Transcript THE BERGEN COUNTY HOUSING, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CENTER A SHARED PROJECT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

THE BERGEN COUNTY HOUSING, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CENTER
A SHARED PROJECT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF BERGEN COUNTY
“A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO MEETING HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS”
Bergen County Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness 2008
OPENED
October 1, 2009
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HISTORY: 1985-95
Focus: Provide Emergency Shelter
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Background
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Kansas Street, churches
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Overnight only
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Exclusionary and fragmented
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Temporary location
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HISTORY: 1995-2005
Focus: Modify the Existing System
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The One Stop idea
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Build a permanent shelter
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HISTORY: 2005-10
Focus: Change the System
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Federal requirements:
 Develop
10 year plan to end homelessness
 Coordinate and integrate service delivery
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Local direction:
 Identify
and use best practices
 Develop a collaborative model
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
MISSION
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To place individuals who are homeless in permanent
housing and provide the support services needed to ensure
success in the community.
To serve as a one-stop location and single point of entry for
individuals to receive information, care management,
health and human services, and financial assistance.
To prevent homelessness using Homelessness Prevention
Rapid-Re-Housing stimulus funds.
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
KEY DESIGN CONCEPTS
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Objective: End chronic homelessness
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Approach: The Housing First Model
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Process: Engagement, Collaboration, Integration
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
KEY DESIGN ELEMENTS
1. Develop a one stop service and support platform, not a shelter
2. Provide the services needed to accelerate housing placement,
independence
3. Engage community decision makers during the design phase
4. Pilot test the concept
5. Create resource based contractual operating partnerships
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
KEY DESIGN ELEMENTS cont’d
6. Offer aggressive daytime programming
7. Provide incentives to encourage onsite agency involvement
8. Provide direct client centered support following placement
9. Partner with community resources: police, hospitals,
corrections, business and government
10. Market the program both to its guests and to the community
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
BUILDING AMENITIES/SERVICES
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27,516 square feet new construction including:
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Nutrition site
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Shelter space for up to 90 + 15 individuals
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Drop-in Program 365 Days
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Wellness Services
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Showers, bathrooms and laundry facility
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Computers, mail service and telephones
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
CONTRACTED PARTNERS
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Housing Authority of Bergen County
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Christ Church CDC
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Care Plus, NJ
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Friendship House
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HABC Under Shared Services
Management and
Administration of
Center
 Provide Clinical
oversight and care
management services
 Facility Management
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Back Office Support
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EA billing and interface
with BCBSS
Housing specialist to
determine eligibility,
review documentation
and provide voucher
issuance
Administer HPRP, ESG,
ESG funds including
security deposits
Bergen County Housing, Health and Humans Services Center
HOUSING PLACEMENT AND SUPPORT
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Efforts to place clients in permanent rental housing begin
immediately following client assessment. The Center
maintains relationships with real estate agents and
landlords for placement.
When a housing placement is arranged a neighborhood
based team provides service coordination and follow-up.
The Center is establishing relationships with health and
human service agencies to provide financial resources
necessary to support housing placement or emergency
financial assistance to individuals and families in
proximate danger of becoming homeless.
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS
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Bergen County United Way
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AA / NA
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Advance Housing
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Bergen Community College
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Vantage Health Systems
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Bergen County One-Stop
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Northeast NJ Legal Services
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Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare
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Family Promise (formerly IRF)
Board of Social Services
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Hackensack Social Services (GA)
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WIB
NJ Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation Services
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Veteran’s Services
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Rape Crisis Center
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HOPE Ex-Offenders
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BCCAP
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Jewish Family Services
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
SOURCES OF FUNDING
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Federal Stimulus Funds (HPRP)
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BC DHS State SSH Funding
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NJ DHS Funding
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Federal Funding (CDBG, ESG, ESG, HOME
and FEMA)
Bergen County United Way
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
OUTCOMES TO DATE (2/1/2013)
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410 individuals have been place in permanent housing
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286, 170 meals have been served
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4,500 individual have made 100,074 visits to Next Step
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105, 912 bed-nights of shelter have been provided at the Center
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440 + families and individuals in danger losing their homes were
provided prevention and /or rapid re-housing assistance
Less than 5% recidivism rate
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
RECOGNITION
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NAHRO 2012 National Merit Award for Program
Innovation – Residents & Client Services
MARC-NAHRO 2012 Award for Outstanding
Achievement
Leading nationally in the 100K Homes Campaign
Bergen County Housing, Health and Humans Services Center