GH CAN Operations Committee 4/4/18

Greater Hartford Coordinated Access Network 

Operations Committee Meeting

Wednesday, April 4th, 2018

In Attendance:

Janet Bermudez, Hands on Hartford

Manuel Cadena, Catholic Charities

Roger Clark, ImmaCare

Stephanie Corbin, Mercy

Anita Cordero – ImmaCare

Rochelle Currie, The Connection

Sarah DiMaio, Salvation Army Marshall House

Fred Faulkner, The Open Hearth

Heather Flannery, South Park Inn

Maria Jackie Florez, Mercy

Ruby Givens-Hewitt, My Sisters’ Place

Kelly Gonzalez, JH

Lisa Quach, JH

Rebekah Lyas, ImmaCare

Geri Maciel, Salvation Army Marshall House

Kyren McCorey, The Open Hearth

Maureen Perez, CRT/McKinney Shelter

Natalie Ramos, ImmaCare

Jamie Randolph, Salvation Army Marshall House

Chris Robinson, Salvation army Marshall House

Luz Serrano, ImmaCare

Monique Shand, YWCA

Wendy Walker, McKinney

Niya Solomon, Journey Home

Zoe Schwartz, CRT

Case conferences:

#206452

#202370

#166092

#86061

1.      Coordinated Entry:

a.      Warming Center Update: The Warming Center closed on the morning of 4/1/18. On the last night, they were down to 20 people total. There were 10 shelter beds open. Kelly filled 8 beds. At 9:30 p.m., there were 12 people left. As of mid-March, there were 423 unique individuals that had been served. This number does not include families in overflow or motel/hotel. The overflow had over 200 individuals so that is almost 700 people combined. The overflow for families was supposed to close on 3/31/18 but it is still somewhat in operation. There are still 3 families left in overflow at Marshall House.  The firm date of discharge is Monday due to renovations being done at Marshall House.  All the families are matched to housing. They should sign leases before Monday. If not, Salvation Army will reach out to shelters to transfer the families. Everyone at the warming center got counted as unsheltered for PIT because there were no beds. This will really ding GH CAN numbers. Sarah believes some people may still be trying to sleep around the Willie Ware area. They will be finishing HMIS data entry by 4/15/18. If anyone needs residency letters, please contact Ymonne.

b.      Coordination with diversion center:  We are back to where we were last fall with shelters reporting availability and then diversion calling for beds directly. They have developed a new policy to help keep the shelter priority list cleaner. If a client has been on list for 90 days and has not made any attempt to call 211 to check on the status, they will be removed.

                                                    i.     The diversion center and YWCA are doing shelter waitlist cleanup.  Sarah DiMaio suggested that the families waitlist should be wiped clean because there aren’t any literally homeless families in GH CAN. If we are not adding doubled up – safe to the waitlist and there are no literally homeless families, there shouldn’t be a waitlist. For families reporting to be literally homeless at CAN appointment, offer them a lobby or waiting room. In past experience, most won’t show.

                                                   ii.     Clients who are calling 211 within 48 hours of homelessness are coming back when they are homeless. There is no way for follow up and it is not a good use of time to see the same client back to back. They suggested having an outreach phone number at the diversion center for folks to call and report their unsheltered location. There will be a person assigned each day and responsible for checking and adding to outreach referral form. Stephanie will see if there is a phone line available.

2.      Next Steps Tool – Rochelle.

a.      For individuals between 18-24, make sure you’re doing the next steps tool, not the VI-SPDAT. From January to March of 2018, they were at 84%. If someone had an incorrect VI-SPDAT done, an NST should be re-administered. If doing a NST, do it on the same ID that the VI-SPDAT was done. What about doubled up unsafe for youth? If doubled up unsafe, can complete Next Steps Tool. The state is trying to come to consensus about this. The Connection only calls if youth are reporting to be unsheltered after they’re on the shelter waitlist from MDC. They have been doing it for the last 6 weeks and seeing a difference.

3.      Leadership Updates: Do not upload medical records in HMIS. Since HMIS ROI is not HIPPA compliant release, medical records should not be uploaded to CT HMIS. You are now advised to note in HMIS that you have medical records “on file” so that others know you have them. They need to be stored in your office as a hard copy. Rebekah mentioned that when a provider has medical records, they cannot provide it to other providers but can give it to the client to give to provider.

