ORIENTATION

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What is a Continuum of Care (CoC)?

NYC CoC & Committees

McKinney Vento & HEARTH Act Funding Process

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

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According to HUD, a CoC is: ◦ “A community plan to organize and deliver housing

and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless as they move to stable housing and maximize self-sufficiency. It includes action steps to end homelessness and prevent a return to homelessness.”

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1987: Congress passed first federal law specifically addressing homelessness ◦ Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of

1987, later renamed the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

◦ Federal Financial Support for a variety of programs to meet the need of individuals and families who are homeless

◦ Programs administered by HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPs)

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From 1988 to 1993, HUD held national competitions for its homeless assistance funds every year ◦ Individual organizations throughout the country

wrote applications

Since 1994, HUD has required each community to come together to submit a single comprehensive Continuum of Care (CoC) application rather than allowing applications from individual providers in a community

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HUD’s intent for creating CoC’s: ◦ Encourage a more structured and strategic

approach to housing and services for people experiencing homelessness

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Develop a long-term strategic plan and manage a year-round planning effort that addresses- ◦ Identifying needs of homeless individuals and

households

◦ Availability and accessibility of existing housing and services

◦ Opportunities for linkage with mainstream housing and services resources

Prepare an application for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act competitive grants

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Continuum planning efforts may be organized at a number of geographic levels: ◦ Single city*

◦ City and surrounding county

◦ Region

◦ State

In 2013, 400+ CoCs across the country

*NYC Continuum of Care is organized as a single city

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Defined geographic area

Lead agency: ◦ Homeless Coalition led

◦ Government led

◦ Non-profit led

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The purpose of the NYC CoC is to provide a leadership role in the prevention and eradication of homelessness in NYC

It is a broad-based coalition of homeless housing and shelter providers, consumers, advocates, and government representatives, working together to shape citywide planning and decision-making

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Identify the gaps and needs of homeless households in NYC and participate in the process of prioritizing local and state funding to meet these needs

Coordinate citywide applications for homeless housing and service funding

Track trends and adjust priorities to meet the changing needs of homeless households

Advocate together for increased federal funding to meet the needs of homeless and at-risk New Yorkers

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Responsible for meeting NYC CoC objectives

3 Co-Chairs

27 Members: ◦ Eight Government Representatives

◦ Eight Consumer Representatives

◦ Eight Coalition Representatives

◦ Three At-Large Representatives

NOTE: The NYC CoC Steering Committee oversees all other NYC CoC Committees

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Analyze gaps and needs in the homeless and housing systems

Establish priorities and criteria for funding

Establish annual priority setting process

Evaluate renewing programs

Endorse evaluation criteria and process of renewal evaluation

Endorse the ranking/priorities list of the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Grant Application

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Create ad-hoc or standing committees as needed.

Review and plan appropriate actions with regard to the following: ◦ Advocacy and policy issues of the Continuum of

Care.

Serve on DHS and other strategic planning committees that relate to the purposes of the NYC CCoC.

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To serve as the voice of representation and advocacy on behalf of the currently or formerly homeless Consumer populations in New York City.

The committee educates by conducting outreach and sharing knowledge of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) McKinney-Vento funding.

The committee participates, through representation from the elected Consumer Representatives, in the decision-making process of the NYC CCoC's Steering Committee, which is the governing body of the NYC CCoC.

The Consumer Committee fully and actively participates in the evaluation of NYC CCoC renewal of homeless and supportive services projects.

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Provides compliance oversight to HMIS standards as set by HUD and the NYC CCoC. ◦ Ensuring participation in HMIS ◦ Monitoring data quality ◦ Coordinating training

The work of this committee is vital to CoC-wide planning that relies heavily on HMIS data.

The committee meets monthly with email correspondence between meetings as needed.

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Oversees the annual CoC evaluation process in accordance with NOFA guidelines, ◦ design and implementation of threshold criteria to

better monitor performance outcomes

◦ development of a performance and quality improvement process as part of the CoC Strategic Plan

Oversight and training associated with project applications for new funding

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The Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) Committee is responsible for overseeing the annual performance and quality improvement process.

