Annual Report

Social Return on Investment (SROI) Supported Treatment Accommodation and Recovery in Suffolk (STARS) February 2015

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“It has greatly reduced the pressure on and conflict in the family. His brothers and sisters were really angry with him cos of the effect it was having on me. And we used to fight a lot about him – that has stopped because they are not angry with him all the time anymore.”

[Mother of Client]

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Contents Foreword

4

Introduction

5

The need for STARS

6

Theory of Change - the differences that STARS makes

7

Indirect benefits of the STARS Programme

10

Reasons for STARS’ Success

11

Quantifying and valuing benefits

13

Valuing outcomes

15

Understanding impact

15

Results

16

About Genesis Housing Association and Envoy Partnership

18

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Neil Hadden Chief Executive

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February 2015 Social Return on Investment (SROI)

Introduction In October 2014 Genesis commissioned Envoy Partnership to conduct a Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation of their Supported Treatment Accommodation and Recovery in Suffolk (STARS) programme. The evaluation measured the social and economic value which the STARS programme creates .

This report summarises the results of the evaluation which calculates STARS’ Impact and Social Value as well as identifying its key drivers of success and challenges.

STARS was set up initially as a small pilot project in Suffolk in 2008 between Genesis and (then) Suffolk DAAT. Genesis provided a handful of accommodation via the private rented sector as well as ‘Intensive Support’ for individuals with chaotic substance misuse issues and/ or prolific offending histories in the County. Genesis went on to successfully bid for the contract to deliver the service and it has since grown to provide 35 places for Intensive Support clients In 2013 the service expanded to include a ‘Housing Advice and Advocacy’ service relieving

Treatment providers from having to deal with client’s housing issues.

This advice and advocacy element of STARS sees an average XXX customers (ie single homeless, couch surfers, rough sleepers) per annum across three main bases in the county: Bury St Edmunds, Lowestoft and Ipswich.

The evaluation showed that STARS creates a significant amount of Social Value and a positive return on investment. In total STARS creates just under £10 million of value, of which just over £1.4 million is directly attributable to STARS. For every £1 invested, around £4.80 of value is created: an SROI ratio of 4.8:1.

• The methodology used for the evaluation draws directly on the UK Cabinet Office’s Guide to Social Return on Investment.1 Extensive research was conducted for the SROI: • In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with 65 stakeholders, including clients and staff at STARS, clients’ families, health and treatment services, the police and

probation, other accommodation providers, and commissioners.

• 34 STARS clients completed a survey, designed by Envoy Partnership and administered by STARS. • Treatment Outcome Profile (TOP) was provided by Crime Reduction Initiatives (CRI) for a number of STARS clients who were in treatment • Arrest Data was provided by Sussex Police. This data shows frequency of arrest, although not reason for arrest.

• Existing STARS client records were utilised • A variety of secondary sources were used, such as the Drug Treatment Outcomes Research study (DTORS)2 and Measuring different aspects of problem drug use: methodological developments3 The full technical report of the SROI is available which provides more details of the rigour and methodology used in the evaluation.4

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A guide to Social Return on Investment, (2012), http://www.thesroinetwork.org/publications/ doc_download/241-a-guide-to-social-return-on-investment-2012 2 See www.dtors.org.uk 3 Singleton, N., Murray, R., Tinsley, L., (Home Office, 2006) 4 Available at xxxxxxxx 1

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The need for STARS

Stable accommodation is a key part of what has become known as Recovery Capital,5 without which ‘the impact of drug and alcohol treatment is thought to fade quickly after someone has left and treatment alone does not create sustained recovery outcomes in individuals’.6 STARS’ Intensive Support works with many of the most prolific and chaotic substance misusers in Suffolk. Clients demonstrate high levels of vulnerability, having multiple needs at the point of accessing the service. These include moderate and in some cases severe and enduring mental health conditions, histories of violence, abuse and neglect and long periods with no employment.

STARS’ Advice and Advocacy (A&A) service caters for clients whose housing situation was a barrier to recovery. They might

be experiencing problems from neighbours in terms of noise, harassment and/or conflict with family members, all of which impacted on their potential recovery from substance misuse and/or offending.

The common theme for clients accepted to the Intensive Support service was a lack of stable and suitable accommodation, often combined with dependence on income generated by dealing and other offending. Many were street homeless, sofa surfing, living in tents or living in shared accommodation with other dysfunctional peers or family members. Many have spent considerable lengths of time in and out of prison. Their substance misuse was frequently out of control and putting them at severe risk of harm.

