**STATE OF MAINE**

**PROGRESS ON HOMELESS ISSUES**

**JUNE 17, 2004**

1\. [General Obligation Bond Funds]{.underline}

The Governor and Legislature endorsed a bond to raise funds for the
creation of supportive housing for homeless persons and other
populations in need. Nearly \$9 Million dollars was allocated to housing
for the homeless and non-profit capacity grants. MSHA worked with
DHS/DBDS and non-profit partners to develop program efforts.

+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| **Program Effort**                        | *   | **A     | **Ba    |
|                                           | *Nu | mount** | lance** |
|                                           | mbe |         |         |
|                                           | r** | **Comm  |         |
|                                           |     | itted** |         |
|                                           | *   |         |         |
|                                           | *of |         |         |
|                                           | U   |         |         |
|                                           | nit |         |         |
|                                           | s** |         |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
|                                           |     |         |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Homeless Youth RFP                        | 19  | \$1,    | \$0     |
|                                           |     | 000,000 |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Program provides housing and supportive   |     |         |         |
| services for homeless youth between the   |     |         |         |
| ages of I6 and 24                         |     |         |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Mental Health Consumers RFP               | 19  | \$1,    | \$0     |
|                                           |     | 000,000 |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Program provides housing and supportive   |     |         |         |
| services for mental health consumers who  |     |         |         |
| are often vulnerable to homelessness      |     |         |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| State Wide Continuum of Care Matching     | 34  | \$      | \$0     |
| Funds - Homeless Mental Health            |     | 750,000 |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Program in conjunction with HUD to access |     |         |         |
| McKinney/ Vento funds for homeless and    |     |         |         |
| chronic homeless individuals with mental  |     |         |         |
| health issues to assist in transition to  |     |         |         |
| permanent housing                         |     |         |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| State Wide Continuum of Care Matching     | 19  | \$1,    | \$1,    |
| Funds - Homelessness                      |     | 750,000 | 224,768 |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Program in conjunction with HUD to access |     |         |         |
| McKinney/ Vento funds for homeless and    |     |         |         |
| chronic homeless individuals to assist in |     |         |         |
| transition to permanent housing           |     |         |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Victims of Domestic Violence RFP          | 22  | \$2,    | \$0     |
|                                           |     | 000,000 |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Program provides housing and services for |     |         |         |
| victims of domestic violence who are at   |     |         |         |
| risk of homelessness                      |     |         |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Adults that are Chronically               | 19  | \$1,    | \$0     |
| Homeless/Mental Health Consumers RFP      |     | 000,000 |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Program provides housing and services for |     |         |         |
| adult consumers of mental health services |     |         |         |
| and have a history of chronic             |     |         |         |
| homelessness                              |     |         |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Non-Profit Capacity Enhancement Grants    | N/A | \$1,    | \$0     |
|                                           |     | 200,000 |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| Program provides grant funds to enhance   |     |         |         |
| the future capacity of non-profit         |     |         |         |
| corporations to develop affordable and    |     |         |         |
| supportive housing                        |     |         |         |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+
| **Totals**                                | *   | *       | *       |
|                                           | *13 | *\$8,70 | *\$1,22 |
|                                           | 2** | 0,000** | 4,768** |
+-------------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+

Although the non-profit community did not request the use of all
matching Continuum of Care funds in 2003, it is expected that the
balance of funds will be committed by the fourth quarter of 2004

2\. [Oxford Street Shelter Overflow Response]{.underline}

a\. DHS/BDS changed their intake policy to allow shelter staff to link
homeless clients to BRAP funding.

b\. Housing Placement Team was created. BDS reallocated funds to create
a \$400,000 pool of BRAP subsidies. As a result, the City of Portland,
Oxford Street Shelter staff, Shalom House staff, BDS/DHS and MSHA
Homeless Housing Counselors moved 20 clients to supportive housing in a
two-month period.

