the bergen county housing, health and human services center a shared project between the county of...
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THE BERGEN COUNTY HOUSING, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CENTERA 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
OPENEDOctober 1, 2009
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HISTORY: 1985-95
Focus: Provide Emergency Shelter
Background
Kansas Street, churches
Overnight only
Exclusionary and fragmented
Temporary locationBergen County Housing, Health and Human Services
Center
HISTORY: 1995-2005
Focus: Modify the Existing System
The One Stop idea
Build a permanent shelter
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HISTORY: 2005-10
Focus: Change the System
Federal requirements: Develop 10 year plan to end
homelessness Coordinate and integrate service
delivery
Local direction: Identify and use best practices Develop a collaborative model
Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
MISSION
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
Objective: End chronic homelessness
Approach: The Housing First Model
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 27,516 square feet new construction
including:
Nutrition site
Shelter space for up to 90 + 15
individuals
Drop-in Program 365 Days
Wellness Services
Showers, bathrooms and laundry facility
Computers, mail service and telephonesBergen County Housing, Health and Human Services
Center
CONTRACTED PARTNERS
Housing Authority of Bergen
County Christ Church CDC Care Plus, NJ 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
Back Office Support
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 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
Bergen County United Way
Advance Housing
Vantage Health Systems
Northeast NJ Legal Services Comprehensive Behavioral
Healthcare
Family Promise (formerly IRF)
Board of Social Services
Hackensack Social Services (GA)
WIB
AA / NA
Bergen Community
College
Bergen County One-Stop NJ Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation Services
Veteran’s Services
Rape Crisis Center
HOPE Ex-Offenders BCCAP Jewish Family ServicesBergen County Housing, Health and Human Services
Center
SOURCES OF FUNDING
Federal Stimulus Funds (HPRP)
BC DHS State SSH Funding
NJ DHS Funding
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) 410 individuals have been place in permanent
housing
286, 170 meals have been served
4,500 individual have made 100,074 visits to Next Step
105, 912 bed-nights of shelter have been provided at the Center
440 + families and individuals in danger losing their homes were provided prevention and /or rapid re-housing assistance
Less than 5% recidivism rateBergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
RECOGNITION
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