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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExecutive Summary - Miami Homeless Assistance Prgm. 11/17/11Executive Summary Miami Homeless Assistance Program Overview of Homelessness Homelessness affects a wide variety of people, for many different reasons, in settings that range from isolated or nearly -invisible places to highly structured programs. According to the federal government code, in Title 42, Chapter 119, sub chapter I, § 11302, homeless is defined as: • an individuaUfamily who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; and an individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is -- • a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill); • an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals/families intended to be institutionalized; or • a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. In layman's term, homelessness is a condition in which individuals and families have no residence, owned, leased or shared in which they can live safely, healthful and legally both day and night and in which they can meet their social and basic needs in privacy and with dignity. Homelessness in the City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and the City of Miami have made the issues of homelessness and drastically decreasing instances of homelessness a priority. So much so that strategies and outreach programs to assist the needs of the homeless population have received national recognition. The City of Miami's Homeless Assistance Program (MHAP) is a key component in the County -wide Continuum of Care system (COC) that includes emergency, transitional, and permanent housing to the homeless population. The COC also includes outreach, assessment/placement, information and referrals. MHAP has been serving the homeless population within the City of Miami since 1991. This population includes: situational homeless, episodic homeless, chronic homeless and street people. Due to the overwhelming need, at its inception, the focus of MHAP's service was delegated to Miami's Downtown District. MHAP now employs 43 individuals and serves the entire City of Miami daily. MHAP strives to identify and engage homeless persons and refer them to health services and/or refer them to appropriate housing as needed.-- The;.. MHAP teaches . -homeless individuals, ,,employability skills and life ::. management responsibilities to bring about a better quality of life. MHAP's goal is to significantly reduce the number of homeless individuals and families within the City of Miami. Homeless Enumeration Enumeration, or homeless census, is the bi-annual counting of homeless individuals on the streets and in shelters. This information is forwarded to the Miami -Dade Homeless Trust for documentation, and is used in the yearly gaps and needs analysis. The last census conducted in the City of Miami was performed in January 2008 and the results showed a continuous decrease of the homeless population located within the City of Miami's boundaries. Nationally, according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the numbers of homeless persons are declining; Last census performed on June 30, 2011 showed the number of homeless population on the City of Miami streets has held steady for the past year, placing Miami as a leader in nationwide effort to end homelessness. The total homeless population for the City of Miami has steadily decreased by 40% in five years The following chart is a year by year analysis of the homeless population based on enumeration. The chart reflects total numbers city-wide delineated by demographic area. NET AREA 7/26/07 1/29/08 1/22/09 8/13/09 1/26/10 9/16/10 1/27/11 6/30/11 Coconut Grove NE 7 11 5 3 10 4 4 3 Coral Way 4 8 9 15 8 13 8 10 own Flagami 13 8 10 14 9 12 11 9 Little Havana 33 14 16 28 28 22 10 17 Model City 58 12 18 33 7 25 10 21 Upper Eastside 39 13 14 18 2 6 16 13 n• wood/Edgewater 611 Total 514 383 625 465 499 487 534 Outreach MHAP currently operates twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. To effectively track the services provided to the homeless population, MHAP Administrators and Directors developed a computerized system which is utilized as a model for the outreach component of the countywide Homeless Trust's MIS system. This system is especially critical and a key component in the plan to evacuate homeless individuals during weather emergencies. The common challenges faced by many homeless people such as substance abuse, mental illness, spousal abuse, lack of Affordable housing and lack of employability skills. MHAP has not only developed service configurations that reflects the local contexts, they have also identified sub -populations that are unique to specific communities and developed, in many cases, specialized services to meet their needs. The outreach plan of MHAP is as, diverse as the population served; recognizing cultural diversity, age, and special needs of sub -groups are important elements key to successful outreach. The "Hand Up" program helped to generate municipal legislation and resolution to deal with panhandling. (See attachment). It's premise is that many homeless and/or panhandlers suffer from addictions and mental health problems that prevent them from being able to break the negative cycle that they are in. They often need help but typically money does not provide them with the essentials