GH CAN 3/28 interim Sub-COC and Leadership Meeting/Call

Greater Hartford Coordinated Access Network

Leadership Committee Agenda

Wednesday, March 28^th, 2018

In Attendance:

Lauren Fair – Salvation Army

Amber Freeman – Chrysalis Center

Tina Ortiz - CRT

Brian Baker – South Park Inn

Crane Cesario – Capitol Region Mental Health Center

Cathy Zeiner - YWCA

Andrea Hakian - CHR

Stephanie Corbin – Mercy Housing

Kara Capbobianco – CT Department of Housing

Lionel Rigler – City of Hartford

1)     Proposed Prioritization Process for Operations Committee – Mollie Greenwood

a)    Still no answer statewide on how to operationalize referrals when we have no eligible chronically homeless households.  We’ve discussed expanding to accept chronically homeless households from other communities, as well as putting in place a process to prioritize length of time homeless as a factor.  We have had PSH openings that we have been unable to fill with chronically homeless households, so we need to figure out a process to prevent vacancy loss.   There will be an ongoing need to identify which literally homeless households have disabilities and continue to document these disabling conditions. 

2)    Households with Income Choosing Shelter/Shelter Waitlist Eligibility and Prioritization – Stephanie Corbin

a)    The shelters have shown some concern that there are folks getting into shelters who have a large amount of income.  We want to bring this to your attention because folks are calling 211 with one story, then a new story at the Diversion Center.  At shelter you’re getting a realer story.  There’s often more income coming out of the woodworks in shelter.  Shelter Diversion financial assistance takes some time, and sometimes folks are going into shelter before the money is being utilized.   CHR’s money can use folks who can be in shelter for more than 7 days, so Andrea’s wondering if their funding can be used as more of a continuum. 

b)    We plan to revisit this agenda item in a month

c)    Kara has a preview of what DOH has been working on, they’re thinking about giving more concrete policies to family shelters about not admitting doubled up families at all and running at more of a “maintain beds open”.  Reminding that you don’t need to run at 100% all the time. 

d)    All adult families who present should be accepted at family shelters.  Putting them onto both lists.  DOH is trying to be specific and it will eventually trickle down.  If you have another place to stay you shouldn’t be going into shelter.  When SAMH ran out of hotel funding when we say you have a lobby you can sit in, people are figuring something else out.  The ones that stay are very high need, usually DF involved, and we can easily prioritize them for beds. 

e)    The Cold Weather Committee has proposed a change that if there are folks on the shelter waiting list with no activity through the Diversion Center, 211, or HMIS for 90 days or more, they will be removed from the waiting list.

3)    4.      Environmental Reviews – Crane Cesario

a)    If you have any questions please contact Crane.  Thank you, Lionel, for helping us so much in the City of Hartford. 

b)    At this point Lionel’s done Mercy, ImmaCare, SAMH, and CRT.  That is probably everyone for the immediate future. 

c)    Everyone needs to add a list of contracts and updated them.  If you have a DMHAS grant it’s pending. 

d)    There’s another issue that has come up.  As you may know, a baby passed away in a congregate site, which happens when any human passed away. The baby died of SIDS.  Word went out before this came and that the mother rolled over onto the baby that there was a homicide investigation, and we need to not assign guilt.  It’s tragic, but it’s insulting for staff to talk to other staff and blame this.  People need to control our curiosity.  There’s a difference between having heartfelt conversation and gossip.  We need to hold staff accountable for keeping things together.  If staff need to know they should be contacting. 

4)    Medical Records in CT HMIS – Matt Morgan - tabled

5)       Panhandling Meeting– Cathy Zeiner

a)    The Asylum Hill Neighborhood Assocciation is really all about panhandling right now and are very concerned and they are convening a meeting.  It’s a working meeting.  The action step that they’re leaning towards is creating some kind of informational cards that we can encourage folks at the Aetna and Hartford.  

b)    Cathy has become a facilitator by default for this situation.  Mollie’s planning to attend but Cathy is really looking for other service providers to join with their voices. 

c)    The meeting is April 18^th, the third Wednesday in April.  It’s at 5:30 at the YWCA.  It has evolved from a broad community conversation, and they’ve specifically invited specific people to the conversation.  The more folks representing and advocating for folks who may be blamed, would be great.  But also whatever we’ve already done and tried will be great. 

6)    Advocacy Days Rescheduled – Matt Morgan

7)    Dynamic Prioritization Update – Crane Cesario

a)    There are new meetings started called Progressive Engagement.  A lot of this is figuring out how to manage resources.  Some of it is to push the leading edge forward, there are some political concerns. 

b)    CT BOS has agreed for us to be represented by CANs not by sub-COCs.  We can now do that as a CAN.  Crane will still carry the topics to understand and work on.  Some of this is linked to how we prioritize who to serve next and how to manage the system as we move forward. 

8)    9.      GH CAN Shelter and Housing Data – Mollie Greenwood

a)    See p.2

b)    Youth Homelessness Waitlist Data – Mollie Greenwood

(1)  Change the data to include the doubled up unsafe, or include a legend. 

(2)  There have been a shocking number of 18-20 year olds coming through the Warming Center.  They’re coming throughout the season.  There are a lot of youth. 

9)    Everyone leaves the cold weather overflow programs on the first.  People in the overflow shelters are matched, but Warming Center closes on the first, and not all households have been matched yet.

