2016 CAP Report to Community - Clark County, Washington...In 2016, Janus Youth helped seven...

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Clark County Department of Community Services

Community Ac on 2016 Report to the Community

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Message from the

Director and Board Chair

Dear Friends of Clark County Community Ac on: Clark County has approximately 50,000 people living in poverty. A Survey of Needs was conducted in 2016 and the results showed assistance with food, housing, u li es and employment services were ranked as the top four overall needs by 1,165 households who are low‐income. Community Ac on’s promise is to change peo‐ple’s lives and Clark County Community Services is working hard to meet this promise. . Last year, in partner‐ship with several nonprofit agencies, Community Services helped over 11,000 people meet their basic needs. The following are a few examples of the work being done in our community: Share’s Hunger Response program provides meals to people who are low‐income and/or homeless in three

ways: hot meals available every day at Share House, weekend backpacks with food for children during the school year, and summer meals provided for youth when school is not in session. In 2016, Share provided over 90,000 hot meals, weekly backpacks to almost 3,000 children, and nearly 24,000 breakfasts and lunch‐es during the summer.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a hea ng assistance program provided in

partnership with Clark Public U li es. This seasonal program helps households who are low‐income afford heat during the coldest part of the year. In 2016, over 4,000 households received assistance hea ng their home.

Janus Youth Programs provides an array of housing assistance for people up to age 24. Services include out‐

reach to engage youth on the street who are not trus ng of adults, shelter services and rental housing as‐sistance. In 2016, Janus Youth helped seven youth‐headed households obtain housing in a market with a less than 2% vacancy rate.

Partners in Careers started a new, mul ‐genera onal approach to helping families move out of poverty.

The Career Academy program started as a way to engage parents, grandparents and older siblings of youth par cipa ng in the YouthFirst Employment program. The Career Academy is a series of workshops that pro‐vide mul ple employment supports such as job search assistance, resume building and interview skills. This program has helped 30 people obtain the skills they needed to enter the job market.

Thank you to the volunteers and staff of the many organiza ons that collaborate with Community Ac on as we con nue to provide innova ve services to improve the lives of those in our community.

Sincerely,

Vanessa R. Gaston, Director Lydia Sanders, Chair

Clark County Department of Community Services Community Ac on Advisory Board

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INDEX

Community Ac on Overview ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 4

Community Ac on Advisory Board ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 5

Community Partnerships ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 6

2016 Funding Overview ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 7

Community Needs Assessment ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 8

Clark County Snapshot ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 10

Strategic Planning ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 12

Well‐Being Results ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 14

Economic Advancement Results ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 16

Resilient Community Results ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 18

Housing Stability Results ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 20

Staff Contacts ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙∙ 24

This report focuses only

on the programs funded through

Community Ac on. This is only a

small part of the community

effort to help families

stabilize and thrive.

IMPORTANT NOTE!

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The Promise of Community Ac on: Community Ac on changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communi es, and makes America a be er place to live. We care about the en re community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.

Source: Community Ac on Partnership

Objec ves of Clark County Community Ac on To promote ins tu onal and community changes which address the causes of poverty, and to

remove barriers to self‐sufficiency faced by low‐income communi es, families, and individuals;

To reduce the impact of poverty on communi es, families, and individuals by providing re‐sources for services which are responsive to their needs;

To promote innova ve approaches to addressing the causes and impacts of poverty in the com‐munity;

To serve as a catalyst for community efforts to leverage addi onal resources which address the causes and impacts of poverty; and

To make recommenda ons or take other ac on on any other subject as referred by the Counci‐lors or jointly by the Councilors and one or more city governments.

Community Action Overview

Program Funding Cycle

Every three years, a Community Needs Assess‐

ment is conducted as required by Community

Services Block Grant (CSBG) Act legisla on. The

informa on collected through this Assessment is used to guide priori es for future funding. Community Services com‐

bines local, state and federal funds that are dedicated to homeless and low‐income services into one Request For

Proposal (RFP) process that is conducted every three years a er the newest Needs Assessment is completed. Social

service and homeless nonprofit agencies apply for funding for programs that serve those who are low‐income and

meet county requirements. Staff review each applica on for agency qualifica ons and program eligibility. The Com‐

munity Ac on Advisory Board carefully reviews each applica on and listens to presenta ons from each agency to de‐

termine the most responsive and best fit programs for the community. Each applica on is scored and ranked and the

highest scoring programs are recommended for funding to the Clark County Board of Councilors. In 2016, the Council

included: Marc Boldt, Chair; Jeanne Stewart, District 1; Julie Olson, District 2; David Madore, District 3; Tom Mielke,

District 4. A er Council approval, one‐year contracts are executed for each awarded contract and these contracts are

renewable for the following two consecu ve years before the next RFP process begins.

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The Community Ac on Advisory Board (CAAB) advises the Clark County Board of Councilors on the needs, concerns and programs for limited‐income peo‐ple. The board is comprised of nine members represen ng a cross‐sec on of the community. Board members include ci zens who are low‐income or have experienced poverty, elected public officials, and representa ves from the private sector.

The Advisory Board conducts a Needs Assessment and Survey of Needs to provide direc on for making funding recommenda ons for programs operat‐ed by community‐based organiza ons. All services funded through the CAAB must address essen al human needs and assist in moving people towards self‐sufficiency.

