Categories: Network Events
08.02.2025
On July 31st, the Network celebrated the successful conclusion of its 2025 Safety & Well-Being Training Series and Community of Practice (CoP) initiative. This was the second year of the series and 25 agencies participated, 730 unique staff received training, 280 earned training certificates of completion, and 30 staff completed the CoP cohort. Across both years of the initiative, 55 agencies have participated, 1,370 unique staff received training, 380 earned training certificates of completion, and 75 staff completed the CoP cohort —each milestone a testament to the commitment of our community to foster the safety and well-being of supportive housing.
This initiative emerged directly from Network members. In 2023, the Network convened statewide roundtables with supportive housing providers to understand the growing challenges in intensive services: higher-acuity needs, the gap in services provided and needed, and the impacts of staff shortages and burnout. Through these discussions, it was clear that providers were seeing higher numbers of serious incidents, staff were not feeling safe or equipped to handle them, and newer staff were lacking in the necessary training and tools.
Based on this feedback and the subsequent input from statewide roundtables with tenants and thanks to the support of the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Network launched a seven-month initiative, with two primary components:
- A comprehensive virtual training series: Seven 3-hour sessions open to all supportive housing staff from participating agencies.
- An in-depth Community of Practice: Six in-person, half-day sessions for a selected cohort of 1–2 staff per agency, that dives deeper into each training, strategizes implementation of lessons learned, and offers open dialogue for peer-learning exchanges
Additional supports and convenings are also provided with leadership liaisons and cohort participants to facilitate implementation of lessons learned from trainings.
The curriculum, developed in collaboration with expert trainers from across our membership, is truly a series “by-and-for” the supportive housing community, to respond to the needs identified in our roundtables:
- Introduction to Supportive Housing – CUCS
- A Trauma-Informed Approach to Crisis Prevention – The Bridge
- Harm Reduction – Lantern Community Services
- De-escalation: Active Engagement through the Stages of Crisis – CSH
- Transformative Supervision – Good Shepherd Services
- Organizational Culture of Safety & Well-Being – Community Access
- Restorative Justice: Moving Beyond a Punishment Approach – BRC
See photos from the 2025 cohort HERE. We are deeply grateful to the trainers, participating agencies’ leadership and direct service staff for sharing expertise for your investment and dedication. The Network will launch applications for the 2026 Safety & Well-Being Training Series and CoP this fall. Stay tuned!