Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care: October Newsletter

Community Input Survey: CoC Strategic Planning  

The CoC committees and Board are reviewing the current CoC Strategic Plan and making edits for the upcoming year. To ensure committees are taking on goals and actions that benefit our CoC and matter most to our community, we want to hear from you! Please complete this survey to provide suggestions to each of our 8 lateral committees and Board. Take the Survey Here! 

Strengthening Opportunities for Successful Housing Development Partnerships 

Housing is a cornerstone of any community. Throughout the country, communities are grappling with the need to provide housing that meets a wide array of income levels. Solving this complex issue requires strong public/private partnerships where collaboration is key. This Lunch ‘n Learn style webinar will focus on strategies and case studies proven to be successful in Arizona and elsewhere in moving the housing development needle, while also highlighting innovative opportunities that warrant exploration. Highly regarded subject matter experts will engage in a fast-paced and thought-provoking dialogue around what community leaders, private developers, and non-profit organizations can do to address Arizona’s housing needs. Please join us on November 9 from 11:30 am – 1 pm. Register Here! 

NEW! Employer Toolkit The Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care has recently launched the Employer Toolkit, which is designed to help prepare employers looking to hire people who are re-entering the workforce. The toolkit includes benefits resources, employer resources, and employee development resource guides. Check it out here! 

Non-HMIS Agency Request for Input  

The Non-HMIS Agency Workgroup is gathering information on agencies that operate Supportive Services Only (SSO) and Outreach projects in Maricopa County, but are not using HMIS. If your organization is or interacts with any projects that may operate outside of HMIS, please reach out to Cleo Warner at cwarner@azmag.gov.  

Coordinated Entry Assessment Next Steps 

As the Coordinated Entry Evaluation workgroup has continued to make progress on the new assessment questions, MAG will be holding a series of Community Conversations focused on potential prioritization changes and how these changes will impact placements into housing. Join us for a conversation on October 18 or November 1 from 11 am – 12 pm. Register Here or reach out to Brian Gruters at bgruters@azmag.gov.  

AVESDV Announces Sexual Assault Reimbursement Program  

Recognizing the need for assistance in medical expenses for sexual assault survivors, AVESDV proposed a pilot program to provide both immediate support for survivors and insights into the extent of the need across the state. To access the SARP application or obtain additional information, please visit our website: SARP Application and Information. 

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. Registration for CoC meetings and events can be found on the Meeting and Event Calendar. 

The Continuum of Care Board welcomed three new members to the Board. The Board approved HMIS policies, reviewed the Consolidated Application and Planning Grant, and heard an overview of the Homeless Management Information System. In October, the Board will be hearing updates from the Coordinated Entry leads, progress on the Strategic Plan, and updates on Pathways Home.  

The Continuum of Care Committee received presentations on the Quarterly Trends Report and Program Performance Measures Dashboard. They also discussed what additional data they would like to see and how that will impact their Strategic Plan goals. They received updates on the Connecting to Systems of Care and Continuum Referral to External Systems workgroups. 

The Coordinated Entry Committee heard updates from the lead agencies overseeing Coordinated Entry (CE) for families, single adults, and survivors of domestic violence. The implementation of the 90 day BNL took effect on October 1. The Committee also heard updates on the forthcoming CE assessment tool being developed by the Coordinated Entry Evaluation Workgroup. This workgroup met twice during the month to review the working draft of the tool, reviewing data modeling related to the tool’s potential impact on client prioritization. Ultimately the workgroup will need to work with the CE Committee to develop a strategy for implementation and evaluation. The Coordinated Entry-Domestic Violence Workgroup met and discussed ways to increase provider participation in the CE-DV workflow. 

The Data Committee voted on data requests and a new HMIS agency request, as well as received presentations on two new dashboards for the community. The group also voted through the annual HMIS policy update. Chris Pitcher with ICF joined the meeting to lead an interactive discussion on the AZ Data Landscape Project and collect feedback from Data Committee members.  

The ESG Committee met in September to plan the agendas for previously discussed provider-focused meetings for the various interventions funded by ESG, as well as to make a plan for addressing coming ESG administration challenges shared across the funders. 

The Lived Experience Committee welcomed six new members. The Committee received presentations on the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Prioritization List and the NOFO Consolidated Application. The Committee then approved a Letter of Support for the NOFO application.  

