The document summarizes the work of Artists Helping the Homeless (AHH) programs in Kansas City, including Be The Change, Bodhi House, and plans for Kato House and Kato Clinic. It discusses: - AHH was founded in 2010 to reduce homelessness and costs, supported by Saint Luke's Hospital. - Programs provide transportation, housing, advocacy, and help people access services to improve outcomes. This has saved over $10 million in emergency costs. - Future plans include Kato House for transitional youth and Kato Clinic to provide on-site medical care.

1. BE THE CHANGE
FOUNDED IN FEBRUARY 2010 TO REDUCE THE NEED
AND COST OF CARE FOR THE HOMELESS,
WITH GENEROUS INSPIRATION AND SUPPORT FROM
SAINT LUKE’S HOSPITAL AND FOUNDATION

2. THE RIDES WERE A CHANCE TO HEAR THE STORIES AND CHALLENGES OF THE
HOMELESS
 Soon filling other gaps with assistance and advocacy
 Opportunity to learn services, requirements and challenges of
local agencies that serve the homeless
 Program expanded helping people have seamless transitions
between steps like detox and in-patient or transitional living,
drug and mental health court
 Outcomes and efficiency improved for both the homeless and
the agencies that serve them when we worked with people
throughout the process of recovery and reintegration.
 Emergency services savings grew --- now well over $10,000,000
(5+ years)
 Chronic homeless accessed more appropriate resources
 Coordinated care and followed treatment regimens
 Were housed and avoided the perils and temptations of the
street
INITIALLY, THE CONCEPT WAS TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION SO
HOMELESS COULD ACCESS APPROPRIATE RESOURCES
 Many were going to ERs for non-emergent, and
sometimes, non-medical needs
 A typical emergency call cost community emergency
services $5,390
 Goal to saving $1,000,000 by eliminating 1 call a day

3. A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THE TRADITIONAL TRANSFER OF CASE MANAGEMENT FROM AGENCY TO AGENCY
PROGRAM PRINCIPLES
 PROVIDE AID WITH RESPECT
 PROVIDE ADVOCACY FOR THOSE WANTING TO GET OFF THE STREET
 ADDRESS UNDERLYING CAUSES
 COLLABORATE, NOT DUPLICATE EXISTING SERVICES
 RAISE AWARENESS
NOT FACILITY-BASED
 Works with clients where they are, literally and figuratively, in emergency and homeless services facilities
 Improve outcomes and efficiency
 Work with homeless to tackle systemic challenges
WORKS WITH CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS
 Adapt individual plans for progress and challenges
 [Example – Client relapsed Friday, called Saturday – admitted himself to KCCC to get back on plan rather than staying on the street
until crisis prompted change]
 Address multiple issues concurrently which improves outcomes
 Coordinates care and avoids crisis-driven provider selection
 Provides consistency throughout the recovery and reintegration process
 Intensive Street Presence and Collaboration expands the reach of collaborating agencies
 Approach combines Housing First and Recovery Oriented System of Care (ROSC) with a Collective Impact perspective
Today, the BE THE CHANGE program works with people from all sections of Kansas City’s homeless population to:
 Meet immediate needs
 Eliminate barriers such as finding and accessing housing, medical/mental treatment, etc.
 Domestic violence victims, stranded travelers, just released homeless hospital patients
 Often involves the chronic homeless that have fallen through the service safety net
SEVERAL INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN CREATED TO ADDRESS COMMON ISSUES FOR CLIENTS AND THE AGENCIES THAT SERVE THEM……

4. RESPITE GROUP HOME
BODHI HOUSE
• Opened Feb 1, 2015
• Bodhi House houses 7-9 men, often dual-
diagnosis, with a case manager assigned by the
referring agency to provide full wrap-around
services.
• Allows people respite to focus on what they need
to do to get off the street without the stress of
basics (food, shelter, safety)
• Pilot program housed men at Salvation Army
MOSOS before that facility closed
• In almost 3 months, had 16 residents
• 7 currently occupying
• 3 returned home
• 1 in transitional living facility
• 1 in in-patient treatment
• 1 in a shelter
• 3 discharged or walked
• 82% on/completed plan

5. SAVE OUR SENIORS
A HOUSING FIRST MODEL USING EXISTING RESOURCES
• Addressed older and often chronic homeless
who are more vulnerable to dangers of life on
the street, but who have limited skills and
resources necessary for reintegration.
• Work with area nursing homes that will
accept individuals that don’t have
SSI/Medicaid, but will house and work with
them to qualify.
• Since starting the program, 60 people have
been housed. (about 1/3 were hospital
frequent flyers)
• 52 (87%) are residents today
• 2 moved to independent living apartments
• 3 passed away (1 came to us for hospice care)
• 3 (5%) returned to the street
• 95% Achievement Rate