Elected Officials

Mavis Nickels, Secretary

District 1

Julie Rotz

District 2

Ty Stober

District 3

Community Ci zen Representa ves

Bridget McLeman

District 1

Judith Walseth

District 2

Paula Mar n, Vice Chair

District 3

Representa ves of the Low‐Income Community

Lydia Sanders, Chair

District 1

Jessica Ghiglieri

District 2

Sheree Thun

District 3

Community Action Advisory Board

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FAITH BASED Friends of the Carpenter 360‐750‐4752 www.friendso hecarpenter.org

Lutheran Community Services NW 360‐694‐5624 www.lcsnw.org/vancouver

The Salva on Army 360‐892‐9050 www.vancouver.salva onarmynw.org

St. Andrew Lutheran 360‐892‐7160 www.salcvan.org

St. Joseph’s Catholic 360‐696‐4407 www.stjoevan.org St. Paul Lutheran 360‐693‐3531 www.stpaulvancouver.com

St. Vincent DePaul 360‐694‐5388 www.svdpvancouverusa.com HEALTH SERVICES Free Clinic of SW Washington 360‐313‐1390 www.freeclinics.org NON‐PROFIT 211info 2‐1‐1 www.211info.org

Clark County Food Bank 360‐693‐0939 www.clarkcountyfoodbank.org

Columbia River Mental Health 360‐993‐3000 www.crmhs.org

Community Housing Resource Center 360‐690‐4496 www.homecen.org

Community Services NW 360‐397‐8484 www.communityservicesnw.org

Consumer Voices are Born (CVAB) 360‐397‐8050 www.cvabonline.com/

Council for the Homeless 360‐993‐9561 www.councilforthehomeless.org

Housing Solu ons Center 360‐695‐9677 www.councilforthehomeless.org

ESD 112 360‐750‐7500 www.esd112.org

Impact NW 503‐988‐6000 www.impactnw.org

Inter‐Faith Treasure House 360‐834‐4181 www.i h‐cw.org

Janus Youth Programs 503‐233‐6090 www.janusyouth.org

Lifeline Connec ons 360‐397‐8246 www.lifelineconnec ons.org

Metropolitan Family Service 503‐232‐0007 www.me amily.org

Partners in Careers 360‐696‐8417 www.partnersincareers.org

Second Step Housing 360‐993‐5301 www.secondstephousing.org Share 360‐448‐2121 www.sharevancouver.org

Volunteer Lawyers Program 360‐695‐5313 www.ccvlp.org

YWCA Clark County 360‐696‐0167 www.ywcaclarkcounty.com

Workforce SW Washington 360‐567‐1070 www.wwdc.org SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ba le Ground School District 360‐885‐5300 www.ba legroundps.org

Camas School District 360‐335‐3000 www.camas.wednet.edu

Evergreen School District 360‐604‐4000 www.evergreenps.org

Vancouver School District 360‐313‐1000 www.ridgefieldsd.org GOVERNMENT City of Vancouver 360‐487‐8600 www.cityofvancouver.us

Department of Commerce 360‐725‐4000 www.commerce.wa.gov

Department of Social & Health Services 800‐737‐0617 www.dshs.wa.gov

Vancouver Housing Authority 360‐694‐2501 www.vhausa.com WA Healthcare Authority 800‐562‐6906 www.hca.wa.gov

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Clark County provides a combina on of local, state and federal funding to community ac on programs each

year. As a percentage, local funding made up 36.8%, state funding made up 26.3% and federal funding was

36.9% of the money allocated to programs in 2016.

HSF = Human Services Fund; CSBG = Community Services Block Grant; CHG = Consolidated Homeless Grant; HEN = Housing

& Essen al Needs; ESG = Emergency Solu ons Grant; LIHEAP = Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Value of Volunteers

In 2016, 28 individuals who are low

‐income par cipated in community

boards or provided input on deci‐

sion‐making and policy‐se ng.

Community Ac on Programs u ‐

lized nearly 37,179 volunteer hours

to help operate their programs;

4,524 of these hours were donated

by individuals who are low‐income.

This is equivalent to nearly 18 full‐

me posi ons at a value of almost

$900,000.

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16

Fu

nd

ing

Ove

rvie

w

$2,192,486

$345,345

$339,213

$1,541,209

$433,398

$80,179

$2,580,427

$287,121

$‐ $500,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000

LIHEAP

ESG

CSBG Federal

HEN

CHG

CSBG State

Document Recording

HSF

LEGEND

● Local Funding

● State Funding

● Federal Funding

Share Hunger Response Volunteers

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Rebecca Royce undertook a sizable task in 2016: crea ng, distribu ng, collec ng and

compiling the Survey of Needs for Clark County. Thousands of surveys in mul ple

languages were distributed to over 65 organiza ons and also made available

online. There were 1,165 surveys returned from every area of the county. The sur‐

vey was open from July 1 through September 30, 2016. A brief overview of re‐

spondent demographics and needs is presented here.

The Community Needs Assessment (CNA) is an in‐depth analysis completed every three years to learn about the needs of people living in poverty. The CNA is a requirement of Community Services Block Grant Act which provides federal funds to the County to work on an ‐poverty ini a ves. The CNA includes infor‐ma on gathered through several different means: data collected from households who are low‐income through a Survey of Needs, data from the American Community Survey federal data collec on program, a community feedback forum, and results from other local agency needs assessments.

