GREATER HARTFORD COORDINATED ACCESS NETWORK MEETING AGENDA
Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at 1PM – 2:15PM
1. Welcome and Introductions – 10 minutes
2. ESG Proposed Allocation for FY 2020-21 – Lionel Rigler – 10 minutes
- Polling did not appear on everyone's screen
- No abstain or no votes
3. COVID – 19 – All – 48 minutes
a. Agency updates/barriers
- Journey Home - hand up program is currency closed until further notice, career pathways program is postponed till next month. CAN meetings will be held virtually until further notice
- Cornerstone - closed clothing bank, food pantry is handing out prep packaged groceries, food pantry is also handing out pre packaged meals. Possibility to use executive space as a quarantine space. Need masks.
- CRT - staff will be working from home, no walk-ins or face to face meetings with clients, 395 wethersfield ave will not be accepting walk in clients, or energy assistance, all will be done online. New referrals at McKinney will be on hold. All staff have laptops to work from home. McKinney reducing beds by 6-8 beds? Capacity will be 72. Isolated beds are for anyone with symptoms. No longer accepting donations or new clients until further notice. Shelter case managers are still working in shelters for now, same for EH Shelter. Clients who can not be reached virtually? Needs to be discussed as an agency. McKinney also has thermometers for clients and staff, and information about the virus is provided all over shelters, food donations are being accepted..
- SPI - Identified administration offices as quarantine spaces, 8 people space. Ex Leadership will be present 7 days a week, rotations. Discussions with clients about self care. Engaging with clients and still accepting new intakes. Quiet spaces are being created. Accepting food donations, freezing fresh produce to allow it to last longer. Working with guests to keep them inside more often. Large tents, picnic tables for outdoors. Thermometers (ebay) have been ordered.
- SAMH - at capacity, trying to reduce numbers. Spreading out families, each family is in its own unit. Not able to take in any new families. Staff are still willing to come into work. Ordered supplies needed like thermometers and paper goods. Warming center is reduced to 50. Numbers have increased over the past two days. City is looking into additional space. Practicing hand washing - 2 bathrooms only. Homeless prevention program is going remote, no face to face case management. Diversion will be call backs. Staff will be at shelter, management is available. Food pantries are open but bagged. Fruit is being packaged and handed out. Kids meals are available for pick up through Hartford Schools and City. Telehealth opportunities are still being identified by the city, the next step will be figuring out transportation. No challenge yet with clients who do not have phones. SA has a national partnership to get free phones - Brenda is looking into the plan. Need masks.
- CHR - reducing face to face clients and transportation, as needed being provided. Staff are able to work from home. Staff are still going out into the community. Phones are being discussed - phone outreach is being implemented. New workflow for RRH for folks over 60. Path has 1 staff - she is seeing people as needed with distance. Substitutes accompany outreach staff.
- Open Hearth - handwashing and hygiene are being practiced and discussed, staffing patterns are being cooperative, over capacity. Isolation area has been identified. Cleaning regularly. No protective gear is available for staff. Strong emphasis on distancing and practicing social distancing. Need hand sanitizers.
- Interval House - also practicing similar procedures, at capacity. Safe house has private rooms. Quarantine space has been identified - lower level space. Advocates are available remotely. No issues with people without phones - will be discussed internally. Volunteers, presentors, and trainers are on hold at the moment. Leadership staff is on call. Some staff are working remotely. Safety planning is being done with CCADV. Unable to accept any new clients. If spaces open up it will be taken into consideration to accept new clients based on safety.
- Mercy - Diversion appointments are being done virtually by phone. One client did not have a phone but had a friend who allowed use of their phone. 211 will email if someone can not get in contact with Steph. Staff is going out based on case by case. Check requests are being done remotely. Mercy and MSP will be doing case management by phone. Clients know how to reach staff. Staff will have computer access. Friendship center is now a grab and go model. Hartford communal program is being used.
