Brown County Homeless and Housing Coalition

Math

Brown County Homeless and Housing Coalition Service Providers Meeting Minutes

August 28th, 2012 9:00 am at Wisconsin Job Center

Present:

Freedom House (Alleigh Sellen) Family Services TLP (Andrea Huss)

NEW Community Shelter (Mandi Johnson) St Vincent de Paul (Mary Marks)

House of Hope (Becky Leifker ) Golden House (Jodi)

Forward Service Corp. (Robin Kuklinski) ICS (DonElla Payne and John)

St Johns (Angela) HUD VASH (Cindy Beishir)

Salvation Army (Bree Decker, Amber Burgess, Gina Leonardell & Jodi Gerhartz)

Not present: Legal Action, Outreach Healthcare, Brown County CTP, MORE Program, Oneida Transitional Living, Catholic Charities and ICS

1.  Welcome and Introductions

2.  Monthly Presentation – Cindy Beishir, US Department of Veteran Affairs

-  HUD VASH – joint program between HUD and VA

-  Eligibility loose than HUD only run programs – denial for over income limits and name is on lifetime sex registry

-  Interest list is around 40 in Green Bay – serving 50/50 families vs singles

-  Must be homeless or at risk

-  NCS has four beds for veterans

-  Other programs VA has include help with mental health, AODA, PTSD, dental grant, vision, rental assistance for eviction, utility assistance

-  Milwaukee has inpatient 90 day programs - Treatment co-pay based on income

-  Milwaukee has 2 year transitional living programs

-  In August 2013(estimate) new veteran clinic will open in Green Bay – off University Ave on way to UWGB, far East Side

-  Brown County hired someone for Veteran Court but in training and working out of Appleton clinic currently

3.  July Meeting Minute Approval – minutes are on the website, please review for next meeting for approval

4.  Updated and Schedule for Training Requests

-  Brown County DVR

-  NWTC (Student Childcare Assistance) & NWTC Supportive Services

-  ADRC

-  Legal Action – may be hard to get

-  Family Services – all their different programs

-  WI Job Center – workshops, programs to help find employment (not W2)

5.  BCHHC

-  Common referral and transition forms online

-  Website address is http://www.bchhcwi.org/

-  New updated Places to Go Brochures, black out SVdP Doty-Webster Properties on old ones, looking at selling those properties

6.  ICS update – DonElla and John (ICS staff)

-  Handouts given to review about program and recent updates on program

-  ICS started administering Section 8 program in 1972 as a pilot program

-  On 7/24 meeting with Brown County Housing Authority staff (City and Planning Dept)notified ICS that effective 1/1/13 ICS would no longer have Section 8 contract

-  No reasons have been given as to why the program would not be awarded to ICS and instead kept in house at BCHA. BCHA has looked at keeping in house or looking at other providers of service

-  BCHA [proposes hiring 18 staff (some may be with ICS currently)

-  Change has been put on hold currently and selling points for ICS include being high performers, under budget and connected with community

-  ICS has only big once for the Section 8 program in 2006 and won the bid

-  ICS looking for advocacy to keep the program – letters, calls and showing up to meets will all help

-  The initiative to move the Section 8 program seems to be on hold with fear the program could not transition to BCHA on the assigned date with uninterrupted service and client satisfaction

-  Unknown what would happen to energy assistance but it would need to be picked up by another agency and the other supportive programming offered by ICS may go away if agency cannot sustain itself.

-  Proposal currently for ICS to get year extension and look at all options before decision is made – 3200 households use vouchers affecting 15000 Brown County residents

-  BCHA meetings are 3rd Monday of the month in Room 604 City Hall, open to all

-  All questions should be directed to ICS for clients, staff were not able to discuss what was going on but today article in newspaper and talk in community

-  ICS still taking referrals and applications

-  Leaving Homelessness Behind has funding, still planning on SOFT for school year

-  HCV: giving out 75-85 new vouchers month but problem is finding unit and passing inspection

-  125 currently looking for apartments

-  ICS can do nothing with porting out vouchers – HUD regulations

-  Review address verification when apply and then when come in

7.  Pail and Spare Update – Jodi

-  September 1- September 26th

-  Boxes go out this Thursday, 87 sites and GB Public Schools

-  Sorting September 27th at West High School

-  Must volunteer to receive product from drive

8.  WISP Steering Committee

-  Non cash benefits webinar

-  Kids need to have services listed but no numbers need to be attached

-  All emergency shelters need to document unmet needs

-  Contact Jennifer Allen with Service Point questions on statistics, Jodi Gerhartz for basic service point questions

-  Let Jodi know if you want anything on FACEBOOK for your agency

9.  Common Intake Committee

-  Nan Pahl is contact to be on committee

-  ESG grant requires common intake for funding

-  Meetings will start soon

10.  Agency Updates

·  Salvation Army EPH

-  30 on waiting list

-  1 unit being remodeled, 16 units but gaining 2 more in November

-  Adopt a Family – if received last year will not be able to receive this year

1.  Looking at serving 525 this year

·  Salvation Army Emer Services

-  New grant year for eviction prevent, have money

-  Referrals for 1st month of assistance have been great – thanks !

-  One opening for full time case manager

-  No supplies left for school, helped 1429 kids

-  Have vouchers if school ages children need clothes

-  Help with school shoes from Shopko – kids need to be 5 and up

-  Looking for referrals for eye glasses for kids

-  Contact main number 593-2379

·  St Johns

-  New program manager Angela

-  Open on Tuesdays for past residents

·  SVdP

-  Clothing vouchers 1 x every six months

-  Help with kids clothes $25, adults $35

-  MTWF 10-1 walk-ins, adults must have ID’s

-  Out of energy funds

-  Selling Doty/Webster property – please cross off on Places to Go

-  Begin A New using one house for women returning to community

·  House of Hope

-  Posted for Directors Position

-  Becky back as case manager

-  Touchdown for Hope Gala next Friday

·  Golden House

-  Over capacity

-  Hiring advocate for case management

·  Freedom House

-  Trying to be full but families not showing up for assessments

-  56 families on waiting list, 182 people

-  October 6th Celebration of Hope

·  New Community Shelter

-  12 open beds, TLP has move ins

-  250 last night at meal program

·  Forward Service Corporation

-  Energy Assistance for EA : must have disconnect notice, loss of income and medical crisis for program to help, cannot have received help in past 12 months

-  2 move ins

-  W2 orientations now offered on Monday, one on one appointments Monday pm

·  Marion House

-  Staffing changes: to reach staff

-  Looking for suggestions on how to make their program better, with new staff perfect time to make needed changes

-  2 move outs, 5 on waiting list for apartments

-  Group home has opening for 18< voluntary & pregnant

·  Family Services TLP

-  Trying to get full but don’t work out at assessment or unexpected leavers

-  Sept 10th part time person Michelle Garner starts – filling Kelsey’s position

-  All referrals continue to Andrea

11.  New Business

-  Affordable Housing Survey – looking to possible partner with UWGB students

Next Meeting September 25th, 2012

Thanks for all you do!