WELCOME

2016 Program ChangesOverview of the new Emergency Shelter & Housing Assistance Program (ESHAP) with

Cindy Namer, Director of Homeless Initiatives

ESHAP OverviewThe Emergency Shelter and Housing Assistance Program consists of three integral funding components.

The Shelter Operations Share (Fixed Facilities)The Rapid Re-housing, Long-term Stayer and Stabilization Share (Navigator Services)The Incentives and Performance Share (Performance Measures)

In addition, MaineHousing will also provide rental subsidies on a first come, first served basis to program participants in the form of short-term and permanent rental subsidies.

Stability Through Engagement Program (STEP) administered by the Program Officers in the Homeless Initiatives department.Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) administered by MaineHousing’s HCV Department

Eligibility

The Emergency Shelter and Housing Assistance Program funds will be targeted to individuals and families that meet the definition of homelessness outlined in 42 USC § 11302.

What are Navigator Services?

Navigator services are services that help a program participant move from homelessness to appropriate housing opportunities, quickly and efficiently. Staff providing Navigator Services help clients access an array of mainstream services to meet the health, housing, employment, resources, and other basic needs of the client. However, the primary focus of Navigator Services is housing.

How Navigator Services Directly Impact Shelter

FundingStabilization Share“ ...40 % of the funding will be available to each agency providing staffing for Rapid Re-housing, Housing First and Housing Stabilization services and meeting certain benchmarks will be eligible to receive a percentage of the Stabilization Share…”Performance Share.“..An amount equal to 20% of the funds will be made available to eligible agencies that provide successful housing outcomes based on performance indicator data in HMIS (or elsewhere for providers of services to victims of domestic violence). The percentage of funding a provider receives for each performance measure met will be equal to the number of clients served by the provider divided by the total number of clients served by all of the providers…”

Stabilization Share Program Outcomes Matrix

Program Outcomes Benchmark for FundingHousing Barrier Assessment, including VI SPDAT

75 - 100% of clients with shelter stays greater than 14 days assessed

Housing Stability Plans 75 - 100% of clients with assessment scores greater than 3 have plans

30 Day check-ins and follow-up beyond shelter

30 day check-ins for 90 - 100% of clients with Housing Stability Plans, including those in housing

The percentage of funding a provider may receive will be equal to the provider’s number of clients assessed, stabilized, housed and receiving follow-up navigator services divided by the total number of clients assessed, stabilized, housed and receiving follow-up navigator services of all of the providers that meet all three benchmarks.  After the close of each quarter in calendar year 2016, providers will be paid such percentage as reimbursement for navigator services costs.

Performance Measures Matrix for the Performance

Share 

Performance Measures 

Low BarrierShelter

Benchmark

 Single Adult

Shelter Benchmar

k

 Family Shelter

Benchmark

 Teen

Shelter Benchmar

k

 Domestic Violence Shelter

Benchmark

1. Percentage of households exiting to permanent housing.

5% - 20% 30% or greater

30% or greater

30% or greater

30% or greater

2. Percentage of clients who return to homelessness within 6 months of exiting to permanent housing.

15% or less 15% or less

15% or less

15% or less 15% or less

Half of the funds allocated to the Performance Share will be divided among providers that meet or exceed their benchmark for percentage of households exiting to permanent housing. The other half of the funds allocated to the Performance Share will be divided among providers that do not exceed their benchmark for percentage of clients who return to homelessness within 6 months of exiting to permanent housing.

The percentage of funding a provider receives for each performance measure met will be equal to the number of clients served by the provider divided by the total number of clients served by all of the providers that meet the respective performance measure benchmark.

What Does This All Mean?It means the work you do, and the time and energy you take to ensure it is accurately represented in HMIS, or other comparable database – matters a whole lot to how much funding your program will be eligible for. It also means focusing efforts on getting people into housing will be very important.

ESHAP 2016 is a Rapid Re-Housing/ Housing First Initiatives

• It means it seeks to assist people in quickly exiting homelessness and return to permanent housing.

• They are encouraged by HUD as an additional tool necessary for homeless providers.

• They have been successfully implemented in many communities (including Maine) resulting in…

• reduced time households experience homelessness• reduction in return to homelessness.

