HUD HOMELESS PROJECTS 2004

On June 14, 2004 the Chairpersons Forum of the DuPage Homeless Continuum of Care approved the following project priorities for the DuPage County 2004 Continuum of Care application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:

The pro rata share of HUD funds available to the DuPage County Homeless Continuum in the 2004 application is $1,800,152. An additional bonus of $750,000 is available for a Permanent Housing project for homeless persons with disabilities for a total of
$ 2,550,152. Funding up to $100,000 over this amount may also be used. This is an increase of $ 516,183 in funds available from 2003.

The key changes in the 2004 HUD Homeless funding program include: 1) The amount available for the incentive project of $750,000 can only include acquisition, rehabilitation, new construction, leasing, administration and operating costs - no supportive services costs. 2) a limit of $100,000 excess over the final pro rata share which can be awarded to the Continuum (excluding the incentive project 3) Renewals are not automatically prioritized before new projects There are new Performance Measures for both Housing and Services which must be reported. 4) Each Continuum must report their progress to meet HUD's national goal of ending chronic homelessness in ten years and estimate the number of chronically homeless persons served in each project. 5) All new projects must have a minimum term of three years, up from two years previously. 6) The Continuum must report the number of all homeless clients enrolled in mainstream federal benefits programs, such as Medicaid, CHIP, Food Stamps, TANF, SSI, Workforce Development programs and Veterans health care programs and compare these numbers from entry to exit. The DuPage Homeless Continuum is incorporating all new requirements in their work for the coming twelve months.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING - MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Please mark your calendars for the next Full Membership Meeting on
Friday, 11/12/04!
It will be a breakfast meeting from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Location will be announced.

The focus of the meeting will be four fold:

• Understanding and celebrating the Continuum's accomplishments.
• Continuum members getting to know each other and their services.
• Sharing resources effectively.
• Next steps in the Continuum's priorities and direction.

We are planning to have fun while we work toward increasing your knowledge and commitment to the DuPage Homeless Continuum. More details will follow.

A complete agenda will be sent to all Continuum members in October. Please join us for this enjoyable yet informative and worthwhile session. Local legislators, DuPage County Board members, and members of the DuPage Housing Action Coalition are also being invited to this meeting.

DUPAGE CLIENT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (CMIS)

In 2001, Congress established a national goal that every homeless Continuum collect unduplicated client level data by 2004. The DuPage Continuum client management information system (CMIS) went "live" in December 2002 using ServicePoint by Bowman. ServicePoint is an Internet-based system whereby all agencies that provide services to the homeless, persons at risk, and low-income persons can enter and maintain client information. Each provider can enter (and modify as needed) basic client demographic data, case management information, referral history, and other information. Clients only have to provide their required information one time before accessing any services from participating agencies. The CMIS has installed special filters on confidential client information in order to accommodate confidentiality requirements under the new Health Insurance Portability and Protection Act.

As of July 1, 2004 sixteen agencies are participating and entering real time data. These agencies include Addison Township, Bridge Communities, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet, DuPage County Human Services, DuPage Veterans Assistance Commission, DuPage PADS, Hinsdale Community Services, Metropolitan Family Services, Naperville Cares, NCO Youth & Family Services, Outreach Community Center, People's Resource Center, Prairie State Legal Services, Serenity House, Wheaton Youth Outreach, and World Relief DuPage. Family Shelter Services, the DuPage County Health Department, and the DuPage Housing Authority are scheduled to begin entering data in January 2005. Hamdard Center and Canticle Ministries are scheduled for June 2005.

The DuPage Continuum is scheduled to convert to the 3.2 ServicePoint version by September 2004. All agencies have received training in the 3.2 version. The DuPage Continuum is maintaining a "live" 3.2 training site year round to continue training new staff. In order to enhance the reporting capability, Bowman is contracting with Cognos Report Writer to give the DuPage Continuum the capability to create and save our own reports by agency and system wide. There will be one dedicated person in each agency that will be able to do custom agency wide reports. The DuPage CMIS System Administrator will be able to do custom system wide reports.

