Sam Millington’s academic background in anthropology gave him a wide-ranging, globe-spanning career, focused on management consulting in nonprofits, business and government agencies.
Now it has traveled full circle and has returned him to the subject of his doctoral dissertation: homelessness. It was a project that brought him to the Waianae Coast, where he learned about the beach communities and fell in love with that area.
Born in Pennsylvania, Millington graduated from the University of Virginia and then earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University; the latest turn in the road has brought him the post as executive director of the member association, Partners in Care.
PIC is now preparing for the annual Point in Time count. It will handle the Oahu part of the count, a census of the unhoused population across the state that supports state requests for federal aid.
Partners in Care is a “Continuum of Care” agency that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless people, and the Point in Time count, conducted over the last 10 days of January, is its chief tool.
Millington believes his job is to expand the kuleana (purpose) of PIC by incorporating it as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. It would gather data on the homeless and various ways of helping them, provide this data to businesses and the private sector, enlisting them in the work as well.
“Partners in Care hopes to grow its membership base in the coming years, with particular interest in reaching out more proactively to the business and faith-based communities who are currently under-represented in the Continuum of Care,” he said.
His hope is for lawmakers to commit to money needed for initiatives proven to be successful.
“That way providers can spend their time providing essential services rather than scrambling for resources each year,” he said.
Question: What do you think will help boost accuracy of the Point in Time (PIT) count?
Answer: At the most basic level, accuracy is tied to developing a sound methodology that is contextually appropriate … being sensitive and responsive to a range of cultural and geographical considerations as well as being realistic in terms of resources available to conduct the survey.
That said, accuracy is even more closely tied to the use of our homeless database so that we can best support PIT outreach teams. Similarly, the support of community stakeholders who know their “terrain” is critically important for locating homeless men, women and families. …
Another key factor is eliminating enforcement interventions during the period leading up to — and during — the count. This is important because enforcement activities tend to scatter many unsheltered individuals, making them harder to find.
Q: What essential qualities are you seeking in volunteers for the project?
A: One of the traits we look for in volunteers is compassion. Individuals who genuinely care about the welfare of others — and who also want to learn more about homelessness — will definitely benefit from this experience.
In addition, it’s helpful to have volunteers who are comfortable speaking with strangers. At the same time … we definitely need individuals for data entry.
Donations play a big part … as well. Items ranging from gift cards and bottled water to first-aid kits and safety-colored T-shirts will be greatly appreciated.
Anyone interested in volunteering or donating items can learn more by visiting our website (www.partnersincareoahu.org). … (Click) a tab near the the far right top of the page … to learn more … (or) call us at 543-2246.
Q: How does this data-gathering help improve the welfare of the homeless?
A: Data generated from the PIT count informs responsible funding and policy decisions, whether at the federal, state or local level. When it comes to the federal level, data from the PIT count helps the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) establish its priorities. …
Hawaii has such an acute challenge with homelessness … we want to make sure our survey data are as accurate as possible. That way we can access our fair share of federal dollars while also helping HUD shape its policy determinations.
Q: Do you think Hawaii is making progress in its battle with homelessness?
A: Definitely. Although it’s true we’re tied with New York in having the highest per capita rate of homelessness in the country, that’s actually a statistical improvement from years past. …
Beyond the statistics, however, there is also qualitative progress being made. For example, the current level of collaboration between key stakeholders here in Hawaii is unprecedented. We’re now seeing nonprofits and government entities … increasingly working together in ways that can make a sustainable difference.
But we can’t stand pat. We need to keep the dialogue front and center. Ongoing communication is key.
Q: What does Partners in Care do, in addition to the homeless count?
A: Without getting too technical, PIC is responsible for a number of key data-generating activities which lead to more effective, better coordinated service responses across the island — from densely populated urban neighborhoods to more isolated rural areas which are harder to access.
In addition, we implement what’s known as the Coordinated Entry System. CES focuses on providing streamlined access to the most appropriate housing options for men, women and families facing a wide range of challenges.
We also … serve as conveners of shared purpose by nurturing stakeholder collaboration, promoting awareness and serving as an information dissemination hub. Beyond that, we often take the lead on advocacy issues, promote best practices, and every year we organize and host the Statewide Homeless Awareness Conference.
Last but not least, Partners in Care is responsible for overseeing the allocation process for more than $9 million in HUD funding which supports a range of homeless programs and initiatives here on Oahu.
Q: What should the Legislature do to help this session?
A: Last year, the Legislature appropriated $200 million for the development of low-income housing. … Now we need to build off that momentum.
One way to do that would be for legislators to make the $200 million appropriation permanent by placing it in the state’s base budget. Consistency of intent, purpose and resource commitment will translate into a sustainable win-win situation for the state because we already know that stable housing leads to significant cost savings across the health, social service and criminal justice sectors.
This is especially true when considering the chronic homeless population. We know that there are approximately 1,700 chronically homeless individuals in Hawaii. If legislators were to target $75 million of the $200 million toward this subpopulation, and do so on an annual basis over a 10-year period, studies show we can realize an aggregate savings of approximately $2.5 billion.
Q: How has your business background prepared you for this job?
A: That’s an interesting question, in part because throughout my career I’ve made an intentional choice to move freely between the for-profit, nonprofit and governmental sectors. So there’s not always a clear delineation in my mind how each of these experiences has contributed to my ever-evolving leadership style.
That said, in the business world there is definitely a premium placed on deliberate, rigorous and data-driven planning which is then followed by disciplined execution, brutally honest evaluation, and performance-based accountability. …
I also learned that part of the planning process should involve “peeking around the corner” so that you can better anticipate trends, challenges or opportunities that are not yet readily apparent. This kind of first-to-market approach encourages innovation and sustained success.
Sometimes data drives this kind of decision-making process. Other times you rely more on your experience and/or your na‘au — your gut instinct. But for me, it’s often a combination of the two.
