Friends of the Homeless, Inc. is seeking to fill a Specialized Case Manager position. If you enjoy meaningful work, are caring, and have the ability to function well in a fast paced human service environment we may be interested in inviting you to join our management team. The Specialized Case Manager provides services to program participants through a short-term case management model which develops case assignments, establishes service and treatment plans, reviews case progress and determines case closure. The Case Manager conducts outreach and intake as requested, provides program participants with counseling and assistance to support, increase or restore program participants capacity for self-sufficiency, makes referrals to other organizations and external providers and screens for income supports for benefits and entitlements to advocate on the behalf of program participants. Collaboration with shelter staff and Healthcare for the Homeless in providing effective treatment is also required. REQUIREMENTS: Education and/or Experience: BS/BSW and three years experience or Masters degree in social work, counseling, clinical psychology or related field. BENEFITS: include a competitive salary, subsidized health and dental plans, paid vacation, sick leave, and eleven paid holidays. Please email, fax, or send your resume to the attention of Bill Miller, Executive Director, Friends of the Homeless, 769 Worthington Street, Springfield MA 01105. www.fohspringfield.org/ or Fax (413) 732-0775. Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview. Friends of the Homeless, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.

Attendance: Jim Reis, HAP, Janet Lindfors, DTA domestic violence unit, Tom Salter, New England Farm Workers  Council,  Jane Banks, CHD, JD Hebert, BCAC, Barbara Bonnett, BCAC, Martha Ceplikas, DHCD, Andrea Miller, CHD, Tammie Butler, Community Action, Toni Hochstadt,  Community Action, Brad Gordon, Berkshire Regional Housing Authority, Cris Carl, Greenfield Family Inn, Joanne Glier, Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Carmen Roman, DCF, Eneida Madho, DCF,  Yeisie Mateo, DCF, Suzanne Smith, network data analyst, Pamela Schwartz, regional coordinator

DCF/provider collaboration

Special thanks to Carmen Roman, DCF supervisor, Eneida Madho of the Springfield DCF office, and Yeisie Mateo of the Holyoke DCF office for their informative presentation regarding the process of assessing families’ needs for shelter.

The DCF noted their need to know of available resources and happily received in hand the most recent version of the Network’s resource directory (with guidance to get on the blog to continue to stay updated).  We agreed to stay connected through the blog and the family services email list to ensure collaboration occurs whenever possible.

Brad Gordon requested a copy of the DCF assessment tool so that providers could better understand the criteria DCF was looking at.  Carmen said she would ask whether she can distribute that information and get back to us.

Jane Lindfors noted the FOR Families resource guide and how it contains references to a wide variety of services.  Network members agreed that we could use this, too!  Jane will follow-up with the information.

Distribution of resources across the region:  We discussed the need for clarity around the sharing of resources across city and county lines, specifically when  a Springfield-based family is placed in a Berkshire County shelter, wanting to find housing in Springfield.  In view of the loss of DHCD tool box and flex funds, the only possible assistance is via Springfield HPRP funds (since Pittsfield HPRP funds are limited to families who would reside in Pittsfield).     Jim Reis of HAP was about to meet with Gerry McCafferty of the Springfield Housing Dept. to discuss this precise issue. [Note: the decision has since been made by the Springfield Housing Dept. that Springfield HPRP funds can be used for rehousing in this and other similar instances.]

Triage Model Planning: We decided as a group to pursue thinking and planning around the implementation of a triage model in Western Mass (a la South Shore Network, enabling local control over shelter placements and subsequent rapid rehousing).   Providers will use DHCD’s 3/15 deadline to submit a long-term plan as an opportunity to declare our intention to create a pilot project for this region.  We will continue to talk quickly and intensively over the next few days to clarify our strategy and approach at this early stage.  [Note:  we have schedule a next planning meeting for Tuesday, 3/16, and we will submit a paragraph stating our intention around the triage model in the 3/15 DHCD submission.]

Domestic Violence Outreach: Toni Hochstadt of Community Action noted that she is getting a lot of calls from DV shelters looking for rehousing funds (although CA is funded only to provide prevention).  We agreed that this raises the larger issue of bringing our region’s DV providers around the table.  Pamela is meeting with NELCWIT (Franklin County) on Thursday, 3/11.  Jane Lindfors of DTA DV unit will facilitate an email of introduction between Pamela and all the DV shelter providers and Pamela will reach out to all and invite their participation in family services meetings.

Franklin County rehousing funds: With the end of DHCD tool box and flex funds, Franklin County is left without any rehousing resources since it did not receive any HPRP funds.  Bob Pulster noted the gap at our regional meeting on 2/25 and made the suggestion that something could be done about this gap.  Franklin County providers and the network will continue to follow-up on this.

