Greater Hartford- Coordinated Access Network
Meeting Notes
November 12, 2014
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1. Introductions & GH-CAN Meeting Notes for last week, 10/29/2014
(emailed)
a. Today, as a
kick-off to our CAN going live next Monday, Crane and Matt collaborated to
bring snacks for everyone. Take as many
as you want!
2. Updates:
a. CAN Implementation Schedule: GH CAN Tentative Start Date 11/17/14.
b. GH-CAN HMIS Training- Feedback from this week’s trainings
so far.
i.
Staff
who attended the training said that the training was straightforward and easy
to understand. Staff who attended
trainings should receive their usernames shortly after training.
ii.
There
was some confusion regarding Releases of Information for the CAN process. Initially, 211 will be getting a verbal
consent to share client information when they are on the phone. In our CAN assessments, there was some
uncertainty as to whether clients then needed to sign an additional ROI in
person.
iii.
Clients
do need to sign an HMIS ROI in person.
You should not be selecting the option that says client has agreed to
share their information until you have a client sign off on the paper version
of the HMIS ROI.
1.
Unfortunately,
unless a client releases their information to be shared with the whole group,
they will not be able to access services in the CAN. This can be frustrating to clients, but is
necessary in order to create a community-driven referral list.
c.
Shelter Bed Availability Report:
Please note that this is an
Internal CAN
Document only, and should only be distributed to CAN agency staff.
i.
At
last week’s meeting, we discussed updating on a daily basis, so that DSCs would
have a better idea of actual bed availability throughout the day. Numbers of available beds fluctuate a lot
throughout the course of a day, and so numbers at 8 PM are very different than
those in the morning.
ii.
We
agreed that shelters will update at 10AM when they first know their
availability for that day. Additionally,
as they get new referrals throughout the day from DSCs and triage centers, it
is the responsibility of the shelters to update their availability on the
Google Document as soon as they promise a bed for a client.
iii.
We
also discussed that if a DSC is looking for a shelter bed for a client, they
should first consult the google document.
Based on availability, they should contact whichever shelter appears to have room for
the client. Once they locate an
available bed, they should inform the client, and the receiving shelter should
update their google document to indicate that they no longer have that bed
available.
1.
DSCs
do not need to call triage centers every time they are looking for a bed, and
can call shelters directly. But once a
shelter receives a client, it is that shelter’s responsibility to update the
google document to reflect that the client has taken a bed. The document needs to be updated and kept as
accurate as possible so triage centers are not making referrals for beds that
are unavailable.
d.
Other CANs in Connecticut- Updates
from Fairfield County
i.
Last week Matt, Crane, and Mollie got to meet with a
representative from the Fairfield County CAN, and she was able to provide some
feedback about the CAN go-live process.
ii.
Wait times on 211 did increase when their CAN went
live, because of their volume. 211 is
working to hire more people and reduce wait times again, so that everyone can
be served in a timely manner.
iii.
The Fairfield County CAN had one central contact
person with questions and concerns- this was helpful because she knew what was
going on across the CAN with a variety of service providers. When our CAN goes live, the contact person
will be Mollie Greenwood (mollie.greenwood@journeyhomect.org)
iv.
Their appointments had been running really long due
to the shelter intakes being part of the assessment appointment- HMIS is
working to modify this intake so we will do a shorter version with clients at
the appointment.
e.
Rapid Rehousing Working Group- Will be
meeting in coming weeks to determine how to best integrate RR with the
CAN. Until then, continue referrals as
usual.
i.
There was a conference call this morning with DOH,
DMHAS, CHR, and Journey Home to discuss how to best work with Rapid Rehousing
programs in the CAN. Because we have
such a variety of programs, it will be difficult to create a unified referral
list like the one we have for PSH especially because of the different program
intensities.
ii.
We also discussed that in some cases, when a client
is coming to our assessment they may not be literally homeless. Many people may be at imminent risk of
homelessness, because we are accepting people into our CAN who are 7 days from
homelessness. We wondered if the
VI-SPDAT as a tool would still be useful, because so many of the questions are
based on experiences since becoming homeless, an experience some of our new
clients may not yet have. We will
continue to look for guidance on this issue.
Right now, you can’t complete an HMIS CAN Intake until you complete a
VI-SPDAT.
VI-SPDAT.
iii.
The Rapid Rehousing programs will have a meeting in
the next few weeks to discuss how the different RRH programs will work
together. Brenda suggested that we might want to prioritize programs based on
funding expiration. Also, due to the faster pace of Rapid Rehousing, we think
we need a process that operates faster than once-weekly meetings.
1.