3\. [Housing Projects for the Homeless]{.underline}

Through the collaborative work of nonprofit service providers, homeless
shelters, the Cities of Portland, Brunswick, Augusta, and Portland (HUD,
DOC, BDS/DHS and MSHA), **over \$20,000,000 of housing projects for
homeless clients were funded**. These projects create over 200 housing
units.

Notably, significant funding was committed to the following shelter
providers:

  --------------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
  **Bread of Life Shelter           **4 projects**   **\$2,125,582**
  (Augusta)**                                        

  **New Beginnings**                **3 projects**   **\$906,490**

  **York County Shelters**          **7 projects**   **\$3,542,281**

  **Bangor Area Homeless Shelter**  **1 project**    **\$235,000**

  **Preble Street/ Avesta**         **1 project**    **\_\$3,695,455**

  **Tedford Shelter**               **2 projects**   **\$1,152,146 \~**
  --------------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------

(See attachment A. and attachment B)

4\. [Homeless Policy Academies]{.underline}

In 2001, Maine was one of seven states selected for the original
Homeless Policy Academy for Chronically Homeless People. A team
comprised of the Governor\'s office, DHS, BDS, DOC, MSHA, the Office of
Substance Abuse, and nonprofit providers met with HUD, the Veteran\'s
Administration, HHS, the Department of Labor, and other federal partners
to discuss system change.

Subsequently, in 2003, Maine was awarded a grant to fund a team
comprised of state agencies, local government agencies and service
providers to meet with representatives on the federal level to discuss
systematic changes to help homeless families.

5\. [Homeless Management Information System Accomplishments]{.underline}

-   Obtained the cooperation of the 3 Continuums of Care, the cities of
    Portland and Bangor, DHS, BDS, & MSHA, to create a statewide data
    collection system through sharing of resources and ideas. Provided
    for the linkage between HMIS, the State of Maine Action Plan to End
    Homelessness, and performance measures

-   Formed the HMIS Working Groups structure, which targets specific
    areas of need in the development of HMIS to ensure inclusion of
    shelters, municipalities, and state agencies (Advisory Group, Users
    Group, Data Group, Confidentiality and Security Group, Policies and
    Procedures Group, and the Training Group)

-   Created the Maine Common Index - a tool through which data from all
    state databases could link together, including BDS, DHS, and RHYMIS
    (coordinated this effort with the Muskie School and its research on
    the Olmstead Ruling)

-   Provided computers, software, and training for 41 shelters.

-   Continued discussions with Domestic Violence and Youth shelters
    regarding their security and confidentiality concerns. Currently
    working with HUD central office in Washington, DC as resolution may
    set national precedents.

-   Went \"Live\" at 17 shelters on March 17, 2004; will have 55
    non-profit providers online in current fiscal year.

-   Worked with federal Interagency Council on Homelessness during
    creation of a regional HMIS Consortium involving Maine, New
    Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
    (Cindy Namer of MSHA is co-chair) Kat Freeman, HMIS System
    Administrator, is an appointed member of the Nominating Committee of
    NHSDC (the national HMIS Consortium)

-   Maine\'s HMIS is recognized by HUD as a national model for
    implementation (Maine State HMIS implementation strategies, vision,
    and design, coupled with an existing Action Plan to End
    Homelessness)

6\. [Performance Measures]{.underline}

-   Maine is the first state in the nation to implement an HMIS project
    linked to a State Action Plan (as well as being one of only two
    states which have an Action Plan).

-   A working group comprised of representatives from the three
    Continuums of Care, the cities of Portland and Bangor, Shelters,
    BDS, DHS, Social Services, MSHA, and HMIS Users, are developing
    performance measures.

Currently, there are eight Standard Performance Indicators to provide
measurement of the six goals outlined in the Action Plan. The
Performance Indicators are:

> **Number of Chronically homeless**
>
> **Number of homeless**
>
> **Average length of stay**
>
> **Average time to link to services**
>
> **Average time to link to housing**
>
> **Average time to link to case management**
>
> **Average time to develop interdepartmental team case plan for
> chronically homeless**
>
> **Number of housing units created for chronically homeless**

-   Established HMIS as the data collection system for the performance
    measures. Five Working Groups provide the link between the HMIS
    system and the performance measures.

