Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care: May Newsletter

Heat Relief Network 2023 Now Open 

The Heat Relief Network runs May 1, 2023 – September 30, 2023 and is a voluntary partnership made up of service providers, faith-based groups, local governments, and businesses. These partners mobilize to provide cooling centers, water, and refuge from the intense Arizona heat for anyone needing heat relief in Maricopa County. Please visit MAG Heat Relief Network for more information. 

Learning Management System Update 

The CoC Learning Gateway has been undergoing pilot testing ahead of the full rollout. The platform currently has a mix of original interactive content, pre-recorded webinars, and registration opportunities for upcoming events. It will continue to be built out and adapted in the coming weeks in order to provide the best user experience. 

Please stay tuned for information to be distributed this month on accessing the platform! In the meantime, we encourage interested organizations to visit this webpage for a brief survey that will help identify allocations for the finite number of licenses available.  

Community Adopted Best Practices Office Hours 

Each year, the Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care reviews and updates our Community Adopted Best Practices. This year, we will be holding two office hour sessions to provide feedback. The first will be held on May 23, 2023 at 11:00am via Zoom. If you are interested in attending, please Register Here! 

Gaps Analysis Stakeholder Sessions 

The Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care is conducting a Gaps Analysis for the homeless system. We are requesting stakeholder feedback to inform this gaps analysis. MAG will be hosting two feedback sessions virtually and one in person. Our virtual sessions will take place on May 4, 2023 at 2pm (Register Here!) and May 9, 2023 at 4:00pm (Register Here!). Our in-person session will be on May 16, 2023 at 10am. If you are interested in attending this session, please contact Haleigh Owens at howens@azmag.gov. 

DWEL-AZ Operator Request for Information 

DWEL-AZ is a project in development with the three Arizona CoCs, their respective HMIS administrators, and AHCCCS to improve service coordination and outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness through a statewide data warehouse. DWEL-AZ is currently seeking information for eligible respondents to serve as an administrative operator for the project. Though responses to this RFI will not result in any award of contract directly, they may inform future contracting and the selected operator would receive funding for their services. If your agency or one you know may be interested in filling this position, please click this link for more information. 

New Infographics Available! 

A wave of short informational documents related to homelessness and the CoC were recently added to the CoC Resources webpage. These takeaways introduce fundamental concepts and may be useful to introduce adjacent groups or even serve as a refresher! Be on the lookout for any document with the “What Is…” or “How To…” designation. 

Maricopa County Substance Use Provider Survey  

Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) is conducting a survey of substance use service providers to identify community needs and gaps in current response activities. This survey is part of a multi-pronged approach to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of substance use prevention and response interventions in Maricopa County. In addition to this survey, the data collection process will also include key informant interviews and regional listening sessions. The provider survey will launch on Monday, March 13, 2023, and run for approximately 4-6 weeks.  

Please visit their FAQs page to learn more. Follow this link to take the survey. 

PAST MEETINGS 

A complete description of each of the CoC meetings can be found on the CoC Committee Overview where you can learn more about the Committees, find out when they meet, or contact the appropriate MAG staff member.    

The Continuum of Care Board approved three new members – Jessica Cruz with Native American Connections, Liz da Costa with AHCCCS, and Krickette Wetherington with Arizona Housing, Inc. The Board approved the Point in Time Count results and the Strategic Plan. In addition, the Board reviewed the progress made on the Strategic Plan and CoC activities, progress made on Pathways Home, and the Coordinated Entry evaluation.  

The Continuum of Care Committee received updates on the Coordinated Entry Evaluation and the Learning Management System. They also viewed a video depicting the System Flow Dashboard and how to read and interpret it. The Committee also discussed the Connecting to Other Systems of Care Workgroup and determined that they would focus on Permanent Supportive Housing service providers to identify what is contributing to those who are returning to homelessness. If you are interested in participating in the Connecting to Other Systems of Care Workgroup, please contact Haleigh Owens at howens@azmag.gov.  

