Key to Home, Catholic Charities launch homelessness diversion pilot

The Key to Home Partnership and Catholic Charities have launched a pilot program to help people avoid entering emergency shelters and to move those already in shelters back into housing. 

The Diversion and Rapid Exit pilot provides short-term support to people and families who are newly homeless or at immediate risk. The goal is to find safe alternatives to shelter whenever possible and to shorten shelter stays for those who enter. 

“By intervening early and helping people quickly reconnect with safe alternatives, we can reduce the number of people entering homelessness, which will free up resources for people with more complex needs,” said Jamie Caves, strategy implementation manager for the Key to Home Partnership. 

Catholic Charities will place three case managers at entry points to the homeless system. They will work with clients to identify housing options, diversion and rapid exit, as well as use private assistance funds if needed. 

“Catholic Charities brings years of experience in housing stabilization and client-centered service delivery to the partnership,” Caves said. 

“We are honored to be part of this forward-thinking initiative,” said Patrick Raglow, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. “Diversion gives us a real opportunity to walk with people in crisis and help them avoid the pain and disruption of homelessness. It's compassionate, effective, and deeply aligned with our mission to serve the most vulnerable.” 

Diversion programs focus on keeping people out of shelters by using existing personal networks or one-time financial help.  

"This pilot is a vital step in shifting how we respond to homelessness in Oklahoma City," said Caves. "Diversion is not just a program—it's a strategic investment in long-term solutions for our community. 

The new Diversion and Rapid Exit Pilot complements existing diversion programming for youth, operated by Pivot. The program is tailored to youth, with the goal of identifying safe alternatives to entering shelter and avoiding unsheltered homelessness. 

With diversion now available to all age groups, Key to Home leaders say the program will slow the number of new households falling into homelessness and help balance the number of people entering and leaving the system. 

The pilot is part of the Key to Home strategic framework, which focuses on: 

1. Reducing entries into homelessness through Diversion and Rapid Exit services 
2. Supporting street-to-housing pathways through efforts like the Encampment Rehousing Initiative and coordinated outreach 
3. Increasing housing connections by adding rental subsidies and expanding housing capacity 

For more information, visit keytohomeokc.org.