The DuPage County CMIS Administrator is Leslie Grevoy. The CMIS Users Group meets monthly, usually in the morning of the second Wednesday. For more information, please contact Leslie at her new phone number of 630- 407-.6462

The HUD HMIS Data and Technical Standards were announced in the Federal Register on July 29, 2004. Leslie Grevoy will be reviewing these with the CMIS Users Group and ensuring that the DuPage HMIS system meets all applicable standards.

Leslie Grevoy will be attending a national conference on Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) from September 14-15, 2004. The National HMIS Conference will provide an opportunity for communication and education between HUD, Homeless Continuums, HMIS administrators, HMIS solution providers, research partners and State Policy Academies. Conference sessions encompass four topic areas: Planning and Implementing an HMIS, Integrating HMIS into Homeless Program Operations, Advanced Data Issues, and Policy Issues. We are excited to see what Leslie brings back to our CMIS Users Group from this conference !

DUPAGE CONTINUUM - ENDING HOMELESSNESS

In October 2003, the DuPage Homeless Continuum adopted a Plan to End Homelessness. The Continuum membership were in agreement on the overall vision, values, and goals of the DuPage Plan, consisting of nine essential components. The next step was to refine those components into objectives with specific action steps, measurable results, clearly defined timeframes, and leadership commitments.
In March and April of 2004, the DuPage Continuum membership participated in two day long Strategic Planning Sessions to complete objectives and action steps for their Plan to End Homelessness. There were 74 participants at the first session and 68 participants at the second session. These participants represented shelters, health and human service organizations, business leaders, community service organizations, churches, government leaders, elected officials, and representatives of state and national organizations connected with homeless services in the community. The first session concentrated on identifying change objectives for each of the nine components, with the purpose of sketching out each of the objectives, developing a possible game plan, identifying resources and determining the benefit of each of the recommended changes. Groups were charged with looking 7-10 years out, emphasizing the first 3-4 years. After this session, the Chairpersons Forum worked to reframe the objectives, adding objectives in some cases, recommending that some be eliminated, and giving direction in some others. The second session concentrated on reaching consensus on the overall objective statements, and writing action plans for the objectives in each of the nine components. The result was realistic action plans, assigned oversight for each component, and an investment by all members in moving forward. The final report, with components, objectives and action plans has been entered on the DuPage County Human Services website, with an automatic email link to the Continuum Administrator for comments, questions, and feedback. It can be viewed at http://www.dupageco.org/humanservices/homeless/index.htm

The DuPage Plan to End Homelessness endorses the Housing First approach- get persons in housing and then address service needs instead of trying to resolve all issues while in shelter or transitional housing. This new focus will assist us in providing housing for the chronically homeless with whatever supports are necessary to maintain that housing. The DuPage Continuum will be attempting to reallocate current resources differently, shifting the focus of the homeless assistance programs from short-term support services to long term solutions. The Continuum is identifying which components of "Housing First" are in place with the existing homeless programs and where modifications in current programs may be desirable. We are working to create a community infrastructure, including sufficient income and affordable housing units that can support permanent housing for everyone.

Each committee of the DuPage Continuum has been assigned to oversee certain components of the Plan. Activities and time frames to accomplish the objectives are in process. For more information, call the appropriate Committee Chairperson (shown at the end of this report)

MAINSTREAM PROGRAMS

The DuPage Homeless Continuum has signed Memorandums of Understanding with the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Veterans Administration. Agreements are pending with the Workforce Investment Act programs. The Social Security Administration cannot sign a Memorandum but has indicated their intent to participate. Each of the mainstream programs has designated a staff person to attend Continuum meetings and become involved with our membership. Each mainstream program office also has a designated liaison to the Continuum who is functioning as the point person for communications. The list of these liaisons has been distributed to the Continuum service providers.
"Making the Connection - A Guide to Mainstream Programs in DuPage County" has been copyrighted. Six "Making the Connection" seminars on accessing public mainstream programs in DuPage County have been held and attended by over 200 program staff countywide. The sessions contained practical information in an easy to understand format regarding the many programs available to assist low income persons, including homeless liaisons at all local offices, user friendly application tips, and client advocacy hints. This training is assisting non-profits, schools, faith based organizations, local governments, businesses and health care providers to identify their customers who may be eligible for mainstream benefits and know how to expedite the application process. In recognition of the excellence of this training concept, it will be presented as one of the nine topics at the Sixth Annual HUD Peer to Peer Homeless Provider Conference held in Rockford, IL on September 21 and September 22, 2004. Presenters will be Candace King, Kathryn Nelson, and Peg White Lijewski.