The Coordinated Entry Committee continues to review data from both the singles and families system and new applications for Access Points. The CE Committee also discussed the Coordinated Entry evaluation feedback and provided recommendations to the Coordinated Entry Evaluation Workgroup. The CE Evaluation workgroup are reviewing the assessment and prioritization with the group focused on 4 factors: disabling condition, high utilization of the system, risk of remaining homeless, and race or ethnicity. The next meeting will be on May 10th. The Coordinated Entry Homeless Prevention Workgroup is reviewing the thresholds related to prevention and adjusting based on how individuals and families are scoring. The workgroup will review data again next month. The Coordinated Entry Domestic Violence Workgroup continue to work through sharing data from the domestic violence system to HMIS for cross-matching in HMIS and providing information back to the Domestic Violence system, but still working through increasing the data sharing cadence.  

The Data Committee (DC) reviewed five Data Requests from the community and discussed next steps for agencies that are consistently reporting low data quality in HMIS. The committee voted in seven new members, who will begin their Data Committee terms in May. Next meeting will also include a review of the Charter, more data requests, and continuing a paused conversation of BNL education and communication strategies.  

The ESG Committee hosted Robyn Andrews from CSH, who continued the ESG training series with a presentation on Reporting. The ESG Committee also reviewed and provided feedback on the current draft of the Shelter Bill of Rights, as well as discussed moving ahead with aligning outcomes and reporting. In May, the group will receive a presentation from Robyn on Indirect Cost. We encourage ESG Committee members to invite their teams to join.  

The Lived Experience Committee continues to gather feedback for the Shelter Bill of Rights (SBR) and discuss the changes with the Committee. In addition, the Committee discussed the Coordinated Entry evaluation and provided feedback to discuss at the Coordinated Entry Evaluation Workgroup.   

The Local Jurisdiction Committee voted to approve a data report template, which serves as a major step forward in the committee’s goal to make jurisdiction-level data more regularly accessible. The committee also heard an update on the progress of Pathways Home and prepared for the public release of the unsheltered 2023 PIT Count report. 

The Race Equity Committee discussed the current permanent supportive housing move on strategy and how the process may be improved to ensure equity. The discussion was robust and will continue during the May meeting. Further, Friday, May 26, 2023 at 2 pm the COC will host the next regional race equity training, provided by Racial Equity Partners. In this training, Becoming an Antiracist Organization: Institutional Transformation, we will review diversity and inclusion concepts, understanding the impact of bias and micro-aggressions and reviews strategies for creating inclusive and antiracist organizations. Register Here! 

The Youth Action Committee approved their Charter and opened Membership Recruitment. They also created and approved their mission statement, which is as follows: The Youth Action Committee focuses on empowering homeless and at-risk youth through collaboration with service providers, enhancing understanding and resources. We strive to create an equitable community where every youth is heard, has access to support, and is enabled to build a brighter future. 

The Communications Workgroup met and reviewed the changes to the website. The group discussed next steps in brainstorming a logo and tagline for the Continuum of Care. In May, the group will review potential logo ideas to be presented to other Committees. In addition, the group will discuss messaging around the Homelessness Trends Report and other available data, how to better tell the homelessness story, and communication into the community about homelessness.  

NEW! The Connecting to Housing Workgroup was formed to create better alignment between the Continuum of Care and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The group discussed how to better understand the LIHTC process, how the CoC can provide feedback into the Qualified Allocation Process, and how to better integrate Coordinated Entry with LIHTC projects. In addition, the group hopes to better connect Public Housing Authorities with LIHTC. The group meets the third Tuesday of the month at 11:00 a.m.  

The Data Analytics Workgroup spent April preparing talking points, determining audiences, and solidifying next steps for the group’s findings on Returns data. The group will be bringing findings to the CoC Committee in May. 

The Emergency Shelter Workgroup continued to refine the process to better coordinate shelter for single adults. The group opened the process to the Welcome Center and 2-1-1 to better coordinate referrals where there are open shelter beds in the community. The group began a pilot project with 2-1-1 to complete a warm handoff from callers to shelters with openings. The group will reconvene in May to evaluate the pilot process, review challenges to the referral process, and discuss transportation challenges.  

