office hours: covid-19 planning and response
TRANSCRIPT
July 23, 2021
Office Hours: COVID-19 Planning and Response
Housekeeping
• A recording of today’s session, along with the slide deck and a copy of the Chat and Q&A content will be posted to the HUD Exchange within 2-3 business days
• Event information for upcoming Office Hours, along with copies of all materials can be found here:
https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/diseases/#covid-19-webinars-and-office-hours• Password for all COVID Office Hours: HUD123• To join the webinar via the phone, please call in using:
+1-415-655-0002 Access code: 185 207 6880
(If you need to call in toll-free, call 1-855-797-9485)
Chat Feature
Select the Chat icon to make a comment or ask a question.
Be certain the To field is set to Everyone
Speakers & Resource AdvisorsDepartment of Housing and Urban Development• Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs
o Norm Sucharo Karen DeBlasioo Brett Esders
o Lisa Coffmano Marlisa Grogano Latesha Balam-Totten
• Katherine Yang, Program Analyst, PIH Program Support Division • Stephanie Reinauer, HUD TA, Abt Associates• Joyce Probst MacAlpine, HUD TA, Abt AssociatesNational Center for Homeless Education • Christina Dukes, Partnerships and Policy, Deputy Director• Megan Johnson, Partnerships and Policy, Program Specialist
Speakers & Resource AdvisorsHUD Racial Equity Demonstration Project
• HUD Technical Assistanceo Regina Cannono Stacey Matthews
o Mary Frances Keniono Jane Moretta-Miller
• Delmar Algee, Housing Programs Manager, Catholic Community Services- Family Housing Network
• Michael Craw, MPA Director, The Evergreen State College
• Elizabeth Perez, Senior Program Manager, All Chicago MakingHomelessness History
Speakers & Resource AdvisorsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention• Emily Mosites, PhD, MPH, COVID-19 At-Risk Population Task Force,
Senior Advisor on Health and Homelessness
National Health Care for the Homeless Council• Barbara DiPietro, PhD, Senior Director of Policy
Department of Veterans Affairs• Dina Hooshyar, MD MPH, Director, National Center on Homelessness
Among Veterans (The Center), VHA Homeless Program Office• Jillian Weber, PhD, RN, CNL, Homeless-PACT National Program
Manager, VHA Homeless Programs Office
COVID-19 and HomelessnessUpdates
Homelessness UnitDisproportionately Affected Populations Team CDC COVID-19 Response
cdc.gov/coronavirus
National case trends
National case trends, county status
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Portable Air Cleaners and Masking for Reducing Indoor Exposure
New HHS funding for SARS-CoV-2 testing in congregate settings
Support for state and local COVID-19 testing and mitigation measures among people experiencing homelessness, residents of congregate settings including group homes, and encampments
For more information, contact CDC1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)TTY: 1-888-232-6348 www.cdc.gov
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Funding Announcement for COVID Testing•HHS investing over $1.6 billion from the American Rescue Plan to support
testing and mitigation measures in high-risk congregate settings•This includes $80 million to support state and local COVID-19 testing and
mitigation measures among people experiencing homelessness, residents of congregate settings including group homes, and encampments.
•State health departments will use the funding to:–hire workers to coordinate resources, develop strategies and support existing
community partners to prevent infectious disease transmission in these settings–Procure COVID-19 tests and other mitigation supplies (e.g., handwashing stations,
handwashing stations, hand sanitizer, and masks for people experiencing homelessness and for those living in congregate settings.
HUD Technical Assistance for COVID Testing
•In support of this testing initiative, HUD will be providing technical assistance to CoCs and homeless assistance providers
–Strengthen partnerships between healthcare and public health partners
–Increase capacity to rollout routine testing within shelters and other projects assisting people experiencing homelessness
•Expect that the funding will be available this fall
COVID-19 Vaccination Work• Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) awarded the first round of
funding totaling $125 million to support 14 nonprofit private or public organizations, to reach underserved communities in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Freely Associated States.
