Author Archives: jimschlosser

It’s not about Justice, It’s about what’s Possible

I work on ending homelessness in Concord, NH.  Why?  Because it gives meaning to my life.  Working on this issue is a privilege.  It is a gift really.  Victor Frankl asserted that the key to surviving Auschwitz was having something yet to do with his life–something that gave his life meaning.  This work on homelessnessContinue reading “It’s not about Justice, It’s about what’s Possible”

Prosocial Ideas May Help Us End Homelessness

Prosocial (Prosocial: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive, Equitable and Collaborative Groups by Atkins, Wilson and Hayes) is a mix of ideas from evolutionary science, core design principles for governing a commons from Elinor Ostrom, and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)(Training) based in contextual behavioral science.   Here in Concord, there are more than 60 agencies and departments thatContinue reading “Prosocial Ideas May Help Us End Homelessness”

Homeless (In)Stability System Performance

What is current performance of the Concord Housing (In)Stability System? The performance of the Concord Housing (In)Stability System can be described in a number of ways–outcomes for the beneficiaries of a system, effectiveness (user benefit), efficiency (ratio of output to inputs), stakeholder satisfaction, etc. The numbers are difficult to come by. And every estimate comesContinue reading “Homeless (In)Stability System Performance”

Is Ending Homelessness a Commons?

Why is ending homelessness in our community an example of a commons? There are many agencies, institutions and government departments in the Concord, NH community working on some facet of the prevention, service and resolution of homelessness. The diagram shows numerous purpose-driven groups working hard on one or more parts of the system–social services, publicContinue reading “Is Ending Homelessness a Commons?”

Seen any lately? What is a commons?

What is a commons? From medieval times, commons referred to any resource used together with others–grazing land, forests, water use. From modern times it has been described as any common pool natural resource, such as fishing rights, irrigation, pastures. The “tragedy of the commons” as described by Garrett Hardin in 1968 is that if notContinue reading “Seen any lately? What is a commons?”

Improvement vs. Evolution

Improvement science has guided my health improvement work for more than three decades. Deming’s definition of a system includes the critical understanding that a system’s outputs (results) are a function of the attributes of the system itself–“Every system is perfectly designed to give the results it gets.” (Outcomes, the impact or import of outputs forContinue reading “Improvement vs. Evolution”

How is Housing Security a System that can Improve?

To improve a system, it may be helpful to frame three components of that system: 1) how we make what the system provides, 2) what society needs, and 3) how we improve what we make in the system. A system is an interdependent group of people, items, process, products and services that have a commonContinue reading “How is Housing Security a System that can Improve?”

Housing is a Social Determinant of Health

Briefly, see Don Berwick’s 2021 National Forum Plenary on Ten Teams: Health Care’s Great Power and Great Responsibility He starts with a previous framing of the Moral Determinants of Health which include Ending hunger and homelessness in the US.  His frame is that the healthcare system must become an active agent of change. He challengesContinue reading “Housing is a Social Determinant of Health”

How Good is the New Hampshire Food Stamp System?

“Every system is perfectly designed to give the results it gets.” Context: Social determinants drive 80% of health outcomes, clinical care drives 20% (see County Health Rankings Model). Food insecurity, unemployment, and poverty increased during the great recession (2008)  and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Yet SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program–food stamp) enrollments haveContinue reading “How Good is the New Hampshire Food Stamp System?”