This may include working with projects identified via the annual NYC CCoC Evaluation process to provide technical assistance toward better outcome measurement and performance improvement.

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The Policy & Advocacy Committee works with NYC CCoC consumers, providers, coalition and government representatives on issues related to HUD policies and regulations, as well as state and city government affairs.

It identifies/actively engages in strategies to advocate for policies and legislation that impact CoC providers and consumers.

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Solicit nominees for the following positions: ◦ At-Large

◦ Coalition

◦ Government

◦ Co-Chair Positions

Determine eligibility of nominees

Coordinate election processes

Fill vacancies of open positions

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The purpose of the Grievance Committee is to arbitrate issues of concern amongst the NYC CCoC and to ensure that there is a fair and accessible process for filing a grievance with the NYC CCoC.

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NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) ◦ Administrative & Planning Support to NYC CoC &

Steering Committee

◦ Lead Agency

For NYC Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Data Warehouse

◦ Collaborative Applicant

Administers and submits application for HUD funds/Homeless Assistance Funding Application (Notice of Funding Availability/NOFA)

Manages Project/Program Performance Portfolio (Rating, Evaluation, and Submission)

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Committee-related questions should be directed to the Co-Chair(s)

Updated contacts are located on the www.nychomeless.com website

Click on Committees in the left menu bar ◦ The Co-Chairs are listed for each Committee

◦ Roll-over the Co-Chair name to view email address

◦ Click on the Co-Chair name (link) to send an email via outlook

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HUD’s “Homeless Assistance Program” Funding

Annual National Competition for Renewal Funding and New Funding (when available)

FY2012, NYC CoC awarded: ◦ $112, 554, 528 USD Renewal Funding

243 projects

9,258 beds

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In 2000, President Clinton renamed the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act to the “McKinney-Vento Act” ◦ Name changed to honor rep. Bruce Vento who was

an original sponsor of the legislation

In 2009, re-authorized as the HEARTH Act ◦ Homeless Emergency and Rapid Transition to

Housing (HEARTH)

◦ Substantial changes to the McKinney-Vento Act

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Consolidate homeless assistance programs

Codify the Continuum of Care Planning Process

Establish a goal of ensuring that individuals and families who become homeless return to permanent housing within 30 days

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Consolidation of HUD’s competitive grant programs

Changes in definition of homeless and definition of chronic homelessness

Increases emphasis on performance of homeless system, not just individual HUD funded projects

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Simplified match requirement

Increase in prevention resources (Emergency Shelter Grant becomes Emergency Solutions Grant)

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Reductions in the length of time people are homeless

Reductions in homeless recidivism

Thoroughness in reaching homeless people

Reductions in the number of homeless people and in the number who become homeless

Increases in job and income

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Final Regulations ◦ Homeless Definition

Proposed Regulations ◦ Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)

◦ Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

Interim Regulations ◦ Continuum of Care (CoC)

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NOFA = Notice of Funding Availability

HUD releases the CoC NOFA each year, for funding the following year ◦ 60+ page document outlining requirements for

grant funding

Intended to reduce the incidence of homelessness in communities ◦ Assisting homeless individuals and families quickly

transition to self-sufficiency and permanent housing

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CoC Homeless Assistance Programs ◦ Supportive Housing Program (SHP)

◦ Shelter Plus Care (SPC) Program

◦ Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation for Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Program

HUD sets the policy directives: ◦ HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable,

inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all

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Community’s Application (FKA Exhibit 1): ◦ CoC planning and structures information

◦ Housing & Services Inventory (HSI)

◦ Point-in-time Count and HMIS data

◦ Performance data

◦ List of projects the community is putting forth for funding

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Project Applications (FKA Exhibit 2): ◦ Project narrative

◦ HMIS participation data

◦ Detailed project budget

◦ Project certifications and attachments

Annually: ◦ Grantees submit Project Applications to NYC CoC

NOTE: Must meet deadlines each year!