The County uses the informa on collected in the CNA to understand the needs of the community, inform future funding decisions, and inform policy and program decisions. Our hope is that other funding and non‐profit agencies will use the informa on from the report for these reasons also. The final report will be com‐pleted by the end of 2017.

Community Needs Assessment

Survey of Needs

RACE

Nu

mb

er

of

Surv

ey

Re

spo

nd

en

ts

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SERVICES AND RESOURCES IDENTIFIED AS

NEEDED AMONG SURVEY RESPONDENTS

Domain Responses Housing

Affordable/Subsidized Housing – 319

Rent Assistance – 293

Move‐in Cost Assistance – 237

617

Health and Social/Behavioral Health

Seeing a Den st ‐ 270

Food Assistance/Food Banks ‐ 184

Exercise/Fitness Classes ‐ 158

604

Employment

Ge ng a Be er Job ‐ 268

Finding a Job ‐ 241

Items to Become/Remain Employed ‐ 223

532

Income and Asset Building

Credit Repair ‐ 224

Financial Assistance to Buy a Home ‐ 172

Obtaining/Maintaining Benefits ‐ 131

468

Educa on

Financial Assistance to go to College ‐ 218

Financial Aid/Scholarships ‐ 156

College/Trade/Appren ceships ‐ 146

449

Support Services

Transporta on ‐ 175

Legal Assistance ‐ 134

Informa on and Referral Services ‐ 114

416

AGE

FAMILY SIZE

INCOME SOURCE

Number of Survey Respondents

Respondents could choose up to three needs in each domain. The

top three needs in each domain are listed with the number of

responses for each. These numbers may be duplicated.

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Along with the Community Needs Assessment that collects informa on and analyzes needs of households who are living in poverty, it is important to understand the county’s demographics, needs and resources as a whole. POPULATION Clark County is the fi h most populous county in the state, with an approximate popula on of 467,000. It is one of the fastest growing coun es in the state according to the state’s Office of Financial Management. Clark County has a mix of rural and urban residents, with just over half of the popula on living in incorpo‐rated ci es. The four largest ci es are Vancouver, Camas, Ba le Ground and Washougal. The county is less diverse in terms of race and ethnicity than the state and na on, but has been slowly ge ng more diverse. There are 35,000 veterans in Clark County, or 7.5% of the popula on. INCOME According to the federal department of Housing and Urban Development, Clark County is part of the Port‐land‐Vancouver‐Hillsboro, OR– WA Metropolitan Sta s cal Area. This area had an annual median income of 73,300 for a family of four in 2016. The unemployment rate was between 5.7 and 6.8% in 2016. Accord‐ing to Washington State Office of Financial Management, industries with the greatest number of employ‐ees include Wholesale and Retail Trade, Healthcare and Social Assistance, Government (including public educa on) and Manufacturing. EDUCATION The majority of Clark County residents over age 25, or 91%, have graduated from high school per the U.S. Census Bureau. Over one‐fourth (28%) of residents have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. POVERTY A family of four living below the federal poverty level earns less than $24,250 per year. Approximately 9% of families in Clark County, with related children under 18 years old, live below this level according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HOUSING According to the Census, there are 177,829 housing units in Clark County, and approximately 64% of these are owner‐occupied. The median value of owner‐occupied housing is $234,800 and the median gross rent is $990 per month. In Fall 2016, the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies at the University of Washington reported the Clark County rental vacancy rate was 2.3%, 1.0% lower than Washington State.

Clark County Snapshot

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49,314 In 2016, there were 54,172 people, or 11.6% of the popu‐

la on, living at or below the poverty limit.

36.5% Percentage of kids eligible for free or reduced lunch

in Clark County.

74 Number of hours at minimum wage one would have to

work each week to afford a one‐bedroom apartment.

69,812 Number of people served each month by the

Basic Food program.

6 million Pounds of food distributed annually by the

Clark County Food Bank.

18% Percent by which the homeless popula on grew

between the 2016 and 2017 Point in Time Counts.

Clark County Quick Facts

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Community Services provides a key role in our community, providing federal, state and local funding to the county’s most vul‐nerable popula ons. The department

serves a wide range of needs, including homelessness assistance, mental health and substance use crisis ser‐vices, employment and early interven on for those with developmental disabili es, youth support programs and community development ac vi es. Work on a new strategic plan for the Department of Community Services was well underway in 2016. The development of the plan was a staff‐led process with par cipa on from every employee. There was also conversa on with advisory boards, social service providers and other community members. Over two years of work led to the development of the outcomes that the department will be striving to achieve over the next five years. Planning is one of six important steps in the Results‐Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA) pro‐cess. ROMA is a performance‐based ini a ve designed to preserve the an ‐poverty focus of community ac on and to promote greater effec veness among state and local agencies receiving Community Services Block Grant funds.

Department of Community Services

Mission Clark County Department of Community Services supports, through partnerships, all people in our community to increase their well‐being and economic security.

Vision We work to create a thriving community where people are valued and have the resources they need to flourish.