• Purpose of this funding is to bolster community-based efforts to hire and mobilize community outreach workers, community health workers, social support specialists, and others to increase vaccine access to the hardest-hit and highest-risk communities.
• HUD Field Offices have been working on the ground to help facilitate relationships between HUD-funded programs and local federally qualified health centers to increase the availability of vaccine.
• HUD recently released the Vaccine Messaging Toolkit to assist providers in having conversations with staff and clients in an effort to increase vaccine uptake.
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Using Stella Performance for Prioritizing Resources:Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) and HOME Investment
Partnerships American Rescue Program (HOME)-ARP
July 23, 2021
New Resources for Addressing Homelessness
Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV)Long-term rent subsidy with housing search and placement services
HOME-ARPOne-time funding that can be used for four activities: development of housing, tenant based rental assistance, supportive services, and acquisition or development of non-congregate shelter that may be converted to permanent housing.
Targeting of new resources should be part of a coordinated investment planning process that considers communities needs as well as other available resources and gaps.
What are your community priorities for EHV and HOME-ARP?
• Targeting new units to address gaps, unmet needs, and under served populations
• Increasing system flow• Reducing returns to homeless• Decreasing time in shelter and time waiting for housing• Increasing permanent housing placements• Freeing up PSH for those waiting
Stella Performance (Stella P) Key Concepts
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Visualizing System Performance with Stella P
Visualization of LSA data to support CoC system performance analysis:• Days homeless• Exits to
permanent housing
• Returns to homelessness
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Populations included in Stella P
EHV eligible populations included in Stella P:• Homeless • Fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual
assault, stalking or human trafficking;• Recently homeless and for whom providing rental assistance will
prevent the family’s homelessness or having high risk of housing instability
EHV eligible populations not included in Stella P:• At Risk of Homelessness
Stella P Demo
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Dashboard Overview
Dashboard Overview cont.
Dashboard Overview cont.
Dashboard Overview cont.
Days Homeless by Population Group
Days Homeless by Population Group
Returns by Population Group
Returns by Population Group cont.
Demographics Comparison
Demographics Comparison cont.
Demographics Comparison cont.
Demographics Overview
Next Steps: Gather More Information
Gather more information to understand the population/ group and what their needs are.
Stella P shows what’s happening but not how or why or what to do about it.
Consider data quality limitations and sources of quantitative and qualitative information.
• Coordinated entry / by-name-list• Project-level data• Homeless service providers• People with lived expertise• Other system partners
From Analysis to Action
Use this information to inform investment strategies and targeting criteria to address your community’s priorities for EHV and HOME-ARP resources.
Implementation Considerations:• What other resource can you pair with American Rescue resources to
meet the needs of these prioritized groups?• How can coordinated entry help identify the target populations?
Accessing Stella P
Stella P is hosted on the HDX 2.0. Register for an account and login.
Access managed locally by the HDX 2.0 primary user for the CoC. Request “read” access to the LSA module to view Stella P.
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Once logged in, click on the “Stella P” hyperlink in the upper right-hand corner of the screen to go to the Stella P homepage.
Questions?
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
For More Information
For more information: https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/stella/#stella-p-basic-resourcesFor questions: https://www.hudexchange.info/program-support/my-question/
Partnering with Education using Federal Stimulus Funding
HUD Office HoursJuly 23, 2021
The NCHE Partnerships Team
Christina DukesDeputy Director,
Partnerships and [email protected]
Kenya HaynesProgram Specialist
Megan JohnsonProgram Specialist
About NCHE
NCHE operates the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance center for the federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program.• Website: http://nche.ed.gov
• Helpline: 800-308-2145 or [email protected]
• Products: https://nche.ed.gov/resources/
• Webinars: https://nche.ed.gov/group-training/
• Listserv: https://nche.ed.gov/resources/ (click Listserv tab)
• Twitter: @NCHEducation | Facebook: facebook.com/NCHEducation
Road Map
• Homeless education basics
• American Rescue Plan: Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) funding
• Cross-system partnership opportunities using stimulus funds
• Q&A and discussion
Homeless Education Basics
Why Education?