10)10.   Future Agenda Items?

i)      City of Hartford ESG allocation – There is a federal budget.  Lionel doesn’t yet know figures.  He’s encouraged.  At the next meeting he’ll pass out, as he has in the past, a proposed formula for funding the agencies.  He would like conversation on that at the next meeting.  We need to have a decision by April 18^th.  That’s Lionel’s intent.  He will email everyone what is being looked at what the city is anticipating, and he is expecting flat funding from last year. 

a.     One other COC item is defining what the evaluation criteria is for renewal grants.  In the past we determined scoring after the time period was closed. 

11)Announcements

a)    System performance measures are due soon in CT HMIS.  She passed out a how-to sheet.  If you have questions and know who your HMIS HDC is, you can remind them to listen to the monthly webinar.  Crane can’t be on the call because it conflicts with the family matching meeting. 

b)    HOME Funding, the training has been scheduled for agencies who signed an MOU.  There’s an HQS training in the morning.  That training happens in New Haven 9-12 (for HQS).  In the afternoon Leigh, Jim (Nutmeg) and Kara will be talking about the HOME process in CT HMIS.  This will be security deposits and a portion of first month’s rent.  It’s for folks who have income sufficient to get out of shelter.  ACT is the fiduciary.  Providers who participated in HMIS could send a notice that they want to access this funding.  For Hartford CHR, Salvation Army, the Y/Chrysalis.  Training is on Tuesday the 10^th.  Right now it is worrisome that Greater Hartford doesn’t have a plan for coverage. 

i)      Let’s keep it on the agendas. 

ii)    In New Haven they’re trying to hire someone to do HQS.  Collecting the IDs and proof of paperwork is being done by shelter CMs.  Fairfield County has UW funds and is leveraging RRH as well.  SHW is the grantee for CT RRH and they’re leveraging their housing find person to help with inspections.  It is something to keep talking about.  What is the need and we can back into making it work somehow.  We’ll have this as another item next time. 

c)    CT Department of Housing has made Capital Funding available for shelter improvements.  See DOH website for more information.

GH CAN Housing Data

Data Element	Number	Notes
Chronically homeless households housed in 2015	102	This includes clients housed through GH CAN programs as well as through other subsidies or independent housing
Chronically homeless households housed in 2016	211	This includes clients housed through GH CAN programs as well as through other subsidies or independent housing
Chronically homeless households housed in 2017	179	This includes clients housed through GH CAN programs as well as through other subsidies or independent housing
Chronically homeless households housed in 2018	23	This includes clients housed through GH CAN programs as well as through other subsidies or independent housing
Total Chronically homeless households housed in GH CAN	515
Verified Chronic Matched	38
Verified Chronic Not Yet Matched	1	We currently have 0 chronic verified clients who have not yet been matched to housing.
Potentially Chronic Refusers	2
Verified Chronic Refusers	1
Potentially Chronic Matched	15	These households did not disclose a disabling condition, and are matched to various programs.
Potentially Chronic Not Yet Matched	22	Right now we believe 27 households have the chronic length of homeless history, but none of these individuals have their homeless and disability verifications completed.
Individuals - Active – Not Matched	459	This is only Active – Enrolled in CAN
Families – Active – Not Matched	21	This is only Active – Enrolled in CAN

SmartSheet Shelter Priority List Data

Individual Men	Individual Women	Families
291 Unsheltered	98 Unsheltered	32 Unsheltered
395 Total	163 Total	50 Total

 

Youth Shelter Priority List Data FEBRUARY
Status	Number	Unsh	Car	2xUns	Other
Total	21	10	1	6	4
Accepted (year-round shelters)	3	1	0	0	2
No Show	0	0	0	0	0
Refused	0	0	0	0	0
Unable to Contact	1	1	0	0	0
Cold Weather	0	0	0	0	0
No status update	16	7	1	6	2
Has another place/Diverted	1	1	0	0	0

JANUARY
Status	Number	Unsh	Temp CW	Car	2xUns	Other
Total	26	12	4	4	5	1
Accepted (year-round shelters)	5	3	1	0	1	0
No Show	0	0	0	0	0	0
Refused	2	1	0	1	0	0
Unable to Contact	1	1	0	0	0	0
Cold Weather	0	0	0	0	0	0
No status update	17	6	3	3	4	1
Has another place/Diverted	1	1	0	0	0	0

DECEMBER
Status	Number	Unsh	Car	2xUns	Other
Total	20	12	3	5	0
Accepted (year-round shelters)	4	3	0	1	0
No Show	1	0	1	0	0
Refused	1	0	1	0	0
Unable to Contact	8	4	0	4	0
Cold Weather	1	0	1	0	0
No status update	4	0	0	0	4
Has another place/Diverted	1	1	0	0	0