-   HUD has acknowledged Maine\'s innovation; this effort will assist in
    the development of national policy through data collection and
    analysis.

-   Due to Maine\'s innovative approach to data collection on the
    homeless population, we will be one of very few states who receive
    extra points through the scoring process - States which have
    implemented HMIS receive extra points as do States which have an
    endorsed Action Plan.

7\. [Medicaid State Plan Amendment]{.underline}

a\. Maine\'s state plan was amended to meet the service needs of
Maine\'s citizens with incomes at or below the Federal Poverty level.
This amendment was, in part, an outgrowth of the work of the Governor\'s
Sub-cabinet on Homelessness and the need to link Maine\'s poorest
citizens to Medicaid benefits. This model is now being touted nationally
as an effective vehicle for helping homeless clients.

b\. The Maine State Medicaid Plan was amended to allow shelters to use
their State Operating Subsidy (SOS) as match for targeted case
management provided in the Shelter or at supportive housing operated by
the Shelter.

8\. [Enhanced Medicaid Enrollment]{.underline}

Often the clients who are chronically homeless do not engage in
treatment or self identify as disabled; therefore, they are unable to
receive their benefits. DHS designated limited authority and on pilot
project basis to city of Portland to apply for benefits on behalf of a
limited and defined group of homeless people who due to their illness
are unwilling to sign their Medicaid application.

9\. [Ending Homelessness: Maine\'s Strategic Plan]{.underline}

This interagency collaboration documented the root causes of
homelessness, the characteristics of Maine\'s homeless population and
the current efforts to address the problem. The plan recommended a
collaborative approach between State Agencies, Municipalities, emergency
shelters and non-profit service providers to create a State Action Plan.
This effort was lead by the Governor\'s Office and Agency Commissioners.

10\. [Continuums of Care]{.underline}

BDS/DHS and MSHA participate actively in the state\'s three continuums
of care; MSHA provides administrative support and acts as the lead
applicant on the Balance of State Continuum. Maine is one of the highest
scoring applicants in the country. In 2003, Maine received its largest
award in its history: \$7.09 million.

11\. [Mainstream Housing Vouchers]{.underline}

BDS/DHS provided training and technical support to public housing
authorities to help the state secure Mainstream Housing Vouchers. As a
result, Augusta HA and Westbrook HA received approximately 200 vouchers
from HUD in a competitive RFP for homeless and disabled persons. BDS/DHS
has worked collaboratively to develop appropriate service supports with
providers to use these vouchers.

12\. [Project-Based Vouchers]{.underline}

MSHA allocated approximately 100 housing vouchers to be used with
supportive housing for the homeless. These vouchers assure that homeless
clients will not have to spend more than 30% of their income on housing
and nonprofits that operate the housing will have a secure revenue
source.

13\. [Single-Room Occupancy Hotels]{.underline}

Beginning in 2001, MSHA provided incentives for the creation of SRO
housing. Since that time three SRO\'s have received funding commitments
and notices totaling \$13,660.200, two in Portland and one in Bangor
(Waterworks). BDS/DHS and MSHA have worked closely with the service
providers, the YMCA, Preble Street, the Shaw House, the City of
Portland, and the City of Bangor to link appropriate services and income
supports to the clients. BDS/DHS, MSHA, and Shalom House are currently
having discussions about the creation of an additional housing project
in Portland.

14\. [Chronic Homeless Pilot]{.underline}

The City of Portland Social Services Department, DHS, BDS and Oxford
Street Shelter staff and MSHA are currently engaged in a demonstration
project to analyze the characteristics of the homeless clients at the
Oxford Street Shelter and the barriers that prevent them from accessing
appropriate services, income supports and housing. The learnings from
this project will be recorded, and training provided to shelters in
Region 2 and Region 3. Funded by the Corporation for Supportive Housing
(CSH). Steps are being taken to make tighter linkages between existing
housing resources and Shelter residents.