Values People ● Collabora on and Partnerships ● Educa on ● Diversity and

Inclusion ● Accountability ● Posi vity ● Innova on

Strategic Planning

Clark County Department of Community Services Center for Community Health

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During development of the Department’s outcomes, four main themes arose for the services the department undertakes: well‐being, economic advancement, resilient com‐munity and household stability. Community Ac on Programs work hard to achieve great outcomes for the individuals and families they serve, but it is also im‐portant to track outcomes for program meas‐urement and public and private funding ac‐countability. Clark County Community Ac on Programs create posi ve family and community out‐comes in all four of the Department of Com‐munity Services iden fied theme areas. Be‐cause a big focus of Community Ac on locally is the housing crisis, a majority of our pro‐grams are focused on housing stability and the outcomes related to that area.

Outcome Themes

Well‐Being Economic

Advancement

Programs that focus on a per‐son’s mental, behavioral and physical health and promote household safety and posi ve youth development

Programs that help people gain or increase employment and help people learn fiscal responsibility and gain other educa on.

Resilient Community

Household Stability

Programs to create neighbor‐hood improvements, access to transporta on, and in‐creased engagement and leadership opportuni es.

Programs that help house‐holds access and stay in hous‐ing and support the homeless crisis response system.

Tying Into Clark County’s Vision In early 2016, the Board of County Councilors along with other elected officials and the county manager, signed a Vision, Mission and Strategic Ac ons statement.

This document provides the long‐term goals, everyday prac ces, values and principles of the county. It is the founda on for countywide improvement efforts that will yield benefits both now and in the future.

The programs and services that Community Services provide achieve the vision and strategic ac ons iden fied by the county as a whole. Our programs address the following Clark County visions:

Safe streets, neighborhoods and structures

Healthy natural and built environments

Prosperity and well‐being for a diverse popula on

Engaged, civil and informed ci zens

Inclusion and acceptance of all people

First rate infrastructure; and

A popula on prepared for current and future job opportuni es

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Success!

A young woman and infant child came to shelter fleeing an escala ng abusive rela onship. “Amanda” experienced mental, emo onal, and financial abuse that was beginning to get physical. The family received hygiene items, baby supplies, transporta on assistance, food, and clothing while at shelter. Amanda met with the family support specialist for advocacy and resources during her stay. She also received referrals for paren ng, childcare, transporta on, and housing. Amanda was highly mo vated to move forward with a new life for her and her child, free from abuse. During her stay she obtained employment and was able to get an apartment within the 37 days she spent at shelter.

Well-Being Results YWCA SafeChoice provided 122 people with emergency shelter stays, helped

498 people with domes c violence legal advocacy, and had 12 households exit their program into safe and stable housing.

Share’s Hunger Response Program served 1,677 hot meals, fed 2,953 students nutri‐ous food each week during the school year and provided 23,658 breakfasts and lunches

to kids during the summer!

Clark Public U li es provided 4,037 households (10,892 individuals) with assistance hea ng their homes through the Low‐Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Clark Public

U li es staff

assis ng

customer

during LIHEAP

season.

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Success!

The Hot Meals Program provides nutri ous meals

every day to community members in need. Because the

meals sa sfy a basic human need, case managers are

able to connect with people who may not want to access

other services. Through the Hot Meals program, case

managers were able to build a working rela onship with

“Stephanie,” a 58 year old female who has been

literally homeless for at least four years, and off and

on for about 15 years. Stephanie lived in a tent near Share

House and would access shower, food and laundry services

regularly. She had chronic health condi ons, and struggled

with mental health and controlled substances. These issues

put her in the emergency room and inpa ent treatment

regularly. Through the connec on with the case managers,

Stephanie was able to sign up for food, Medical and ABD

benefits. She was approved for housing assistance and was

connected with a mental health treatment provider. She is

now housed in a one‐bedroom apartment, sees her

healthcare providers, and cooks in her own home.

Stephanie visits with Share each month to help

keep her fixed income on budget and stay

housed.

Kids enjoying lunch through Share’s summer meal program.

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Columbia River Mental Health Hopechange Employment Navigator and Partners in Careers

Career Academy helped a total of 59 people become employed. They also assisted 61 people

complete job training and 3 people increase their employment income.

The Community Housing Resource Center helped 316 people understand their credit re‐ports and their legal rights, 115 of these people improved their credit ra ng in the process!

Volunteer Lawyers was able to help 104 people resolve their legal issues including assis‐tance with bankruptcy, family law, evic ons and contract ques ons. In addi on, 54 people who were facing evic on did not enter the homeless system because of this program.

Community Services NW helped 22 applicants file their Social Security/Disability claim with

the Social Security, Outreach, Access and Recovery program. This can be a lengthy process,

but 6 people were approved and had increased income.

Share’s Individual Development Account (IDA) Program enrolled 71 new people into this program, meaning those people made a plan and deposited money to start a savings ac‐

count. A total of 366 people in the program increased their savings over the course of 2016,

with 32 households able to purchase the asset they had been planning for: a home, addi onal educa on, or star ng a new business.

Economic Advancement Results

Sameayah went back to

school this year with the

help of an IDA account.

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Success!

“George” came to the HopeChange Employment Navigator program through a referral from the

Vancouver Housing Authority. He is legally blind and his wife has a severe, life‐threatening illness.

The couple has two children living at home. The family received TANF assistance of $706 per

month and food assistance of $670 per month.

