The Network continued its experiment with merging meetings by joining the 3 County REACH meeting and conducting Network business for the last 30 minutes of it. All members of both the Hampden County and the 3 County region will stay on the Network’s singular individual services committee email list and receive each other’s meeting minutes as a way of staying connected and learning from each other.
Three County Individual Services Meeting Minutes – 4/9/11
In attendance: Charlyn Arnell, Eliot Services, Colin Blair, Eliot Services, Steve Connor, Veterans Services, Lillian Coleman, ACC, Sam Cunningham, ServiceNet, Lisa Goldsmith, DIAL/SELF, Erin Gorry, CHD, Hwei-Ling Greeney, ACC, John Hornik, Town of Amherst, Andy Klatka, Eliot Services, Jay Levy, Eliot Services, Anne Marie Martineau, DMH, Charles McDowell, DMH, Danielle McGolgan, CHD, Katie Miernecki, ServiceNet, Sue Moorman, VA, Brendan Plante, Eliot Services, Nikkie Riello, Hilltown CDC, Pamela Schwartz, Josh Wren, ServiceNet, Chris Zabik, DMH
Homelessness Resource Fair for Providers – June 14
Pamela provided an update on the second annual Homelessness Resource Fair for providers that is taking place on Thurs., June 14, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm at HCC. We reviewed Hampden County’s individual services meeting discussion around the workshop on chronically homeless individuals where it was confirmed that focusing on the definition of chronically homeless, why it matters and how the coordinated entry system works. Katie Miernecki volunteered to join the planning group (along with Janice Humason from FOH and Laura Robertson from Catholic Charities of Hampden County). Pamela will also reach out to Erin Forbush of ServiceNet to participate. The rise in the unsheltered population over the last 2 years was also noted; the opioid epidemic was discussed as a contributing factor.
Three County Point in Time Count data:
Jay and Pamela distributed the 2018 PIT data (click here) compiled by Andrea Miller, the 3 County HMIS director. It was noted that there is an overall 5% increase as compared to last year due to the rise in family homelessness while there is a small reduction among the other populations. The significant drop in the # of chronically homeless individuals since 2015 was due to the change in the definition of CH which made it more restrictive. We also noted the spike in youth homelessness in 2015 (60) as compared to subsequent years (in the 30’s), which was due to the rise that year in homeless families with young adult parents. It was also noted that the evacuees from Puerto Rico were not yet included in the count due to the challenge of acquiring the data.
Coordinated entry info sharing across sub-regions: Pamela shared that Hampden County was launching a “VI-SPDAT challenge for the month of April” – including prizes and all! – as a tool to increase the number of assessments and help cement the practice of competing assessments to everyone entering the system. While the 3 County tool is still in process of being integrated, this is one tool to keep in mind.
Shelter Updates:
Pamela shared that at the last Hampden County Individual Services Committee Friends of the Homeless reported notably high occupancy at 172 individuals each night. It was noted that the Hartford seasonal shelter recently closed which may be a contributing factor.
Katie of ServiceNet reported the last month at the cot shelter saw 13 turn-aways (and the average has been 18-20), 10 due to capacity and 3 due to being under the influence.
Craig’s Doors just hired a new shelter manager so hopefully they will have the capacity to join us at these meetings soon.
Joining Hampden County Individual Services Meetings by Zoom
Pamela noted that it’s possible to join the Hampden County Individual Services meetings by Zoom (tried once at a veterans committee meeting with mixed success – will work on better connection). Pamela will send out a Zoom link in advance of the Hampden County meetings so people can join at a distance (makes more sense now that the Network portion is only 30 minutes).
For Three County meetings, due to the logistics of the meeting space, Pamela will relay updates from Hampden County.
Next meeting date: Monday, May 13, 1-2:30 pm, DMH Haskel Building.