15\. [Taking Health Care Home - Corporation for Supportive Housing
Grant]{.underline}

DOC, MSHA and DHS/BDS wrote a grant to create system change to better
link services to homeless clients who move to supportive housing. Maine
was one of four states selected nationally. Participants in this process
to date have been Shalom House, Volunteers of America, Counseling
Services, Inc., Mid Maine Homeless Shelter, Sunrise Opportunities,
Kennebec Valley Mental Health, the GA Office, the Bureau of Family
Independence, the Bureau of Medical Services, DHS/BDS, Regions I, II,
and III, DOC, and MSHA. (This collaborative is using a group of
approximately 30 housing projects for the homeless, totaling over 200
apartments as a demonstration. The findings will be used to create
system changes in Maine and other states.)

16\. [Regional Homeless Councils]{.underline}

DOC, MSHA, and DHS/BDS currently provide infrastructure support to the
Region II and Region III Homeless Councils. These councils, which meet
monthly, have defined their mission and established priorities as they
begin implementation of the [Action Plan to End
Homelessness]{.underline} (see Attachment C).

17\. [State of Maine Action Plan to End Homelessness]{.underline}

With the active participation of approximately 100 people drawn from
shelters, State Agencies, IATF, the Policy Academy Team, non-profit
service providers and Municipalities, organized in eleven working groups
brought forward strategies which would form the core of this plan.
Additionally, to ensure an inclusive process, eight regional forums were
held throughout the State to solicit input. Roughly, 200 people
attended. The implementation of the 90+ strategies from this process
will improve access to housing, services, and income supports for
Maine\'s poorest citizens.

18\. [Rental Assistance Coupon Plus Program (RAC+)]{.underline}

This pilot program started as a collaboration with DHS, BDS, DOC, the
Portland Housing Authority, Bangor Housing Authority, the City of Bangor
and the City of Portland. The program combined rental assistance, in the
form of a housing voucher, with integrated case management approach to
assist a challenging homeless population of young homeless adults,
single victims of domestic violence, and formerly homeless clients
coming from correctional institutions. Existing services are currently
available for the clients and therefore, state agencies are not creating
new services.

The key to this program is a self-sufficiency component and follow-up
visits by state agencies and nonprofit providers to promote housing
stability. In 2003, the pilot program was expanded, with \$800,000 of
FedHome funds to three new areas including Alfred/Sanford,
Augusta/Waterville, Lewiston/Auburn, Portland, and Bangor. This program
now exists with a commitment of \$3,350,000 and assists 139 homeless
clients.

19\. [The Lighthouse Shelter]{.underline}

The Portland Partnership for Youth collaborated with DHS/BDS, MSHA,
United Way and the City of Portland to find a solution to the possible
closing of the Lighthouse Shelter for youth. Preble Street Resource
Center will take over the operation of the youth shelter and change the
age requirement to 16-21 years of age.

20\. [MSHA Bond Refunding]{.underline}

MSHA refunded bonds to create subsidy for housing. It set aside
\$4,500,000 to support implementation of Goal 1 of the [Action
Plan]{.underline}. These funds will be used to create supportive housing
for the homeless. This will be done in collaboration with DOC, DHS/BDS,
MSHA, non-profit service providers, non-profit housing organizations,
and the Regional Homeless Councils.

21\. [Shelter Protocols]{.underline}

A working group comprised of four shelter providers (Bangor Area
Homeless Shelter, New Beginnings, Tedford Shelter and Youth & Family
Services), DHS/BDS, BMS and MSHA is developing and/or collecting best
practices that currently exist in shelters for the intake/assessment
process, and for the linkage of services and income supports to homeless
clients. These will be provided to the Regional Homeless Councils.
Shelters will determine which protocols are appropriate for their
shelter.

