Understanding and Addressing Criminal Thinking Webinar

September 1, 2020, 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET

Learn about the concept of criminal thinking as a means of describing, understanding, assessing, and changing criminal behavior in this webinar from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s GAINS Center.

Register Here

Help Coming Soon for Renters Behind on Rent Due to COVID-19

Governor Walz announced that up to $100 million of funding will be allocated from the state’s COVID-19 Relief Fund to create a new housing assistance program to help renters that have fallen behind on rent and/or utilities due to COVID-19. Sometime in the next few weeks an application will open up. If a renter is eligible, a payment will be made directly to their landlord to cover the amount past due.

Who is eligible to apply for assistance?
Individuals and households must meet all of these criteria:

1. Minnesota resident.
2. Income at or below 300% of federal poverty guidelines, with a preference for those at or below 200%.
   To see if an income qualifies, click here.
3. Have an eligible expense that was incurred after March 1, 2020 that is past due.
   Housing assistance funds can only be used for eligible expenses incurred between March 1 and December 30th, 2020.
4. Unable to make the payment(s) owed because of the public health emergency.
   For example: unemployment, illness, or another COVID-19 related issue.
5. What expenses are eligible?
   Rent payments. Utility payments. Additional housing related costs approved by Minnesota Housing.
6. How are payments made?
   Funds are paid directly to the landlord. For utlities, funds are paid directly to the utility company.

HEADS UP! It is recommend that you connect with your landlord now to confirm exactly how much you are behind on rent. This will make filling out the application faster and easier.

Caffeinated Q & A with the Housing Stabilization Services Team

Grab your favorite caffeinated (or decaffeinated) beverage and join the Housing Stabilization Services Team for question and answer sessions. If you have questions for the team, or just want to listen to the questions being asked and answered, please join us for this four-week series starting August 26, 2020. We will meet at 9:30 a.m. for an hour.

8/26: Register here.
9/2: Register here.
9/9: Register here.
9/16: Register here.

The last session on 9/16 will be an accessible session, with CART or ASL available by request. Please email Laura Fox at laura.fox@state.mn.us to request CART or ASL at least three weeks prior to the session. Email dhshousingstabilization@state.mn.us if you have questions about this message.

MAC-V

More About: Justice-Involved Veterans

One area of expansion in MACV’s work to end Veteran homelessness focuses on specialized services for currently and formerly incarcerated Veterans. Justice Involved Veterans Coordinator Mikaela Hunley, M.A., works with staff at correctional facilities throughout the state to address the housing and stabilization needs of Veterans coming out of incarceration. She also collaborates with landlords, other community partners and MACV staff to meet the transitional needs of recently released former inmates struggling to reintegrate into society. Her focused expertise serving this subgroup of homeless Veterans closes an all-too-common gap in services which often lands Veterans in homelessness and then in the justice system.

Mikaela recently worked with a Veteran scheduled for release from Faribault Correctional Facility. The inmate qualified for 100% disabled Veteran status, entitling him to both financial and healthcare benefits from the VA, prior to his incarceration. Mikaela got the wheels in motion to activate these benefits upon his release, a process likely to take around two months to complete.

The case manager also engaged with the Veteran’s parole officer to learn about his conditions of release, which is often crucial in keeping Veterans out of the justice system once they’re on parole. “It helps [the Veteran] through this to ensure that he doesn’t violate parole and get sent back,” Mikaela explains. Lack of familiarity with the rules they need to follow upon release from incarceration often lead to recidivism for former inmates. Repeated offenses only worsen the cycle of instability, incarceration, and a resulting drain on community resources.

Restrictions on where recently released parolees can live often complicate the process to find housing, which was a reality for the Veteran Mikaela assisted. However, the incredible network of landlords with whom our team has cultivated relationships came to the rescue in this case. Mikaela not only secured a lease for the Veteran, but MACV also approved direct financial assistance to cover the client’s security deposit and rent for two months. The Veteran’s disability benefits should reinstate after this early period of resettling in the community and offer a stable source of income which can then easily cover his living expenses.

Hunley’s work also includes exploring benefits eligibility and ongoing contact with his parole officer to ensure compliance with his conditions of release. Internal collaborations with MACV provider staff help ensure the Veteran’s transition to a long-term housing case manager and development of a long-term service plan. Thanks to Mikaela’s diligence and our outstanding housing team, we know that this individual is in good hands and has a fighting chance to succeed in the outside world.

For more information, go to website: www.mac-v.org.

Southeast Transition Coalition – 9/4/20 from 10:30-11:30 and will take place the first Friday of every month going forward.

* Click Here for Statewide Resource List as updated due to COVID-19 *

* Click Here for Transitions Fairs Updates *

* Click Here for Transition Coalition Meeting Updates *

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