Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness

1. Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness Leadership Council Meeting September 30, 2009 Join our blog now: www.westernmassrcn.wordpress.com Click on “subscribeby email” and get connected! Contact: Regional Coordinator Pamela Schwartz, pschwartz77@gmail.com 413-219-5658

2. Leadership Council Fiscal Sponsor - PVRVC The Leadership Council mission (as restated at 9/9/09 meeting): to provide oversight and coordination of the Network’s efforts; to hold the Network and its members, grantees, and supporters accountable for accomplishing its stated goals and to further on a policy and programmatic level the goal of ending homelessness. Service Coordination Data & Performance Measurement Community Engagement Families Individuals Western Mass. Interagency Council WMIC

3. Western Region ICHH Funding18 month pilot project 310 Families 38 Individuals

4. Innovations for serving families • Assistance at multiple front door entry points (DTA/DHCD offices, Housing Court) • Virtual and site-specific intake • Integrated assessment process to ensure that the right resources are targeted to homeless and at-risk families as quickly and efficiently as possible • Collaborative agency review of homeless families, maximizing use and distribution of available resources • Working with housing authorities to support at-risk families

5. Innovations for serving individuals • Expanded REACH (Regional Engagement and Assessment for Chronically Homeless) program • HUD Shelter Plus Care subsidies for permanent affordable housing to assist hard-to-serve homeless persons with disabilities • Project based program offering greater control and flexibility for lower threshold housing • Increased case management offering greater coverage and flexibility including after hours coverage

6. Action needed: approve current constitutionLeadership Council Chair: Dr. Evan Dobelle, President, Westfield State College Vice-Chair: Lynne Wallace, Principal, Dietz & Co. Architects Fr. Stan Aksamit, Our Lady of Peace Paul Bailey, Springfield Partners for Comm. Action Jane Banks, Center for Human Development Andrew Baker, Hilltown CDC Tim Brennan, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Rebecca Caplice, Greenfield Savings Bank Martin Chaisson, INOE Technologies Dave Christopolis, Berkshire Comm. Action Steve Como, Soldier On Kathy Damon, The Carson Center for Human Services Senator Ben Downing Linda Dunlavy, Franklin CR Council of Govts Judge Robert Fields, W. Div. Housing Court Bob Fleischner, Center for Public Representation DavodGadaire, CareerPoint Peter Gagliardi, HAPHousing Joanne Glier, Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority Brad Gordon, Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority Chris Haley, The Brien Center Steve Huntley, Valley Opportunity Council Lori Ingraham, Easthampton Savings Bank Peg Keller, City of Northampton John Klenakis, UMASS Donohue Institute Charlie Knight Gerry McCafferty, City of Springfield Betty Medina Lichtenstein, Enlace de Familias Andrea Miller, ServiceNet Andrew Morehouse, Food Bank of W Mass Rebecca Muller, GrantsWork Yasmin Otero, Dept. of Transitional Assistance Joe Peters, Universal Plastics Jerry Ray, Mental Health Association Tom Salter, New England Farm Workers’ Council Jane Sanders, Community Action Linda Stacy, United Way of Franklin County Liz Sullivan, Dept. of Mental Health Mayor Mike Sullivan, City of Holyoke 9/30/09

7. Steering Committee: to provide overall guidance to the Leadership Council, Coordinator and Network as a whole Representation to include (per recommendation from 9/9 meeting): • Leadership Council Chair (Dr. Evan Dobelle) • Leadership Council Vice Chair (Lynne Wallace) • 4 Committee Chairs (Family Services, Individual Services, Data and Community Engagement) (to be determined) • 3 Continue of Care Coordinators (Springfield, Gerry McCafferty, Hampden/Hampshire/Franklin County, Peg Keller, Berkshire County, Dave Christopolis • State agency representation (to be determined by our own LC, currently DTA, Yasmin Otero and DMH, Liz Sullivan)Hampden/Hampshire/Franklin County, Berkshire County)

8. Service Coordination:to maximize the effective and efficient delivery of services to homeless families and individuals Family Services Individual Services Meets 2nd Tuesday of the month, 1-3 pm DTA Office, Holyoke Currently devising ICHH uniform eligibility criteria, assessment and release forms and coordination of assistance at DTA/DHCD offices. All providers serving families are welcome. Monthly meetings on a county basis, coordinated by David Modzelewski of DMH. Contact: David.Modzelewski@state.ma.us All providers serving individuals are welcome. Coordination of all ICHH funded providers is underway (met 9/21 and will again on 10/5).

9. Data and Performance Measurement: to oversee data collection and evaluation systems Meetings ongoing to hire data analyst and develop evaluation plan. Current members (based on 9/9/09 meeting): • Tim Brennan, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission • Dave Christopolis, Berkshire Community Action • Charlie Knight • Ron Krakowiak, HapHousing, Inc • Andrea Miller, ServiceNet • Rebecca Muller, GrantsWork

10. Community Engagement: to market and expand Network’s reach and impact Proposal: to schedule meeting asap to discuss outreach to ex officio members per Dr. Dobelle’s suggestion of the 8 mayors, 4 sheriffs, Senatorial district representation, 4 Chambers of Commerce, 4 Labor organizations, Council of Churches, appropriate foundations Current members (based on June LC meeting): • Paul Bailey, Springfield Partners for Community Action • Andrew Baker, Hilltown CDC • Bob Fleishner, Center for Public Representation • David Gadaire, CareerPoint • Charlie Knight • Mayor Mike Sullivan, City of Holyoke • Lynne Wallace, Dietz &Co. Architects

11. Leadership Council Membership Workgroup: to review and decide upon LC composition “Convened” once by email to determine addition of ICHH funded providers to Council. Recommendation: subsume into Steering or Community Engagement Committees Current members (based on June LC meeting): • Martin Chaisson, INOE Technologies • Steve Como, Soldier On • Dr. Evan Dobelle, Westfield State College • Peg Keller, City of Northampton • Michael Konig, Westfield State College • Jane Sanders, Community Action • Lynne Wallace, Dietz & Co. Architects

12. Western Mass. Interagency Council From 9/9/09 Network Building Meeting, the group agreed: • WMIC has been an extremely important vehicle for bringing together state agencies and providers across the region and has a history and reputation we want to protect and maintain. • The importance of growing interagency participation towards accomplishing the Network’s goals is vital and WMIC, in conjunction with the Leadership Council, is an important vehicle for communicating this priority. • At this point in the Network’s development, WMIC should continue to exist as is, both separate and connected to the Network.  As the Network evolves in the coming months, we will take stock of the relationship and reassess if/how WMIC’s role would change. • 9/30 action: discuss above; if agreement must revisit draft by-laws Section 3.08 on Committees: “There shall be at least two standing committees: the WMIC and the Consumer Involvement Committee.” Do we want to revise to make standing committees 4 listed above (family services, individual services, data and performance and community engagement)?

13. Consumer Advisory Group At 9/9 meeting, all agreed consumer input to the Network is an important priority. Action: Jeff Naylor and Diane Sullivan of Homes for Families will present and facilitate discussion on this topic. Next Steps: to be determined today!