On June 10, 2004, the Social Security Administration conducted a customized training module in DuPage County for the first time nationally. The topic was documenting "disability" and 35 persons from DuPage Homeless Continuum attended. The training improved their knowledge of what kind of documentation is needed to determine an individual is disabled and how to complete the applications. We are hoping to schedule an additional session in the near future and will keep you posted.

The next "Making the Connection" seminar will be held on September 16, 2004 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 146 W. Roosevelt Road, Villa Park, IL 60181. To register, please call Amy at DuPage Federation at 630-782-4703.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

The DuPage Continuum will be conducting a one night street count of unsheltered homeless persons on October 15, 2004 and on January 27, 2005. There will also be a one night count of the sheltered homeless using a Provider Survey on January 27, 2005. A Street Count Subcommittee is now working to increase the participation of all the municipal police departments in order to get an accurate count of the unsheltered homeless and begin planning for their housing needs. If you can assist, please contact Deb Carr of NCO Youth & Family Services at 717-5229.

The Needs Assessment Committee is developing standards for interim housing that promotes housing placement in the most appropriate setting as soon as possible. Current procedures are being assessed as the first step. An Interim Housing subgroup will be meeting on September 28, 2004.

CREATING PERMANENT HOUSING

The Grants Funding Committee is sponsoring a "CREATING PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING" Seminar on Wednesday, September 8, 2004. It will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Metropolitan Family Services, 222 E. Willow St. Wheaton, IL 60187.

A detailed agenda is enclosed with this Continuum Update. The target audience is all organizations interested in creating more affordable permanent housing for homeless persons in DuPage County. The seminar is designed to present different models for developing housing, funding sources for housing, and how to put it all together to achieve your housing goals and the goals of the DuPage Continuum in meeting the housing needs of all the homeless persons in our county.

Please join us!

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) FUNDING

The DuPage County Community Development staff is working on modifying the CDBG cluster applications this year. The goal is to have a basic application for all CDBG clusters with supplemental addendums that meet each cluster's specific needs. Applicants will notified by email and regular mail with the details of how to obtain instructions and application forms in August 2004. Applicants may request individual assistance in completing applications by calling Carolyn Engle at 407-6603. These applications are due to the DuPage County Community Development Department by October 1, 2003. The Grants Funding committee will be evaluating the CDBG/ESG funding applications for the Homeless Cluster. The Grants Funding Committee will review the scoring of all CDBG applications prior to final determination by the Community Development staff.

FINANCIAL LITERACY SERVICES AVAILABLE

Metropolitan Family Services is offering Financial Literacy workshops for all social service providers. Workshop content includes budget development, savings and financial goals, handling credit, checking accounts, etc. Content can be tailored to the specific needs of the audience. It is targeted to low income persons and immigrants who can benefit from information on basic financial management skills. Budget counseling on an individual basis is also available. The goals of the program are to prevent homelessness and enhance self-sufficiency. The current model is two 1.5 hour sessions. A minimum of 5 persons and a maximum of 20 persons is preferred. Both the workshops and the follow-up budget counseling is free to residents of DuPage County. Successful partnerships have already been established with DuPage PADS, DuPage County Health Dept. and World Relief. All the Continuum member organizations are invited to schedule Financial Literacy workshops. Contact Glenn Dagenais at 630-784-4816.

MEETING CALENDAR

A new calendar of all Continuum committee meetings for the period from July 2004 through July 2005 is enclosed for your information.

DUPAGE CONTINUUM LEADERSHIP

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Last Updated July 26, 2009