Ritter Center Helps Ireland Find Solutions to Homelessness -- Ritter Executive invited to Ireland following government’s visit

February 11, 2019 (San Rafael).  In April, Ritter Center Executive Director Mark Shotwell will be traveling to Ireland at the request of the Irish government to advise the country on developing solutions to its homeless problem.
 
Shotwell will be one of only a handful of U.S. homelessness experts participating in a national conference the Irish government is convening to launch innovative approaches to solving its issues around this societal issue.
 
Shotwell, who was appointed Ritter Center’s Executive Director in December, reports that a team of Ireland’s senior health and housing officials conducted a fact-finding visit to Ritter Center and other Bay Area providers last November. The purpose was to learn about Ritter’s Housing First approach, which has been implemented throughout all services and in the Ritter-led Marin County Whole Person Care Housing Based Care Management Model.
 
Whole Person Care is Marin’s multi-agency, collaborative approach that integrates housing, medical, and mental health care for highly vulnerable populations with complex issues.  Other participating agencies include St. Vincent de Paul, the Marin Housing Authority, Homeward Bound of Marin, and Marin County’s Whole Person Care team.   Last year, Ritter Center led collaborative efforts to implement the model; to date, the collaborators have successfully provided integrated services and arranged housing for 70 highly vulnerable individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.
 
“The visiting team indicated they were so impressed with our work – especially the high level of coordination and integration of services -  that they asked us to participate in their efforts,” reported Shotwell.
 
“The fact that the Irish government is looking to Ritter Center is a great honor,” he said. Shotwell. “But more importantly, it gives us the opportunity to help address an issue that is faced throughout the world. We’re very proud of our work and eager to share what we have learned.”
 
Shotwell,  who resides in Crockett, was initially recruited to Ritter Center in March 2018 to lead
 
-more-
its Whole Person Care program.  A recognized expert in the field, he has over 26 years’
experience in housing, social services, and health care services for individuals experiencing long term homelessness. Appointed Interim Executive Director in August, he was named Executive Director last December. 
 
Since his arrival at Ritter Center, Shotwell has strengthened the organization in multiple ways, including adding more clinical staff so that clients have easier access to timely health care, serving as a leader in the County’s Housing First and Whole Person Care efforts, bringing national best practices to the team, and expanding mental health grant funding.


“Mark was absolutely the right person to become our Executive Director,” explained
Margaret Trezevant, Chair of the Ritter Center Board of Directors. “He is an expert with great depth and breadth in the field, is highly innovative, and a strong leader. His ability to collaborate with other organizations and his connections within the field are superb; our new relationship with the government of Ireland is just one example.”
 
“Our goal is to not only ensure Ritter Center’s long term sustainability, but to be a center of excellence for our clients. If we can share our experiences with other countries, we are doubly pleased,” concluded Shotwell.

About Ritter Center
Ritter Center is a community-based non-profit organization that has assisted Marin’s lowest income residents for over 39 years.  We help families and individuals stabilize their lives through integrated, wraparound services including case management, housing assistance, primary health care, specialty care coordination, mental health therapy, substance abuse counseling, emergency financial assistance, supplementary food, and day services. All of our services are provided free of charge to people experiencing poverty.