HopeChange completed a voca onal assessment and employment plan and helped George with

a resume and work search and job development services. A er several weeks of community work

search, the program coordinator spoke with the manager at Goodwill about George’s a ributes,

mo va on and accommoda ons needed. He was hired full‐ me and is extremely happy. George

has been on the job for several months now his family no longer relies on TANF support. In addi‐

on, the food assistance has reduced and will go down further with his recent raise to $11.00

per hour.

Success! SOAR was contacted by a Vancouver Police Officer regarding an

individual who was hearing impaired and in need of assistance with disability benefits. This young man, “James,” was chronically homeless and had

no income to afford housing. SOAR worked with James to complete all the necessary paperwork while he was living on the streets. During this me, James went to jail for roughly three weeks, but this was not a problem, the SOAR Coordinator scheduled a me to

go to the Clark County Jail to complete his Social Security paperwork. A er that, SOAR set up an in‐person appointment at SSA between an SSA rep and James when he was released from jail. The Coordinator met James at SSA, accompanied him during the appointment and was able to provide missing informa on that was needed. James was eventually approved for Survivor Benefits and awarded $848 a month and over $9,000 in back payments. He was assisted with ge ng set up

with a payee and through assistance from a PATH case manager, he was housed for $500 a month. The Coordinator assisted James with ge ng a prepaid debit card and con nues to coordinate rent and other bills with his payee. James was also connected with SW Washington Center for the Hearing Impaired where he is now being case managed by another hearing

impaired individual!

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Resilient Community Results

211Info answered 8,362 calls from Clark County residents in 2016. Of those calls, 6,170 people were able to be connected to resources or services they needed. An addi onal 6,539 Clark Coun‐ty residents were able to find services and referrals online through 211’s website.

A key characteris c of a resilient and connected community is conscien ous and responsible plan‐

ning. The Council for the Homeless coordinates providers and undertakes the planning roll for the Con nuum of Care grant and the Point in Time count, two major requirements for the community from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development each year.

In collabora on with regional partners, four Clark County agencies conducted an organiza onal

self‐assessment and client feedback surveys to guide their Trauma Informed Care work.

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Crea ng a Trauma Informed South‐west Washington

Clark County Department of Community Services set out to use a Washington Department of Commerce Innova on Grant made available to Community Ac on Agencies to help agencies in our region adopt an agen‐cy‐wide trauma informed care approach and work to‐gether as a regional alliance commi ed to serving peo‐ple in as safe, effec ve, and empathe c manner as possible. WA Gorge Ac on Program, Lower Columbia CAP, Share, and Council for the Homeless agreed to par cipate in the process of becoming a trauma in‐formed agency.

The impact of poverty, homelessness, domes c vio‐lence, food insecurity and many other challenges Community Ac on par cipants commonly face can lead to trauma. Trauma can manifest itself in many ways and may lead to abnormal reac ons to stress in adults and children. The best prac ce of serving households through a trauma informed care approach assumes all agency par cipants have been impacted by trauma. This approach alleviates stress reac ons by designing services with safety, trustworthiness, choice, collabora on and empowerment in mind.

The purpose of this ini a ve was to ensure par ci‐pants across the region are served through the same best prac ce model and are not re‐trauma zed when seeking assistance. This project also created a more open, safe and reflec ve environment for agency ad‐ministra on, staff and volunteers in each agency.

Each agency iden fied champions amongst staff, com‐mi ed to providing the champions me to a end and offer trainings and administra ve staff to support to the transforma on into a Trauma‐Informed Agen‐cy. The agencies commit to remain ac ve in the year‐long process and sustain the implementa on of a trau‐ma informed agency beyond the one year grant peri‐od.

Each agency conducted a self‐assessment of their en‐vironment at the beginning of the ini a ve, and then again a er a one year period. In addi on, the project included a par cipant survey containing ques ons specific to assessing agency progress toward becoming trauma informed. Agencies were able to measure the impact trauma informed care had on service delivery and overall household progress toward economic se‐curity.

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Types of Housing Assistance

Rapid Re‐housing is designed to help households quickly exit homelessness and return to permanent, stable hous‐ing. Rapid re‐housing assistance is offered without pre‐condi ons and the resources and services provided tailor to the unique needs of the household. Rapid re‐housing may include housing search and landlord nego a on, short to medium‐term financial and rental assistance, and delivery of housing stabiliza on services, as needed. The length of assistance is 4‐6 months on average, but can extend to 24 months.

Permanent Suppor ve Housing is long‐term housing that provides suppor ve services for people who are literally homeless and have disabili es through a Housing First Model. This type of housing enables people with high vulnerability and housing barriers to live as independent‐ly as possible in a permanent se ng. The services provid‐ed in connec on with housing address the special needs of each household served. Household par cipa on in services is voluntary and case management should be community based.

Transi onal Housing is designed to provide housing and suppor ve services to people who are homeless to facili‐tate movement to permanent housing. The housing is medium‐term, up to 24 months, and best prac ces dic‐tate the focus should be on people exi ng systems of care and youth. In addi on to housing, other services are available to help par cipants become self‐sufficient. The focus of Transi onal Housing is to move people as quickly as possible into permanent housing, while providing the support they need to remain stably housed. Preven on Assistance provides short to medium‐term services and rent assistance to households at‐risk of homelessness. Preven on connects people with support needed to maintain housing and achieve a be er quality of life. Households are strategically priori zed to receive homeless preven on based on a standardized, evidence‐based assessment that iden fies households who are at highest risk of becoming homeless. Successful targeted preven on reduces the number of households who actu‐ally become homeless. The length of assistance is 4‐6 months on average, but can extend to 24 months.