◦ DHS submits the CoC Application to HUD

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List of Projects for Funding is determined by: ◦ Local Evaluation Process

Evaluation Instrument application and review for renewal projects

Application and selection panel for new projects

Ranking Policies ◦ Set by the Evaluation Committee

◦ Voted on by Steering Committee

◦ Sets ranking order of projects based on evaluation and threshold requirements

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The APR is a reporting tool used by HUD: ◦ Tracks the progress and accomplishments of

programs funded

◦ Collects information on the people served during your operating year

◦ Collects information on the types of households those people were in when they were last served

HUD began requiring APRs to be entered into e-snaps beginning with grants ending on or after July 1, 2010.

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Grantees have 90 days from the end of their operating year to report their APR to HUD through e-snaps. ◦ NOTE: Due at different times for each grantee

All grantees are required to submit an APR: ◦ HUD CoC Homeless Projects

Homeless Assistance Program Funds

◦ Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Programs (HPRP)

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds

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Performance Goal Achievement ◦ Performance data compared with goals and rated as

either “Achieved,” “Not Achieved,” or “Exceeded”

◦ Achieved = Within 5% of Goal

Project Performance Score & Rating ◦ Specific to performance goals of each program type

◦ Ratings = high, medium, or low based on the overall score as a percentage of possible points for each project

◦ Medium Performers = Ranking between 10-90% of all projects

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To view the Evaluation Tool: ◦ Go to www.nychomeless.com

◦ Click Evaluation Process

◦ Select 2013 NYC CCoC Evaluation Scoring and Ranking

Determines rankings for the year’s NOFA

Tweaked annually by the Evaluation Committee to be aligned with HUD’s national and local priorities

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The applicable measures vary based on project type: ◦ Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)

◦ Safe Haven (SH)

◦ Transitional Housing (TH)

◦ Supportive Services Only (SSO) with Employment Goal

◦ Supportive Services Only (SSO) without Employment Goal

Applicable Measures generally include: ◦ Unit utilization rate

◦ Spend-down of HUD funding

◦ Serving chronically homeless persons

◦ Consumer participation

◦ HMIS data quality

◦ All cash income

◦ Employment

◦ Non-cash benefits

◦ Length of Stay

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In 2001, Congress directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to: ◦ Develop a way to generate an unduplicated count of

individuals experiencing homelessness across the country

◦ Analyze patterns of homeless episodes among those in the homeless system, and

◦ Use data to evaluate the success of homeless programs

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Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a HUD-mandated data collection tool that: ◦ Captures client-level information aout the

characteristics and service-needs of those experiencing or at-risk of homelessness

◦ Helps service providers coordinate referrals and service delivery

◦ Generated unduplicated count of homeless individuals

◦ Allows the study of patterns of service-use and measuring effectiveness of homeless programs

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Data Warehouse using Foothold Technology AWARDS software

AWARDS tracks ◦ HUD-required data elements

◦ Services delivered

◦ Outcomes

Generates reports such as AHAR, APR, and Data Quality Reports.

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To CoC: ◦ Understanding the extent and scope of

homelessness

◦ Systems design and policy decisions

◦ Project performance data

To Providers: ◦ Tracking client outcomes

◦ Preparing financial and programmatic reports for funders, boards, and other stakeholders

◦ Information for program design decisions

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ALL Homeless Service Providers are encouraged to participate in HMIS ◦ NOTE: Except for providers exclusively serving

victims of Domestic Violence

HUD requires all projects receiving funding through ESC, CoC, SRO Mod Rehab and HOWA participate in HMIS

HMIS Participation is also required by Federal Administration GPD Program, Community Contract bed providers, SSVF, and SAMSHA PATH Program(s)

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HMIS P&P Participation Agreement: ◦ Agree to collect data elements regarding clients

served and upload them to the Data Warehouse every month

◦ NOTE: Data Warehouse = central repository of client level data from the Contributing HMIS Organizations (CHOs)

HMIS P&P Data Warehouse End User Agreement: ◦ Complete training on privacy policy, security plan,

and data quality

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Go To: www.nychomeless.com

Click Contacts (within the left menu) ◦ Roll-over the Contact Name to view email address

◦ Click on the Contact Name (link) to send an email via outlook

◦ NOTE: The contact phone numbers are also provided here

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