Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care: February Newsletter
Maricopa Association of Governments sent this bulletin at 02/02/2024 11:56 AM MST
Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care (CoC) Newsletter | FEBRUARY 2024 
X: @MaricopaCoC | LinkedIn: Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care
ANNOUNCEMENTS
2024 Annual Point-in-Time Count – Finished!
The regional Point-in-Time Count went off without any hiccups, despite the rain. As part of that effort, the CoC updated the survey app used to conduct the count, streamlined survey questions, and rolled out a new online training for PIT volunteers which will be instrumental in standardizing the count across Maricopa County. Results from the survey will be forthcoming in the late spring. Thank you to all volunteers and coordinators who made this possible!
New Resources Available
Have you ever felt lost in a meeting when someone says an unfamiliar acronym? Worry no more, check out the latest Glossary & Acronym list of homelessness and housing terms today! Also, dive into the By-Name List with a brand-new training that explores how it works and impacts our system.
ACESDV’s 2024 Learning Conference - A Future Without Fear
The Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (ACESDV) is pleased to announce their 2024 conference, A Future Without Fear held on August 14th and 15th at Desert Willow Conference Center in Phoenix. The theme, "A Future Without Fear," embodies their commitment to dismantle oppression and promote equity among all people. They are seeking innovative speakers for the event! If interested, please follow this link for more information and submit a proposal by March 1, 2024.
New THE ALL INSIDE INITIATIVE
The ALL INside Initiative is a US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Initiative focused on supporting those experiencing unsheltered homelessness in six cities/jurisdictions (Phoenix Region, Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle, Chicago, and Dallas) and the entire State of California. The ALL INside Initiative is a key part of All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.
All In set the bold goal to reduce overall homelessness 25% by 2025. ALL INside is a first-of-its kind initiative to address unsheltered homelessness across the country. A significant component of the Initiative is to have one dedicated Federal Team Lead (FTL) assigned to each jurisdiction. The Phoenix/Mesa/Maricopa Association of Governments FTL is Kent Forde. Kent is a Captain (CAPT) in the US Public Health Service. CAPT Forde’s work is guided by an assessment and agreement on what local community leaders hoped to achieve with support from the USICH and its 19 federal partners, including the Domestic Policy Council. That agreement can be put into three categories for action: Coordination/Resources, Systems Improvement and Regulatory Support.
To contact CAPT Forde, please reach him by email (kent.forde@samhsa.hhs.gov), phone (240-276-2096), or LinkedIN (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kent-forde5555/).
PAST MEETINGS
A complete description of each of the CoC meetings can be found on the CoC Overview where you can learn more about the Collaboratives, find out when they meet and register for meetings, or contact the appropriate MAG staff member.
The Continuum of Care Board welcomed Tim Burch with City of Tempe as a new member. Taking the Board’s previous concerns into consideration, language was changed, and the Shelter Bill of Rights was passed unanimously. The Board received information on new shared HMIS governance model and will be updated with more information as the project gets underway. Kelli Williams is the new meeting lead. For questions: kwilliams@azmag.gov.
The Continuum of Care Collaborative heard a legislative update from Nicole Newhouse with the Arizona Housing Coalition and elected its new co-chair, Stephanie Greenlief. The group also heard updates from the Continuum Referral to External Systems of Care workgroup, as well as reviewed the collaborative’s assigned strategic plan items and what first steps are needed to achieve these goals.
The Coordinated Entry Collaborative recruited four new members to fill vacant seats and continues to monitor data collection through the new Maricopa Assessment and Prioritization tool.
The Data Collaborative reviewed a preliminary draft of a new Provider Performance Dashboard that will help providers and funders connect the established Performance Standards with ongoing program performance. The group also reviewed the new Strategic Plan and Data Collaborative’s designated roles in the document for 2024.
The ESG Collaborative began recruitment to fill a vacant seat and focused efforts for the beginning of the year on coordinating with other groups that are invested in updating operating standards for emergency shelter and Rapid Rehousing.
The Lived Experience Collaborative met to review and finalize the draft version of the Shelter Bill of Rights, which the CoC Board ultimately approved during its January meeting.
The Local Jurisdiction Collaborative was joined by staff from four Community Action Agencies and Wildfire AZ for a discussion on services currently being offered, which will inform the collaborative’s upcoming coordination efforts. Jurisdictions also review the latest updates to the Shelter Bill of Rights.
The Race Equity Collaborative discussed the proposed specifications for updating HMIS visualizations, such as the Racial Disparities Dashboard, in accordance with the new HUD data standards for race and ethnicity. The collaborative also reviewed the proposed revisions to the annual NOFO Scorecards, including recommendations from the Race Equity Workforce Leadership Workgroup.
The Youth Action Collaborative reviewed their responsibilities in the Strategic Plan and will begin the year by developing resource documents. The collaborative approved the Shelter Bill of Rights and heard the latest updates regarding the Youth Homelessness System Improvement grant and the Point in Time Count.
The By-Name List Workgroup completed their creation of the By-Name List training for the CoC Learning Gateway. Whether you are curious about the By-Name List, or a provider who works with it every day, this training provides useful information for this tool’s context and practical use in our CoC.
The Connecting to Systems of Care Workgroup reviewed expenses not covered by ESG and discussed ways to connect with non-ESG funders regarding flexible funding. The workgroup plans to develop talking points to aid providers in contract negotiations with these funders. In the coming months, it will convene rapid funders to discuss contracts and allowable expenses. Additionally, the workgroup will create a resource list to help organizations find resources for expenses not allowed under ESG.
The Continuum Referral to External Systems Workgroup completed its objective in January. This workgroup successfully developed a cross-system referral guide for use by case managers and direct support personnel. This guide assists front line staff in connecting individuals to other support systems. The guide will be published and marketed in February for a three-month pilot. At the end of this period, a community conversation will assess the guide's effectiveness. The workgroup may reconvene at that time.
The Data Insights Workgroup will be meeting in February to review revised Rapid Rehousing-specific data from AZHAC and work through any actionable recommendations that can be pulled from the analysis.
The Emergency Shelter Workgroup will resume in February with peer-to-peer learning on best practices in emergency shelter. The group will discuss public health topics including substance use. If interested in joining, reach out to Brian Gruters at bgruters@azmag.gov.
The Move On Workgroup saw its first candidate referrals reviewed for eligibility by Coordinated Entry and continued discussions with Public Housing Authorities interested in participating in the Move-On program.
The Outreach Workgroup will resume in February with review of the first draft of regional operational standards for street outreach programs. If interested in participating in this discussion, reach out to Brian Gruters at bgruters@azmag.gov.
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.
Job Corps – In partnership with HUD and the Department of Labor, Job Corps will be hosting a virtual informational event this month. Register today and learn how to bring the nation's largest, COST-FREE career training and education program to low-income people ages 16-24! Learn more about Job Corps here: Explore Possibilities | Job Corps.
February 15, 2024, 12pm - 1pm
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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