6. PRO-ACTIVE RE-ENTRY PROGRAM
(KCCRC)
 Facilitate access to mental health,
legal and job services to improve
use and chance for successful
reintegration.
 Established a standing appointment
at KC Cares to improve access and
preventive care and thus reduce
emergency calls at KCCRC ---
reliance on EDs.
 Reduced no-show rate at Truman
Behavioral by 90% (transportation)

7. AT-RISK YOUTH PROGRAM
KATO HOUSE
YOUNG ADULTS (18-26) THAT HAVE BECOME ALIENATED FROM FAMILY
AND MOST HOMELESS AND/OR RECOVERY SERVICES.
• Frequently banned due to behavior
• Often dual diagnosis with legal, medical and
other coexisting conditions
• Potentially Kansas City’s next generation
chronic homeless
• Pilot program started in 2012
• Last class of 8 (1 other referred to another
program)
- 1 (12%) dropped out
- All living independently today
- 2 got GED, 5 have taken college classes
(MCCC)
• Statistics warrant renovating Kato House to
micro-housing facility for this program
• Future plans to collaborate with another
agency

8. CRIME/JUDICIAL STUDY
A year-long study in 2014 tracked 13 homeless men that had
alcohol/substance abuse with judicial system interaction in 2013.
At year-end, interviews with these individuals that had been
selected randomly from BE THE CHANGE clients in February/March
2014 reported:
 78% had been homeless less than 1 week during the study
 78% were housed at yearend
 A majority had not used alcohol (69%) or drugs (62%) in the last 30
days
 85% had not been arrested for a violent crime, 92% for a drug-related
crime.
 78% had not committed a violent crime and 62% had not been victim
of one.
Small sample, but demonstrates the impact of getting people off the
street.

9. BASIC PROGRAM AT SAINT LUKE’S
Last year, collaborated to assist 317 patients with 1,766 interactions.
 Housing for 113
 Treatment placement for 51
 Transportation for 644, often with follow-up services or support
First Quarter, worked with 84 patients that were referred by
Saint Luke’s hospitals
 Resulting in 310 interactions
 Arranged housing for 21, including some staying at Bodhi House
 Arranged treatment for 4
*Numbers are preliminary and do not include interactions with clients previously
met at Saint Luke’s for whom we provide follow-up, service and support.

10. The BE THE CHANGE Program:
• Has helped over 5,000 homeless people, including several hundred
that today are housed --- free of the perils and challenges of life on
the street.
• Works with hospitals and law enforcement agencies across the KC
metro area, most local homeless and recovery services,
corporations, libraries and many other organizations that share the
objective of reducing the need and cost of care for the homeless.
• Reduces the reliance of many homeless individuals on our
community’s emergency resources, saving fees exceeding
$10,000,000.
• Has been the subject of presentations in 2013 and 2014 to the
National Health Care for the Homeless Conference and a six-month
study by a team from the Kansas City University of Medicine and
Biosciences.

11. AHH NEW INITIATIVES FOR
TRANSITIONAL-AGE YOUTH
• 2013: HUD counts 610,042 homeless. At that time, 7% were age 18 - 24,
otherwise known as the "transitional-age" young adult.
• Nationwide, individuals aged 18 - 24 currently make up 13% of the adult
homeless population and comprise 26% of homeless families.
• Many local programs available in the KC Metro Area cater only to those
aged 18-24.
• 18% of of KC’s homeless have “aged out” of foster care.
• 80% of young adults who have been abused meet the diagnostic criteria
for at least one psychiatric disorder by age 21 (including bi-
polar/depression, anxiety, eating disorders and PTSD)
• Nationwide, 1/3 of the homeless population are under the age of 24.
• Synergy reports over 2,000 young adults in KCMO homeless on any given
night between ages of 16 - 26.

12. HOUSING AMONG
TRANSITIONAL-AGE YOUTH
• The number of at-risk, low-income, households on the brink of
homelessness has grown by 43% since 2007 to nearly 9 million
(Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, using data from HUD, US)
• These households are struggling with a lack of housing assistance,
the high cost of rent and utilities, or severely substandard living
conditions.
• Nearly 40% of Americans pay more than 1/3 of their income for
housing.
• Financial advisors recommend those with lower income to spend
<30% of income in order to achieve other financial goals for future
preparation, i.e.: unexpected emergencies, saving for major
purchases, education costs, or planning for retirement.