The Local Jurisdiction Committee had a major milestone in voting to approve the final version of the Jurisdictional Dashboard, which will expand opportunities to make data-informed decisions at the city and town level. The committee reviewed the Community Court Toolkit and began thinking through ways to further refine it with lessons learned over the past year. After reflecting on the position of the committee in relation to the CoC, members also took time to review the potential next steps and action items for the coming year. 

The Race Equity Committee leadership are focusing meetings and speakers on the four identified goals in the 2021 Race Equity report focusing on redesigning the Coordinated Entry assessment, inclusion of people with lived experience, building capacity to use data, and workforce development. The committee welcomed six new members at the September meeting. There are two remaining race equity trainings that will be offered in 2023. Dates and topics are to be announced soon. 

The Youth Action Committee welcomed three new members. The Committee received updates on the Rank and Review Committee process for the annual Notice of Funding Opportunity and the work being done on the Continuum of Care Board. They also reviewed the Maricopa Regional CoC Grievance Form and discussed a strategy on how to ensure the form is available to any clients who need it. 

The By-Name List Workgroup continues to work on content creation for the purpose of a new training for the CoC Learning Gateway. 

The Communications Workgroup reviewed the October Talking Points which were sent out to the Communications Listserv about activities happening in the homelessness and housing space. If you or your Communications staff are interested in being added, reach out to Katie at kgentry@azmag.gov. The Communications workgroup is shifting to quarterly moving forward in November, February, May, and August.  

The Connecting to Systems of Care Workgroup discussed what they would like to work on next, as the initial goal of the workgroup seems to have been accomplished. The Workgroup decided to see what information came from the Rapid Rehousing Provider and Funder conversation before making any decisions about the future of the group. 

The Connecting to Other Systems of Care Workgroup met for the first time in September. The workgroup convened stakeholders from the CoC and representatives from the Education, Justice, and Healthcare systems. This session focused on conducting a comprehensive analysis of the various, pinpointing entry points, cataloging available services, and identifying barriers to service that are prevalent throughout the system and across providers. 

The Data Analytics Workgroup met a final time this month to assess the group’s overall impact and progress. As the returns analysis work is completed and the AZHAC group steps in to handle more data analysis projects for the CoC, group members agreed to close out this workgroup.   

The Emergency Shelter Workgroup continues to meet to improve coordination of shelter beds. The group reviewed the process for ensuring this tool is kept up-to-date and impactful. 

The Move On Workgroup reviewed training materials required to facilitate move-ons from Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Rehousing to low-income, subsidized rental units. The training will be rolled out through the Learning Management System. If not yet enrolled in the CoC Learning Gateway, fill out the CoC Partner survey.  

The Outreach Collaborative began discussing sections of a draft regional outreach standards document, including topics around training and overall service approach for those teams conducting street outreach. 

The Non-HMIS Agency Workgroup was created to fulfill a Data Committee priority of identifying a baseline for all Outreach and Supportive Services projects that are operating in our community, but not participating in HMIS. The group has begun outreaching the community and will be utilizing HMIS’s Resource Point to create an initial list of projects.  

The Public Housing Authority Workgroup reviewed EHV lease ups and discussed concerns related to the new HUD guidance in PIH 2023-13.  

UPCOMING MEETINGS, TRAININGS, AND WEBINARS 

Click here to learn more about the CoC Learning Gateway and on-demand training opportunities, or check out the CoC Event Calendar for live events. 

Preserving Communities & Preventing Displacement – Join for a thoughtful discussion with community-focused experts on how to best preserve homes, reduce displacement, and improve community health. Register Here! 

October 12th from 9 am – 10:15 am  

AZ Data Landscape Presentation – Join for ICF’s presentation on recommendations based on the Arizona Data Landscape Project. This project, a Pathways Home initiative, is a joint effort across all 3 Arizona CoCs to gain a better understanding of our HMIS system and how each CoC is leveraging data. Virtual and in-person attendance options available. Register Here!  

October 16th from 12 pm – 2 pm 

2023 Annual Gathering: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers – Join this diverse gathering as they work together to build bridges throughout Arizona and break down barriers of injustice as people of faith. Register Here! 

October 24th from 9 am – 12 pm 

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. 

Click this link to view previous months’ newsletters.    

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