they need to get back on their feet. Instead, "The Indoor Feeding Program", an initiative established in 2002 by the City Commission to organize a large number of individuals and religious organizations who were feeding the homeless on city streets. The initiative organized 52 organizations and individuals to dispense food to the homeless in four different venues in a hygienic and humane manner. The "Hand Up Card" entitles a homeless person to a free meal. More importantly, it provides them access to a variety of social services, emergency shelter, substance abuse and mental health treatment and peinianent housing. Below is a short synopsis of MHAP placements through outreach: • 2000 3598 Placements • 2001 3708 Placements • 2002 4210 Placements • 2003 4310 Placements • 2004 4579 Placements • 2005 4699 Placements • 2006 5388 Placements • 2007 5562 Placements • 2008 5136 Placements • 2009 5348 Placements • 2010 6124 Placements Mobil outreach teams visit sites such as abandoned buildings, parks, and search under bridges or expressways. The teams facilitate the needs of those requiring medical and _ psychiatric care, by arranging specialized intervention or transportation .to _clinics, or_ :. hospitals. Miami Cares has successfully brought a guiding light to over a thousand homeless individuals by coordinating a day of service dedicated to the homeless. They are given showers, hair cuts, medical and legal care, and they are the guest of honor while volunteers serve them a hot meal. Staffing MHAP staff applies personal knowledge and experience as formerly homeless individuals who are trained to engage and assess needs using the Miami -Dade County Homeless Trust's assessment tools. The assessment interviews determine appropriate referrals. Follow-up is facilitated via computer data collection and is a key element of this program. Communication with or visits to the programs where participants are referred are components to our follow-up procedures. Through training and job -ready skills they work as Community Outreach Specialists; providing life management and employability skills as well as assistance with establishing a work history. The concept and innovative approach of hiring formerly homeless men and women had modeled programs throughout the United States and the world. The Community Outreach Specialists (COS) are assigned as teams to network the City of Miami's thirteen Neighborhood Enhancement Team Offices (NET). MHAP as a part of NET carries out various community projects, such as building condemnation and site clean-up. MHAP currently employs thirty two formerly homeless people as Community Outreach Specialists (COS). The Program Administration is assembled by six city -funded positions plus an Accountant and Account Clerk/Book Keeper. Training Training is focused on issues directly related to the diverse needs of the homeless population. These include: • HIV/AIDS sensitivity and awareness and services • Substance abuse recognition • Chemical dependency intervention • Mental disorder recognition • Alternative housing opportunities • Health service availability • Communication skills • Crisis management • State and local laws and ordinances related to homeless issues • Immigration issues • Conflict Management and Confrontational Skills Additionally, in response to the "Pottinger Settlement" a 1988 federal court case (decided in 1992), in which the city's policy of arresting homeless people for engaging in "life - sustaining conduct" on the street (thus making it a crime simply to be without a home on public was ruled illegal. Sensitivity training is provided to the City of Miami, Police Department to deal with squatters and activists who willfully become homeless and build shanties on city -owned lots. MHAP communicates directly with the Police Department and provides historical background of homeless encampments and offers suggestions for courses of action. Fiscal Management and Funding MHAP current funding comes from a variety of funding sources as listed below: HMIS Staffing Program $24,60.0.00 Feeding Coordination Program $15,000.00 Emergency Hotel/Motel Placement Program (Hotel Motel) $362,500.00 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) $340,000.00 TOTAL FOODAND BEVERAGE TAX DOLLARS $742,1a00 00 Miami Metro Homeless Assistance Program North (North) $292,660.00 Miami Metro Homeless Assistance Program South (South) $138,789.00 Miami Metro Homeless Assistance Program Main (Main) $251,071.00 Miami Dade -County Office of Grant Coordinator $11,900.00 City of Miami, U.S. HUD Emergency Shelter Grant/CD $351,760.00 City Project Project Administration — General Funds $19,6,800 00, TOTAL Identification of New Funding Identification Assistance Program $18,750.00 Grand Total $2003830.00 MHAP with its resources from 1995 to 2010 have placed more than 65,850 homeless individuals and families into the Continuum of Care. The SWOT Analysis for MHAP is brief input driven grid that will continue to expand through the growth of the program. As issues are dealt with, it is the goal through yearly comparison, that items listed in the W, 0, or T sections, ultimately become resolved and the resolution become a permanent part of the S section. The input given refers to the MHAP Program, the City of Miami, and the issues that homelessness causes in general. • MHAP has the only outreach team in Miami -Dade County that operates 24 hours a day • Employs former homeless, so outreach workers are sensitive to the needs of the individuals • Multiple funding ensures sustainability • National recognition gives leverage to using MHAP program as a model • Mayor Regalado's position ontheBoard of the Homeless Trust exposes the programs strengths and credibility • Policies at the judicial and legislative levels (Pottinger Settlemen)t, return offenders into the streets rather than releasing them to a program • Hospitals and mental institutions often release the mental ill without receiving the proper evaluation and medication. • Expand into a program that offers beds and actual COC services beyond counseling, referrals, and outreach • To launch an education component which would allow other cities to benefit from outreach and sensitivity training • City of Miami is a prime location for open drug market and drug use • Public Safety is an issue for the mentally ill who return back to the community untreated • Chronic homeless often refuse assistance offered by outreach workers • Continuing flow of immigrants • Warm weather conditions throughout the winter months • 3 of the 5 major shelters are located in the City of Miami • 60 to 75% of the treatment facilities are in the City of Miami • Jackson Memorial Hospital (the public hospital that serves homeless and indigent) is in the City. • The County's major correctional facility is in the city and releases arrestees from throughout the county in the City of Miami. City of Miami Homeless Assistance Program Helping Hands Mending Lives Mission Statement The Mission of the Miami Homeless Assistance Program (MHAP) is to provide Outreach, Assessment, Placement and Information and Referral services to homeless individuals and families in a caring and professional manner and to employ and train formerly homeless men and women. Our goals are: • To identify, and engage homeless individuals and to place them into appropriate housing whenever possible. e To facilitate employability skills, a work history and instill life management responsibilities to our employees, thereby strengthening their ties to the community. e To significantly reduce the number of homeless individuals andfamilies in the e City of Miami. To improve the quality of life to all citizens of the City of Miami sessmen,t aro True omelesHousiri 'a.K Romero;;(PN ()using Specialists Lillie THarries(PN429f omds;Willianis§(PNo 12 rogra rn; 9 do :ergio; Torres= (I:erKS armen Community OutrE GI%liiam<lVliranda Erick„Espinora:(QI mmunity Outreach nehez,hJuan rlCommisongrv_(PN 12749 rCommunity putreack Vayne;Davis (PN-127,E harmanJackson (PN urtis Jackson PN 127 osmosaordar ,(PN-12 eky Leath,(PN-12761 edrg Rodriguez-:(PN'-1 arios Vazquez (PN 12 arna,yGuerrero (PN-12 lario•Abello;(P.N-127E A°C (PN-12760) ommunity O:ui Tic ael Go10i.'(Pr rftliony Hai (PN 'as fi eri a 1 a rri es E (i? ivarisJ ohnson,(,Pf iffgn Par,amaze; 2010 Accomplishments • :38,963 Contacts • 4,758 Emergency shelter Referrals • 34 Direct Placements into Treatment 18 Chronic Homeless Placed into Housing :3,678 Counseling Services • 416 Mental Health Services • 355 Jail Release Placements • 1,223 After Hour (5pm) placements • 467 Emergency Weather Assistance • 326 Permanent Housing Placements • 5848 Transportation (only) Services • 346 Family Reunification • 574 Community Clean -ups The Community Outreach Specialists (COS) are assigned as teams to network the with City of Miami's thirteen Neighborhood Enhancement Team Offices (NET). MHAP as a part of NET carries out various community projects, such as building condemnation and site clean-up. MHAP currently employs thirty two formerly homeless people Community Outreach Specialists (COS). Designated Clean-up Crews [Xltipytt Dischar.e Plannin. Team s This team is dedicated to assist individuals referred from the Florida Department of Corrections, The Florida Department of Children & Families, The State of Florida llth Judicial Circuit Court, Jackson Memorial Hospital/Public Health Trust, Our Kids, Inc, and Community Mental Health Facilities The Indoor Meal Proqr ♦ ", An initiative established in 2002 by the City Commission to organize a large number of individuals and religious organizations who were feeding the homeless on city streets. The initiative organized 52 organizations and individuals to dispense food to the homeless in four different venues in a hygienic and humane: manner. The "Hand Up Card" entitles _a homeless person to a free meal. More importantly, it provides them access to a variety of social services, emergency shelter, substance abuse and mental health treatment and permanent housing. 918,140 Meals have been served to date Fiscal Management Funding HMIS Staffing Program $24,600.00 Feeding Coordination Program $15,000.00 Emergency Hotel/Motel Placement Program (Hotel Motel) $362,500.00 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) $340,000.00 TOTAL FOOD AND, BEVERAGE? TAX DOLLARS; North (North) $742,100 00 Miami Metro Homeless Assistance Program $292,660.00 Miami Metro Homeless Assistance Program South (South) $138,789.00 Miami Metro Homeless Assistance Program Main (Main) $251,071.00 Miami Dade -County Office of Grant Coordinator $11,900.00 City of Miami, U.S. HUD Emergency Shelter Grant/CD $351,760.00 City of Project Administration General Funds; $196,800 00 TOTAL . Identification of New Funding Identification Assistance Program $18,750.00 Grand Total $2,003,830.00