What all clients share is that they had reached ‘rock bottom’ and showed motivatio n to address both their substance use and their patterns of offending. Many clients have experienced periods free from substance misuse and/or offending in the past, but had relapsed.

Clients’ ‘rock bottom’ took the form of near-death overdoses, suicide attempts, violent incidents at home or on the streets, being thrown out by friends or family or yet another arrest.

The STARS team responds promptly to referrals, rehousing those in high need into Intensive Support accommodation within days and offering advice and advocacy to those with less acute needs on an ongoing basis. The latter leading where possible to rehousing people either within properties owned by Genesis, other social landlords or in private rented accommodation.

Genesis have a specific and targeted focus on providing quality accommodation and this is acknowledged by clients, family members and partners alike to be an essential first step on the road to recovery and rehabilitation.

Since its inception, STARS have worked with 66 IS clients and provided Advice and Advocacy to xx others.

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06

Granfield, R. and Cloud, W. (2001) Social Context and “Natural Recovery”: The Role of Social Capital in the Resolution of Drug-Associated Problems, Substance Use and Misuse, Vol. 36, pp1543-1570 6 Ibid 5

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Theory of Change - the differences that STARS makes The evaluation identified STARS’ direct benefits to its clients and also the indirect benefits to families, local communities and government services.

Benefits for Clients Current and former clients of the STARS programme described a wide variety of different ways in which they had benefited from the work of

Case Study Matt, age 30 Matt started drinking heavily and using drugs in his early teens following his parents’ separation. As his dependence on alcohol increased, Matt experienced high levels of anxiety, becoming in his own words ‘overwhelmed by feelings of panic and fear – being out of control’.

He was unable to leave the house without a drink, he was upset and depressed, and lost all pride in his appearance.

Matt’s father and grandmother paid for him to go to Focus 12 rehabilitation service, after which he was referred to STARS which housed him in a flat in Bury, away from his former ‘crowd’. STARS also helped Matt find opportunities for further education, studying IT and also becoming a volunteer at Focus 12 and for local Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

“I knew I couldn’t sort my addiction problems without somewhere stable to live.”

[A&A Client]

Matt’s physical health improved dramatically. He now enjoys climbing and, as his new flat is a bit out of town, cycling.

Without Focus 12 and especially STARS, both Matt and his Dad think he would be back in his old town now, drinking again.

Matt says: ‘I feel good about myself again instead of crap. I used to just sofa surf and doss anywhere, but now I have a beautiful flat and like to look good.’ He sees his Mum, as well as his Dad regularly now and his Dad has seen ‘a massive change in him. He has grown up and progressed and is a model student at college. I can trust him more now.’

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STARS. These benefits, or Outcomes, are shown graphically in the Theory of Change in Figure 1.

Interim Outcomes In the early to mid stages of each clients journey on STARS they benefit from key outcomes that support them to progress further through the programme and towards recovery: • Stable and Secure accommodation, often combined with relocation to a different part of the county. Most intensive support housing is in two-person flats.

• Structure and meaningful occupation of time. Alongside the provision of accommodation, STARS helps introduce structure into the lives of clients. This can include the provision of volunteering opportunities, attendance at Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

• Personal care. Many clients used the term ‘normal’ to describe their lives after entering STARS. The stable accommodation and support gave clients the tools and motivation to look after themselves e.g. to wash regularly, wear clean clothes, the ability to cook and eat and therefore have a better diet.

• Engagement with treatment and recovery maintenance. Clients better engage with treatment services to maintain or further their recovery. This in turn helps reduce the likelihood and extent of reoffending.

• Positive social values and peer relationships. A key element of recovery and rehabilitation is building relationships with people who can support that recovery, including peers and professionals. STARS also brings about a shift in clients’ values, thereby building cultural capital7; for example, many said that they want to be open and honest and not lie anymore.

Figure 1: Theory of Change for STARS’ clients

Provide Direct Accommodation

Relocation

Engagement with Treatment Incl.

