Greater Hartford Coordinated Access Network
Leadership Committee Meeting
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2016
1.
Welcome and Introduction
a.
Leadership Committee size and scope – Theresa
Nicholson
i. People
in the room are able to make decisions. Each agency please go back and talk to
ED to make sure we know who are the right people in the room to make the right
decision.
1.
Crane said it’s impractical to come based on
agency size on who can come for agency decision making. Crane said we can’t
have the right people but we have the best people. Sometimes we have to come
back and make decisions. Tina Ortiz said she can make decisions for the housing
dept. but she can’t make decision for the clinical dept. because they have
their own VP. Theresa said we’re charged right now with making decision very
quickly so if we don’t have the right people in the room we can’t make the
changes. Only have two months left. Make sure they have support from agency to
make decisions or if they’re able to call and get the decisions made. Having someone
say I’ll let you know next time is 2 weeks away and that is too far away. Tina
said it doesn’t have to be 2 weeks, it takes 1 day to send an email. Crane said
so if we have decisions to be made, if we need answers we can have them
answered via email. Crane said do we want to reduce the size of the group. The
bigger the size, the more distraction and diversion. Crane said on the other
hand, the bigger the size, more input. Originally it was a selected person and
an alternate from an agency. One person designated to make those decisions but
input from anybody. As chair of committee Theresa is not making decisions for
people, just go back to your agencies and ask if you’re the right person.
b.
Mollie asked about the program contacts for PIT.
Cat is the point person for Hartford and Journey Home is covering suburbs.
i. Barbara
Shaw stated 30 people –size dynamics. People don’t participate as much, Don’t
focus. 5 or 6 people end up speaking most of the time. Might want to look at
our size and how to be nimble. Originally designed to be decision making.
Heather attends both meetings because there were things going on at Leadership
that didn’t get disseminated at Operations. Now she has a full picture to bring
back to agency. There are places and times where other meetings but it’s tough
to get all the right information back without having the right people. Crane said meetings are starting to have the
same topics but are there things missing? Heather said yes. Theresa asked if
there’s a process for sharing what goes on in this meeting to the next meeting.
We used to do leadership updates. Sometimes the focus operations is working on
is different than leadership. Theresa said maybe it’s the opposite. That
operations should meet first and any issues that come up then leadership can
talk about. Crane said something we can bring up after Zero:2016 since they
already adjusted the schedule.
2.
Zero: 2016 Updates – Mollie Greenwood
i. Data
from priority list – 26 clients who still need DV. Reached out to Kara, Trish,
Andrea and Steve. Theresa said instead of doing a biosocial psych if navigators
can get hospital paperwork so that LCSW’s can review. Even a list of meds.
Sometimes someone can look at someone’s meds and see what their disability is.
Kara is a gap filler. Andrea didn’t look at the HMIS enrollments for the 26
clients that we sent. Trish did a DV in July in Central and person is still not
housed. DV may have to be redone since it’s been so long. Can be strategic in
the time the DV is being completed – maybe take the higher need people.
b.
Retooling group – new definition – HUD said only
3 per COC – we want to make for 3 per CAN. Only 3 people past the 91st
day. If we get everyone matched within 90 days we will get at functional zero. Fluidity
– if New Haven had 5 and we 1 – New Haven can send us 2. So 24 across the state
but it can vary. People who are refusing housing would not count against this
number. Not forcing to do what they don’t want to do. CT made their own def.
USICH made their own. DOH feels they may never meet the USICH definition. Not
as cut and dry as the veterans. Steve jots down any special circumstances.
USICH may keep their definition and one day we may get there. After we get to
functional zero, it does not mean we no longer we don’t need additional PSH.
Last 18 months, majority have been with new PSH. Looking at current turnover
rate may not enough to meet. Functional zero is going to mean we will be
successful if we have everyone matched except 3 people by 12/31. And housed
with 90 days. I would argue that anyone we have matched before 10/1 and is not
housed yet would not meet ending definition of homelessness. How many people
have been referred before 10/1? Report with barriers and referred for more than
60 days. Roughly about 14 people. Will send report out to agencies.
c.
