Bonding Proposal Announced, Federal COVID-19 Relief Bill Update and Reporting Reminder for ESP-CV and CRF-ESP Recipients
Equity in the Bonding Bill
In the 2021 Local Jobs and Projects Bill (commonly referred to as the Bonding Bill) announced yesterday, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan recommend $15 million to support capital projects from community-based organizations that are led by and serve communities of color and American Indians, as these organizations have not traditionally had access to capital investment from the state.
While this is not specific to homeless service organizations, the Walz/Flanagan Administration will be working with the legislature on identifying eligible projects. If organizations are interested in learning more about this area of the bonding bill and/or the bonding process in general, please email Elizabeth Dressel and we can provide you with more information.
The bill also includes $100 million for Housing Infrastructure Bonds (HIB) that was announced last month with the Governor’s COVID-19 recovery budget proposal. $100 million for HIB will leverage additional private development funds and preserve federal dollars for rental assistance while creating or preserving housing. The Governor’s budget and bonding proposals are being reviewed by the legislature and will require legislative action to become law and have the resources allocated.
Criminal Expungement and Eviction Expungement
When: Friday, March 19th 10:00am-12:00pm
This training will cover the law concerning criminal expungement and eviction expungement, filing procedures, and tips on what clients and their advocates can do to succeed when seeking expungements of eviction and criminal records.
Andrea Palumbo is a housing attorney for HOME Line where she has advised hundreds of tenants on their rights in landlord/tenant disputes. Prior to coming to HOME Line, she was a volunteer coordinator for Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, and a staff attorney for the Council on Crime and Justice. In her work at HOME Line, Andrea advises tenants on their rights in eviction proceedings, landlord/tenant matters, and eviction expungement. She has also practiced in the areas of criminal defense, criminal expungement, and professional license appeals.
This event is free for MNSCC members and $20 for guests. This will be a virtual training. A link will be sent via email 24-48 hours prior. For more information and to register, click here.
Good news for Minnesotans seeking rent relief:
The new program will be available soon.
We recognize that many people have been directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn and are in great need of assistance. We are working hard to build a program that will make it easy for individuals to apply and relatively quick to process payments.
The new program is called COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance and it will help eligible renters with overdue rent since March 2020, up to three months of upcoming rent at a time, and related utility payments. The program will be open for applications in a matter of weeks, with an anticipated launch in late March.
Eligible renters will include households that earned 80% or less of area median income in 2020 or in the most recent month. Landlords will be able to apply on behalf of their eligible tenants as well. Detailed guidance will be published on this webpage as it becomes available.
Be sure to sign up for updates on the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance program to receive email updates about when the program will open and how to apply.
A note for homeowners:
As the name suggests, the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance program is only open to renters and landlords. We understand that many homeowners are also struggling with housing costs. We anticipate that federal financial assistance may be announced for homeowners in spring 2021. Homeowners can find current information about foreclosure prevention and forbearance here.
New Minnesota Guidebook for Incarcerated Veterans
This guidebook is for Veterans and their families as a resource to access services that will support a successful transition to the community after release from incarceration. Please be aware, this guidebook is intended for Veterans releasing within the State of Minnesota. Resources do vary from State to State.
This guidebook is produced by the VA Health Care for Re-Entry Program. However, please be aware the VA assumes no responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the non-VA organizations listed. Inclusion in this guidebook does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by VA.
Click Here for Guidebook
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Sessions will be offered starting March 11, 2021. Held from 11:45 am to 1:00 pm.
Each session will be $25, or $125 for all six.
Registration and more information is available at braininjurymn.org
*You will be provided a zoom link to connect to the class after you have completed registration.
Justice for All: Serving Individuals with Brain Injury Across the Justice System
March 30, 2021, 1:00 - 4:00 pm ET
Register for the session.
The fourth TBI Tuesday session will focus on the criminal and juvenile justice (CJJ) system. Three TBI State Partnership Program grantees (Colorado, Indiana, and Pennsylvania) will provide an overview on CJJ and brain injury, and why it matters. We will provide an overview of the SPP workgroup and its structure, purpose, and products as well as a presentation by Policy Research Associates on using the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Sequential Intercept Model to support people living with a brain injury as they move through the criminal justice system. We’ll hear from our federal partner with the U.S. Department of Justice (invited) and also from a person with a brain injury on their experience with the justice system.