Richard holding the key to his new apartment.

Housing Stability Results

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PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OUTCOMES

Impact NW and Share provided permanent suppor ve housing for 54 households this year. The majori‐

ty of people served through these programs have previously been chronically homeless and are strug‐gling with physical or behavioral health challenges. Only those determined to be the most vulnerable are

served through permanent suppor ve housing. Of these 54 households, 49 of them saw an increase in

income due to being stably housed and assisted by these agencies.

Lincoln Place opened in 2016 and provides permanent suppor ve housing to 30 households.

OUTREACH AND EMERGENCY SHELTER OUTCOMES Both Janus Youth and Share operate homeless drop‐in

centers and outreach programs. With these programs they

were able to engage 341 and connect them with re‐

sources and case management. In addi on, 27 people got into permanent housing and 28 became employed.

Janus Youth and Share also operate several emergency

shelters where men, women and unaccompanied youth who are homeless can stay briefly and access resources.

Over 1,600 people were provided shelter in 2016, and another 57 households received hotel vouchers for a tem‐

porary stay through the Council for the Homeless.

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Household Stability Outcomes

RAPID RE‐HOUSING OUTCOMES Mul ple agencies provide Rapid Re‐housing Assistance through Community Ac on. Share, Impact NW, Janus Youth, and Second Step Housing achieved the following outcomes in 2016:

Finding housing in this market is a challenge, but 12 households were able to be housed within 30 days of star ng these programs.

A er finding housing and receiving rental assistance, 28 households exited the program into perma‐

nent housing, 26 of these households were s ll stable a er 6 months and did not return to the

homeless system.

In addi on to the 352 households who increased their housing stability through the Housing and Essen al Needs program, 155 of these households received essen al items.

Success!

“Barbara” and her three children had been living in their car and in and out of shelter due to domes c violence. She was pregnant and delivered her fourth child soon a er entering the housing program. Barbara struggled with mental health, substance use, and disability which contributed to regular visits to the hospital while she was homeless. In addi on, she had past criminal convic ons related to substance use. Share provided rental subsidies for Barbara while she worked to address her mental health and maintain her sobriety. She con nued to stay stably house, out of the shelter system, and avoided any further domes c violence concerns. Eventually, her

income increased and she graduated from the program and obtained other housing.

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OTHER HOUSING OUTCOMES Council for the Homeless assesses housing stability needs of households who

are homeless or at‐risk of homelessness and connects them with most appro‐priate and available housing program based on need and vulnerability. In

2016, the assessed 1,148 households, placed 203 of these households into housing programs and helped 86 households avoid homelessness through

system naviga on. Council for the Homeless is responsible for administering the Homeless Man‐

agement Informa on System (HMIS), a database through which all homeless services are tracked. Service providers input data and the Council analyzes and reports system‐wide informa on. In 2016, the Council met its goal for system

data quality that was at 95%.

Share administers Rent Well, a tenant

educa on and landlord guarantee pro‐

gram. In 2016, there were 10 cer fied

Rent Well instructors, with 455 stu‐dents comple ng the course and increasing their knowledge.

Success!

Preven on: “Julie” entered a housing program after receiving a three-day pay or vacate notice from her landlord. As someone who had previously been homeless, and experienced domestic violence, she was vulnerable to reen-tering the homelessness system. The program was able to stop the eviction process and stabilize Julie’s housing by providing rental assistance. She also received case management services to assist in becoming self-sufficient. She finished her college degree in medical billing. Julie was also able to acquire enough income to sustain housing and was no longer in need of food assis-tance.

PREVENTION OUTCOMES

Share and Salva on Army helped 7 house‐holds avoid homelessness through their preven on assistance programs as well as helping 9 households increase their in‐come through these programs.

Day Center par cipant.

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This report and addi onal informa on about Clark County’s Community Ac on Program can be found online: h p://www.clark.wa.gov/community‐ac on

Staff for these programs work for Clark County’s Department of Community Services and can be reached by calling (360) 397‐2130.

Vanessa R. Gaston, Director [email protected]

Michael A. Torres, Program Manager Community Ac on, Housing and Development [email protected]

Rebecca Royce, Program Coordinator Community Ac on, Homelessness and Affordable Housing [email protected]

Samantha Whitley, Program Coordinator Community Development, Housing and Veterans [email protected]

C l a r k C o u n t y D e p a r t m e n t o f C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e s

P.O. Box 5000 ● Vancouver, WA ● 98666‐5000

Tel 360.397.2130 ● Fax 360.397.6028 ● Relay 800.833.6384

Community Action Contact Information

Communnity Action Advisory BoardProgram Summary Report 2016-2017

January 2016 - June 2017 1

Community Funds Programs

Provider Program OutcomesAnnual

Proposed2016

TOTALS2017YTD

Budget YTD % Spent

211info 211info Specialist Individuals have increased awareness of services via telephone 6,200 6,170 3,243Individuals have increased awareness of services via website 8,000 6,539 2,390