We also discussed scores on the VI-SPDAT, and the
fact that some people might score surprisingly low, given case managers’ past
history with clients. If staff thinks
that someone has received a score that does not accurately reflect their
vulnerability, we need an appeals process.
Right now, for PSH and TH clients, we created an appeal form that can be
completed and brought to a Housing Referral Group meeting. For Rapid Rehousing clients, since we
anticipate a faster process, we may need to consider a different process for
modifying VI-SPDAT scores.
iv.
We still need to figure out how information from
HMIS is going to get sent back to us as a CAN.
f.
Duty Service Coordinator Packets- Please
take one for each DSC in your organization.
3. GH CAN Policies and Procedures – Updates
a. Sandy Barry
from Salvation Army Marshall House had some feedback and questions about the
CAN Policies and Procedures, so we discussed a few sections.
i.
The DSC section of the Policies and Procedures
manual needs to be modified to reflect the DSC Daily Operating Procedures
handbook.
ii.
In cases where a case manager or CAN staff believes
the VI-SPDAT score does not accurately reflect vulnerability, we are working to
develop an efficient appeal / score modification process.
iii.
We discussed the fact that completing the UHA may
not be necessary for all clients. In
some cases, clients may come into the shelter and leave two days later, because
they were able to self-resolve. Because
not every client needs a supportive housing intervention to leave shelter, it
is not imperative to complete a UHA the day a client arrives to shelter.
iv.
Document readiness is still going to be an issue we
will face as a community. As we move
forward with unified referral lists, having document-ready clients will be a
community need.
4. CAN Process Practice Scenarios- See p. 4.
a. Journey
Home drafted some practice scenarios on how to work with clients that may come
into assessment appointments, and the group reviewed a list of diversion
resources compiled by Journey Home.
b. Many of the
diversion resources have funding that gets turned on and off, and so not every
program will be able to function all the time.
We hope that by giving people a list of some programs, we can start to
collect a more complete list of diversion resources in the area.
c. Fred
Faulkner reminded the group that this isn’t a new, radically different
process. All of our staff already work
to refer people to community programs other than our limited housing programs. As we move forward, it’s important to
remember that what we are doing is not fundamentally changing, we are just
formalizing our information collection process.
d. It is also
important to keep thinking outside the box.
It could be helpful for this group to think about shared housing options
and how we can get creative to get people housed.
i.
CCEH will be holding a training that will discuss
Rapid Rehousing and creative possibilities for helping people find
housing. The training will be December
16th, from 9-4:30. You can find more information here: http://www.cceh.org/news/archive/register-core-skills-in-rapid-rehousing-training-dec.-16
5. Questions
a. Not a question, but a reminder to
everyone in the room. The group that has
worked on this CAN planning process has come so far in these last
months, and the whole group should be very proud of the collaboration that has
taken place. Great job everyone!
6. Marketing Plan:
a. Please update as many of your
contacts as possible about next week’s change.
b. Informational materials – sample from
Fairfield’s email blast; GH CAN info sheet, consumer cards.
c. Posters are now available in English
and Spanish. Other languages needed –
suggestions? We’ve been offered assistance and need to decide. Planned for statewide meeting.
d. Other suggestions?
7. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Next week’s meeting will be our first live meeting.
Duty
Services Coordinators will meet at 1:30
Housing
Referral Group will meet at 1:30
Core Review
Group will meet at 2:30
GH-CAN
Oversight Group will meet at 2:30
All are
welcomed to next week’s meeting.
Good luck,
GH-CAN!
GH CAN Coordinators:
Matt
Morgan, Journey Home matt.morgan@journeyhomect.org
CHR-
Amber Higgins
CHR-
Chelsea Fortson
CHR-
Shanika Wallace
CHR-
Kathy Shaw
CHR-
Asra Mir
CHR-
Rob Soderberg
Cornerstone
– Bryan Flint
CRT/East
Hartford – Jamie Randolph
CRT/East
Hartford – Patrice Moulton
Immaculate
Conception – Steve MacHattie
MACC
– Shannon Baldassario
MACC
– Sarah Melquist
McKinney
– Jose Vega
Mercy
Housing – Rubi Alegria
My
Sisters’ Place – Tamara Womack
My
Sisters’ Place –Rosemary Flowers
The Open Hearth – Chris Fortier
The Open Hearth – Sally Ann Shaw
The Open Hearth – Jorge Cruz
The Open Hearth – Cordelia Brady
Salvation Army Marshall House – Josephine
Wilson
Salvation Army Marshall House- Rosemyn
Falu-Rodriguez
Salvation Army Marshall House – Genevieve
Eugene
Salvation Army Marshall House – Lourdes Ward
Salvation Army Marshall House – Iris ToRRes
South Park Inn – Heather Pilarcik
Tri-Town Shelter – Julie Rybacki
Tri-Town Shelter- Pieter Nijessen
YWCA/ Chrysalis – Roxan Noble
GH-CAN Practice Scenarios
1. Client
is a 26 year old female. Has been staying in aunt’s section 8 apartment for a
couple of weeks, but cannot continue to stay. Client has stable employment, but
is unable to make a security deposit.
