GH CAN Leadership Meeting 2/17/2021

 

GREATER HARTFORD COORDINATED ACCESS NETWORK MEETING AGENDA

Wednesday, February 17, 2021 via Zoom

 1PM – 2:15PM

 

1.       Welcome and Introductions – 5 minutes

2.       COVID – 19 Agency Updates – 5 minutes

a.       ESG COVID (Outreach, RRH, Diversion, and Prevention) Updates

                                                               i.      ImmaCare –11 reported testing positive, those who have tested positive are at SPI. 2^nd round of testing was conducted and will be reported on Friday

                                                             ii.      McKinney – 2^nd round of vaccination is tomorrow, 44 residents getting vaccinated with 30 hotel staff. Will go to a site to be tested tomorrow.

                                                           iii.      SA – some positive cases at warming center – staff not shelter guest; vaccinations are being worked on with the city to be done at Marshall House. Staff vaccinations are being scheduled by staff through VAMS.

                                                           iv.      Capitol Region – last dose will be on 2/24^th for vaccinations. Some staff who has not been vaccinated will go to another location.

                                                             v.      GHHRC – one staff member tested positive. Individuals who have been exposed are being tested. Most staff have received 2^nd round of vaccinations. 1 staff has not been tested.

b.       Vaccinations

3.       New Outreach Collaborative Direct Referral Proposal – Barbara Shaw – 10 minutes

a.       Working with the city. City has broken up a few encampments, working with the city to slow down the process of breaking encampments. Meeting with them tomorrow to propose a plan. Outreach would like to be more involved.

b.      Outreach workers have been out in community. Trying to engage with those who are unsheltered. Some are hesitant to receive help from outreach workers.

c.       Proposal – some ability for outreach to use professional judgement and flex admission to some shelter beds for those who are refusing to go to the warming center or other options. Trying to prevent anyone from freezing outside. Would like to have the refusal group go into beds (hotel rooms – about 3 rooms) that are open.

                                                              i.      Kelly – had a cold weather meeting, agreed can case by case those who refuse warming center. Warming center is most likely reducing number of people at WC. Another Cold Weather Committee meeting to come to discuss those who are outside and into an available bed.

                                                             ii.      Need to work on logistics such as who are the contacts that will call hotel provider to make the direct referral. How do we stop with vacancies?

                                                           iii.      Leadership is in agreement with Barbara’s concept to leave hotel beds open for those who refuse to go to shelter.

                                                           iv.      Mark – beds are open, however filling up quickly.

4.       Cold Weather/Winter Planning Updates – Lisa Cretella, Bryan Flint, Kara Capone, Mark Jenkins, Emily Soucy, and Kelly Gonzalez– 15 minutes

a.       Triage has been closed but will reopen tonight.

b.      Warming Center – very different population is being served this year compared to others. Large amount if mental health and substance abuse. Lots of clients need more residential care and more supervision. Lots of clients need medication administration. Shelter providers can not provide this service. Food is provided at WC however most of the clients are still hungry and go through the trash for discarded meals. How can we open services that have closed during COVID? WC has to reduce capacity because of behavior issues and lack of staff. Safety is a concern for guests and staff. Capacity will be cut down to 50, will be in one room with social distancing guidelines.

c.       SPI – last Friday got a lot of clients who were substance users at 5pm. Hard to connect to providers to receive treatment. Had to manage withdrawal over the weekend. Lots of acute withdrawal in isolation area.  

d.      Manchester – working with town and HOH. 3^rd of clients are from the Hartford Warming Center.

5.       Accessing In-home Intensive Services – Breakout Rooms – 20 minutes Breakout

a.       Medications Administration/ Visiting Nurses/ Medication Assisted Treatment

b.       Home Health Aids/ Live in Aids

c.       Behavioral Health/ ACTT Teams (Hartford/Suburbs)

d.       Conservatorship/ Guardian Ad litem

e.       Elderly Protective Services/ Disability Protective Services/ DDS

f.        Accessing Waivers

g.       Other Programs Not Listed

6.       Accessing Higher Levels of Care and Residential Treatment Programs – Breakout Rooms

a.       Board and Care

b.       Group Homes

c.       SRO/ Rooming House

d.       Detox/ Rehab

e.       Convalescent Homes

f.        Skilled Nursing Facilities

g.       Other Program Not Listed

7.       Debrief of Topics Above – 15 minutes

a.       Crane’s group – short term – Yoshi and Elijah will look at how to access meds. Accessing In-home Intensive Services topic. Subcommittee to identify resources. Interconnecting services. DMHAS and DOH to look at connections to administer methadone. Adding Crisis services to the list. Guardianship steps and how to access.

b.      Lisa’s Group – Accessing Higher Levels of Care and Residential Treatment Programs David and Rebekah will look at board and care. Other have volunteered for other topics. Identified names. SRO/ Rooming houses – Fred. CHR Enfield will connect with sober houses. Bryan will reach out DCF. Half Way houses – entry location. System gap for skilled nursing. Will revisit in 2 weeks.

8.       HIC/PIT Update – Lisa Quach – 3 Minutes

a.       Data has been entered. CCEH going through them.

b.       Using PIT unsheltered enrollment moving forward.

9.       Future Agenda Items or Additional Announcements – 1 minutes