NA / AA

Positive Social Values

Safety

Stable & Secure Accommodation

Personal Care

‘Normality’

Cross-Addiction

Work Skills & Ethics

Stable Finances

One-to-one Support

Advice & Advocacy

(New) Positive Peer Relationships Structure

Rehousing

Legend: STARS Activity Client Interim Outcome Client Final Outcome

Physical Health • Nutrition • Hepatitis C • Drug / Alcohol Recovery

Reduction in Offending (Drugs / Theft / Violent Crime)

Occupying Time • Volunteering • College • Group Activities • Training

Mental Health & Wellbeing • Self-esteem • Confidence • Resilience • Courage • Giving Back

Employment, Education, Training Relationships • Family • Children • Friends

Relapse Change experienced by STARS’ Clients

[[NB: We could include the fuller Theory of Change that incorporates outcomes for other stakeholders too. If so, we should include the sentence: This diagram also shows indirect benefits or outcomes for other stakeholders, including family members, local communities and government services. ]]

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• Work skills and ethic. The volunteering opportunities also re-introduce those with previously chaotic lives to the discipline of work, providing them with new skills. Combined with take up of education and trainin, this can begin to improve the chances of paid employment in the future Final Outcomes Through sustaining interim outcomes clients realise further changes in themselves or Final Outcomes. It is these outcomes that are measured and given a financial value for calculating services SROI. Health and Well-being. The most significant changes for STARS clients relates to their health and well-being.

See: Granfield, R. and Cloud, W. (2001) Social Context and “Natural Recovery”: The Role of Social Capital in the Resolution of Drug-Associated Problems, Substance Use and Misuse, Vol. 36, pp1543-1570

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Improvements to physical health include: • Reductions in substance misuse with 65% of clients being free from street drugs and **STAT** completely ‘clean’ and ‘dry’.

• Increase in weight; Sometimes recovery has identified underlying health problems that will take longer to sort out, such as Hepatitis C, but with stability, clients are able to start to get treatment for these.

Improvements to mental health and well-being include: • A 40% increase in confidence and self esteem was cited by clients, using words such as ‘courage’ and ‘resilience’ to describe their enhanced well-being. Many also spoke of the renewed ‘hope’ which the stability and support provided by STARS had given them. Clients also commented on the opportunities they have been given to ‘give something back’ through volunteering.

Safety. Linked to health and wellbeing, clients often spoke about feeling safer since being supported

by STARS. This is an interesting reversal of popular perceptions of substance using offender, which usually see them as perpetrators, rather than victims – in reality they are frequently both.

Relationships and Re-integration.

Clients frequently cited significant improvements in their relationships, with family and with new friends

who support rather than hinder their recovery. Many clients spoke about gradually rebuilding the relationships with family members and children that had in some cases completely broken down.

A key aspect of recovery is becoming part of the ‘recovery community’, which is well developed in Suffolk.

STARS encourages their clients to become actively involved in their local recovery community and there were numerous examples of them helping in different ways in Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous groups, and volunteering as Recovery Champions and in other roles in treatment and related services, thereby using their experiences to strengthen that community.

Financial Stability and Employment Some STARS clients have gained employment, achieved NVQs or are aiming to set up their own small businesses. Although the majority of clients remain on benefits, the support to access those benefits is highly valued, and having a postal address greatly assists this process.

Negative outcomes For STARS only one and unsurprising negative outcome emerged from this research: the significant levels of cross addiction, most notably the replacement of Class A drug use by increased drinking. This is in keeping with national research8 and the STARS team work hard to address it, through a balance of encouragement and penalties and working with partner agencies.

“Me and my cousin came out of prison for the umpteenth time and were committing loads of crime – drugs and other stuff – and [were] using heavily.

Police put us on ‘PPO plus’ because they were fed up with us – constantly harassed us and took everything off us. We were living in a tent cos family and friends had chucked us out cos they were fed up with us… If I hadn’t found STARS I would still be in a mess… To be honest I would probably be in jail for killing someone, or someone would have killed me, cos my life was very violent.”

[Male ex-client] 09

For example, see the Drug Treatment Outcomes Research study (DTORS): www.dtors.org.uk

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Indirect benefits of the STARS Programme Alongside the direct impact that the STARS Programme has on its clients, there are a range of indirect benefits that arise.

Benefits for family members There is often a significant improvement in well-being for family members, together with improved relationships with the recovering user/ offender, as well as between members of the family. The most common difference cited by family members was a reduction in the stress and anxiety caused by their loved one’s behaviour and addiction. In several cases this was compounded by conflict within the family when different members took a different view on how to respond to the user.