ESHAP Staffing & Navigator Services

About our NavigatorsThey are innovatorsThey are community buildersThey believe in the tenets of Housing First and Rapid Re-HousingThey are individuals who develop individual processes to meet common goalsThey believe that no one should experience or deserves to experience homelessnessThey are awesome and are the key to this successful programNEW for 2016: Their work directly impacts their shelters funding

New for 2016: Primary Navigators

Primary Navigator = One staff designated, and trained, to complete all Navigator Services & serve as the primary contact.

This PM will attend all necessary technical assistance and Navigator specific training.

They will serve as the trainer for any additional staff providing Navigator services within the agency and new hires throughout the year.

They will coordinate messaging from MaineHousing Staff to the rest of their agency in regards to Navigator services.

Other agency staff can provide Navigator Services, they just can’t be the Primary Navigator.

Navigator ServicesStaff providing Navigator services will focus their efforts on assisting the household in reaching their housing goals and housing stability. Navigator services are time-limited and strategic, they should focus solely on the goal of achieving stable housing, and accessing mainstream resources. Clients who require additional case management services to reach their goals should be given ample opportunity and resources to access traditional case management services apart from Navigator services. Staff providing Navigator services will additionally have access to a set aside of Stability Through Engagement Program (STEP) and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental subsidies to be utilized on a first-come-first-serve basis as resources remain available. This is not the only housing resource available, others would include Market Rents, Shelter Plus Care, or Bridging Rental Assistance, and the appropriate housing resource should be utilized based upon the Housing Barrier Assessments.

Navigator ServicesHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSINGHOUSING

How it works…

Navigator Services: The 4 Components

1. Assessment & Housing Prioritization

2. Housing Identification3. Rental Assistance4. Stabilization Services

The 4 Components of Navigator Services

These four components are progressive in design and provision of each will depend on the needs of the household. Documentation of each component, when applicable to the household, must be present in the clients file and within HMIS or a comparable database. Below is an example of what that documentation could look like and what a file could be potentially monitored on.

Navigator Service Documentation in File HMIS/ Comparable Database Assessment and Housing Prioritization

VI-SPDAT, Initial Housing Stability Plan, releases to or evidence of mainstream resources, and shelter specific assessments

VI SPDAT Score, VI SPDAT Type & Date, Housing Stability Plan Field & Date, Universal Data and Program Specific Elements

Housing Identification

Housing Stability Plan, Contact Logs, and evidence of Renter Education activities

Services Corresponding with the Housing Stability Plan

Rental Assistance Housing Search & Applications Housing/ Shelter Service Code

Stabilization Services Housing Stability Plan, End of Participation, referrals and releases to mainstream resources

Exit Destination and Exit Assessment , 30 day check-in services

Component 1Assessment & Housing PrioritizationAssessment: In order for a household to receive Navigator Services

the following must be completed:

• After a client has stayed in your shelter for 7-14 days they should be administered the VI-SPDAT. (Let’s watch it now!)  

• Eligibility = homeless verification and a VI-SPDAT score of 4 or greater.

• The Navigator will fully explain Navigator services to the client, including the focus and goal of quickly locating and accessing housing, the Housing Stability Plan, and the minimum 30 day check in requirements.

• Navigator and Client will create the Housing Stability Plan

• Enter all necessary elements into HMIS or comparable database.  

• Start client file will with all necessary documentation

Component 1Assessment & Housing

PrioritizationHousing Prioritization 

As a result of the VI-SPDAT and the development of the Housing Stability Plan,

you and the household, will determine which housing resource is appropriate for the households’ unique needs, wants, and financial resources. With this information you will proceed with any relevant process

accessing that housing requires.

Aligning Assessment with Available Resources

The VI-SPDAT will help you and the household identify the best type of support and housing intervention by relying on the following recommendations based on score:

Single Adults 2.0:Score: Recommendation:

Families 2.0:Score: Recommendation: 

Youth 1.0:Score: Recommendation:

0-3: no housing intervention4-7: an assessment for RapidRe-Housing8+: an assessment for PermanentSupportive Housing/Housing First 

0-3 no housing intervention4-8 an assessment for RapidRe-Housing9+ an assessment for PermanentSupportive Housing/Housing First 

0-3: no moderate or high intensityservices be provided at this time4-7: assessment for time-limited supportswith moderate intensity8+: assessment for long-term housingwith high service intensity 