22\. [Homeless Housing Counselors]{.underline}

These three new staff positions were created to bring housing resources
to the emergency shelters. The counselors are trained in the use of
Section 8 vouchers, Shelter Plus Care, Mainstream Vouchers, and BRAP
(Bridging Rental Assistance Program). These positions are a result of
the collaboration between the City of Bangor, the City of Portland,
MSHA, DHS, BDS, and the emergency shelters.

23\. [Department of Corrections Initiative]{.underline}

Eleven state organizations which comprise the Maine Re-entry Network
Collaborative Leadership Team attended a training in Alexandria, VA, May
25 - 27. Maine was selected as one of four states to participate in the
first U. S. Department of Justice Interagency Collaboration training for
assisting offenders who are re­entering the community after serving their
correctional sentences. The training (and the Serious and Violent
Offender Re-entry Initiative) is sponsored by the U.S. Departments of
Health and Human Services, Justice, Labor, HUD and Education. The Maine
team focused on several key re-entry issues, including efforts to
prevent offenders from being homeless when they leave jails and prisons.

24\. [Maine Housing Program receives national recognition]{.underline}

Becky Haves Boober, Executive Director of the Maine Re-entry Network,
has been invited to present a session on the DOC/MSHA collaborative
housing program and partnership at the National Alliance to End
Homelessness annual conference in Washington, D.C. in July, 2004.

25\. [Interagency Survey of Multiple Shelters]{.underline}

Department of Human Services, Maine State Housing Authority and
Department of Behavioral and Development Services conducted an
interagency survey targeting chronically homeless individuals in four
large shelters. Focus groups and interviews with these clients provided
insight into the challenges faced when accessing resources that would
assist the chronically homeless in securing and maintaining their
housing. Most supportive service options require Medicaid eligibility. A
DHS Medicaid policy specialist was a member of the team. This work
provided the foundation for subsequent changes in Medicaid plan and
enrollment procedures.

26\. [Funding Formula]{.underline}

Annually, MSHA asks the shelter community if it wishes to revisit the
formula used to distribute operating funds to the emergency shelters.
For the first time in many years, at the January meeting, there were
discussions about revisiting the formula. MSHA sent a survey to the
shelters to gauge the level of consensus on having a moratorium on new
shelter beds and agreed to postpone the May \'94 forum to allow the
Maine Coalition to End Homelessness to host forums to solicit feedback,
concerns and recommendations from its members. In the next meeting of
all shelter providers, the Maine Coalition will present its findings,
the results of the shelter survey findings will be presented, and a
discussion will be held to establish the following:

> a\. the extent to which there is consensus
>
> b\. issues on which shelter operators seek additional discussions
>
> c\. an inclusive process for moving forward on these issues

If changes are required, MSHA will initiate a rule change to amend the
funding formula which takes approximately 4 to 5 months.

27\. [Expansion of Alternative Aid Assistance]{.underline}

The Bureau of Family Independence is expanding this benefit from 3
months to 4 months.

The rulemaking process will occur in the next few weeks. The target date
for implementation is Sept. 2004. Also the BFI staff is receiving
additional training to use this resource to assist homeless families in
getting permanent housing.

28\. [Regional Administration & Management Team Placement
Meeting]{.underline}

These meetings, which include the Regional Director, Assistant Regional
Director, Child, Mental Health, Mental Retardation Team Leaders, discuss
the need for BDS services and housing resources, BRAP +, Shelter + Care.

**[Garnering Additional Federal Resources]{.underline}**

In summary, much progress has been made in the last two years in
increasing involvement of homeless providers statewide in pursuing
federal grant opportunities. Previously, it was most common for Portland
to apply, and rarely did other regions of the state participate. We have
improved our statewide capacity to dip into national pools of funding,
critical in an era of tight state budgets (and especially following
voter approval of the school funding measure in the June election).
Federal funding cannot replace state funding, but it can supplement it,
and also support research and development or systems-change efforts that
the state is not in a position to fund.