2. Client is a 54 year old male. He served in the military but was dishonorably discharged. Client is unemployed, and landlord has said he will be evicted next Tuesday (pretend today is Wednesday). Client receives unemployment.
3. Client is a 35 year old mother of 2. Both children are elementary school aged. Heat has been shut off in their apartment, and they cannot continue to stay with the upcoming snowstorm, and have moved in with grandma in her section 8 apartment for the last few days.
4. Client is a 41 year old male who has just been discharged from a treatment program, and is unable to pay last month’s rent (he spent last month in a program).
Phone Conversations for Shelter Providers:
Introducing Coordinated Access Networks to Referring Entities
·
The state of Connecticut is implementing a
change in the way homeless services are provided. All homeless shelters and homeless service
providers in the state will be participating in this new process.
·
For the Greater Hartford region, these
procedural changes will start on November 17th. Starting on November 17th, in
order to access a shelter bed all people should call 211.
·
Shelters will no longer be taking direct referrals. Any person who is in need of a shelter bed
will need to call 211.
·
When calling 211, the person should dial 211,
then press 3, and then press 1 to speak with a housing specialist. If they press 3 then 1, average wait time is
less than 5 minutes. Safelink Users
should call 1-800-203-1234.
·
Those persons who call 211 may be scheduled for
an assessment appointment to meet with a case manager in the region and talk
about their housing crisis. All persons
will be assessed with common tools at every appointment in the state.
·
After the person calls 211 to schedule an
appointment, if they need a shelter bed that
night they will need to call a triage center. Persons will not be able to locate a bed
until they have made an assessment appointment through 211.
o
Individual Men should call Immaculate Conception
(860-206-5690) to help them locate an available shelter bed for which they are
eligible.
o
Individual women and families should call
Salvation Army Marshall House (860-543-8423) to help them locate an
available shelter bed for which they are eligible.
·
The Greater Hartford region is not making
shelter bed reservations. If a person is
in need of a bed tonight, they need
to call 211 to schedule an appointment, and then call a triage center. They should not call a triage center looking
for a shelter bed if they do not need it until the future.
Phone Conversations for Housing Providers:
Introducing Coordinated Access Networks to Referring Entities
·
The state of Connecticut is implementing a
change in the way homeless services are provided. All homeless shelters and homeless service
providers in the state will be participating in this new process.
·
For the Greater Hartford region, these
procedural changes will start on November 17th. Starting on November 17th, in
order to access homeless services and resources all persons need to call
211.
·
Homeless-priority housing programs will no
longer be taking direct referrals. Any
person who is in need of a homeless-prioritized housing will need to call 211
to schedule an assessment appointment.
·
When calling 211, persons should dial 211, then
press 3, and then press 1 to speak with a housing specialist. If they press 3 then 1, average wait time is
less than 5 minutes. Safelink Users
should call 1-800-203-1234.
·
Those persons who call 211 may be scheduled for
an assessment appointment to meet with a case manager in the region and talk
about their housing crisis. All persons
will be assessed with common tools at every appointment in the state. These assessments will help determine a
person’s vulnerability.
·
After completing an assessment appointment, any
person in need of housing should complete a Universal Housing Application. In order to qualify for many of the
homeless-priority housing programs in the Greater Hartford CAN, persons will
need to complete a Universal Housing Application.
o
Completing this application will determine which
housing programs persons are eligible for out of all local homeless-prioritized
housing, and will place the person on the Greater Hartford Unified Referral
List. A variety of staff have been
trained to complete these housing applications at shelters and housing
providers.
·
Housing spots will no longer be provided on a
first-come-first-serve basis. All
households will now be prioritized based on vulnerability, and the universal
referral list will be organized based on household vulnerability. This is meant to ensure that the most
vulnerable persons are housed most quickly.
This list will then be reviewed by representatives from a variety of
housing providers, and persons will be placed into housing programs by this
reviewing group.
o
Because this unified referral list is based on
person vulnerability, no person is guaranteed housing just because they are
placed onto the referral list- persons need to explore as many housing options
as possible rather than just waiting to reach the top of the list.
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