Minnesota Recovery Connection
Correctional Facility Recovery Coaching Program
The Correctional Facility Recovery Coaching Program is a peer-based recovery support program that helps individuals with their recovery. The program is free and available to adult individuals in Minnesota Correctional Facilities. Through this program, you can work with a trained Peer Recovery Specialist. Peer Recovery Specialists (Recovery Coach) have personal experience of recovery from Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders.
More Information Here
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Virtual Criminal Expungement Clinic
Expungement is the process of going to court to ask a judge to seal a court record. People request an expungement when they have been denied a job, housing, or a professional license because of a criminal incident that shows up on a background check. Attend a virtual informational session via Microsoft Teams to learn more about the expungement process and have general questions answered by attorneys. Registration is required. Expungement court forms will be provided to all registrants. The link to the live online discussion will be emailed to registrants in advance. Funded by the Friends of Hennepin County Library in collaboration with Central Minnesota Legal Services.
Clik on the below dates to register.
Thursday, Mar. 18, 9 – 10 a.m.
Wednesday, Apr. 14, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The State of Black Fathers – Virtual Townhall
The ‘Fatherhood is Brotherhood’ campaign launches at ‘The State of Black Fathers’ town hall in partnership with Hot107.9’s media personality JNicks.
ATLANTA (February 10, 2021) – Fathers Incorporated (FI) in partnership with Urban One through their local partner, Hot107.9 will kick-off the “Fatherhood is Brotherhood (FIB)” campaign on Thursday, February 11th 7 PM at ‘The State of the Black Father” Facebook Live virtual townhall.
Topics Covered
The event will cover topics such as child custody and support, arrears, legitimization and much more. Dads are encouraged to sign-up to receive an invitation to this exclusive event by visiting www.fathersincorporated.com or sending an email to info@fathersincorporated.com.
Electronic Monitoring Installer (Minnesota DOC)
BI Incorporated, the leading provider of state-of-the-art high technology systems and treatment services in the criminal justice market has part-time opportunities in the state of Minnesota.
Duties include installing, removing, and servicing of electronic monitoring devices. Work hours are flexible as long as work is completed within contractual guidelines.
High School diploma and valid driver's license are required. Law enforcement, security, or military background preferred. Candidate selected will be required to successfully complete a background check and drug screen. Must have internet and cell phone. Bi-lingual preferred.
To apply, please go to: www.geogroup.com/careers. No phone calls please. www.bi.com. Equal Opportunity Employer.
• Location: Minnesota
• Compensation: $16.48
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The United States Probation and Pretrial Office, for the District of Minnesota is Hiring
Department Position Title
Community Intervention Community Resource Specialist
Operations Procurement and Contract Specialist
Operations Student Contractor
Probation Administration Department Data Quality Administrator
Probation Administration Department Administrative Support Staff Coordinator
United States Probation Officer Drug, Alcohol, and Treatment Specialist (DATS)
THE NEW LEAF WORKSHOP
Designed specifically ONLY for Justice-Involved Individuals who must address a criminal record in their job search process and who are realizing difficulty obtaining employment due to their barriers and criminal records. Since the New Leaf class is specifically designed to provide meaningful and interventional assistance to people who are encountering current barriers to acquiring employment, it incorporates significantly very private information disclosures from participants. The parameters of the workshop are designed to facilitate unrestricted personal exchanges and dialogues, so individuals who are not ex-offenders or Justice- Involved Individuals are ordinarily prohibited from participating.
The New Leaf class combines our nationally-recognized Creative Job Search platform and adds special strategies, unique to the ex-offender and or Justice Involved Individuals, for addressing and overcoming barriers to employment, including how, when, & why to disclose your record, addressing concerns from employers, answering tough interview questions, WOTC, and Federal Bonding programs, and “Ban the Box” concerns.
Participants can register for this workshop online at https://www.careerforcemn.com/events
****Note: If a customer is interested in attending the New Leaf class, they must first have a minnesotaworks.net log-in ID and a Password to register for this specific workshop.
