The FPL Diversion Program launched in 2019.We were able to learn how to better serve our community through Diversion when we were selected for a Pilot Diversion Program through a generous grant awarded through The Synchrony Foundation and the National Family Promise Office. The aim of the Diversion Program is to provide a lighter touch of case management support to help families utilize their own safe supports to stay out of sheltering programs.
Shelter is needed but can be traumatic and less than ideal for families. Diversion gives FPL another tool to work with families, so they shelter safely elsewhere, often with friends and families. The Diversion funds help with areas that are identified as being an obstacle for that family to getting back to housing. The obstacle may be car repairs, childcare support, back utility bills, or any number of things. FPL provides some case management supports and referrals along with some financial support to help a family avoid having to come into a shelter program. . This program was launched at exactly the right time and was ramped up during 2020, as shelter bed space was quite limited during the pandemic.
In our Diversion Program we also have a P515 option, which includes longer term case management supports, with the goal of not only avoiding the trauma of coming into shelter, but more specifically, moving families into permanent sustainable housing as quickly as possible.