Monthly reporting check: We confirmed our measure of counting families served in our monthly reports to ICHH:  an intervention, whether cash assistance or services provided, that resulted in the prevention of homelessness or rehousing from homelessness.

Data update by Suzanne Smith

Suzanne is developing an infrastructure to create an integrated database that would pull in data from 3 CoCs, monthly reports to ICHH,  housing records of service, and provide a more in-depth understanding of DHCD data.  Goal is baseline data to show incidence and prevalence rates, to look at sustainability, length of stay, and ultimately provide feedback as to how we’re doing.  Suzanne will bring an initial round of data to next family services meeting on 4/13 for review and discussion.

Next meeting:  4/13, 1 pm, Holyoke DTA office.

Rep. Welch clarified that legislation introduced by him and Sen. Buoniconti last summer addressed issues of homeless families in motels and welfare reform.  (The legislation is discussed and linked to here.)  They have since realized that these are different issues, and are now focusing specifically on the motel situation.

Candaces Lopes passed around copies of the legislators’ Ten Point Plan to Address the Practice of Placing Homeless Families in Motels, which has been mentioned in news coverage, but I hadn’t been able to find before. 

I had already invited Sen. Buoniconti and Rep. Welch to attend the Network’s April 26 event, but this morning I stressed again the importance of that meeting and especially hearing Dennis Culhane’s latest thoughts on the situation in Massachusetts.

• eviction prevention assistance to individuals in all 4 counties (via Catholic Charities state HPRP funds);
• housing funds to divert from shelter via New England Farm Workers Council (Hampden County) and Berkshire Regional Housing Authority  (Berkshire County) with state HPRP funds;
• rehousing funds for families living in motels via HAPHousing (state HPRP funds);
• RAFT funding for homelessness prevention in Franklin and Berkshire Counties
• suspension of DHCD tool box and flexible funds program (no further funding available);
• Springfield Partners for Community Action rental arrearage funds no longer available (funding spent)

Please let me know if you have additions or corrections.  And please let me know when your program’s resources change.  With your help, we will keep this directory accurate and most useful!

Thanks very much.

Pamela Schwartz, coordinator
pschwartz77@gmail.com

Attendance: Judge Fein, Judge Fields, Michael Doherty, Peter Montori, Jesse Cochin, Amy Martin, Gerry McCafferty, Jim Reis, Marcia Crutchfield, Gordon Shaw, Lidya Rodriguez, Linda Henderson, Janice Humason, Brandi Gamble-Eddington, Steve Plummer, Peter Dejnak, Karen Hansmann, Alli Stokowski, Marina Laihez, Lorraine Bernier, Eryn Tobin, Laura Saponare, Vickie Riddle

Collaboration works! We shared a few examples of the collaboration at work, including: the preservation of 3 tenancies at the Springfield Housing Authority through HAP assistance; Catholic Charities facilitating quicker court review dates to better enable tenants to get the documentation they need to get assistance; HAP having successful conversations with landlords who are more willing to preserve tenancies with HAP support; in the face of condemnations, information on tenants shared by City of Springfield with HAP so that many tenants have placements in advance of condemnation in court.

Everybody affirmed the value of the accessibility of providers at Court and expressed appreciation for the hard work of both providers and housing court staff in preserving tenancies.

Reviewed provider schedule at Court:
Monday: Tenancy Preservation Project (TPP)
Tuesday: HAP, Catholic Charities, TPP
Thursday:  HAP, Catholic Charities, Springfield Partners, TPP, Mass Justice Project
Friday:  Springfield Housing Authority; HAP

Everyone agreed that cell phone access to providers made on-site coverage at the court on Wed. unnecessary.

Housing Court information desk will be open every morning as of 8:45 am.  If a provider is running late on their expected day, please call at 413-735-6099.

Resource Directory update: Pamela will have a revised version within the week.  Please be sure to communicate to Pamela (pschwartz77@gmail.com) if there is a change in your resources, e.g., Springfield Partners is out of money to pay rental arrearages!

Record of Service Data Forms: Suzanne Smith, network data analyst, presented initial findings of the first round of forms completed by providers.  We all agreed that a record of service must be completed at EVERY INTERACTION AT THE COURT (e.g., first court date, then follow-up), in order to meaningfully track the results of our efforts. Thank you!

We’ll be in touch within the month about our next meeting to review the data collected.

The agenda includes:

• presentation from Dept. of Children and Families representative Carmen Roman;
• discussion of instituting triage model (a la South Shore Region) to enhance local control over shelter placements;
• discussion of coordination of rehousing resources

See you there!

Find the exact addresses here on the flyer which you MUST bring with you.