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Benefits for communities and public services Furthermore, a reduction in the use of drugs and alcohol, and a corresponding reduction in health issues that arise and in levels of crime, have significant impacts on government services and on local people. This can lead to significant resources savings for the NHS, freeing up NHS resources to be used elsewhere.

Likewise it can lead to significant resource savings for the Criminal Justice System (e.g. police, courts).

Finally, reduced crime can lead to a very significant reduction the emotional and financial impact on crime victims.

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Case Study Tracy, age 47 Tracy started using amphetamines and ketamine at the age of 40 following the breakdown of her marriage and loss of a close family member. Tracy had a nice home, children and a job but she started to use drugs to relieve her troubles. In a short period of time, she lost everything and was living on the streets.

To fund her habit, Tracy stole from shops and was arrested and imprisoned several times. Each time she was released, the cycle of using drugs, stealing and getting arrested would begin again, to the point that she nearly died.

The turning point for Tracy was when she was referred to STARS which found her a flat in Saffron Walden in Essex. This helped Tracy get away from her home town of Lowestoft which reduced the temptation and opportunity for her to relapse. In time, and with STARS’ support, Tracy stopped using drugs, and in August 2011 she moved into the recovery programme. She also started to engage with police and probation in Essex and, as a result, was released from the Prolific and Priority Offender scheme.

However, Tracy was still struggling to cope without drugs and without the funding for her to move to a residential treatment centre, she became dependent on alcohol and started to offend again.

STARS stepped in and moved Tracy to Bury St Edmunds where she would have more opportunities for treatment and support as she was continuing to drink and use drugs occasionally. Finally, Tracy got a placement in residential rehabilitation in 2013 and completed a six month intensive programme. Since completing the programme in February 2014, Tracy has remained clean and sober and has fully settled into the Bury area. She has signed up to become a mentor to others with addictions and dreams of going to college. Tracy has also reconnected with her family in Lowestoft, and can return there without risk of relapse: ‘Everything about me has changed – the way I think – my values. I’m living rather than just existing and wanting to die. I deal with stuff as it comes up, instead of just burying it. I have a good, structured life. I like who I am now. I am confident, funny and have a nice personality. My health is loads better.’ ‘[The STARS staff] treat you like individuals/ human beings. They are very caring and go that extra mile. They never gave up on me, as others have in the past. STARS gave me a new lease of life, having people who cared about me and gave me a chance. Without it, I don’t think I would be here now – I would never have changed.’

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Reasons for STARS’ Success The evaluation demonstrated a number of factors that are key to the success of STARS, and lead to significant outcomes for clients.

Quality accommodation and relocation Genesis and the STARS team aims to provide clients with a reasonable quality of accommodation. The Intensive Support accommodation is combined with the offer of relocation across the county. This is targeted to those substance using offenders least likely to be able to source any sort of stable accommodation through any other route.

Wrap around support and a person centred approach However, the STARS team offer much more than just a roof over clients’ head. The Intensive Support clients, and to a lesser extent some of the Advice & Advocacy clients, receive comprehensive wraparound support. The key elements of this identified by clients included ‘having someone to talk to’ who is available at any time of day or night.

The support is tailored to meet the needs and recovery plan of each client, through a person centred approach. Support can include directly providing volunteering opportunities, or negotiating them elsewhere, accompanying to appointments, signposting to a range of different services, and

involving them in group activities and expeditions. STARS focus is clearly on recovery in the complete sense of the word, which is a luxury rarely afforded to partner services in the treatment and offender management fields, who are target and numbers driven. This means that their mission is to empower

clients, as without that they will not be able to move on and sustain their recovery.

Experts by experience Genesis has built the STARS team with care, recruiting staff who have a thorough understanding of the experience of their target

Case Study Pip Pip had a mental breakdown three years ago. He has a history of mental health issues, including escalating agoraphobia which was exacerbated by his abuse of prescription drugs. Pip was afraid to leave the house, was unable to deal with his financial and practical problems and lacked selfesteem.

Pip met the STARS Advice and Advocacy worker at his local treatment service to help him in his recovery, sort out his benefits and rebuild his self-esteem. Pip is now free from drugs, and has improved dramatically. He is a Recovery Champion at his treatment service and jointly runs the service user group there. He is very positive about the support provided by STARS, and the impact that it has had on his recovery: ‘Any time I needed support, I could contact the STARS worker; she kept in regular contact by phone, email or face to face. I have someone to talk to and help me though any forms or official stuff I have to deal with. They don’t give me false promises or fob me off. She tells me what to do, even if it is outside my comfort zone and support me to do it… It is just what I needed.’