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Waste Management is Hiring
Waste Management welcomes the Advanced Disposal team members to the WM family! On October 30, Waste Management acquired Advanced Disposal and we are currently integrating the two businesses. ADS jobs can now be found here alongside WM jobs. Please scroll down to search, review and apply for open roles at our combined company.
Location: Blaine, Minnesota, United States
Category: Driver
Location: Blaine, Minnesota, United States
Category: Driver
Location: Blaine, Minnesota, United States
Category: Driver
Location: Blaine, Minnesota, United States
Category: Driver
Click the links to register for Waste Management’s Virtual Career Fair taking place on March 17th & 18th.
Virtual Hiring Event
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 from 1 – 2 p.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend this virtual hiring event which features jobs in many occupations. This online event is free to all community members, workforce professionals, employment services staff, counselors and anyone interested in learning more about these job openings. It’s easy to join with a smart phone or computer.
Each employer will talk about their organization, job openings, and other important information. After the presentation, you will be able to speak with someone from each employer to get your questions answered.
Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-hiring-event-march-17-tickets-140408797493
Or, at the time of the event, use this link and follow the instructions: https://hc.adobeconnect.com/virtualhiringeventmarch17/
Participating employers:
- English Rose Suites is hiring Home Health Aides and Nursing Assistants
- LifeSprk is hiring Home Health Aides, RNs and LPNs
- Metropolitan Mosquito Control District is hiring Mosquito Field Technicians, Entomologist Lab Technicians and Catch Basin Technicians
- Metropolitan Transportation Network is hiring School Bus Drivers
- Right at Home Care is hiring Caregivers, Companion Caregivers, In-Home Caregivers and Personal Care Assistants
- USPS is hiring Mail handlers, Mail Processing Clerks, City Carrier Assistants, Tractor Trailer Operators, Sales and Service Associates, Rural Carrier Associates and Assistants Rural Carriers
It's not every year Minnesota legislators consider a new bonding bill. Traditionally, in fact, it's every two years.
But in keeping with the oddities of the 2020s so far, another bonding bill is in front of state legislators just a few months after the passing a $1.87 billion bonding package in October.
Gov. Tim Walz's office has put a $518 million package of projects in front of legislators to consider this session. Among the priorities are $100 million for competitive projects to support home ownership through development, home rehab and other initiatives; $52.5 million for the Department of Natural Resources, with about two-thirds of it earmarked for maintenance and upgrades of existing infrastructure; and $43 million for security improvements at the Capitol complex.
There's also $10 million on the wish list for the design and environmental work needed to add a second daily Amtrak run between the Twin Cities and Chicago, and $9.7 million for deferred maintenance at Minnesota's 11 state correctional facilities.
Let's pause here to add this fact to the conversation:
The estimated cost of catching up on all of the deferred maintenance at the state's prison facilities is not $9.7 million. It's not even $97 million. To meet all of the deferred maintenance needs at the state's correctional facilities would take almost $612 million — more than 63 times the spending proposed in the current bonding proposal.
The enumerated needs include perimeter security systems upgrades, window and door replacements and hazmat abatement, along with general investment in maintenance including roof replacements, masonry tuck pointing and code compliance issues.
In other words, we are $612 million behind on work that needs to be done to keep our communities and corrections workers as safe as we expect — and to provide adequate shelter to an average of 8,500 incarcerated men and women per day, less those in contracted housing in county jails.
We are in no way proposing that the state bond for all of the needed projects at state prisons in a single year. We're taken aback, however, at the disconnects in this bonding proposal. We support in concept the need to upgrade security at the state Capitol; we wonder if $43 million is the right price for that when less than $10 million can be spared for corrections. Is $11 million for a second Amtrak run the right price, in the same context?
Pragmatically, Minnesota can't afford to allow maintenance on major physical state assets like those in the corrections system to fall decades behind, which is the only logical outcome if funding levels like those reflected in this bonding proposal continue. Remember, if nothing else goes wrong anywhere in the prison system, it will still take 63 years to fix everything, at this year's bonding pace.