Number of Clark County calls received 7,130 8,362 4,390

Columbia River Mental Health Services Hopechange Employment Navigator Individuals received direct job placement 25 29 18Individuals completed employment training 40 61 29

Individuals maintained employment for at least 90 days 6 17 5

Community Housing Resource Center Families to Financial Self-Sufficiency Increased understanding of credit reports 500 316 110Improved understanding of debtor legal rights 500 316 110

Credit Rating improves 85 115 65

Community Services NW SOAR Community-wide SOAR apps supported 30 23 10SOAR applications filed 20 22 5

SOAR participant housing stabilizes and income increases 20 6 5

Council for the Homeless Community Plannnig

Council for the Homeless Housing Solutions Center Households are assessed for housing programs 1,000 1,148 747Households are placed in housing programs* 200 203 81

Households are diverted from the system through navigation 60 86 40

Council for the Homeless HMIS

Impact NW Rapid Re-housing Program Households served & housed within 30 days of program entry 2 2 0Households exit to permanent housing 2 1 1

Households do not re-entry w/i 6 mos of program exit 2 1 1

Impact NW Permanent Supportive Housing Households served 3 3 2Households maintain or increase income 3 3 2Households remain housed for one year 2 0 1

Janus Youth Programs The Oaks Shelters Youth received emergency temporary shelter 325 329 145Youth received independent life skills 290 321 137

Youth continued education through onsite tutoring 50 55 31Janus Youth Programs The Perch Youth connected to mainstream resources 200 181 147

Youth obtain employment 15 28 8Youth obtain permanent housing 20 21 5

Janus Youth Programs The Nest Rapid Re-housing Program Households served & housed w/i 30 days of program entry 3 4 4Households exit to permanent housing 4 4 1

Households do not re-entry w/i 6 mos of program exit** 4 4 3

Partners in Careers Career Academy Individuals were unemployed and obtained a job 72 30 28Individuals increased employment income 96 3 1Youth participants graduated from school 45 0 1

95%=A

$116,668Provides rapid re-housing assistance for youth headed households.

$100,171Provides rapid re-housing assistance for households who are literally homeless.

$78,463

$554,800Assesses the housing stability needs of households who are homeless or at-risk and connects them to emergency shelter, rapid re-housing and other housing programs.

* Dependent on housing program capacity.** This oucome includes households entering the program from previous years.

$98,852

$89,741

$133,611

$399,008

$90,788

$91,200

$140,000Funds the drop-in center for youth (ages 16- 24) who are homeless.

$200,000Employment services and supports using a two-generation approach.

$153,153

$120,000Provides financial education and counseling to reduce financial barriers and increase housing stability.

$203,000Facilitates the Coalition of Service Providers, homeless task force meetings and the annual point-in-time count. Full responsibility for the annual HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) grant.

Provides free and easy access to referrals for food, shelter, housing, foreclosure assistance, health care, and more.

$128,000

$214,000Supported employment for individuals with a disability.

$130,000Administers the local SOAR program and helps individuals who are homeless apply for SSI/SSDI using the SOAR process.

$96,000

$156,536

$68,514

75%

73%

57%

0%

75%

72%

76%

91%

48%

67%

73%

71%

77%

$107,000Shelter services for youth who are single and homeless provided at two locations.

$104,000Provides permanent supportive housing for people who are highly vulnerable, have a disability and have been homeless for an extended period of time.

$49,471

$120,000Funds the data collection system of all publically funded homeless and community action programs. Collects for assessment and analysis of needs and services.

System Data Quality average is above an A 94% = A




Proposed2016

TOTALS2017YTD

Budget YTD % Spent

The Salvation Army Emergency Funds for Dislocated Families

Second Step Housing Resident Sufficiency Program Households served 20 17 15Households exit to permanent housing 15 15 3


Share Hunger Response Individuals received hot meals 3,000 1,677 898Students served throught the Backpack program*** 2,000 2,953 257

Summer breakfast/lunches provided through Summer Meals 25,000 23,658 0

Share Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Individuals enrolled and made a deposit 46 71 13Participants increased their savings through IDA 46 366 0

Households who purchased an asset this contract year** 13 32 25

Share Shelter System Individuals are provided shelter 1,400 1,233 646Households move into permanent housing 250 150 73

Share Rent Well 2016 Certified Rent Well instructors 15 10 20Students receive Rent Well certificates 100 455 51Students reports increased knowledge 85 455 51

Share Lincoln Place (opened Feburary 2016) Individuals are stably housed for at least 6 mos 25 28 11Individuals are stably housed for one year or more 22 0 25

Individuals maintain or increase income 20 23 24

Share Day Center Individuals receive housing case management support 50 160 199Individuals decrease barriers to housing 45 12 160

Individuals obtain housing 25 6 55

Share Bridging the Gap Households served 3 6 4Households maintain or increase income 3 6 3

Households remain housed for one year** 3 5 2

Share (3/1/16-12/31/2016) WHAT- Women's Emergency Shelter Households served 36 60 31Reduce shelter guest housing barriers 60 56 33

Shelter guests move to permanent housing 25 14 9Volunteer Lawyers Program Access to Justice Individuals resolve legal issues 100 104 41

Individuals facing eviction do not enter homeless system 50 54 50

YWCA SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program Individuals received emergency shelter services 115 122 75Individuals received domestic violence legal advocacy 450 498 217

Households exit to safe and stable housing 40 12 13

1

24-hour crisis line, shelter, and advocacy for survivor's of domestic violence and their families.

