Individual Services Committee Meeting Minutes – 4/5/10
Attendance: Dave Havens, MHA, Elaine Arsenault, CHD, Tom Brigham, MHSA, Bill Miller, Friends of the Homeless, Tom Poplawski, ServiceNet, Wanda Rolon, ServiceNet, Andrea Miller, CHD, Suzanne Smith, Network data analyst, Tony Pereira, Carson Center, Mark Warren, Brien Center, Jay Levy, Elliot CHS-Homeless Services, Dave Modzlewski, DMH, Pamela Schwartz, Network coordinator
Bruegger’s Bagels Fundraiser: The day raised $320. Committee agreed Elliot-CHS Homeless Services will distribute funds to support homeless in Amherst and Northampton. Committee thanked Jay Levy for facilitating this opportunity.
ESG coordination – advised all of 4/13, 2-3 pm meeting at Holyoke DTA Office to discuss ESG grant coordination.
Budget check-in: reviewed ICHH expenditures; stressed importance of timely billing and full expenditure of funds by 9/30. Programs encouraged to assess now if they will have trouble spending funds by grant end so we can redirect if necessary. Will take stock at May meeting.
Program Updates
MHA – 9 people housed total, 4 people housed in March.
CHD – struggle with affordable housing – 1 housed, 3 more due under contract – 3 identified but no housing currently available. Ongoing discussions with Amherst Housing Authority.
Carson Center – Person slated to be housed in Domus unit but person denied subsidy by Westfield Housing Authority due to negative CORI – will appeal – new building still not due to be built until September – must revisit timing in terms of grant management. Has 3 people housing ready.
Brien Center – housed 3 in March, 1 out within a week (but still receiving treatment and not currently homeless so considered a success) . Other 2 are doing well. Engaging another 5.
ServiceNet – Franklin County: 2 initially housed, 1 left (but still in contact). Hampshire: 5 housed and 2 or 3 due in April.
Use of HPRP funds for housing ready people for whom housing units are not available: Dave M will follow-up per Tom Brigham’s suggestion to connect with Open Pantry/SMOC to explore making their HPRP funds more flexible to provide transitional housing assistance to people awaiting units to come available (e.g., Domus in Westfield, Winslow in Greenfield). Dave will email Allison Maynard of Open Pantry about this possibility.
Assessment form review, Tom Brigham, MHSA – discussed form, Suzanne and Andrea distributed the Network’s fax cover sheet and evaluation form in order to collect HHG assessment forms. All agreed of importance for all providers to get connected to an HMIS system so we can collect all demographic data. Suzanne will follow-up sending all forms electronically and client id info. Suzanne will also follow-up with providers re: getting on HMIS system. Being part of HMIS and gaining Releases of Information are crucial to meaningful data analysis. Many thanks to Tom for making the journey to Western Mass.!
Next meeting: Monday, May 3, 2010, 9:30 am, DMH Haskell Building