People with higher levels of education• Have higher levels of income
• Are more likely to have access to employer-provided benefits
• Are more likely to move up the socioeconomic ladder
• Are more likely to be able to afford housing
• Are less likely to be unemployed
• Are less likely to be receiving public benefits
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/emp/chart-unemployment-earnings-education.htmNational Low Income Housing Coalition: https://reports.nlihc.org/oor
College Board, https://research.collegeboard.org/pdf/education-pays-2019-full-report.pdf
Education and Youth Homelessness
Supporting educational attainment is an important strategy for preventing youth homelessness and equipping young people to make sustainable exits from
homelessness.
Chapin Hall: https://voicesofyouthcount.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ChapinHall_VoYC_1-Pager_Final_111517.pdf
The Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program
• The EHCY program is authorized under Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (hereafter, McKinney Vento Act), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act
• The McKinney-Vento Act
• Establishes the definition of homeless used by U.S. public schools and various other federal statutes/programs
• Establishes the educational rights of students experiencing homelessness; these rights focus on school access, stability, and success
EHCY Program Funding
• EHCY Federal Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriation: $106,500,000
• The U.S. Department of Education (ED) allocates EHCY funding to State Educational Agencies (SEAs) in proportion to the SEA’s annual Title I, Part A allocation
• SEAs award EHCY subgrant funding to local educational agencies (LEAs) through a competitive subgrant process; approximately 25% of LEAs receive McKinney-Vento subgrant funding under the annual EHCY program appropriation
EHCY Program Contacts
• The McKinney-Vento Act requires
• SEAs to designate a State Coordinator for Homeless Education
• LEAs to designate a local homeless education liaison
• Visit the NCHE website and click on a state to access State Coordinator contact information and a link to the local liaison directory
American Rescue Plan: Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) Funds
ARP Basics
• The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP)
• Was signed into law on Mar 11, 2021
• Appropriated $1.9 trillion in federal funding to support the U.S. recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including billions of dollars to support early care and education, K12 education, and post-secondary education
• Appropriated $800,000,000 in ARP-HCY funding
ARP-HCY Funds
• Areas of focus
• Identification
• School engagement
• Wrap-around services
• Learn more about ARP-HCY from the U.S. Department of Education or NCHE
ARP-HCY Purposes
• Addressing the urgent needs of homeless children and youth (HCY), including academic, social, emotional, and mental health
• Increasing SEA and LEA capacity by hiring staff, dedicating resources, providing technical assistance, and planning partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs)
• Connecting students and their families to extended day and extended year learning and enrichment programming, and preparing them for back-to-school in the Fall
ARP-HCY Allowable Usages of Funds
• ARP-HCY funds can supplement ARP-ESSER funds (cake is ESSER, icing is ARP-HCY)
• Allowable usages• Existing 16 authorized activities for McKinney-Vento subgrant funding
• Wraparound services (academic supports, trauma-informed care, social-emotional support, mental heal services)
• Needed supplies (PPE, eyeglasses, school supplies, personal care items)
• Transportation to support school engagement
• Communication devices and technology needed for school engagement
• Short-term housing as a last resort when needed for school engagement (a few days in a motel)
• Store cards/prepaid debit cards needed to purchase materials needed for school engagement
• Allows SEAs and LEAs to award contracts to CBOs
ARP-HCY Status
• SEAs may reserve up to 25% of ARP-HCY funds for state-level activities and must distribute the remainder (at least 75%) to LEAs
• ARP-HCY Disbursement 1: ~$200,000,000 disbursed to SEAs in April
• SEAs are moving at different speeds to allocate this funding to LEAs, many of which will be existing McKinney-Vento subgrantees
• ARP-HCY Disbursement 2: ~$600,000,000 expected to be disbursed to SEAs in the coming days
• SEAs will allocate this funding to LEAs via formula; this will ensure that the vast majority of LEAs receive subgrants
Cross-Systems Partnership Opportunities
Possible Partners
• No one system can adequately address all the needs of youth and families experiencing homelessness
• It’s important and strategic to connect across• Early care and education• K12 education• Higher education• Emergency rental assistance programs• Public Housing Authorities• Continuums of Care• Other partners?
