Data has the power to drive meaningful change in our community. By fulfilling data requests, we help service providers, local agencies, and community organizations make informed decisions that positively impact housing, homelessness, and social services. This page highlights the tangible results that our data-driven approach has produced, showcasing the transformative effects on individuals and families in need.

Through detailed reports and tailored insights, our data supports programs that help place individuals in housing faster, improve outreach strategies, and optimize the use of resources. The stories and metrics below demonstrate the critical role data plays in creating a healthier, more resilient community.

• Informed Decision-Making: Data enables agencies to make strategic decisions, ensuring that resources are allocated where they are needed most. For example, real-time data on shelter occupancy helps organizations manage capacity effectively, ensuring more people find housing when they need it.
• Measuring Program Effectiveness: By analyzing data from various programs, we can measure the impact of interventions, improve service delivery, and track outcomes over time. This helps refine programs to better serve the community’s needs.
• Improved Resource Allocation: Data helps identify gaps in services and ensure that funding is directed toward initiatives that have the most impact. Whether it’s housing, healthcare, or education services, data ensures the right support is available at the right time.
• Driving Policy and Funding: Insights from our data requests also guide policymakers and funders in shaping programs and securing resources that align with the most pressing needs in the community.

Our team contributed to a significant report titled “Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis: Getting Young People Back on Track” in partnership with Dalio Education and Boston Consulting Group. This report, published in October 2023, focuses on Connecticut’s at-risk and disconnected youth. The insights we provided from our data played a crucial role in shaping recommendations to address these critical issues in our community.

Summary of Key Findings:

• Crisis Scale: Nearly 119,000 young people in Connecticut are either at-risk or disconnected, facing barriers to education and employment.
• Economic Impact: If addressed, reconnecting these youth could add $5 billion to the state’s GDP, improving both individual livelihoods and overall economic health.
• Community Focus: By providing data, we helped identify targeted strategies for supporting disconnected young people, influencing local and statewide efforts to improve youth engagement, education, and employment outcomes.

For a detailed look into the findings and recommendations, please explore the full report on Dalio Education’s website: Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis or review the attached report here.

Our community supports Sustainable CT by evaluating municipalities’ submissions for certification in the “Effective, Compassionate Homelessness Prevention” category. Through a detailed scoring process, we assess the strategies and actions taken by municipalities to address homelessness, focusing on sustainable, community-driven solutions. Here’s an overview of the key areas we evaluate:

1. Strengthening Municipal Workforce Capacity to Address Homelessness

Municipalities can earn points for developing a coordinated response to homelessness within their communities. This involves appointing a municipal representative trained in homelessness services, facilitating essential training on topics such as race equity and CAN functions, and establishing a Task Force composed of cross-departmental representatives. This team-based approach ensures that homelessness prevention is integrated across municipal functions.

2. Increasing Public Awareness and Support for Efforts to End Homelessness

Municipalities are encouraged to raise awareness by adopting a resolution that calls for public engagement in ending homelessness. Points are awarded for municipal efforts to educate and mobilize the public through accessible resources on their websites, including guidance for individuals experiencing homelessness and information on services like mental health support, runaway youth providers, and crisis resources. Additionally, municipalities hosting community conversations to discuss homelessness, aiming to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring, receive additional recognition.

3. Collecting and Sharing Homelessness Data

Effective homelessness prevention requires a strong foundation of accurate data. Municipalities are evaluated on their efforts to collect and share data with their Coordinated Access Network (CAN). This includes compiling statistics on individuals experiencing homelessness, including those unsheltered, to connect them with the necessary services and supports. Data-informed strategies allow municipalities and CANs to address unmet needs and enhance service delivery.

4. Providing or Mobilizing Resources to Address Homelessness

Municipalities that secure dedicated funding to support homelessness services receive points for their commitment to proactive resource mobilization. Funding strategies may include budget allocations for shelters, diversion staffing, and financial assistance programs. Additionally, municipalities are evaluated on their ability to provide safe spaces for individuals experiencing homelessness to access services, especially during extreme weather, as well as collaborations with domestic violence advocates and local social services.

By assessing municipalities in these areas, we help recognize and encourage sustainable, compassionate responses to homelessness across Connecticut. Our evaluations support Sustainable CT’s vision of fostering resilient communities equipped to address homelessness at a systemic level.

For more information on Sustainable CT’s Homelessness Prevention Actions, visit Sustainable CT’s website.

Nutmeg Consulting and the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH) also played significant roles in contributing to the impactful report on the Greater Hartford Reentry Welcome Center (GH-RWC). This comprehensive evaluation outlines both process and outcome findings, shedding light on the strengths and challenges faced by the reentry services, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The collaboration between Nutmeg, CCEH, and other stakeholders supported the GH-RWC’s mission to improve reentry outcomes through a collective impact approach, aiding individuals with critical housing, employment, and basic needs post-incarceration.

Key Highlights of Their Contributions:

• Housing Initiatives: CCEH’s collaboration included the implementation of the DOC Rapid Rehousing Assistance Program (DRHAP), which provided emergency housing support during the pandemic, ensuring stability for participants transitioning from incarceration.
• Data and Analysis: Nutmeg Consulting’s expertise contributed to data-driven decision-making, supporting a community-led approach that enhanced transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in service delivery.

To learn more about their involvement and the full findings, please visit the Greater Hartford Reentry Welcome Center Report or review the attached report for detailed insights.