29\. [Dept of Corrections]{.underline}

The Department of Corrections, in partnership with several other state
agencies applied for three grants in June 2004 to expand housing and
social services for people in Maine transitioning from prisons to
communities.

30\. [Collaborative Initiative Grant - HUD/DHHS/VA: April,
2003.]{.underline}

HUD, DHHS, and the VA pooled funds at the federal level to create this
grant opportunity. Maine submitted a statewide proposal which focused on
three sites; Portland, Bangor, and York County. MSHA facilitated much of
the communication through conference calls, and both MSHA and BDS helped
pay for the grant-writing costs. This was an extremely challenging
grant, essentially involving submission of four separate grant
applications to the three collaborating federal agencies, under an
overall, comprehensive narrative. While the grant was not funded (only
20 sites were funded nationally, none of them rural states) there were
plenty of benefits resulting from this effort. These include
unprecedented statewide cooperation in planning for a grant; increased
awareness among regions of the challenges and opportunities faced by
other areas of the state; improved capacity to apply for federal
funding; and greater use of technology (e.g., conference calling and
email) to manage grant planning and draft review. This lowered costs,
improved efficiencies, and expedited participation from a wide range of
providers. This model has been used successfully in subsequent grants.
Finally, for the first time the VA became actively involved in planning
for a grant and the \"buy-in\" resulting from this process was used to
help strengthen relationships between the VA Homeless Coordinator in
Maine and the mainstream homeless shelter and service providers,
particularly in Southern Maine. The feds are planning another
Collaborative Initiative and Maine plans to participate again.

31\. [Social Security Administration - Homeless Outreach Grant:
November, 2003.]{.underline}

The purpose of this national grant initiative was to demonstrate best
practices around identifying chronically homeless people who are
eligible for SSI; reducing the amount of time it takes to complete an
application; and reducing denials of eligible people. This was a grant
aimed at systems change, not just adding staffing capacity. Due to
funding limits for individual grants (\$200,000/each) Maine submitted
three separate grants: \_7

for Portland/York County; Bangor/Region 3; and for L/A- Western Maine.
Each region had an individual planning team, and all three relied
extensively on conference calling and e-mail to complete their planning.
The Bangor/Region 3 grant was the highest scoring in the state, although
both it and the Portland/York County were recommended for funding. Due
to insufficient funds neither was awarded a grant initially, although
SSA is looking to make additional funds available and it is very
possible that Bangor/Region 3 will receive an award at a later date.

32\. [Federal Grant Protocol]{.underline}

With the help of the Policy Academy and the Regional Task Forces, Maine
has developed a protocol for alerting providers to federal grant
opportunities.

33\. [Rapid Response Project]{.underline}

A two -year demonstration program serving homeless youth in Bangor and
Portland was jointly funded by the Department of Human Services and the
Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services. Portland
Partnership for Homeless Youth created a single community plan developed
by stakeholders with emphasis on early intervention, engagement of hard
to engage youth, case management services and individual service plans
with linkages to parents, mediation services, DHS, vocational services,
academic programs, and stable housing. Evaluation of the project was
completed in the fall of 2002. Ongoing gaps in services are being
identified addressed by this partnership.

34\. [Youth In Need of Services]{.underline}

Two pilots were funded by DHS in Bangor and Portland for Youth In Need
of Services. This targets youth who are new to the street with a goal of
quickly intervening and returning youth to their own homes whenever
possible. Thirty-two (32) homeless youth, 14 years and younger, and
their families received intensive case management services in Region I.
This remains an integral part of the continuum serving homeless youth in
Region I for the Portland Partnership for Homeless Youth. Bangor came on
line later in the year with 6 youth under 15 years of age, and 25 youth
15 and older and their families served. Community planning meetings have
begun for the most challenging youth to maximize successful outcomes for
youth and their families. The goal is to keep youth with their own
families when possible and connected to their schools and to place them
in stable housing situations.