Approaching Partnership
• Partnerships that are effective and sustainable focus on mutual benefit across partner systems and the people they serve
• Think in terms of give and take“My system is struggling with _____. Could you partner with us to help address this pain point?”“I understand that your system is struggling with _____. I can offer _____ in partnership to help address this pain point.”
• Think in terms of shared goals and desired outcomes
Partnership Considerations
• How can we consider eligibility and prioritization in new ways, given the broader parameters provided by ARP?
• How can we work together to identify eligible households and refer them to supports across our systems?
• How can we deliver services in a coordinated manner across our systems to address housing, education, and other service needs to support sustainable exits from homelessness?
• YHDP example: Homeless response projects provide Rapid Rehousing to transition-age youth while higher education partners provide campus-based support services
Questions?Comments?
The NCHE Partnerships Team
Christina DukesDeputy Director,
Partnerships and [email protected]
Kenya HaynesProgram Specialist
Megan JohnsonProgram Specialist
Updated ESG-CV Notice 21-08 Released
• ESG-CV Notice CPD-21-08 released last week on 7/19/2021.• Lifts prior limitations on emergency shelter spending and
length of medium-term rental assistance and provides additional waiver flexibilities and new eligible activities
• Join us next week on 7/29 for a webinar reviewing all notice changes: ESG-CV Notice CPD-21-08 Webinar
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ESG-CV Grants Status ReportUpdated July 16, 2021
98% of funds obligated in IDIS3 ESG-CV 1 and 25 ESG-CV 2
grants remaining to load
77% of funds Committed
15% of awarded funds Drawn!107 recipients are over 20% Drawn!
Of 362 grant recipients:
19 recipients have no funds in IDIS
34 recipients have not drawn any amount for ESG-CV funds in IDIS
20% of ESG-CV grant allocations must be expended by September 30, 2021
Draws are trending up! Keep it going!
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HUD Racial Equity DEMO
July 23, 2021
The WHY
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The WHY
The HUD Racial Equity Demonstration Project was created to begin addressing the racial
inequities experienced by the disproportionate percentage of Black, Indigenous and
People of Color experiencing homelessness and to advance more equitable housing
stability outcomes for these populations.
For years, the Homelessness field has continued to use the same frameworks, processes
and tools without deep consideration of historic and contemporary systemic racism and
discrimination that create the conditions for this disproportionality and perpetuate the
inequities throughout the system.
This lack of racial equity integration and centering of lived experience perpetuates racism
and inequities within Homeless Response Systems68
The WHO: Cohort 1 Communities
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The WHO
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The WHAT: Project Goal
In partnership with Black, Indigenous and people of color and people with lived expertise, 8 CoCs will identify system disparities through local data, agree upon focus area(s) and test racially equitable CES processes to significantly transforming the system experience and the housing stability condition of those disproportionately represented in our Homeless Response Systems.
The WHAT: Project Goal
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At the end of the day, we want to see significant changes in:
● The experience of those going through a Homelessness Response System.
● Housing stability, especially of those disproportionately represented in our Homeless Response Systems.
The HOW: Theory of Change
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Shifting the Culture
● Representative Core Teams● Interrogating the default to white dominant
cultural norms ● Mapping and understanding power dynamics● Creating Shared decision-making processes● Expanding partnerships
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Shifting the Culture
Knowledge Bites (examples: Racial Equity 101 series, cultural humility, addressing implicit bias, centering the voices of people with lived experience, power of words, authentic engagement, collective care)
Peer Sharing Opportunities (monthly cohort calls, opportunity to connect with other communities and Equity Demo team members as wanted/needed
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Frameworks, Tools and Techniques
● Aims and Drivers● Equitable Results Framework● Factor Analysis● Targeted Universalism
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Interrogating the System
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Interrogating the system
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Data and the Demo
● The role of Data in the Demo - Data Informed Processes
● HMIS and Beyond - Understanding the Data Landscape
● Quantitative + Qualitative - A Robust Data Approach ● Integrated Data Interrogation - Why it Matters
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Community Focus Areas
Measuring Impact
● Transparency and Nimbleness● Data & Process Improvement & Redesign
Projects● Culture Shift & Systems Reorientation● Housing Stability (longer-term outcome)
What We are Learning
● Trust the process, Trust the people● Use “Urgency” to advance equity, not bypass it● Changing the culture is a necessary and an ongoing
process● Don’t be afraid to Course Correct
○ Make corrections quickly and publicly○ Be nimble; titrate our offerings and expertise to meet
community needs in real time○ Extend timeline to support sustainable process
● Integrate data into larger approach ● Practice listening to understand
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What has Worked?
