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August 2016
Please forward to your sub grantees and contact your CHG program manager
if you have any questions.
Annual Grantee Forum, Wednesday
November 2, 2016 at Suncadia. Registration will open in September. Stay tuned
for more details.
Myth: It’s ok for my shelter to deny services to
families with teenage boys.
Fact: Denying housing to male children over a
certain age is discrimination based on familial status, sex and age which are
protected classes.
Federal fair housing laws cover
alleged discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex,
familial status or disability. The Washington state law against
discrimination covers the federal protected classes and also marital status,
sexual orientation, age, honorably discharged veteran or military
status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the
use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a
disability.
Denial of housing based on
protected class status is considered discrimination during the application
process. “Familial status” (also called "parental status") is
defined as the presence of at least one child under 18 in a household. This
includes protection from discrimination that targets particular ages of
children (teenagers, toddlers, etc.). Therefore, the practice of denying
housing to male children over a certain age could be considered discrimination
based on familial status, sex and age which are protected classes.
All programs receiving state and
federal funds must comply with all federal, state and local nondiscrimination
laws, regulations and policies as state in the general rems and conditions.
In Addition:
ESG Rule 576.102 (b) states: The age, of a child under age 18 must not be
used as a basis for denying any family's admission to an emergency shelter that
uses Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding or services and provides shelter
to families with children under age 18
CoC Program Rule 578.93 (e)
states: The age and gender of a child
under age 18 must not be used as a basis for denying any family's admission to
a project that receives funds under this part.
Click the button to read more.
Building Changes is developing a
shelter provider network to bring together providers across the state in a
learning community. Our first call will take place Monday, Sept. 12 from 1 - 2 p.m. PDT. Our regular meeting time will be the second Monday of each month from 1 - 2 p.m. We hope you can join us. Email Emily.Mirra@BuildingChanges.org for more information.
Have you reached out to your
local Behavioral Health Organizations and Managed Care Organizations? It’s time
to develop these key relationships to identify eligible individuals for the
Medicaid Waiver. The waiver would pay for services to help Medicaid beneficiaries get
and keep housing, such as housing search and placement, tenant support, and
landlord relations. For more
information, visit:
Medicaid Transformation webpage
Washington Low Income Housing Alliance’s Medicaid Benefit Resource page
Questions? Email MedicaidTransformation@hca.wa.gov.
Aug. 30, 9 a.m. - Chronic homeless definition + DSHS Client Registry – Implications for housing providers
Sept. 2, 11 a.m. - Chronic homeless Definition + PRISM – Implications for MCOs & BHOs
Sept. 6, 1 p.m. - Chronic homeless Definition + Coordinated Entry
Read our HMIS Training Catalog for full descriptions, requirements, and
more. We offer at least two trainings a month for new HMIS users and current
users on using Clarity HMIS. Please contact Maylee Stevenson ( maylee.stevenson@commerce.wa.gov) to request a local training. We need a
minimum of five attendees to hold trainings outside of Olympia. Check our HMIS Training Catalog, on our HMIS
webpage, periodically for new training
opportunities.
I attended the 2016 National
conference on Ending Homelessness, presented by the National
Alliance to End Homelessness. Here
are my “lightbulb moments”
The importance of outreach
personnel in a community as common link between every system of care:
homeless service providers, law enforcement, emergency rooms, criminal justice,
legal assistance, and mainstream services. Outreach should be a direct
extension of coordinated entry, but also well connected to each housing
provider.
Single adults are the “…largest
homeless subpopulation”. This population is finding housing stability in
large numbers through shared housing. Legendary researcher Dennis Culhane
shared insights, and Jean-Michel Giraud, Executive Director of Friendship House
in Washington D.C. co-presented on this historically overlooked
population. Giraud emphasizes “job placement first, then a focus on
training”, which turns the conventional wisdom upside down.
Found on a
CHG Provider website:
Our
Shelter follows the Housing First model, a nationally recognized best practice.
This means that we strive to make shelter as accessible as possible to people.
We
prioritize the provision of shelter and basic needs FIRST so that people
experiencing homelessness can more easily access other services next (i.e.
housing programs, substance use treatment programs, mental health support
programs). In practice, this means:
- Individuals
will be encouraged to participate in available programs but not required.
- Sobriety will
not be required; however, there will be no drug or alcohol use on the premises.
- Each person
that comes to the shelter will have a formal intake and registration interview
with a trained staff member but will not be denied service without valid ID.
- Couples
will be able to stay together.
- There will
be secure storage space for personal items.
- Service
animals and companion pets will be accommodated.
http://www.iwshelter.org/shelter.html
Lucy* was referred to the housing
program through our local mental health program for assistance with attaining safe
and permanent housing. She was fleeing a domestic violence situation and there
was no room available in the two nearest DV shelters. Our housing program
manager worked closely with the local mental health crisis team, DV program and
Sexual Assault Program to assist Lucy. Lucy’s brother who lived out of state
was identified as a safe support person and agreed to allow Lucy to live with him
while he helped her find a permanent home for her in his hometown. CHG flex
funding was used to purchase luggage and a plane ticket for Lucy to move.
It was through teamwork and the availability of flex funds that Lucy is now
safe and permanently housed.
*Name changed for
confidentiality.
Send
us your stories of how you have used CHG Flexible Funding to help a homeless
household resolve their housing crisis!
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