35\. [Intensive Case Management Program (ICM) - Department of Behavioral
and Developmental Services (DBDS)]{.underline}

Intensive Case Managers are working with shelters to identify and engage
homeless individuals with disabilities into appropriate systems of care
and housing. ICM\'s are also coordinating outreach workers from various
non-profit agencies under contract with BDS to better meet the needs of
homeless persons with disabilities in Maine.

36\. [Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH.) -
Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services (DBDS)]{.underline}

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration\'s (HHS)
PATH grant, totaling S300,000, is designed to assist homeless adults
with serious mental illness and at risk youth by helping to support an
array of comprehensive services which include: outreach and engagement
services; counseling; referral for necessary hospital, primary health,
substance abuse; rehabilitation; mental health and diagnostic services;
case management services, including advocacy, education and training to
service providers.

37\. [Enhanced Services at Teen Center]{.underline}

A position was created by DHS at the Preble Street Teen Center to act as
liaison to DHS offices statewide with the goal of enhancing linkages to
youth who are new to the street and for youth who pose significant

challenges in leaving the streets. This position allows for quicker and
coordinated intervention when youth appear at the Teen Center.

38\. [General Assistance]{.underline}

General Assistance provides for basic needs for eligible applicants. One
of the basic needs is shelter. In fiscal year 2001 General Assistance
spent \$4,159,414 on shelter. Of this total, \$1,257, 836 was spent on
emergency housing. A total of 6,557 households were assisted with
emergency housing.

39\. [Maine State Housing Authority/Department of Behavioral and
Developmental Services (DBDS RFP for Chronically Homeless Consumers of
Mental Health Services (\$500,000)]{.underline}

Three recipients were awarded funds through this RFP. The RFP will
establish three housing projects in Maine targeted to consumers of
mental health services who are chronically homeless. A core requirement
of this RFP is to establish and maintain a link between the shelters and
service providers.

40\. [Electronic transfers of shelter ESG and SOS payments]{.underline}

This new service is offered to all shelters for their convenience and to
make their funds accessible within a short period of time. Sixteen of
the forty-two shelters took advantage by having their ESG and SOS
payments automatically deposited.

41\. [Shelter Plus Care and Section 8- Enhanced
Administration]{.underline}

DBDS and MSHA work together to enhance utilization of this resource.
This collaborative effort has resulted in the issuance of an additional
100 housing vouchers targeted to consumers of mental health and
substance abuse services who are homeless. DBDS and MSHA are committed
to continued coordination among Shelter Plus Care grantees,
implementation of monitoring protocols, performance based contracting,
and implementation of additional federal grants.

42\. [Bridging Rental Assistance Program - Department of Behavioral and
Developmental Services (DBDS)]{.underline}

Increased outreach to the shelter systems resulting in 425 previously
homeless persons with a mental illness who are now receiving housing, an
increase of 65%, into the Bridging Rental Assistance Program, from 780
to 1205

42\. [Emergency Shelter RFP]{.underline}

MSHA issued an RFP of \$1,000,000 in 2004 to address life safety issues
in Maine\'s 42 homeless shelters. These funds have been awarded.

43\. [Trainings:]{.underline}

-   Training Emergency Shelters to access Targeted Case Management for
    Homeless Clients.

-   Linking Homeless Clients to Social Security Income (SSI) Benefits.

-   Protecting Homeless Clients from exposure to Tuberculosis (TB).

-   Emergency Shelter Grant Funding Formula.

-   Housing Choice Voucher training to shelters.

-   Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) training

Upcoming trainings:

-   MSHA in collaboration with the National Council for Homeless
    Veterans and Volunteers of America will conduct a training to
    educate shelter operators on accessing available funds for veterans.

