Discharge Planning Funding Collaboration Work Group Meeting Minutes — 7/14/11
In attendance: Jay Levy, Elliott CHS Homeless Services, Dave Modzelewski, Mental Health Association, Pamela Schwartz, network coordinator, Suzanne Smith, data analyst, Laura Waskiewicz, Franklin County Sherriff’s Dept., Kurt Zellen, VA Medical Center
Revisited current goal: ascertain number of people in shelter who were recently released from jail; make case for causal relationship between criminal recidivism and homelessness; make case for support services/housing/job as best prevention bet
Towards goal: data collection, demonstrating numbers out of jail in shelter;
track chronic homeless and jail history – next step would be narrowing pool and identify hardest to serve with some vocational history/potential for employment
Suzanne reported on what HMIS currently provides: last living arrangements (most recent)
Suzanne can look at ServiceNet programs to get an initial sense of data. Will also look into recording of benefits received.
Would be ideal for HMIS to include:
behavioral health or substance abuse issue
legal issue
Correctional facility questions:
1. Have you been homeless within the last 3 years prior to this incarceration?
2. How many places have you lived in the year prior to this incarceration? ( a score of 3 or more indicates high risk)
3. On a scale of 1-10, what is your self assessment of your risk of homelessness if your discharge plan does not work out? ( my staff felt strongly that inmates would be honest about this)
2. How many places have you lived in the year prior to this incarceration? ( a score of 3 or more indicates high risk)
3. On a scale of 1-10, what is your self assessment of your risk of homelessness if your discharge plan does not work out? ( my staff felt strongly that inmates would be honest about this)
Shelter questions:
1. Have you been incarcerated within the last 3 years? Out of that group:
2. Were you homeless prior to incarceration or recently homeless for at least one year?
Must recognize sensitivity of asking residents. Likely to evolve to survey, not a one-on-one question.Must define homelessness and incarceration.
Goal for first data report-out: 3 months.
Use 9/15 discharge meeting as forum for discussion of this effort.
Tasks:
Pamela will do one-on-one outreach to correctional facilities and shelters to maximize attendance on 9/15.
Laura: define incarceration
Jay/Dave: define homelessness
Suzanne: will discuss this effort with data partner, Andrea Miller, get ideas, will search out ServiceNetWill come prepared for discussion to 9/15 meeting!
