August 2003
 
 
Dear Community Partner,
 
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires that our community have in place a 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness. The four themes of the plan, including closing the front door by preventing homelessness, opening the back door out of homelessness, building the infrastructure, and managing for results, align with the National Alliance to End Homelessness’s 10-year plan.  The Continuum of Care Steering Committee approved the original plan in May 2002.  All organizations listed as responsible organizations reviewed and were given opportunities to comment on and suggest changes to the plan.   
 

The following document is an update to the original plan, with revised goals and action steps to be accomplished over the next 18 months.  Implementation of the plan is already underway and important achievements have been made.  Specific workgroups and initiatives have been formed or are in the planning stages to carry out the balance of the plan, with the Continuum of Care Steering Committee providing oversight.  In early 2004 the plan will again be revisited and updated based on input from various community stakeholders.  In the meantime, we welcome your partnership and assistance in accomplishing the various objectives outlined in the 2003-2004 update. 

 

Thank you for your support in the concerted effort to bring an end to chronic homelessness in Franklin County
 
Sincerely,
 
 
Barbara Poppe
Executive Director
 
 
 
2003 Columbus and Franklin County
Continuum of Care Steering Committee

 

Organization                                                               Individual

ADAMH Board of Franklin County                              Suzanne Coleman-Tolbert

City of Columbus                                                          Linda Donnelly

Citizen’s Advisory Council                                            Sheila Prillerman

Citizen’s Advisory Council                                            Owen Bair

Citizen’s Advisory Council                                            Brian Grace

Citizen’s Advisory Council                                            Claudell Thomas

Columbus City Council                                     Robert Chilton

Columbus Coalition for the Homeless                Pearline Byrd

Columbus Coalition for the Homeless                Beth Fetzer-Rice

Columbus Coalition for the Homeless                Virginia O’Keeffe

Columbus Coalition for the Homeless                Aaron Riley

Columbus Compact                                                      George Tabit

Community Connection for Ohio Offenders                   Candace Knight

Columbus Foundation                                                   Emily Savors

Columbus Health Department                                       Nina Lewis

Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority                    Tom Dobies

Community Shelter Board                                             Barbara Poppe

Corporation for Supportive Housing                              Sally Luken

Legal Aid Society of Columbus                         Joe Maskovyak

Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing               Karen Kerns-Dresser

Franklin County Board of Commissioners                     Anthony Forte

United Way of Central Ohio                                         Joe McKinley

Veterans Administration                                                Judith Talbert

Veterans Services Commission                         David Bradley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ending Chronic Homelessness

Target: Homeless households who have a disabled member (inclusive of both individual households and families with children)

and have experienced long-term homelessness.

Goal: End Chronic Homelessness

Action Steps

Responsible Person/ Organization

Target Dates

Close the Front Door by Preventing Homelessness

Improve access to Franklin County Department of Job & Family Services (FCDJFS) programs & reduce referrals/discharge to shelters

1.    Develop plan for providing on-site services by FCDJFS at primary family shelter following establishment of the new Family Center shelter.

2.    Monitor progress quarterly and ensure service coordination and access.

3.    Distribute information to clients on how to apply for Disability Assistance, Food Stamps, Ohio Works First, PRC Assistance, and Medicaid through the Homeless Rights and Benefits guide developed by the Citizen’s Advisory Council

4.    Provide technical assistance and training, as needed.

1.    FCDJFS & YWCA Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN)

2.    Community Shelter Board (CSB), FCDJFS & YWCA IHN

3.    CSB & Partner Agencies

4.    FCDJFS & CSB

 

1.    January 2004

2.    July, October, January, April, July 2003-2004

3.    July 2003

Improve access to and coordination with health care programs & reduce referrals/discharge to shelters from hospital facilities

 

 

1.    Begin to improve access to healthcare services, per Access Health Columbus strategic plan and South Side pilot

2.    Assess impact of hospital discharge to shelters.

3.    Identify best practices and develop plan to reduce hospital discharge to shelter, as indicated.

4.    Monitor progress quarterly and provide ongoing technical assistance and training.

1.    Access Health Columbus, Columbus Neighborhood Health Centers (CNHC)

2.    CNHC, Columbus Health Department (CHD), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Columbus Coalition for the Homeless (CCH)  Healthcare Committee

3.    CNHC, CHD, VA CCH Healthcare Committee

4.    CCH Healthcare Committee

1.    December 2003

2.    March 2004

3.    June 2004

4.    July, October, January, April, July 2003-04

 

Improve access to and coordination with Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board (ADAMH) programs & reduce referrals/discharge to shelters from inpatient treatment facilities

1.    Execute Memorandum of Agreement between ADAMH and CSB outlining agency roles, system planning and coordination responsibilities

2.    Continue quarterly meetings of ADAMH/Shelter Provider Group

3.    Conduct shelter staff training on mental illness, engagement and referral protocols

4.    Update and disseminate Shelter and ADAMH agency referral matrix

5.    Begin to assess impact of inpatient treatment discharge to shelters.

6.    Identify best practices to reduce discharge from treatment facilities to shelter, as indicated.

7.    Monitor progress quarterly and provide ongoing technical assistance and training.

 

1.    CSB, ADAMH

2.    CSB, ADAMH

3.    ADAMH/Shelter Provider Group

4.    ADAMH/Shelter Provider Group

5.    ADAMH/Shelter Provider Group

6.    ADAMH/Shelter Provider Group

7.    ADAMH/Shelter Provider Group

 

1.    July 2003

2.    July, October, January, April, July 2003-04

3.    September 2003

4.    July 2003, January 2004, July 2004

5.    January 2004

6.    April, July 2004

7.    July, October, January, April, July 2003-04

Reduce referrals/discharge from Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) and local correctional system to shelters

1.    Continue bi-monthly planning and coordination meetings with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction

2.    Work with ODRC and local partners to implement Ohio Offender Reentry Plan and local CORE Project to improve discharge planning, re-entry initiatives and housing stability

3.    Implement local plan to reduce discharge to shelter for high risk offenders

4.    Improve access to mental health and addiction services and housing stability for offenders adjudicated as part of Franklin County court system drug and mental health dockets. 

