The focus group identified several key themes around resources, shelter, mental health and addiction services, health care, outreach, advocacy, and other services to address homelessness. Specifically, they suggested having centralized, accessible resources; addressing issues around qualifying for shelter and accumulating funds for housing; improving access to mental health and addiction counseling; making health clinics available on bus lines in schools and shelters; increasing outreach through various community organizations; advocating for policy reform and raising public awareness; and enhancing access to communication, childcare, and transportation.

1. Themes Focus group suggestions/discussion (number of groups that identified item)
Resources Resources need to be centralized, one stop shop, walk in clinic (9)
Know what resources are available/resource lists (8)
Coordination of services (6)
Someone ‘in the know’ to walk homeless through process ex.: case managers (5)
Resource centers close to bus line (3)
Nutrition Nutrition assistance (3)
Address food stamps­use for hot meals (2)
Develop/maintain relationships between shelters and grocery stores­fresh food
Food shelves in schools
Promote WIC services
Shelter Address ‘spend down’ issue (6)
o Allow accumulation of escrow for housing (2)
Affordable permanent housing (5)
Make more shelter space available (3)
Improve system to connect to rentals (2)
Evaluate public housing waiting lists
Mental health
and addiction
services
Improved mental health services and access (8)
Counseling (5)
Addiction treatment options available (5)
Model walk­in counseling services
Increased services for alcoholism and addictions

2. Health care Make clinics available (7)
o Accessible­on bus lines (4)
o Clinics in schools
o Clinics available
o Mobile health clinic
o Dental health clinics in schools
Health care services in shelters (5)
Need consistency of care/services (4)
Re­evaluate system and make necessary changes that will improve health care services (3)
Model other programs in place (3)
o Rochester family advocacy center
o Wellness Center with health care services
o End Homelessness in Ramsey County program
Wave co­pays (2)
o Sliding scale clinics
Dental services (2)
Universal health care (2)
Access nurses lines
Intervene at hospitals/address social issues on discharge
Encourage/increase holistic healing of whole body
Outreach Outreach is crucial (9)
o Faith communities outreach
o Head Start programs
o Schools
o Suburbs
Create awareness (8)
Build community relationships (6)
Focus on Prevention (5)
o Volunteer organizations and agencies
o Neighborhood stabilization programs

3. Place information at places frequented by people who are homeless (4)
o Libraries
Encourage communities to utilize what they have to meet needs (4)
o Wellness Center­provide health care resources/food­model delivery of care/services (2)
o More community meals
o Provide shelter with privacy (2)
o Community neighborhood support groups
Education for better paying jobs (3)
o Assist in finding jobs
Educate ourselves and others (3)
Encourage faith based organizations to sponsor families at risk
Apply for grants
Utilize students/retired individuals
Advocacy Raise Awareness (9)
Need advocates (6)
Teach how to advocate for self (4)
Policy reform­encourage growth and improvement (5)
Talk/write to elected officials (4)
Ask those experiencing homelessness to identify needs (4)
Change people’s perceptions about the homeless (4)
Educate and offer resources for landlords (4)
Lobby for funding (3)
Mentors in communities (3)
Bridge between ‘self­sufficient’ and ‘totally dependent’ (2)
Vote (2)
Improve culture and support volunteers (2)
Educate workers in shelters (2)
Experience homelessness for a few days
Non­judgmental attitude

4. Suggestions for
other Services
Communication access (6)
o Prepaid phone cards
o Access to phones­seek donations­private businesses (3)
o Advertise/inform on public tv (2)
o Facebook (2)
o Websites­to inform people of services (3)
o Billboards
Childcare access (5)
o Tax credit for childcare providers (2)
o Crisis nursery
o Affordable, quality childcare
Improve transportation (5)
o Provide bicycles (rehab bicycles) (2)
o Tokens for bus/transfers (3)
Donations (3)
Develop long term plan (2)
Incorporate more Library resources
Increase/improve family resources to keep families together
Link schools with more shelters
Schools/head start sites to have kitchen/laundry facilities available
Address privacy issues
Consider rural services
Foster care for homeless children (at least for place to sleep and reconnect with parent during day)