THE BERGEN COUNTY HOUSING, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CENTER A SHARED PROJECT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF BERGEN COUNTY A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO MEETING HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS Bergen County Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness 2008 OPENED October 1, 2009 Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HISTORY: Focus: Provide Emergency Shelter Background Kansas Street, churches Overnight only Exclusionary and fragmented Temporary location Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HISTORY: Focus: Modify the Existing System The One Stop idea Build a permanent shelter Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HISTORY: Focus: Change the System Federal requirements: Develop 10 year plan to end homelessness Coordinate and integrate service delivery Local direction: Identify and use best practices Develop a collaborative model Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
MISSION To place individuals who are homeless in permanent housing and provide the support services needed to ensure success in the community. To serve as a one-stop location and single point of entry for individuals to receive information, care management, health and human services, and financial assistance. To prevent homelessness using Homelessness Prevention Rapid-Re-Housing stimulus funds. Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
KEY DESIGN CONCEPTS Objective: End chronic homelessness Approach: The Housing First Model Process: Engagement, Collaboration, Integration Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
KEY DESIGN ELEMENTS 1. Develop a one stop service and support platform, not a shelter 2. Provide the services needed to accelerate housing placement, independence 3. Engage community decision makers during the design phase 4. Pilot test the concept 5. Create resource based contractual operating partnerships Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
KEY DESIGN ELEMENTS contd 6. Offer aggressive daytime programming 7. Provide incentives to encourage onsite agency involvement 8. Provide direct client centered support following placement 9. Partner with community resources: police, hospitals, corrections, business and government 10. Market the program both to its guests and to the community Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
BUILDING AMENITIES/SERVICES 27,516 square feet new construction including: Nutrition site Shelter space for up to individuals Drop-in Program 365 Days Wellness Services Showers, bathrooms and laundry facility Computers, mail service and telephones Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
CONTRACTED PARTNERS Housing Authority of Bergen County Christ Church CDC Care Plus, NJ Friendship House Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
HABC Under Shared Services Management and Administration of Center Provide Clinical oversight and care management services Facility Management Back Office Support EA billing and interface with BCBSS Housing specialist to determine eligibility, review documentation and provide voucher issuance Administer HPRP, ESG, ESG funds including security deposits Bergen County Housing, Health and Humans Services Center
HOUSING PLACEMENT AND SUPPORT Efforts to place clients in permanent rental housing begin immediately following client assessment. The Center maintains relationships with real estate agents and landlords for placement. When a housing placement is arranged a neighborhood based team provides service coordination and follow-up. The Center is establishing relationships with health and human service agencies to provide financial resources necessary to support housing placement or emergency financial assistance to individuals and families in proximate danger of becoming homeless. Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS Bergen County United Way Advance Housing Vantage Health Systems Northeast NJ Legal Services Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare Family Promise (formerly IRF) Board of Social Services Hackensack Social Services (GA ) WIB AA / NA Bergen Community College Bergen County One-Stop NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services Veterans Services Rape Crisis Center HOPE Ex-Offenders BCCAP Jewish Family Service s Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
SOURCES OF FUNDING Federal Stimulus Funds (HPRP) BC DHS State SSH Funding NJ DHS Funding Federal Funding (CDBG, ESG, ESG, HOME and FEMA) Bergen County United Way Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
OUTCOMES TO DATE (2/1/2013) 410 individuals have been place in permanent housing 286, 170 meals have been served 4,500 individual have made 100,074 visits to Next Step 105, 912 bed-nights of shelter have been provided at the Center families and individuals in danger losing their homes were provided prevention and /or rapid re-housing assistance Less than 5% recidivism rate Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center
RECOGNITION NAHRO 2012 National Merit Award for Program Innovation – Residents & Client Services MARC-NAHRO 2012 Award for Outstanding Achievement Leading nationally in the 100K Homes Campaign Bergen County Housing, Health and Humans Services Center