Youth Engagement Team Initiative (YETI Meeting) 5/15/17

Greater Hartford Youth Engagement Team Initiative Meeting

Meeting Notes

76 Pliny Street, Hartford, 5/15/17

1.      Introductions

2.      CCEH Youth Dashboard Mimi presented the Youth Dashboard that has some data on youth who go through 211/CAN system.  All data is available on the entry dashboard on CCEH’s website.  Mimi says the data on the dashboard on CCEH’s website will be distributed to everyone.

3.      Housing Resources for Youth and Young Adults

i. Katie Durand explained that we are working to complete the CAN YETI Discussion on Needs of Region to End Youth Homelessness Form by July 12^th all across the state, to help guide prioritization of service development with the HUD grant.

ii. See form provided by CCEH.

iii. Mimi asks what is the number of Outreach providers in Greater Hartford CAN are just for youth referrals?

a. Matt says Compass Youth Collaborative has an outreach program

b. Mollie says The Connection has an outreach program.

iv. Matt says the Greater Hartford CAN has 5 other agencies that have outreach agencies.

v. Mimi asks how do people think the outreach process is going in Greater Hartford CAN?

a. Theresa says the coordination piece is a gap in the outreach process.

vi. Matt says getting schools and social service departments in towns needs to improve.

a. Mollie says it has been challenging getting town social service departments to be part of the Greater Hartford CAN.

vii. Theresa says the challenge with outreach is what to do with clients when identifying them, because we still don’t have a lot of consistency among different providers.

4.      Needs Assessment for Outreach

i. Matt says we need a Greater Hartford CAN referral process for when identifying youth who are seeking services.

ii. Seweryn suggests a drop in center for youth

iii. Theresa suggests having outreach workers focus on working with youth.

iv. The group identified that we don’t currently have a youth navigator, and this is a need in our community. 

5.      Needs Assessment (Triage)

i. Mimi asks what does DCF do when a youth under 18 appears for emergency housing?

a. Doug says DCF uses the Lexux Nexus System and only can use for someone who has an open DCF case and they use mediation steps.

b. Doug says anytime someone identifies a youth that is seeking emergency housing that is under 18 they should call the DCF Caroline.

ii. Mimi asks what is the triage process for when a youth is under 18 and is refusing DCF?

a. Rose says The Bridge could only work with the client if they can sign the youth in.

b. Rose says the Basic Center is a possible resource, but she is not part of that department.

c. Doug says there are SVIT beds available for youth when getting discharged but usually if for youth who are involved with DCF and give the youth and foster family a break and that is where DCF will do mediation for 14 days with youth.

iii. Doug says during triage process to ask youth client if they have an open case in DCF.

iv. Doug says DCF can work with a client as long as they are under 18, no felonies which regions can use at own discretion,

v. Dough says he will send out the qualifications for youth to work with DCF

vi.  A major gap that was identified was a need for emergency housing (shelter) specifically for youth, both under 18, and between 18-24. 

6.      Process

i. Theresa says more information about agencies that provide services for youth, especially those that work with homeless youth in the Greater Hartford CAN.

ii. Mimi suggests to do an asset mapping for Greater Hartford CAN for youth programs/services

a.      Katies says it appears that asset mapping has already started by completing the youth residential and employment inventory charts which include eligibility and referral process, but that after these are finished, the information should be shared more widely with the CAN. 

7.  Needs Assessment (Housing)

i. Theresa says more permanent supportive housing would be helpful, but the conversation ends stating that rapid rehousing may be a better approach our non-time limited housing.

ii. Seweryn says vocational training would be important when providing housing for youth.

8.  Determining Regional Priorities

9.  Wrap Up and Next Steps

10.  The group put stickers up on the wall to highlight some of the priorities the group felt were most important.

11.   The topics that got the most stickers were as follows:

i. Drop In Center for Youth – (there were mixed ideas about the scope of this type of program, but there was agreement that at the minimum it should be a place that youth could go during the day to get information, services and referrals. Some thought it could also include providing ongoing services and housing assistance).

ii. Emergency Housing for ages 18-24 – short term apartments or rooms or shelter specifically for this population.

iii. Youth Rapid Rehousing (housing programming that would encourage independence, employment, short – term housing would be the norm, but ideally longer term housing would be available for those who need it.)

iv. Coordination (Improve communication and coordination between youth and adult homeless outreach providers, youth and adult housing and shelter providers, local school systems, DCF, DMHAS YAS, Juvenile Justice, youth employment providers, and other service providers, etc.)

v. Youth Navigation (assistance helping youth to navigate the shelter and housing systems, obtain necessary documentation, and ensure that homeless youth can access the services they need).

Voting:

·       Emergency Shelter

o   Under 18: 0 Votes

o   (18-24): 14 Votes

·       Outreach Coordination / Youth Navigator: 10 Votes

·       Youth Rapid Re-Housing: 7 Votes

·       Respite Housing/Drop-In Center: 7 Votes

·       Outreach Expansion: 1 Vote

·       Youth Diversion Funding: 1 Vote

·       Non-Time Limited Housing: 1 Vote