Identify and explore new approaches to shelter care for the

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Opportunity, Inc.

• Okaloosa Walton Homeless
• Continuum of Care

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Opportunity, Inc. Defined

• Lead agency for homeless services in Okaloosa
  Walton Counties, as designated by Florida Office
  on Homelessness and US Department of Housing and
  Urban Development
• Operates under Florida Statutes 420.623-625

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Florida Statute 420.623

• Composition of a homeless Continuum of Care
  membership body
• Representative of all community stakeholders, to
  include but not be limited to
• (a) Organizations and agencies providing mental
  health and substance abuse treatment
• (b)  County health departments and community
  health centers.
• (c)  Organizations and agencies providing food,
  shelter, or other services

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Composition, Part II

• (d)  Local law enforcement agencies.
• (e)  Regional workforce boards.
• (f)  County and municipal governments.
• (g)  Local public housing authorities.
• (h)  Local school districts.
• (i)  Local organizations and agencies serving
  specific subgroups of the homeless population,
  including, but not limited to, those serving
  veterans, victims of domestic violence, person
  with HIV/AIDS, and runaway youth.

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Composition, Part III

• All continuums of care must welcome participation
  from homeless and formerly homeless consumers

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Continuum of Care Function (420.623)

• Develop or assist with the development of the
  local homeless continuum of care plan, as
  described in s. 420.624, for the catchment area
  containing the county or region served by the
  local homeless coalition. Unless otherwise
  specified in the plan or as a result of an
  agreement with another coalition in the same
  catchment area, the local coalition shall serve
  as the lead agency for the local homeless
  assistance continuum of care.
• Note The statute requires development, not
  execution or implementation. Plans are typically
  too comprehensive for any one agency to carry
  forward in every respect

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Function, Part II

• Discuss local issues related to homelessness and
  the needs of the homeless.
• Inventory all local resources for the homeless,
  including, but not limited to, food assistance,
  clothing, emergency shelter, low-cost housing,
  emergency medical care, counseling, training, and
  employment.

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Function, Part III

• Review and assess all services and programs in
  support of the homeless and identify unmet needs
  of the homeless.
• Identify and explore new approaches to shelter
  care for the homeless.

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Function, Part IV

• Facilitate the delivery of multiagency services
  for the homeless to eliminate duplication of
  services and to maximize the use of limited
  existing resources for the homeless.
• Develop new programs and services to fill
  critical service gaps, if necessary, through
  reallocation of existing resources for the
  homeless.
• Develop a community resource directory of
  services available to the homeless for use by
  agencies, volunteers, information and referral
  systems, and homeless persons.

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Function, Part V

• Develop public education and outreach initiatives
  to make homeless persons aware of the services
  available to them through community agencies and
  organizations.
• Collect and compile information relating to the
  homeless population served and report on a
  regular basis, but at least annually, such
  information to the department, as directed by the
  department.
• Note This references the point-in-time survey

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Function, Part VI

• Monitor and evaluate local homeless initiatives
  to assess their impact, to determine the adequacy
  of services available through such initiatives,
  and to identify additional unmet needs of
  homeless persons.
• Develop an annual report detailing the
  coalition's goals and activities.

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Continuum of Care Function, Additional
legally-imposed activities

• Other services specified by the Florida Office on
  Homelessness include
• Serve as the applicant for the Challenge Grant
  and Homeless Housing Assistance Grant, to include
  selection process for grant recipients as well as
  writing the grant
• Administer and monitor both grants, submitting
  regular reports to the office on homelessness

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Additional Requirements, Part II

• Serve as the applicant for the US Department of
  Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care
  grants administering and monitoring grants under
  that agency
• Ensure effective and efficient administration of
  Homeless Management Information Systems

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Mission

• The Okaloosa Walton Homeless Continuum of Care/
  Opportunity, Inc, is a community partnership
  dedicated to the alleviation of homelessness,
  through prevention, assistance toward
  self-sufficiency, the provision of housing
  options, and advocacy.

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ImplementationPlanning

• Develop strategic plan for alleviating
  homelessness each spring
• Bring together community stakeholders in each
  major arena to determine homeless need, services
  already in place
• Develop solutions to meet unmet need, based on
  stakeholder commitment
• Include eligible programs in Challenge, HHAG and
  HUD grants, based on provider applications

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ImplementationData

• HMIS System Having secured executed grants for
  HMIS, have evaluated software provider
  performance and solicited bids expect purchase
  within 1-2 weeks
• Point-in-time survey each January
• Inventory surveys (phone)

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ImplementationCoordination

• Website contains calendars, service provider
  lists, minutes, service listing, community needs
• Resource Directory also on website, updated
  annually, available for download
• Monthly Meetings hot button issues, provider
  presentations
• E-mail

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ImplementationCoordination, II

• Cold night shelter meetings
• Crestview, Fort Walton Beach ensure
  continuous, unduplicated coverage for all cold
  nights
• Offices maintained in Fort Walton Beach,
  Crestview, DeFuniak Springs
• Staff develop resource lists, partnerships to
  delineate services throughout 2-county area

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ImplementationEducation and Outreach

