Progressive engagement is a person-centered approach to ending someone’s homelessness. It is based on tailoring assistance to each individual or household’s needs then assessing what works best for them, with their specific strengths, and in their specific situation.
Steps to Progressive Engagement
Progressive engagement allows homeless service systems and providers to assess
the resources they have available
and provide appropriate levels of
support to as many people as possible.
Progressive engagement starts small by helping people with their immediate needs related to housing. The provider starts the engagement with a problem solving conversation at the household's first interaction with the homelessness system.
A progressive engagement approach requires the provider to communicate closely and consistently with a household. During these interactions, the provider is seeking to identify the household’s strengths, supports, barriers, and obstacles.
Based on these ongoing problem-solving discussions, the provider can better determine whether the household’s existing supports are working, and collaboratively work to flex supports up or down as needed until the household’s housing crisis is resolved.
With the progressive engagement approach, as greater (or lesser) needs are identified, the level of support is adjusted. Progressive engagement helps systems operate as efficiently as possible.
This ensures that the people who have lower needs receive lighter-touch supports and ensures that those with the highest needs are able to access the highest levels of support when it has become clear that they will need more assistance.
Progressive engagement meets each individual or household where they are and is focused on housing.