44\. [The Shaw House Streetlight Outreach project in the City of
Bangor]{.underline}

This project has been renewed each year and the cash match comes from
both Maine DOC and BDS. Shaw House and Acadia Hospital also contribute
to the cash match. When it was first funded, DHS kicked in one third of
the match along with DOC and BDS. Acadia Hospital partially funds the
outreach substance abuse Counselor for this street and shelter outreach
project.

45\. [Bangor Area Homeless Shelter Transitional Planning
Coordinator]{.underline}

The City of Bangor applied for Federal funding for an outreach case
manager for this collaborative between BAHS, the City of Bangor,
Community Health and Counseling Services and BDS.

46\. [BDS In Home Supports]{.underline}

Region III has provided training to provider to improve these services
delivered to clients in transition and permanent housing. The improved
treatment plans to provide living skills to \'recently homeless\' or
\'at risk of being homeless\' clients

47\. [BDS Wraparound Funds]{.underline}

BDS provides wrap around funding for security deposits, moving costs,
and rent according to the department\'s Wraparound Policy.

48\. [BDS]{.underline}

BDS honors the federal Medicaid rule to allow licensed providers to hire
staff according to the medical necessity of the client. Wait lists for
case management have dramatically decreased as a result of this measure
employed over the past three years.

49\. [BDS Region III Discharge Planning]{.underline}

Staff from the Greater Bangor Shelter, BMHI, Acadia Hospital, and the
Regional Office collaborated to design a discharge form for the
hospitals to use when discharging to the homeless shelter. This form is
designed to increase the hospital\'s use of alternative resources,
provide vital information regarding the client\'s needs and safety
issues, and track the issues surrounding discharges to shelters.

50\. [BDS/DO \_C Collaborations]{.underline}

(1)The Regional Office staff has recently initiated a collaborative
effort with DOC, Buck\'s Harbor staff to design a group skills program
to help prepare inmates for release to the community. The Regional
Office Intensive Case Manager also has regular contact with the prison
facility to provide discharge planning for inmates. (2) In June of 2004
the Region III Mental Health Team Leader joined a Department of
Corrections collaborative initiated by Penobscot County Jail. This
collaboration is composed of a judge, Sheriff, jail administration,
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, community providers, and others
to discuss issues surrounding mental health services for inmates,
diversion programs, etc.

51\. [BDS/DOC Linkage]{.underline}

BDS has designated a staff person placed within the Department of
Corrections to provide linkage and planning for youth at risk of
incarceration and for youth needing discharge planning connections.

52\. [Prevention: Flexible Funding]{.underline}

BDS and the Regional Children\'s Cabinet each provide flexible funding
for families in crisis. Several authorizations over the past few years
have been for housing needs to prevent the family from losing their
home.

53\. [Region III Housing Vacancy Meeting]{.underline}

The Region III Team Leader created a vacancy meeting structure presently
being adopted by AMHI. Which includes weekly meetings with regional and
BMHI staff where the housing vacancies are discussed, people needing
housing are prioritized, and decisions are made for selection.
Frequently, community providers are called upon for further information
and problem resolution. Once a month Acadia hospital attends the vacancy
meeting to discuss patients they need assistance placing. Once a month
DHS staff meet with the vacancy group to discuss patients under
guardianship. This process has been very successful in unclogging the
bottleneck of housing placements, making more successful placements due
to the clinical component of the decision making, reducing the
subjectivity of the process, reducing bed hold days, and providing
clarity regarding the process to refer clients to housing opportunities.
The gate-keeping process has been included in fiscal Year \'05
contracts.

54\. [Lewiston-Auburn alliance for Services to the Homeless
(LASH)]{.underline}

MSHA works collaboratively with LASH and other State Agencies such as
DOC and BDS in the LASH initiative. As part of our efforts with LASH,
there have been presentations and trainings to the group on homeless
individuals exiting the Corrections, the Rental Assistance Coupon Plus
Program and the Point in Time survey for the Balance of the State
Continuum of Care (COC).