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Updates – Matt
Morgan – distributed handout for approved individuals through Moving On. When
was this last updated? Numbers I have for my agency are different. They have 8
or 9 for J’Dmelia. Chrysalis got notification that their RAP is terminated and
now have a voucher. Seems to be a discrepancy. Maybe we don’t have information
from Imagineers. Will talk offline. If resistance from J’Dmelia for
inspections, please let DOH know. They have said they will some pressure. Crane
said her understanding is there are 4 in Mary Seymour Place, not 2. We don’t
know what percentages of these we can back fill. When we assigned the agencies folks for
referral for documentation. Any update on that? My Sister’s Place has a couple
of folks and they’re ready to rock and all. Chrysalis got a lot of folks who
didn’t have navigators so we should check in again to make sure we aren’t
duplicating. How do we get somewhere by 12/31? Theresa said we have 11 certs,
this is a great opportunity so we need to pre-match. Kara said we might steal
some from Waterbury for Hartford. May be 30 certs from Waterbury. In the BOS
193 grant, Chrysalis may be assigned an additional 30. Has to be put in HMIS
and DDAP. If they need housing coordination from GHRA, they need to know. They
are trying to figure out what each CAN needs and then distributing it. 16 on
the Sec 8 list are designated for veterans. DOH is encouraging folks to utilize
RRH. Some of the 41 are not project based. Need to be strategic. CRT update on
RRH. Already have 5. Case managers have double caseloads. CRT has taken 5
chronically homeless folks. When can they start taking more referrals? Being at
this level doesn’t mean I can’t just jump and make decision. Will touch base
with Sonia. Steve Dilella said they have 15 certs to be matched – administered
through JDA – no requirement on following RAP guidelines. More in line for
shelter + care. Need to have executive matching meeting. Folks with high
barriers can go in more lenient scattered site. Potentially 30 from statewide.
15 from CHFA. Plus more RRH coming. Turnover from Housing Choice Voucher.
Possibly from Housing Authority. Executive housing matching time. Challenge 15
has been slow. May have openings or cost savings. Can look at Shelter + Care to
see if you have savings or anticipated openings. Matched and then intake has to
be done. They can be doubled up after intake, and accepted into program.
Strategic matching for the immigration issues, sex offender, felonies. Theresa
wants to know what’s going on in the back to get us there. Who’s verified
chronic that we need to match? Potential
openings with potentially chronic units. What’s our next step?
3.
Landlord Mitigation Fund – Matt Morgan – Meeting
yesterday. Fund for landlords to partner with. Encourage landlords to take on
clients they may be iffy with. It’s a reimbursement model.
4.
Outreach Collaborative Card – Nate Fox –
Developed card for other outreach teams. Wanted a way to connect all those
teams under one umbrella. Make sure folks are getting connected any day of the
week. Providers in the room see someone outside can hand to client. Still can
make edits. Will ultimately laminate it. Idea is to leave it behind at a site.
Theresa likes that it’s not business cards. Should have these for the PIT. Iris
confirmed they don’t have to call 211 right? Just call the number. Theresa
asked where we can get these to be picked up. Nate is working on it.
5.
Cold weather protocol – draft of the process
included in packet. Still actively meeting. Meeting next week. Kristy has had
follow up meetings with 4 different work groups – CAN integration, shelter
waitlist, 211. Pop up warming centers for severe weather nights. Other warming
centers in other folks. Location for no freeze is “in flux” – spoke directly
with Holy Trinity and initially they said yes and then they realized they have
to go through the Archdiocese. Looking into St. Peter’s school as a backup
option. Hope that can get clarified and lock down. Also have challenges with
the church’s role in all of this. Challenge of working in congregational
church. Initially the church said yes we will do it and details emerged along
the line and then the church retracted. Asked journey home if they could step
in. Challenges there. Hoping we can push this through with the church. No other
options at this point. Have done so much work on this. Best way to support this
in Nate’s opinion is to give encouragement towards Nate’s organization because
they need to understand the dire need of this. Would be tremendous help if they
hear from us all how many people this will impact. Who do we need to send
things to? What is the proper channel? Is it a phone call, letter? Who is the
decision maker? Senior minister and the prudential committee and the
chairperson of that board. Would be the two most important places. Letter
collectively from the CAN could be helpful. For now, they pulled the plug asked
Theresa? Nate said, they’ve pulled the plug but the city has our name on all
the paperwork to pass the RFT. Even though nothing has been signed, in order
for another organization to be single sourced they would have to do all that
paperwork again and that took a month. Nate said they think it’s liability.
Certain things that are done by congregational church they would have to have
congregational meeting. Depth of participation was not clear. As the checklist
of things that come with the role came out, it came apparent that it needed the
full church’s agreement. If we can subcontract all the labor from temp agency
then that would defer issues with employment and having people on payroll.
Challenges with temp agency and also unemployment when you have to lay them
off. Theresa said she has to find out if she can sign it. She has to verify
that she can sign as the chairperson of the committee. Prudential chair is
Luciano. It’s unfortunate that it’s happened after all the work. Kudos to Nate
for being professional.