● Reimagining a New Way, rather than just fixing an OldWay…
● Authentically Centering Lived Experience● Holding each other accountable to make real changes:
A Framework for Equitable Results ● Struggling and Trying Together● Embracing the Messiness and Beauty of Us
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Sweet Home CHICAGO!
Otha Gaston, He/Him/His, Black, Lived Experience CommissionRichard Rowe, He/Him/His, Black, CES Lead and Lived Experience CommissionJajuana Walker, She/Her/Hers, Black, Youth Action BoardElizabeth Perez, She/Her/Hers, Other/Latinx, CoC LeadStephanie Sideman, She/Her/Hers, White, CES Lead
Beth Horwitz, She/Her/Hers, White, Data LeadBen Darby, He/Him/His, White, CE Lead
Chicago
During the Demo, Chicago had several big conversations that centered around the following:Powerful Core Team Embodying Racial Equity in Action:
• Half of Chicago’s Core Team Includes People w/ Lived Expertise with shared decision making power - centering the Lived Experience Commission and the Youth Action Board as key partners (shout out to Richard Rowe (Lived Experience Commission and CSH) , Jajuana Walker (President of the Youth Action Board), and Otha Gaston (Lived Experience Commission)
• Chicago CoC Staff staff being proactive in cultural humility, addressing power and positionality, and placing a tremendous value on returning power back to communities most impacted.
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Chicago
Improvement Project 1: Replacing the Individual VI:• Conducted two Community Feedback Sessions to determine more equitable test questions - achieved consensus!• Trained 12 skilled assessors to test assessment questions with over 200 participants• Reviewing data and will work with the community to learn from the data and shape assessment scoring for singles• The follow steps will be to have similar processes with different stakeholders for scoring youth and family
assessments
Improvement Project 2: Increasing Housing Outcomes for Justice Involved Black, Brown, Indigenous Folx:• Conducted community feedback session with over 50 participants led by people with lived expertise• Utilized Inclusive Human-Centered Design Methodology to empathize and better understand the experience of justice
involved folx, to define the problem/identify drivers, and ideate on possible solutions• The Core Team in collaboration with the Lived Experience Commission and Youth Action Board are in the process of
reviewing community input and developing some prototypes that they will present to community as test options• The follow up steps including implementing decisions made by the Lived Experience Commission and Youth Action Board
with community involvement, including a feedback and refinement loop.
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Chicago
Key Takeaways from Chicago
1. Our Coaches, Stacey Matthews, LaMont Green, and Michelle Valdez are visionaries who guided us on a path to learn, grow, teach, and change the status quo. We will forever be grateful for their expertise, integrity, and inspiration. As a bonus, they are truly kind and loving people who we adore.
2. The HUD Racial Equity Demo was the boost we needed to make changes and center racial equity. a. Please note that 80% of people experiencing homelessness in Chicago identify as Black and/or African
American.
3. One repeated Equity Demo mantra that we genuinely believe in is that people closest to the problem are closest to the solution, and therefore must be solution drivers.
4. All systems include structural racism, and we must dismantle racism in our Coordinated Entry System and CoC.
5. In Chicago, there are housing programs protecting buildings/funding/evaluation scores when considering who to house instead of remembering that these buildings and/or funding exist FOR THE PEOPLE. It is very clear that people of color are disadvantaged by our system, and that WE must change this.
