episode features Dustin, a housing specialist from the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest (NARA), and Benita, a resident of the Francis and Claire Apartment building, who shares her journey from homelessness to permanent supportive housing. This podcast episode highlights the work of NARA in providing outreach and housing...
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"Giving others a chance like I was given: Elijah's Story"
Out of the Streets of Portland
On this episode of Out of the Streets of Portland, we speak with Elijah, who is one of the site managers for the Menlo Park Safe Rest Village in East Portland. Menlo Park Village came about through extensive collaboration and cooperation of the city of Portland and Multnomah County, and is run by the grassroots organization Cultivate Initiatives. It’s a village-style shelter with individual sleeping pods, outdoor gathering spaces and pet areas, as well as kitchen, shower and laundry facilities on site. Accessing a safe and supportive shelter can be a critical part of many people’s...
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It Took A Village to Bring Me Back to Myself: Michael's Story
Out of the Streets of Portland
The latest episode of the Joint Office podcast “Out of the Streets of Portland” features the story of Michael, who successfully navigated out of decades of homelessness and substance use to support and recovery in one of the alternative, village-style shelters that have significantly expanded over the past two years thanks to unprecedented collaboration between the City of Portland and Multnomah County governments. Out of the Streets of Portland is an award-winning monthly podcast produced by the Joint Office of Homeless Services, sharing the stories of people who have experienced...
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Season 3 Episode 1: Understanding Regional Long-Term Rent Assistance (RLRA)
Out of the Streets of Portland
On this episode of Out of the Streets of Portland, we bring you a panel discussion about the Regional Long-Term Rent Assistance, known by its acronym RLRA. The program is funded entirely by the Supportive Housing Services measure, which was passed by Portland Metro voters in 2020 and implemented beginning in 2021. RLRA has been a key factor in helping people maintain stable housing, providing rent assistance to the most vulnerable households. In 2024, the number of households using RLRA vouchers increased by 53%, showing the program's success in facilitating new placements, and helping more...
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"It’s like my life is brand new" - A success story from the FUSE Program
Out of the Streets of Portland
Eric struggled with alcoholism most of his adult life, and has been in and out of homelessness. He had a period of successful employment in his 30s, then fell back into homelessness, and was unable to get himself back on his feet. At age 50, he had a heart issue that caused a physical disability and left him unable to work. Thanks to the FUSE program and East County Housing, Eric and his dog Misty are housed and stable, and he is able to get the healthcare and recovery support that he needs. FUSE, which stands for Frequent Users Systems Engagement, uses data and intensive case management to...
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Straightway Services: 20 Years of Serving Portland's Homeless Community
Out of the Streets of Portland
Welcome to ‘Out of the Streets of Portland’ - a podcast focused on sharing the stories of people who are currently or formerly homeless in our community, and helping navigate the systems and services that the Joint Office of Homeless Services and its partners either have in place, or are developing, to help people move out of homelessness and back into stable, supportive housing. On this episode, we will hear from Pastor Dwight Minnieweather and his partner LaToya Minnieweather about the work they have been doing in the community for the past twenty years, and what they have planned...
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A Panel Discussion on Village-Style Shelters
Out of the Streets of Portland
On this episode of Out of the Streets of Portland, we bring you a panel discussion at Southeast Uplift, which is a coalition of southeast Portland neighborhood associations. The panel features people involved in creating micro-villages in neighborhoods in northeast and southeast Portland. A recent study by the Homelessness Research and Action Center at Portland State University on found that alternative, village-style shelters provide better outcomes for people experiencing homelessness than traditional, congregate shelters. More information on alternative shelters supported by the Joint...
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Part Two: Escaping Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault: Stories of Resilience and Hope
Out of the Streets of Portland
Welcome to Out of the Streets of Portland, a podcast focused on sharing the stories of people who are currently or formerly homeless in our community, and helping navigate the systems and services that the Joint Office of Homeless Services and its partners either have in place, or are developing, to help people move out of homelessness and back into stable, supportive housing. On this episode of Out of the Streets of Portland, we bring you part two of a two part episode featuring the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault system of care funded and supported by the Joint Office of Homeless...
info_outlineEric struggled with alcoholism most of his adult life, and has been in and out of homelessness. He had a period of successful employment in his 30s, then fell back into homelessness, and was unable to get himself back on his feet. At age 50, he had a heart issue that caused a physical disability and left him unable to work.
Thanks to the FUSE program and East County Housing, Eric and his dog Misty are housed and stable, and he is able to get the healthcare and recovery support that he needs.
FUSE, which stands for Frequent Users Systems Engagement, uses data and intensive case management to help people experiencing chronic homelessness. It has a specific focus on those people who are the most frequently engaged in the homeless services, criminal justice and healthcare systems.
The program involves collaboration between the Health Department, the Department of Community Justice, Health Share of Oregon, and the Joint Office of Homeless Services.
2024 is a pilot phase of the FUSE program, with the goal of housing forty people by the end of the year, and then sharing the findings to potentially expand the program to serve more people.
More info about the FUSE Pilot program.