At CAN assessments, people who are doubled up and added to waitlist is like false hope. Have to change message to these folks because there is also fresh people coming in so people never really will get called. We are not a right to shelter state and we don’t have enough beds for everyone. Shelter waitlist is a crutch – “I can’t do anything for you but let’s put you on this list” – Nate suggested a branding change may help. Term of shelter waitlist may give people wrong idea. Waitlist is when people keep going up but when someone goes from 25 to 32, it’s hard to explain.
Asylum Hill
and St. Peter’s are still on board for when governor declares cold weather.
Each of them is 25-50 beds. Covers men women and families. Avoid taking folks
who are doubled up if shelter is empty. Work with them to divert. Tomorrow you
may have someone in your car. No one at DOH is going to ding you for leaving a
bed open for a day or two. Hold those beds so that someone can come in who may
really need it. Try to divert on the phone. Crane suggested sending an email
out. Folks won’t believe it until it’s in writing. If they report it verbally,
they won’t do it. Sarah said they called everyone on the list today. They’re
having a hard time filling beds. They don’t think there’s any unsheltered
family.
Families are
having a hard time filling shelters. Can families take more individuals? Work
with DOH. Suites at EHFS are empty. Salvation Army said people are refusing
shelter when doubled up. Not showing up for intake.
6.
Dedicated Diversion Staff Plan – Mollie
Greenwood, Dave Martineau – handful of folks dedicated to diversion. Has
knowledge of great resources of the community. Asked the community what funds
we have for diversion. CHR budget is combined with diversion and something
else. Mercy has $234,000 just for diversion. Trying to consolidate all
appointments into that meeting. Request for money from Mercy is complicated. They’ve
turned requests within 24 hours. They’ve done food, motel stays, flights,
rental assistance, bus ticket, greyhound, etc. Only for folks imminently
homeless. The money will prevent them from shelter waiting list or coming into
shelter. Sarah DiMaio asked about shelter clients with high utility bills. Use
Be Homeful funds for utility. Have had $15,000 in Be Homeful through CCEH. Have
to catch them early as soon as they get into the system.
7.
Announcements:
a.
The State of Connecticut, Department of Housing
(DOH), is seeking proposals from eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and
municipalities to provide at least one program for people who are homeless or
at risk of homelessness along the Connecticut continuum of services. This
continuum includes coordinated access services, shelter diversion services,
shelter operations, rapid re-housing services, new permanent supportive housing
services or youth transitional living programs. See CCEH’s 10/28 email for further information
b.
This year’s Point In Time count has been
tentatively scheduled for January 24th for the sheltered count, and
January 25th for the unsheltered count.
c.
The Youth Count is a week long effort that corresponds
with the Point-in-Time Count to count all of those experiencing homelessness in
Connecticut that focuses specifically on youth and young adults aged 24 and
below. This year’s upcoming Youth Count
will take place around the same time as our PIT count. Contact Steve.Hurley@journeyhomect.org
for additional information, or to get involved in this year’s youth count.
d.
Next GH CAN Leadership Meeting will fall on our
two year CAN-niversary!
Zero: 2016 Housing Data
Diversion Funds in the GH CAN
Agency
|
Security Deposit
|
Rental Assistance/Arrears
|
Utility Assistance/ Arrears
|
Transportation Funds
|
Miscellaneous Funds
|
CHR
|
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The Network Against Domestic Abuse
|
$2500 annually
|
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Hands On Hartford
|
about $1800 a month, half is through Center Church (HOH does the
vetting, Center Church makes the payment) up to $400 / family
|
0
|
HOH is now an
Operation Fuel Fuel Bank so will be meeting with folks and processing
applications two days a week (and one evening a month) for the Winter and
then Summer programs; in the Spring we have $27,000 of money to support
other folks in utility assistance/arrears
|
0
|
We have a shopping
model food pantry so can help folks with groceries; For the next few
months we still have some (a couple thousand dollars) Employment
Opportunity Funds supported by Melville that can help homeless/at risk with
things like ids, bus passes, clothing/shoes, training expenses that are
related to jobs or school
|
Mercy Housing and Shelter
|
|||||
Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness
|
0
|
0
|
$14,913
|
0
|
0
|
Other agencies?
|
?
|
?
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?
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?
|
?
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GH CAN November Meeting and Event Schedule
You can find this calendar, and other GH CAN materials on www.journeyhomect.org/provider-resources
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