** This oucome includes households entering the program from previous years. *** The Share Backpack program reports on the school year. Only new participants are identified in future quarters.

$151,911$202,548

$150,000Supports a variety of legal assistance for people who are low-income and/or homeless, including Homeless Court, legal clinics and self-help assistance.

Engages individuals who are chronically homeless to understand their needs and permanently house them through a Housing First model.

$112,952

$140,000

$108,282

$88,942

$869,692

$295,500Supports the operation of a day center for people who are homeless. The center provides a safe, supportive environment with a focus on meeting basic needs.

$130,000Structured savings program to promote self-sufficiency and moving out of poverty. Savings used for home purchase, education, or starting a business.

$1,049,481Supports year-round emergency shelter at three facilities and winter shelter at two sites from November through March.

$130,000Provides meals to the public (Hot Meals), weekend food packages for students (Backpack), and breakfast/lunch for children in the summer (Summer Meals).

Supported housing with case management for persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.$115,567

$27,887

$128,269

Supports the operation of a low-barrier women's nightly emergency shelter.$347,797 $235,426

$10,000Assistance to renters evicted due to building safety violations.

Community Funds Programs (continued)

83%

9%

83%

53%

68%

$865

$53,000

$166,000

$137,573

$226,100

$113,501

77%

77%

83%

75%

75%

68%

83%

1

Administers the community-wide Rent Well tenant education program and landlord guarantee by supporting instructors and sustaining the program infrastructure.

Supports the operation of a permanent supportive housing, housing first model building for individuals who are highly vulnerable and living on the streets.

Households received emergency rent assistance



Consolidated Homeless Grant (CHG)


Proposed2016

TOTALS2017YTD

Budget YTD % Spent

Council for the Homeless Emergency Motel Vouchers Households receive motel vouchers 15 57 66Number of motel voucher nights 40 197 203

Impact NW TANF Rapid Re-housing Program Households Served and housed w/i 30 days of entry 3 2 0Households exit to permanent housing 4 1 1

Households do not re-entry w/i 6 mos of program exit 3 0 1

Janus Youth Programs Alliance Program Households Served and housed w/i 30 days of entry 3 3 4Households exit to permanent housing 3 2 0


Share (7/1/16-7/31/2017) Housing & Essential Needs (HEN) Households increase housing stability 250 352 301Households receive essential need items 150 155 309

Share ASPIRE Permanent Supportive Housing Households served 18 17 9Households maintain or increase income 15 17 9

Households remain housed for one year** 15 13 9

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)


Proposed2016

TOTALS2017YTD

Budget(18 months)

YTD % Spent

Share (1/1/2016-6/30/2017) Prevention Program Households increase income 19 9 25Households exit to permanent housing 20 6 31


Share (1/1/2016-6/30/2017) FAST Rapid Re-housing Program Households increase income 23 13 7Households exit to permanent housing 24 5 14


Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Innovation Grant (7/1/2016-6/30/17)

Provider Program Outcomes Budget YTD % Spent

Lower Columbia Community Action Program Trauma Informed Care

Share Trauma Informed Care

Washington Gorge Action Program Trauma Informed Care

Meals on Wheels People Trauma Informed Care

Provides rent assistance, eviction prevention services, and other supports to prevent homelessness for households at-risk of homelessness.

$433,707Provides permanent supportive housing to households who are literally homeless with high housing barriers and someone with a disability.

$93,426Provides rapid re-housing assistance for households who are literally homeless and receiving TANF.

Provides rapid re-housing assistance for individuals or parents under the age of 25, who areliterally homeless and receiving TANF.

Provides rent assistance and essential needs for persons who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness and deemed eligible for HEN by DSHS. Bridge funds were added to provide short-term RRH rent assistance to those who are unexpectedly ineligible for HEN.

$2,333,910

$56,057

** This oucome includes households entering the program from previous years.

$2,203,886

$70,385

Provide temporary hotel/motel vouchers for households who are unable to stay in an emergency shelter or have been identified as needing shelter by the law enforcement.

$70,000

94%

$276,920

$275,713

$37,076

$75,874

80%

53%

12 FY month contract

$298,672

75%

81%

69%

100%Providing training and technical assistance to agencies adopting an agency-wide trauma informed approach.

1st Quarter OutputsAll 4 participating agencies conducted the organizational self-assessment and Client Feedback Surveys within their agencies. 88 Staff members and volunteers attended a TI 101 training. 15 staff members have been identified as TI Champions and will participate in ongoing regional meetings. 18 people were trained to provide TI 101 trainings within their agency and beyond.

$10,000 $10,000 100%Supports the process of adopting an agency-wide trauma informed approach.



73%Provides rapid re-housing assistance for households who are literally homeless.

$370,000

** This oucome includes households entering the program from previous years.

$15,000 $15,000

$377,447

2016 CAP Report to Community - Clark County, Washington...In 2016, Janus Youth helped seven...

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Transcript of 2016 CAP Report to Community - Clark County, Washington...In 2016, Janus Youth helped seven...