‘I have much more self-confidence now. I can make eye contact with you which I couldn’t have done a year ago. I don’t have to hide beneath a hat. I feel safe and secure and have been clean for over eight months now. Last week I recorded a promotional video for a local treatment service – I would not ever have believed I could do that. I go out of the house and socialise like a normal person now.’

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group. STARS is a diverse team, including recovered users, exoffenders, ex-police officers and treatment workers, as well as staff with housing and benefits specialisms. They share a strong personal commitment and passion for the work and support one another well. This gives the team credibility with the client group and with partners, and enables trust to be developed quickly, encouraging honesty and making it difficult for clients to ‘blag’ them or avoid addressing issues.

Building resilience Lapse and relapse is an inevitable part of the recovery journey for STARS’ clients but they do not give up on them easily. There were many examples where they had responded supportively to lapses and taken people back into accommodation, even after full relapses and incidents of reoffending.

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The STARS team’s adaptability extends to keeping in touch with those clients who have moved out of their accommodation and into their own tenancies and the wider community. Whilst the level of support necessarily reduces, the team recognise that recovery is a long and not necessarily steady process which has been estimated to take up to five years9, so light-touch links are maintained and clients are clear that they can call the team if and when they need support. Clients are supported with moving into their new homes, budgeting, ongoing benefits support and knowing there is someone to talk to.

Partnership working There were numerous positive testaments to Genesis and STARS’ commitment to and excellent practice in multi-agency working.

They commit considerable time and energy to working closely with partners, frequently acting as

the catalyst for bringing agencies together to achieve positive outcomes for their clients. In this way the STARS team and their clients both benefit from and enrich the local recovery communities in Suffolk.

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“He has definitely turned a corner – he is a changed person in his manner – he has pride in himself and he cares about other people and himself now. He talks sense instead of lies…

He has made his flat lovely all on his own and keeps it clean and is proud of it. I have never seen him like this before.”

[Mother of client]

White, W. (2007) Addiction recovery: Its definition and conceptual boundaries, in Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Vol 33, No. 3, October 2007

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Quantifying and valuing benefits To calculate the Social Value created and the value for money of the STARS programme, further quantitative research was undertaken to the qualitative information collected. The research used in this analysis include: • 34 STARS clients completed a survey, designed by Envoy Partnership and administered

by STARS. • Treatment Outcome Profile (TOP) was provided by Crime Reduction Initiatives (CRI) for a number of STARS clients who were in treatment • Arrest Data was provided by Sussex Police. This data shows frequency of arrest, not reason for arrest.

• Existing STARS client records

Key results from the research showed: 1. 42.55% of clients who accessed STARS’ Intensive Support service, the programme and achieved a positive move-on from STARS. This means that they had made sufficient progress in their recovery to move into alternative accommodation that was not directly supported by STARS. A further 10.64% gained significant benefits from STARS, despite not achieving a positive move-on. These are significant achievements as a high level of drop out from a programme such as STARS is inevitable when dealing with this client group.

2. 20% of clients who access the Advice and Advocacy service are housed either by Genesis or by other social housing providers or supported to avoid eviction.

3. Data for those Intensive Support clients who are in treatment shows a significant decrease in drug use. Use of illicit opiates / opioids, crack, cocaine, amphetamines, cannabis, and other substances has all fallen, as has the injecting of nonprescribed drugs. However, alcohol use has risen, suggesting the kind of cross-addiction described above.

4. Data on arrests (or lack of arrests) was available from Suffolk police for a significant number of STARS

Figure 2: Client survey: Class A Drug Use

• A variety of secondary sources were used, such as the Drug Treatment Outcomes Research study (DTORS)10 and Measuring different aspects of problem drug use: methodological developments.11

2.6

Arrests per client per year: All clients with a history of arrests

0.8

Before STARS

After completion of STARS

13

See www.dtors.org.uk Singleton, N., Murray, R., Tinsley, L., (Home Office, 2006)

10 11

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offending has ceased. Of these, two-thirds have not been arrested for at least two years.

