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

GH CAN Leadership Meeting 2/3/2021

 

GREATER HARTFORD COORDINATED ACCESS NETWORK MEETING AGENDA

Wednesday, February 3^rd, 2021 via Zoom

 1PM – 2:15PM

 

1.       Welcome and Introductions – 5 minutes

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

a.       Lisa - Triage will open tonight. Only one family in the hotel since last Thursday. Overflow – 7 families. Warming Center is full. One positive staff member at Warming Center, will have contract tracing done.

b.      Emily- Enfield has 4 open beds at the hotel/shelter.

c.       Bryan – hotels end today in Vernon area. Able to place clients in shelter. Receiving lots of community support! Advocating for more hotel rooms if possible.

d.      Mark – going well so far. At 20, keeping on room vacant for emergency. 2 beds have opened this morning. Kelly will send two people from Warming Center.

e.       Stephanie – going well. Will be back up tonight. Going well so far.

f.        Amanda – reach out to Amanda if slots that are open fill up. Contact if you need to turn someone away.

3.       COVID – 19 Agency Updates – 5 minutes

a.       Agency updates

                                                              i.      Sonia/ CRT – one household tested positive, father and son.

                                                             ii.      No major updates/ no recent positive cases.

b.      Vaccinations

1. How are GHCAN providers dealing with vaccine hesitancy/refusal among their staff?

2. Are they requiring vaccination among all staff?

3. Are they considering exemptions/accommodations?

4. If so, what specific exemptions/accommodations do they believe are feasible/reasonable?

5.  SPI reached out to a legal aid. Can mandate vaccinations. Medical and religious exemption allowed.

6. ImmaCare is having these conversations. Considering – extra PTO days for those who have been vaccinated.

7. CRT – have to mandate for vaccine but do accommodate for religious and medical exemptions. Have not rolled out specific positions. Case by case, goes through HR. representation for educational videos are needed. Sonia to possibly send us a link to video who represents people of color. Coalition Against COVD-19:   https://youtu.be/fv2qR6xniq4

8. Barbara HOH –

9. Interval House – not mandating vaccinations. Strongly encouraging vaccinations. Using masks. Employees to make best choices for themselves.

10.                     MSP – not mandating. Strongly suggesting. Sending out information about safety of vaccination for staff and clients. Understand people’s choices.

11.                     GHHRC – not mandated.  Only 2 staff possibly not vaccinated. No one is refusing. Some are waiting on 2^nd doses.

12.                     YWCA – not mandating. Want people to have choice. Developing lots of education about COVID vaccines for community and internally. Strongly encourage.

13.                     Lisa/ JH – how can we be more action driven? Should we discuss this as a CAN?

14.                     DMHAS – trying to educate everyone on staff about the vaccine. Not mandatory, strongly encouraged. One opportunity at facility for all staff, if missed will have to receive it elsewhere. Recognizing resistance to vaccinations. New infection control practitioner at DMHAS. Crane will possibly share information. Capitol Region is working with Griffin Hospital.

15.                     EH Shelter - Vaccinations are they for children too? Have not heard about children vaccinations. Lots of questions from families asking if children will need vaccination. Will work with HHC to set up vaccinations for clients. Have not been able to make a solid connection, have just reached out to health agencies.

16.                     McKinney – waiting on second dose.

 

4.       Electronic Medical Records in Shelter Clinics – Yoshi Bird

a.       Clinic advising electronic medical records. Any providers have access to this information? Apart of health dept. Advance MD, Theranest, credible – record databases

5.       ESG-COVID Program Updates/FLASH –Jane Banks/Yoshi Bird, Andrea Hakian, Stephanie Corbin, Lisa Quach, Lionel Rigler, Barbara Shaw, Kara Zichichi, Matt Morgan – 7 minutes

a.       Amanda – referrals are through 211. Eligible will go to SPI.

b.       Andrea – spending in regular ESG RRH program – need to limit some spending. Will take ESG RRH case managers and have them spend from CARES ACT. Stop taking referral for regular and take for CARES ACT ESG funds.

c.       2 new staff for diversion – will start next week. Looking for a 3^rd person. Will be back on schedule after cold weather.

d.       RRH – recruiting for 5 case managers. Interviews are scheduled for next week. 850K for financial assistance.

e.       Barbara – still hiring for positions. Expanded outreach is being done for Hartford and GH area. Staff have been trained. New hire will need training. Concerns from neighborhood constituents about those who are living outside.

f.        ESG Shelter Contracts have been finalized and will go out by end of the week.

g.       Kara – met with consultant for vaccination. State is working on media and information.

h.       COH – ESG HOPWA and CDBG application are out. Thursday, Feb 25^th Deadline to submit applications.

i.         SPI has dedicated beds for those who have tested positive for COVID.

6.       CHESS Program Updates– Beacon Health – 3 minutes

a.       Meeting was on Monday for provider update. Discussion on what was decided. Start on April 1^st. Needs some approval before start date.

b.      Added an additional domain to support criteria for those who are at risk of becoming homeless.

c.       Billing will be daily instead of monthly. Documentation will be required each day of billing.

d.      Looking to have one staff member to provide plan for delivery and one to actually deliver services. Can share one supervisor.

e.       Can external agency provide plan.

7.       HIC/PIT Updates – 5 minutes – Lisa Quach

a.       JH actively working on enrolling those in hotels.

b.      Data needs to be submitted by Feb 10^th.

c.       Tony is following up with clients who were possibly outside/unsheltered.

8.       Future Agenda Items or Additional Announcements – 2 minutes