The Outreach Collaborative is continuing to work through the standardization of policies and procedures across outreach teams in order to better coordinate what outreach looks like across the region. The group will reconvene in May to discuss current policies and how to standardize.  

The Public Housing Authority Collaborative (PHA) provided updates on the Emergency Housing Vouchers and discussed the feedback loop for tracking referrals. Vanessa reviewed the Move On Strategy workgroup with the PHAs and discussed the workflow as well as guidance from HUD for next steps.   

The Veteran Collaborative discussed the Maricopa County StandDown that took place on April 28. It was also shared that the Higher Level of Care project is looking for more referrals from Maricopa County. The VA announced that the 2023 goals from the National VA were released and this year they are focusing on preventing returns to homelessness through re-engagement, outreach, and engagement with the unsheltered population. 

The Youth Provider Collaborative met to get more information about Civic Roundtable, a platform designed for collaboration. Currently, the Youth Provider Collaborative is working on creating a Youth Provider Best Practices document. If you are interested in providing input on that document, please contact Haleigh Owens, howens@azmag.gov.  

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 

The legislature recessed on April 26th and will resume session on May 3rd. For the remainder of the session, members will be in office once per week.  Legislative members will be focusing on budget hearings including $150 million allocation to the Housing Trust Fund, increasing the DES Homeless Coordination line item to $25 million, and expanding the LIHTC to $6 million annually until 2028. 

The Arizona Housing Coalition leads the efforts to end homelessness and advocates for safe, affordable homes for all Arizonans. For any questions, please contact Joanna Carr with the Arizona Housing Coalition at joanna@azhousingcoalition.org, join the Arizona Housing Coalition, or get involved in their Advocacy Committee if you are a member.    

UPCOMING MEETINGS, TRAININGS, AND WEBINARS 

All CoC meetings and Events can be found on our Meeting and Event Calendar. If you are interested in attending and do not have a meeting invite, register on the event page or reach out to hsinfo@azmag.gov. 

Building Codes & Affordable Housing: Arizona Housing Coalition – Learn More and Register Here! 

May 10th – 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. 

Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness: National Center for Homeless Education – Learn More and Register Here! 

May 10th – 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  

Turning Resources into Action: Increasing Integrated Housing Options for People with I/DD: Administration for Community Living – Learn More and Register Here! 

May 11th – 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.  

Workshop: Data for Decision-Making: From the Ground Up and Phoenix Rescue Mission – Learn More and Register Here! 

May 17th – 12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. 

Addressing Sexual Violence in I/DD Communities: Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence – Learn More and Register Here! 

May 18th – 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  

2023 National CARES Act Virtual Conference – Save the date for the Conference! 

May 22nd – 25th  

Understanding Doubled Up: National Center for Homeless Education – Learn More and Register Here! 

May 23rd – 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 

Rapid Rehousing Roundtable Discussion Series: Shared Housing: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Learn More and Register Here! 

May 25th – 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 

Examining Secondary Victimization Within the Healthcare Response to Sexual Assault: Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence – Learn More and Register Here! 

May 25th – 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

Race Equity: Becoming Antiracist in Practice: Race Equity Partners – Learn More and Register Here! 

May 26th – 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

Arizona Housing Forum Conference – Save the date for the Conference! 

August 23rd – 25th in Tucson, AZ 

Maricopa HMIS Trainings: Solari Crisis and Human Services, the HMIS lead for the Maricopa Regional CoC, hosts a series of trainings each month for Homeless Management Information System users. Learn More and Register Here! 

PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES 

Click this link for open Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Qualifications (RFQs), Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), and Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO). 

RESOURCES 

Click this link for available service provider resources, including toolkits and definitions. 

NEW! Interested in reviewing the System Performance Measures and seeing changes over time? Check out the recently launched System Performance Measures dashboard!  

Click this link to view previous months’ newsletters.    

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