15% of every purchase goes to housing chronically homeless individuals in our region.  Let’s buy!

Attendance:  Father Stan Aksamit, Joanne Glier, Peg Keller, Jay Levy, Gerry McCafferty, Andrea Miller, Suzanne Smith, Liz Sullivan, Lynne Wallace, Pamela Schwartz

DHCD meeting follow-up:   providers and DHCD met today as a next step in coordinating service delivery in motel rehousing effort.  HAP is planning to meet with providers and walk them through the process to get HPRP funds.  Other agencies will be able to determine eligibility and obtain funds via HAP –  great work on this exciting collaboration!

Data analyst role:

We reviewed and discussed the role of the data analyst and agreed:  we should have an integrated database so all data from Continuas of Care flow through one system.   We agreed that the capacity to produce our own data should drive Suzanne’s  work.   This will allow us to better analyze our work within our region and to more meaningfully compare it with other parts of the state.

4/26 regional event:

The Steering Committee reviewed and approved One Family’s message for regional events:  housing first (shelter system is broken and we are working to change both the individual and family systems to be more consumer choice driven and focus on housing-based solutions).

Pamela will talk to Gerry about intern assistance for the mailing list.  Pamela encouraged all to continue with their personal contacts promoting the event.

Next Leadership Council meeting, 4/15 – 10:00 – 12 noon, DMH Haskell Building, Northampton

We all agreed that in view of the 4/26 regional event following this meeting, we would keep the meeting to 2 hours (no lunch, save funds) and focus on a comprehensive update, using the quarterly report, most recent data and committee reports to fuel the discussion.

Network Sustainability

We agreed that at the next meeting in April we would talk in-depth about this issue, exploring possible options for sustaining the Network past the pilot project end date of 9/30/10.

Next meeting:  Thursday, April 1, 3:00 pm, DMH Haskell Building, Northampton

Attending:  Elaine Arsenault, Wanda Rolon, Tony Pereira, Dave Modzelewski, Jerry Ray, Mark Warren, Jay Levy, Tom Poplawski, Dave Havens, Suzanne Smith, Pamela  Schwartz

3/7 Bruegger’s fundraiser:  Getting the word out!  People will put on their email lists, continue to get the word out.

4/26 regional event:

Discussion of $15 suggested donation.  Curious about mechanics – people want to make clear that it is truly “suggested.”  Also want to make clear on the invite that the donation will be used for Network efforts.

Discussion of video production re: capturing REACH.  Will follow-up with Tom P., Wanda re: capturing homeless camp and interviewing Yvonne’s house resident; will follow-up with Dave Havens re:  possible interviewees.

Data collection

Review of monthly data reporting form, clarifying terms.  Discussion of MHSA assessment forms.  Suzanne, Network data analyst, will follow-up summarizing decisions and changes.

Updates:

Center for Human Development, Elaine Arsenault:  new, meeting people, trying to understand who is serving whom to avoid overlap  – talking with ServiceNet.

ServiceNet, Wanda Rolon, Tom Popalawski:  engaging with 6 chronically homeless.  4 units in Greenfield (Winslow Home) won’t be ready by Sept.  Looking for other units.

Carson Center, Tony Pereira:  meeting with Ann Lentini of Domus re: her concerns  about sustainability in Reed House Annex post Sept.  Pre-screening and engaging homeless indivs.

Mental Health Association, Jerry Ray, Dave Havens:  Shelter Plus Care/REACH – 5 people in, 6^th person read to go.  Units are opening up right now.  By end of March/early April, all 11 slots will be filled.

Brien Center, Mark Warren:  1^st person going into an apt today or tomorrow.  A lot of the referrals that are coming in are not appropriate, so outreach is a challenge.

Elliot CHS-Homeless Services, Jay Levy:  hearing good things from staff is saying about REACH program – seeing good progress with collaboration.

Next meeting:  Monday, April 5, 9:30 – 11:00 am, DMH Haskell Building, Northampton, following by peer supervision at 11 am, same location.

USICH has launched a new interactive website called USICH Preventing and Ending Homelessness – fsp.uservoice.com.  This is one element of the transparent process of developing the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. The HEARTH Act called for USICH to deliver to the Plan to Congress no later than May 20.

This site is not just a repository for ideas.  Once an idea has been posted, anyone can vote and comment on the suggestions and the most popular ideas will be displayed at the top of the list.  USICH Preventing and Ending Homelessness will be reviewed by USICH staff and the ideas that receive the most votes and comments will be assessed for possible inclusion in the FSP.

USICH strongly encourages you to forward this opportunity to any interested parties so they too can submit their input via the electronic feedback process. We have icons that your organization can add to your website if interested. Users will need to provide basic information to register in order to submit their responses.