Intensive Support clients. It shows that: • 40% of those who have completed STARS have a history of arrests, but have not been arrested for at least six months, suggesting that their

• For clients with a history of arrests, the number of arrests per year has fallen from 2.6 per client per year before STARS to 0.8 per

Figure 3: Client survey: Class A Drug Use I use Class A drugs quite often, 3%

I use Class A drugs very regularly, 0%

I use Class A drugs occasionally, 32%

My use of Class A drugs has gone down a little, 8%

My use of Class A drugs has stayed the same, 0%

I am completley clean from Class A drugs, 65%

Relationship with loved one

Relationships within your family

How safe you feel

Your own health and well-being

I don’t know, 4%

My use of Class A drugs has gone down a lot, 88%

4.1

9.9

3.9

8.4

4.3

8.6 5.3

client per year after STARS; See Figure 2.

Caution is needed when using this data, as a low level of arrests may mean that an individual is offending but not being caught, or that they have been taken in to prison.

Nonetheless, the data suggests that there has been a substantial reduction in offending levels among STARS clients.

5. A survey of STARS clients showed that 88% say that their use of Class A drugs has gone down a lot, and 65% are now completely clean of Class A drugs. The survey also showed that Mental Well-being has increased over time for STARS clients, that relationships have improved with family members, and that they have been feeling a little less worried about money.

This is shown in Figure 3 below.

6. Telephone interviews with family members show significantly improved family relationships and perceptions of safety, and smaller but still significant changes in health and well-being.

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Before STARS

7.0

After STARS

n=7

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Valuing outcomes Social Return on Investment places financial values on outcomes, allowing the calculation of Return on Investment in a way that incorporates social costs and benefits, as well as economic costs and benefits. The main sources of valuation are outlined below: •

Changes in clients’ long term health, and the corresponding impact on health services, are valued using research from the Drug Treatment Outcomes Research Study (DTORS): Cost-effectiveness analysis.12

•

Changes in levels of offending, and the impact on victims of crime and on the Criminal Justice System, are valued using research from Measuring different aspects of problem drug use: methodological developments.13 This shows, for example, that an individual drug user can cost the Criminal Justice System over £11,600 per year, while causing over £28,000 of social and emotional costs to victims.

•

•

The negative impacts of cross-addiction, and the value of safety to clients, is valued using research from Social Value: Understanding the wider value of public policy interventions.14 Changes in mental health & well-being were also valued using research from Social Value: Understanding the wider value of public policy interventions. This uses a healthcare economics approach to putting a value on well-being.

Understanding Impact There are a number of factors that the analysis takes into account to ensure that the Social Value claimed for STARS is realistic: Deadweight: Deadweight is a measure of what would have happened anyway, in the absence of STARS. Most STARS Intensive Support clients believed that none of the benefits would have happened without STARS. Other sources of evidence provide various types of evidence, and one study suggests that after six years, 13% of heroin users were abstinent.16 For this SROI, deadweight is estimated to be midway between 13%, and clients’ direct feedback (which suggested a figure of 0%).

Attribution: Several factors contribute to recovery; stable accommodation is a necessary factor, but it is not sufficient in itself. STARS’ clients were able to outline how different people and organisations helped them in different ways. In total, 37% of all outcomes for Intensive Support clients are directly attributable to STARS, and 15% of all outcomes for Advice & Advocacy clients are directl y attributable to STARS. Drop Off: Drop Off outlines the extent to which some clients might relapse over time, and how in the longer term STARS cannot take all of the credit for outcomes once clients have ‘moved on’. Evidence from other research suggests that 20% of those who abstain for three months or more relapse within 12 months.17 In addition, the credit that STARS can take for different outcomes decreases by 10% per year.

Full details of the valuations used are available in the full report.15 ■

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Davies, L., Jones, A., Vamvakas, G., Dubourg, R., and Donmall, M. (Home Office, 2009) Singleton, N., Murray, R., Tinsley, L.., (Home Office, 2006), www.dldocs.stir.ac.uk/documents/rdsolr1606.pdf New Economy Working Paper 008, page 29: http://neweconomymanchester.com/downloads/1576-Social-Value-pdf, p. 31 15 Available at xxxxxxxx 16 Rathod, N. H., Addenbrooke, W. M. and Rosenbach, A. F. (2005) Heroin dependence in an English town: 33-year follow-up.Br J Psychiatry. 2005 Nov;187:421-5, cited in Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs 17 Ibid 12

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Social Return on Investment (SROI) February 2015

Results The evaluation shows that Genesis’ STARS project represents an exceptionally creative and effective response to the needs of a challenging group of drug and alcohol using offenders.