And ethically, Minnesota can't afford to allow health, safety and security issues to languish in buildings where is employs and houses thousands of Minnesotans, ostensibly in an effort to protect other Minnesotans. When we say we want to be tough on crime, that means we have to be willing to pay for decent places for criminals to live while they serve their sentences, and for our corrections workers to do their jobs.
We'll let the governor's own words make our case for more bonding money for the Department of Corrections' deferred maintenance projects:
"By maintaining existing assets, we can keep our state's infrastructure strong and reliable for generations to come. What's more, we can create jobs that boost our economy in the process," Walz said in a statement Monday afternoon.
Maintenance is less expensive than replacement of these assets. Providing adequate corrections facilities for inmates and workers is the right thing to do. Let's catch up a little faster.
This is the opinion of the Times Editorial Board, which consists of News Director Lisa Schwarz and Content Coach Anna Haecherl.
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Creating True Safety and Healing
Although women tend to make up a small percentage of jail and prison populations, their arrest also tends to have a disproportionate impact on community and family life. According to Prison Policy, most women who are charges but have not been convicted are waiting in jail because they cannot afford bail, and 80 percent of the women in jails are primary caretakers.
Deborah Jiang-Stein was born in a prison, entered foster care for a short period, and then was adopted by English professors. She took ballet, attended Sunday School, and went to theater, dance, and music performances. “Even with all the opportunities,” she says, “I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere.” At age 12, she learned about her origin story.
Read Entire Story Here
Notice of Contract Opportunity
Department of Corrections
PROJECT NAME: Crisis Intervention Team (“CIT”) Training
DETAILS: ON Monday, March 15, 2021 the Minnesota Department of Corrections will be requesting proposals for the purpose of building on an existing CIT program in order to enhance security responses to incidents involving incarcerated people in crisis and/or with significant mental illnesses by training DOC staff in crisis intervention techniques.
Work is anticipated to start on or after July 1, 2021.
COPY REQUEST: To receive a copy of the Request for Proposals, please send a written request by email on or after March 15, 2020 to christen.donley@state.mn.us or follow this link: https://mn.gov/doc/staff-partners/doing-business-doc/request-proposals/.
PROPOSAL DEADLINE: Proposals in response to the Request for Proposals in this advertisement must be received via email not later than 4:30 pm, Central Time, Monday, April 26, 2021. Late proposals will not be considered. Fax or mailed proposals will not be considered.
This request does not obligate the State of Minnesota to award a contract or complete the proposed program, and the State reserves the right to cancel this solicitation if it is considered in its best interest. All costs incurred in responding to this solicitation will be borne by the responder.
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Notice of Intent to Solicit Proposals for Grant Funding for Reentry and Halfway House Services to Probationers and Supervised Releasees starting in FY22. Grant funding in the amount of $300,000 will be made available in FY 22, with the possibility of extending the grant by four, one-year terms upon satisfactory delivery of services by the vendor and availability of funds.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections, Grants and Subsidies Unit is requesting proposals for the purpose of awarding grants to counties or groups of counties throughout MN to provide services for supervised releasees and probationers to be placed in halfway houses and/or community based housing with effective, evidence-based reentry services. The Minnesota Department of Corrections is seeking grant applicants that will serve diverse populations and/or populations experiencing inequities and/or disparities that past grant funding has not adequately addressed.
Grants will be financed from funds made available through the Legislative Supplemental Budget Bill HF2749, Article 4, Section 6, Subdivision 3(C). Counties throughout MN are eligible to apply for these funds, but must provide a 100 percent (50% of the total funds awarded to their agency) match to receive these grants.
A Request for Proposal will be available electronically from this office. The Request for Proposal and the RFP Notice can be found at: https://mn.gov/doc/staff-partners/doing-business-doc/request-proposals/. Submissions of Proposals must be received electronically no later than 4:30PM, March 29, 2021. Late proposals will not be considered. Mailed proposals will not be considered.
The Request for Proposal can be obtained from:
Timothy Schrupp Grants and Subsidies Unit Department of Corrections Timothy.schrupp@state.mn.us
This request does not obligate the State to complete the work contemplated in this notice. The State reserves the right to cancel this solicitation. All expenses incurred in responding to this notice are solely the responsibility of the responder.
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