- YWCA - key vendors are allowed on site, enhanced cleaning and discussion on self awareness and cleaning. Remote case management is being done by phone and facetime. PSH resident was tested and came back negative. Staff who work in the office area were offsite during cleaning. Needing to increase petty cash that will encourage folks to stay indoors. One space is identified as a quarantine area. Convincing people to stay indoors.
- ImmaCare - Casa apt building community room is closed, cleaning is being done. Case management is being done over phone mostly but some are still meeting. High risk staff are permitted to work from home.
- HOH - day center and meal program has moved uptown. Today was the first day uptown. Security deposits are being done. Donations are being accepted. Working on getting protective equipment and transportation. Need hand sanitizers.
- As DMHAS is working to manage a response to the pandemic and the rapidly changing situation, and modifications to planning can be expected. One current goal is for most staff to begin Teleworking soon and clinical staff will be in contact with clients by phone. Clients and visitors are not entering buildings for the most part: all staff and those clients who do enter outpatient areas are screened with thermometers by nurses. Isolation areas have been made available. Priority programs for CRHMC are Mobile Crisis, Inpatient and Residential programs, and tighter entry restrictions are imposed. PSH staff may begin telework as early as next Monday, however, planning is ongoing at this time. For GHRA, the three individual households displaced by the Charter Oak fire, and one of the two priority families have housing identified and we expect to house them by the end of the day this Friday 3/20. The other family has a small rental house that should be ready for April 1 and we will be able to conduct that lease-up.
- The Connection - remote working, some are still being done face to face. Quarantine space has been identified. Cellphones to youth are being worked on to provide to those who do not have cell phones.
- Enfield Warming Center - Warming center will stay open till April 2nd. Camp site. No more volunteers, limited staff. Anxiety is high at the warming center. 8 guests need protective gear. No more face to face appointments
- Surveys can be filled out again for DOH on what is needed. Additional questions might be added to the survey.
- DOH has a webpage that is being updated with information
- Matt to send out link to survey
b. Staffing, coverage, and cross training
- Some agencies are at minimum staff
- OH is offering hazard pay, paying $125 prorated. Fred to send information to Matt. Identified at risk staff. Being called crisis pay
- Hazard pay to be considered for each agency - JH has funding available
- Paid time off has been increased if they are sick, can borrow time
- SA hazard pay has been discussed. Can other agencies share information? Allowing staff to go negative in benefit time.
- Asking the National Guard to provide staffing help, do people want this option?
- OH - not right now
- Cornerstone - not right now
- Leave option open
- Staffing warming center is a concern - partnership with city to provide staff
- Armory in Hartford is being set up as quarantine space
- City has quarantine spaces identified but not public at the moment
- Cross training agencies
c. Documents for funding requests
d. DOH Funding for Individuals
4. Cold Weather Update– Lauren Fair – 5 minutes
5. Bezos Day One Fund and DOH Funding for Families – 2 minutes
- Fund for individuals are available
- Rapid exit for families
- Rapid for individuals will be funded by ACT
6. New Agenda Items
7. Announcements
- Imagineers is closed to the public
- Clients who had appointments are willing to maybe do intake 5/16 people.Appointments are next week for the 5 clients. Need location for signing releases. Any spaces? HOH is open - Matt to reach out to Barbara.
- Seniors out of shelters - DOH is working with agencies for hotel placement
- Meals to be provided to seniors using maybe meals on wheels
- CRT is checking in - will get back to Matt
- Have calls weekly? Yes, schedule meetings virtually at the same time.
- Planning process for National Guard - Mimi to find out about state wide plans
Hartford City Plan 2035 Visit: https://hartford2035.org/
Cancelled Meetings:
Interested in participating in the planning process? Attend a meeting!
o 3/30, 6 – 8 pm: St. Francis Hospital, Conference Room A, 95 Woodland Street
*** Online participation is still available
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