Aligning Assessment with Available Resources

No Housing Intervention

0-3  

Assessment for Rapid Re-Housing4-7 or 4-8

Permanent Supportive Housing

or Housing First8+ or 9+

Provide a copy of the Maine Housing Guide

Give contact information for the local General

Assistance OfficeProvide information on accessing Mainstream

resourcesRefer household to Maine

Housing Search.orgRefer household to 211

Statewide Subsidized Housing through any/all

Housing AuthoritiesProject Based Subsidies

(Ex. LIHTC)Stability Through

Engagement Program (STEP)

Housing Choice Vouchers Family Unification Program

Family Self Sufficiency Program

Fair Market Rent 

Shelter Plus Care (SPC)Housing Choice Vouchers

(Non-Elderly Disabled)Bridging Rental Assistance

Program (BRAP)Veteran Affairs Supportive

Housing (VASH)Housing Opportunities for

Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA)

Supportive Housing Programs

Component 2 Housing Identification

Assist the participant with housing search and securing housing.Enter all required data into HMIS or comparable database. Address potential barriers to client or landlord participation such as the type of rental assistance or tenant qualifications.Continuously recruit landlords that will provide housing opportunities for people experiencing homelessness.

Resources to Assist in Housing Identification

The Maine Rental Housing Guide:

The Maine Rental Housing Guide is designed to provide information pertaining to subsidized housing, housing-related resources, and Maine rental housing laws. Information and local contacts for the following programs: subsidized housing providers and local housing authorities, Bridging Rental Assistance Program (BRAP), Shelter Plus Care (SPC), Domestic Violence Providers, Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), an overview of Maine Landlord/tenant laws, General resources for assistance and more!

http://www.mainehousing.org/docs/default-source/rental/rental-housing-guide.pdf?sfvrsn=28 

Maine Housing Search:

Maine's free rental listing service. It's fast and easy to use and includes detailed listings with pictures, maps, and more. Listings are updated daily.

http://www.mainehousingsearch.org/

Component 3Rental Assistance

Providing rental assistance can take many forms depending on the housing intervention you and the household decide to pursue. In general you will complete the following tasks with the household.

1. Assist the participant with housing search and securing housing.

2. Address potential barriers to client or landlord participation such as the type of rental assistance or tenant qualifications.

3. Know the market!! Continuously recruit landlords that will provide housing opportunities for people experiencing homelessness.

4. Continue to address any issues that may impact housing stability after the household secures housing.

Component 4 Stabilization Services: Where the

REAL Work Begins!The following services need to be extended to all households receiving Navigator services

regardless of what types of housing they are in. If the household is no longer receiving these services they should be exited from the program.

• Monthly participant meetings at least every 30 days.

• New Housing Stability Plans, including updated income documentation every 90 days.

• Enter all required data elements into HMIS or comparable database.

• Continue to address any issues that may impact housing stability after the household secures housing.

• Once a household no longer requires Navigator services the End of Participation Service must be completed in HMIS or comparable database. If the household is enrolled in STEP an End of Participation Document must be completed at the time of the final Housing Stability Plan review and sent to Program Officer .

Housing Stability Plans: AKA: The Road Map

What does the client need to achieve housing stability?

When working with clients goals should be achievable in 90 days or less. Goals which would require longer than a 90 day timeframe to s achieve should be broken down to smaller goals.

When completing or revising the Housing Stability Plan the service provider should also update income.

Goals which are long- term should cause the Navigator to evaluate if the client should be referred to long-term case management, and may require coordination with other homeless service providers to ensure housing stability for the client.

Additional Case Management Services and Warm Handoffs

If a household is identified as needing additional case management services the service provider should …• coordinate with the appropriate service provider

in order to facilitate a warm handoff prior to ending services.

• A warm handoff typically involves the household, the Navigator, and the new case manager.

• Warm handoffs may also occur between agency Navigators.

• This same general guideline apply & accepting clients from another service provider is at the discretion of the receiving agency Navigator.

In Case I Did Not Adequately Convey That Navigator Services Will

Directly Impact Your Shelter Funding…

It REALLY does

And You Should Really Do the Following…

Stabilization Services Data Completeness, Quality and

ReviewIt is RECOMMENDED that on a monthly basis the Navigator and/or the HMIS Lead review program and outcome data reports. These reports would

include: 

• Program Outcome 30 day check-in Certification

• Program Outcome VISPDAT & Housing Stability Certification

We need to have the ability to show ALL of the amazing work

you do!!! When people ask about our program they ask us

to provide data.

Questions?