Greater Lansing Homeless Resolution NetworkCQI Meeting Minutes

August 14, 20159:00 am – 10:30 am

Legal Services1) Call to Order and Introductions

a) Liza Rios, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:08.b) Those present were Liza Rios (Legal Services), Allyson Bolt (Advent House), Teresa Kloock (L&F), Liz

Lopez (VOA), Meghan Rhoades (Haven House), Matt Stevenson (CoL), Maresa Tedrick (CFC), and David Henrion (GLHRN).

2) Review and approve June meeting minutesa) Teresa corrected a typo. Maresa moved to accept the minutes; Matt seconded. Vote was unanimous.

3) Review CoC 3rd Quarter Reportsa) Matt presented the report. First was emergency shelter data through 3 quarters.

i) There have been 300 fewer people, or a 13% drop, with a shelter stay.(1) Matt believed this is due to Life O’Riley and a bad winter last year.(2) Liza stated that this was positive movement.

ii) Matt noted there were almost 700 fewer discharges as well, but he was unsure of the cause. He suggested Homeless Angels or other non-shelter situations could be having an impact.(1) Maresa noted CFC’s Higher Ground program is following this, but their kids aren’t going to HA.(2) She said CFC is having trouble filling beds, and suggested the trend could be more universal.

iii) Matt noted that Maplewood, the VOA’s shelter and hotel programs, and Haven House are the big drops compared to last year.(1) He said it is important to note it is fewer people at the shelters, not just fewer discharges, so it

could not be written off as just more stability.(2) Liz said that the Hotel program ran out of money, so those numbers are down.(3) Liza asked Matt to add total people served to the report.

iv) Matt noted the numbers are up for exiting to housing in 31 days.(1) Maresa asked what this meant. Matt said they are going to a permanent housing solution.(2) Maresa discussed Higher Ground, and the difference between transitional and permanent.(3) Matt noted that CRM’s numbers improved, which were assisted by CACS’s RRH program.(4) Matt stated that housing exist for the VOA shelter are down quite a bit.

(a) HARA discharge is high, but not at the shelter.(b) Matt said that not all at VOA go to the HARA, but RRH should have helped those numbers.

(5) Matt noted that Haven House has increased this year from previous quarters, which is the opposite from last year. He asked if there was a funding difference, and Meghan confirmed.

(6) Liza asked if the number of people being discharged from HARA be reflected by the number of people discharged from the system in general. Matt, Maresa, Ally, and Liza discussed this.

b) Matt looked at the transitional housing report.i) He noted that the discharge number is consistent between quarters.ii) Matt said that all Outcomes are down, besides the engagement rate.iii) Maresa asked if any transitional house included families, and Matt said that only Zacchaeus House.iv) Matt said that it was interesting that 25% of discharges have income, but more than 50% of those

exited to housing. He thought some might be staying with family.(1) Ally stated that this number should increase as the CoC becomes more Housing First.(2) Matt said clients don’t go from transitional housing to PSH, because PSH clients must be

chronically homeless.(3) Matt and Teresa discussed the fee at Luke’s House, which is $200.

(a) Teresa said clients could initially get a waiver, but then they would need to get an income.(b) Liza asked about the difference in Loaves and Fishes’s homes. Teresa said that Luke is for

single men while Zacchaeus is women with kids.

(c) Maresa asked if they take on younger youth. Teresa said that was difficult, considering the size of their rooms.

c) PSH reports were discussed next.i) Matt noted there was a big drop in turnover from this year to last; only a few units have opened up.

(1) Liza asked if then people were staying, which Matt confirmed. (2) Matt noted there were 4 total discharges, 2 from Ballentine and 2 from PSH1.

(a) Ballentine didn’t know where their clients went.(b) Liz said the VOA exits got housing vouchers.

(3) Liza asked about LHC programs. Matt thought PSH2 might be a bit behind, with maybe 7 or 8 discharges for the year.

ii) Matt noted the LHC PSH programs have brought on more clients, and thus are able to lease more.iii) Liza asked about the big jump at Haven House’s PSH for Families during Q2.

(1) Ally noted that their PSH moved to Advent House during that quarter.(2) Liza asked about the discharges, and Meghan said many got vouchers.(3) Matt stated that unless someone is removed, people usually leave only if they get vouchers.

Meghan added other subsidized housing to that.d) Finally, the group examined the services report.

i) Matt noted that more people were in Good Works than last year, with the same rates.ii) Matt said that ESG should start up again next quarter.iii) The group was curious about discharges from CACS RRH, because their housing rate is low.

(1) Meghan said that these families get 3 months, but they need to save up or go to Financial Empowerment afterward. If not, they will be dropped out.

iv) Matt noted that Haven House’s RRH program had lots of people last quarter.(1) Meghan said that it just worked out that way.(2) Matt asked about the high percentage of people (80%) with cash income.

(a) Meghan said that at first, they are not requiring cash, which helps.v) Matt said the HARA numbers were similar, with more people being assisted.

(1) He noted that prevention funds run out before 3rd quarter starts.(a) Matt asked about the Homeless Veteran Reentry Program. Liz said it should be restarting.(b) Ally asked about this. Liz said it is non-residential, offering veteran employment services.

(2) Matt asked if the Supportive Services for Veteran Families- RRH program is connected to VASH. Liz confirmed that it was, since VASH does a bit of RRH.

4) Grievance Review Processa) Liza described the current grievance review status, and CQI’s role in it.b) Liz, Liza, and Ally discussed the current grievance status.c) Liza said she looked back to 2012, and couldn’t find a clear CoC policy.

i) Matt suggested reaching out to other continuums.d) Liza asked about either starting anew, or modifying the current policy.

i) Matt said the process should be similar to agency to agency, and discussed a uniform process.ii) Ally suggested creating a flowchart, one that goes from agency to CoC to funder

e) Liza stated that currently, a client needs to exhaust an agency’s internal processes, and then if unhappy, they can go to the CoC for a grievance.i) Liza asked if this type of form existed. Ally suggested modifying the current form, but for clients.ii) Liza said that a process would need to exist, and she would ask the board how they want to proceed.

iii) Ally asked if this would go directly to the CoC.(1) Liza thought it should, so the client isn’t forced to go back to the agency.(2) Meghan said the agency needs to be aware of it.(3) Maresa and Liz discussed the processes at their agencies. (4) Teresa said there needs to be a separation between the agency and the complaint.(5) Maresa said knowing the client is important.

iv) Liza and David discussed the timetable for this.

(1) Matt said he would be in favor of a consumer complaint form and process for the network.5) Adjournment - Next Meeting is September 9th, 2015.