13. AID FOR TRANSITIONAL-AGE YOUTH
WHO ARE HOMELESS
• Quality of life for transitional-age youth can change
dramatically when basic needs of Shelter, Health, Community
and Purpose are addressed.
• Solutions can be found in Micro-housing projects to help
decrease the cost of homelessness.
• By helping self-sufficiency, it can reduce the burden on city
expense for programs helping the homeless, as well as
charities, hospitals and organizations aimed toward the same
goal.

14. KATO HOUSE
MICRO-LIVING PROJECT DEVOTED TO
TRANSITIONAL-AGE YOUTH, AGES 18 – 26
Cities such as Boston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle have recently engaged in efforts to utilize
micro-living housing projects to accommodate a rise in the need for inner-city dwellings. These private and
state-subsidized efforts cater to a growing demographic of American adults who remain unmarried longer,
divorce more often and prefer the convenience of a metropolitan lifestyle. These young adults are more than
willing to sacrifice space and worldly possessions for convenience and efficiency in pursuit of the American
ideal of prosperity.
Much like the young professional, transitional-age young adults who are homeless are willing to do the
same if given the chance and support. Shelter, in conjunction with a sense of community, purpose and positive
re-enforcement toward establishing life-goals can dramatically encourage change among transitional-age
youth. When the enormous physical and mental burden of lacking basic safe shelter is taken out of the
equation for extended periods of time, while being supported in areas of mental health needs, food,
transportation and employment, dramatic and sustaining change can occur in one’s life.

15. KATO HOUSE
BENEFITS
PROXIMITY
– EMPLOYMENT
• Entry-level jobs available, more opportunities and variety near-by, employment and
vocational services within reach
– TRANSPORTATION
• Public Transportation: KCMetro, MAX, TroostMAX, TheJO – ease of commute to
employment translates to more consistent attendance, ease of transport to
medical/dental/community service centers
– COMMUNITY-SUSTAINED DEVELOPMENT
• Many clients have grown up in the KC urban core, working and living in the KC
center creates ownership within the community, the Kato House presence creates a
sense of awareness within the general public
– ACTIVITY
• Close proximity to area parks and walkable amenities provide for recreation and
exercise conducive to client health

16. KATO HOUSE
BENEFITS
MICRO-LIFE
– LIMITED STORAGE
• Micro-living encourages prioritization of lifestyle necessities in terms of clothing,
clutter, cleanliness, long-term storage.
– HOME FURNISHINGS
• Built-in lighting, seating, storage and sleeping areas limits the need to purchase
basic items for a productive living environment.
– INNER-COMMUNITY
• Communal areas offer places to socialize with other clients, smaller dwellings
encourage client and social interaction
– ENERGY-USE
• Utilizing eco-friendly appliances and fixtures reduces the total cost of operational
expenses, smaller spaces minimize utility costs
– SPATIAL-EFFICIENCY
• Dining/sleeping/entertainment/work areas become interchangeable and
modifiable with built-in storage to maximize space usage
– SECURITY
• 24-Hour staff available for client needs, interior/exterior security camera
observation, each client (and governing staff member) has key-lock access to their
own space, weapons/drugs/alcohol strictly prohibited,
discrimination/violence/theft/threatening behavior will not be tolerated

17. KATO CLINIC
Housed within the same building as KATO HOUSE, KATO CLINIC would offer a
fully-operational clinic to provide basic medical and dental care for
KATO HOUSE residents, as well as all AHH clientele as a whole.
• Provide AHH clientele with a “one-stop-shop” center for
immediate and scheduled medical and dental care.
• Decrease expenses for AHH clients from external community
services and hospitals by administering appropriate care “in-
house”.
• Decrease redundancy of treatment and AHH transportation to
multiple centers for client needs, thereby increasing AHH
new-client intake.

18. ARTISTS HELPING THE HOMELESS
BE THE CHANGE | BODHI HOUSE | KATO
HOUSE
These results made possible by the vision and
generous commitment of
Saint Luke’s Hospital. I want to thank
Brad Simmons, Liz Cessor, Mark Litzler
and everyone at Saint Luke’s for providing the
opportunity, encouragement and
collaboration that is helping the homeless,
helping the community in Kansas City.
Powerpoint created by Jared Panick, AHH/Be The Change client