5.    Participate in HUD-funded research on ‘Impact of Ex-Offender Reentry Policies on Homelessness,’ and use findings as basis for local policy dev.

1.    ODRC, CSB, Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), Community Connections for Ohio Offenders

2.    ODRC, CSB, CSH, Community Connections

3.    Community Connections, Franklin County CORE Project Reentry Committee

4.    FC Specialty Docket Advisory Committee and Reentry Subcommittee

Walter R. McDonald & Associates, CSB, ODRC, CSH

1.    July, September, November, January, March, May, July 2003-04

2.    July 2003-December 2004

3.    July 2003

4.    June 2004

5.    April 2004

Open the Back Door

Continue implementation of Rebuilding Lives plan through development of new permanent supportive housing (PSH) for chronically homeless men and women

1.    Continue to oversee and coordinate funding for development and on-going operations of 400+ Rebuilding Lives units.

2.    Bring 82 new PSH units on-line at Commons at Grant and East Fifth Avenue projects.

3.    Bring 80 new scattered site units on-line (pending ICH grant award).

4.    Complete reconfiguration of scattered site units to single provider.

5.    Proceed with development of Chantry Place PSH (40 units) and Harrisburg Pike PSH (25 units).

6.    Provide technical assistance to developers and providers.

7.    Monitor progress monthly and bi-monthly.

1.    Rebuilding Lives Funder Collaborative (RLFC), Continuum of Care Steering Committee

2.    National Church Residences (NCR), Community Housing Network (CHN)

3.    CSB, CHN, other project partners

4.    CSB, CSH, scattered site providers

5.    NCR, Maryhaven, CHN

6.    CSB, CHN

7.    CSB, CSH, RLFC, & CoC Steering Committee

1.    July 2003-December 2004

2.    July 2003; October 2003

3.    January 2004

4.    December 2003

5.    July 2003-December 2004

6.    July 2003-December 2004

7.    July 2003-December 2004

Continue development of new permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless families with children

1.    Add 4 units of PSH for homeless families with alcohol or other drug problems

2.    Provide technical assistance to developers and providers.

3.    Monitor progress monthly and bi-monthly.

1.     Amethyst

2.     CSB, CSH

3.     CSB, CSH, RLFC, CoC Steering Committee, family provider group

1.    September 2003

2.    July  2003-December 2004

3.    July 2003- December 2004

Increase understanding of chronically homeless families

1.     Create research design that will add to knowledge of families who have experienced multiple episodes of homelessness

2.     Complete research and disseminate to key community stakeholders

3.     Identify system and service development goals based on findings

1.     CSB, Ohio State University doctoral candidate

2.     CSB, Ohio State University doctoral candidate, CoC Steering Committee

3.     CSB, RLFC, CoC Steering Committee, CCH, family system providers

1.        Fall 2003

2.        August 2004

3.        October 2004

Improve coordination and linkage between outreach and permanent supportive housing projects

1.    Continue monthly meetings of outreach service providers.

2.    Improve dissemination of information regarding PSH eligibility and unit openings.

 

 

1.     CCH, Maryhaven, Southeast, VA, CNHC, PSH provider agencies

2.     CCH, Maryhaven, Southeast, VA, CNHC, PSH provider agencies, CSH

1.     July 2003-December 2004

2.     June 2004

Improve access to Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) programs

1.     Continue technical assistance to developers and providers.

2.     Identify new opportunities for utilizing CMHA programs.

3.     Establish procedure for tracking use of Section 8 and Shelter Plus Care vouchers in PSH projects.

4.     Institute regular staff cross-trainings for CMHA and PSH providers

1.     CSB, CSH & CMHA

2.     CSB, CSH & CMHA

3.     CSB, CSH & CMHA

4.     CSH, CMHA, PSH provider agencies

 

1.     July 2003-December 2004

2.     July 2003-December 2004

3.     October 2003

4.     March 2004

Expedite benefits enrollment by the Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs

1.    Secure funding for implementation of SSI expediting project based on Baltimore model

2.    Convene provider/funder planning group and implement SSI project.

3.    Convene provider/funder planning group to identify barriers to veterans’ benefits and next steps.

4.    Monitor progress monthly and bi-monthly and provide technical assistance and training.

 

1.    CSB, CSH, CNHC, ADAMH, & FCDJFS

2.    CSB, CSH, CNHC, ADAMH, FCDJFS, shelter & supportive housing providers

3.    CSB, CSH, Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Service Commission, other provider agencies

4.    RLFC, CSB, CSH, CoC Steering Committee

1.    September 2003

2.    March 2004

3.    June 2004

4.    July 2003-December 2004

Build the Infrastructure

Increase supply of affordable housing

1.     Continue to use local, state, and federal funding to increase the supply of af