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Pierce County!● Delmar Algee (co-lead)● John Barbee (PCHS)● Alan Brown (CCS)● John Casteele (TMA)● Courtney Chandler● Mike Craw (co-lead)● Gerald Daniels● Anne Marie Edmunds (co-lead)● Dash Jefferson● Emily Mirra● Elder Toney Montgomery (TMA)● Shelia Moreland● Hank Noll (CCS)● Rebecca Rosado (TMA)● Carolyn Weisz, PhD
Pierce County
Core Team: Pierce County built a strong & diverse Core Team that is representative of local champions – inclusive of County staff, nonprofit partners administering CE, academia, faith-based partners and people with lived experience of homelessness
Focus/Goal: Exploring the potential of creating additional “Cultural Hubs” as part of their CES.
Using quantitative and interview data to interrogate outcomes and assess efficacy for Black families served through cultural hub BIPOC-led faith-based partner compared to legacy agencies.
Used procurement process to expand the service provider portfolio to include newer, BIPOC-led, non-traditional partners.
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Pierce CountyCultural Hub Working Definition
● It is a collaborative partnership between a legacy or traditional CE organization and a new or non-traditional organization to the CE system.
● It is a partnership that connects an organization at the level of the neighborhood or community that know the people, the circumstances and needs of that community, with the organizations and agencies that have resources to help. In this sense, the hub is emergent or grass-roots-oriented, rather than planned and implemented from the top-down.
● It addresses the systematic disinvestment and impoverishment of community networks which have negatively impacted net worth, access to economic and social capital, and housing stability. It builds on the inherent strengths of the community.
● It aims for excellent cultural competence, i.e. understanding differences in expression and communication across communities.
Pierce County
● Template Partnership: Catholic Community Services -Tacoma Ministerial Alliance○ Formed as a Community Homeless Resolution Partnership○ In operation since April 2020
● Goals:○ Evaluate housing outcomes and client experience ○ Develop recommendations for improving/replicating the
model
Pierce County
Next Steps:● Developing recommendations for Pierce County’s CE NOFA● Researching templates from other CoCs for cultural hub
partnerships● Evaluating CCS-TMA partnership using:
○ Interviews with TMA and legacy participants○ Analysis of housing outcomes using HMIS data
Reflections?Comments?Questions?
Thank You!
New Resources Posted
• EHVs and Coordinated Entry Reporting
• ESG-CV Prevent, Prepare, and Respond Tieback Flexibilities Quick Guide
• Long-Term Financing of Permanent Supportive Housing Projects
• Project Funding and Structure Brief: Master Leasing
• Vaccine Messaging Toolkit
New Resources Posted (cont.)
• Disease Risks and Homelessness
• Emergency Solutions Grants - CARES Act (ESG-CV)
• EHVs in HMIS
• Shared Housing
Upcoming Webinars• CARES Act Virtual Conference 2021
July 27-28, 2021, 9am-5:10pm EDT
• Emergency Housing Vouchers Office HoursEvery Tuesday, 3pm-4pm EDT
• ESG-CV Notice CPD-21-08 WebinarJuly 29, 2021, 1pm-2:30pm EDT
• Emergency Housing Vouchers Webinar: CMS-Medicaid Resources for Housing Supportive Services
August 12, 2021, 3pm-4:30pm EDT
Key Websites
HUD: https://www.hudexchange.info/homelessness-assistance/diseases/infectious-disease-prevention-response/
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/homeless-shelters/index.html
NHCHC: https://nhchc.org/clinical-practice/diseases-and-conditions/influenza/
USICH: https://www.usich.gov/tools-for-action/coronavirus-covid-19-resources/
VA: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/n-coronavirus/index.asp
HRSA: https://bphc.hrsa.gov/emergency-response/coronavirus-frequently-asked-questions.html
Federal Partner Contacts
For additional information or assistance, contact:• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
www.cdc.gov/COVID19; 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636); TTY: 1-888-232-6348
• Department of Housing and Urban Development:HUD Exchange Ask-A-Question (AAQ) Portal
Q & A