In total, the share of the credit (or “attribution”), due to STARS is 14%, which represents just over £1.4 million of Social Value. For every £1 invested, around £4.80 of value is created: an SROI ratio of 4.8:1.

The outcomes for their clients, as well as for families, partners and the state are significant; in total, the STARS programme leads to the creation of just under £10 million of value.

Much of this Social Value is created for clients of STARS’ Intensive

This £10 million represents the Social Value that is created for clients and other stakeholders that would not have been created if it were not for STARS. STARS programme is necessary, but not in itself sufficient.

Clients make progress because they are supported by STARS workers, have access to accommodation (which might be provided by Genesis or by other providers), and also have access to treatment services and the recovery community (such as Narcotics Anonymous). Therefore, STARS cannot on its own claim credit for all of this £10 million.

Support or Advice & Advocacy programmes. However, Social Value is also created for other stakeholders indirectly, such as families, the community, and public services such as the Criminal Justice System. Figure 4 shows the value created for each of these stakeholder groups.

Figure 4: Distribution of Value HMRC: Tax & NI £11,000

Families: Well-being £72,000

NHS /Social Care: ResourceSavings, £38,000 Intensive Support Clients, £200,000

Advice& Advocacy Clients, £84,000

The CriminalJustice System: Resource Savings,£292,000

The Community: Reduced Crime, £707,000

The Community: Reduced Crime The Criminal Justice System: Resource Savings NHS / Social Care: Resource Savings HMRC: Tax & NI Families Intensive Support Clients Advice & Advocacy Clients

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February 2015 Social Return on Investment (SROI)

An SROI ratio of nearly 5:1 shows a very positive return; this is higher than most analyses undertaken by Envoy Partnership. Furthermore, STARS creates a return on investment when just government resources are considered. It also creates a significant return when government resources and value for the community are considered, even when the value to clients and their families are excluded.

Figure 5 shows three different variations of the ratio: •

When just the value created to Government services is considered (this is sometimes referred to as the Return on Investment, rather than the Social Return on Investment, as STARS is funded through public money)

Figure 5: Return on Investment ratios Value Created The Government

Ratio

£342,000

1.2

The Government and the Community

£1,049,000

3.6

The Government, the Community, STARS clients and their families

£1,405,000

4.8

•

When just the value created to the Government and the Community is considered

•

When value to all stakeholders is included

STARS works with a particularly vulnerable and challenging group of people, most of whom are in desperate straits by the time that they access the service. Most organisations, families and friends have given up on them, and they in turn have lost all faith in themselves.

STARS restores that faith, working in close partnership with other key local services, and enables these people to become ‘normal’ again.

Above all they care about their clients, demonstrating that they are worthy of support, including a decent standard of accommodation.

By believing in their clients and in several cases being walking examples of what recovery can achieve, they restore self-belief and the motivation to make that long and difficult journey to full recovery. ■

“Anxiety was a big issue for me – I was overwhelmed by feelings of panic and fear and couldn’t go out without a drink… I have more confidence now and less anxiety – can go out without getting stressed.” [Male client]

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About Genesis Housing Association and Envoy Partnership

Envoy Partnership Genesis Housing Association Genesis is a registered provider of social and supported housing to over 100,000 people in 85 local authorities in London and East of England. For over 40 years, Genesis’ Care & Support arm has been helping vulnerable people with needs arising from mental health, learning disability, old age, homelessness, substance misuse or offending behaviour to reach their goals, make informed life choices and maximise their independence in the community.

Envoy Partnership is an advisor in evidence-based communications and strategic research. We specialise in measuring and demonstrating the value of social, economic and environmental impacts. Envoy Partnership is dedicated to providing organisations, stakeholders, investors and policy makers with the most holistic and robust evaluation tools with which to enhance their decision-making, performance management and operational practices.

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This evaluation was undertaken by Oliver Kempton, Emma Rattenbury, and Andy Warby.

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“Getting my place has given me a bit of self-worth back. Towards the end I was on my knees and attempted suicide… Having a proper base – I know it’s mine, I know it’s there – has definitely built up my confidence, and confidence in the future.” [Male client]

“The on-going support (and accommodation) really increases the chances for people to sustain long term recoveries. It really helps clients who need to stay within the recovery community rather than go back into relapse… STARS shines the spotlight on these issues; accommodation gives people the chance to consider relocation opportunities, creating stronger recovery communities and structure.” [Partner]

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