• Community stakeholder meetings monthly in Fort
  Walton Beach, Crestview
• TV and newspaper coverage
• Presentations at numerous civic, faith-based and
  professional organizations
• Representation on local coalition boards Healthy
  Families Great Beginnings Juvenile Justice
  Anti-Drug Coalition Veterans Services
  Organizations
• Website

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Service Provider Support

• HUD grant supports Bridgeway Centers Independent
  Living Program for chronically homeless 525,000
  annually
• HHAG grant supports Children in Crisis project to
  create housing for youth aging out of foster
  care 560,000
• FQHC Planning Grant supports DOH efforts to
  expand Opportunity Health 80,000

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Service Provider Support, II

• Challenge Grant provides 96,000 to support
• HMIS
• Cold night programs in Fort Walton Beach,
  Crestview soup kitchens in Okaloosa and Walton
  Counties
• Non-profits Catholic Charities, Mental Health
  Association, S4P Synergy, FRESH Start
• Shower program in Destin

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Service Provider Support, III

• Department of Labor grant supported Stand Down
  for Homeless Veterans event Continuum arranged
  for medical and dental services, intake
  procedures, DMV services for picture IDs
  haircuts
• Guidance for health risk reduction, to include
  information on staph infections, swine flu
  purchase of defibrillator

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Direct Services Continuing

• Continuum funds DMV monthly picture ID services,
  laundry service
• Resource and referral services
• Flu, pneumonia, tetanus shot clinics when
  available and funds allow
• Coordinates with jail, health centers for
  discharge placement

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Direct Services New

• Homeless prevention/ rapid rehousing fund
• Provides assistance to individuals and in
  imminent danger of homelessness due to economic
  downturn plus families newly homeless
• First 20,000 in rent, utilities, other payments
  distributed 10/23/09

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Direct ServicesNew

• Opportunity Place
• Designed to meet identified service gap for women
  and families needing emergency shelter
• Initial effort to procure existing providers to
  take on this project unsuccessful within limited
  time frame
• Management of facility to be transferred once
  funding stability achieved

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Who Does What

• Executive Director
• Writes RFPs for state and federal grants,
  initiates evaluation process, writes composite
  grants, submits applications, negotiates
  contracts, administers funds, monitors programs
• Oversees data analysis currently working toward
  HMIS implementation, conducts point-in-time
  surveys
• Provides community awareness

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Who Does What II

• Executive Director also
• Oversees budgets for Continuum, grants, provides
  financial reports
• Provides regular reports to Board of Directors,
  state and federal agencies
• Represents Continuum at local coalitions,
  community government

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Who Does What III

• Executive Director also
• Develops personnel, financial and operational
  policies and procedures
• Oversees all continuing and new services
• Develops funding to maintain service provider and
  direct service support
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with local,
  state and federal statutes in all aspects of
  operation

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Who Does What IV

• Resource and Referral Manager
• Supervises homeless prevention/ rapid rehousing
  program
• Supervises case management staff
• Conducts intakes for HPRP, shelter, and other
  assistance programs
• Makes recommendations for assistance
• Assists in shelter operations

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Who Does What, V

• Shelter Manager
• Manages Opportunity Place, ensuring building
  maintenance, compliance with local ordinances and
  codes, continual coverage
• Oversees resident intakes, placement, progress,
  compliance with goals
• Hires and supervises caretaker, other shelter
  staff
• Ensures shelter security

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Who Does What VI

• HPRP case managers
• Conduct intake applications, verify documentation
• Attend regular staff meetings to review
  applications, determine who meets eligibility
  criteria, prioritizes fund recipients
• Conduct housing inspections when required
• Provide resource and referral service to all
  applicants, whether eligible or not

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Who Does What VII

• Receptionist
• Handles all clerical functions
• Coordinates calendars
• Updates resource directory, service inventory
• Data entry for Opportunity, Inc. HPRP programs

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Who Does What VIII

• Volunteers (Essential, Vital, Appreciated)
• Initiate intake applications, guiding prospective
  clients through paperwork, documentation needs
• Provide resource and referral service
• Support Opportunity Place through meals,
  supplies, skills (currently building shed)
• Volunteer coordinator position under development
  to recruit, train, coordinate volunteer service

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Funding

• Statutory Functions Supported by
• Department of Children and Families staffing
  grant 11,850 annually
• Memberships 1,600
• Bingo 12,000
• Unrestricted donations 12,000
• Admin fees from providers 1,725
• Total through 10/25 39,175

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Funding, II

• Homeless Prevention/ Rapid Rehousing
• HPRP grant, first draw of 124,041 on 10/19/09

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Funding, III

• Opportunity Place
• Emergency Shelter Grant 49,998 awarded through
  executed contract 9/23/09, 1st invoice submitted
  10/1/09 no payment yet received
• Donations 16,500

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Funding, IV

• HMIS
• HUD Grant 61,853
• HPRP 30,000 assigned for software costs
• Challenge Grant 24,000 assigned to HMIS
• Total anticipated 115,853
• Total anticipated costs 150,000
• No administrative dollars in any grant

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Fundraising Opportunities

• November 20, Youth Village Dinner Theater, 50
  proceeds to Opportunity Place
• December 5, Opportunity House Open House,
  Christmas crafts and gifts made by residents for
  sale to public