Bergen County Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness 2008

1. The Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services CenterA 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

2. HISTORY: 1985-95 Focus: Provide Emergency Shelter • Background • Kansas Street, churches • Overnight only • Exclusionary and fragmented • Temporary location Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center

3. HISTORY: 1995-2005 Focus: Modify the Existing System • The One Stop idea • Build a permanent shelter Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center

4. HISTORY: 2005-10 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

5. 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

6. KEY DESIGN CONCEPTS • Objective: End chronic homelessness • Approach: The Housing First Model • Process: Engagement, Collaboration, Integration Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center

7. 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

8. KEY DESIGN ELEMENTS cont’d 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

9. BUILDING AMENITIES/SERVICES • 27,516 square feet new construction including: • Nutrition site • Shelter space for up to 90 + 15 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

10. CONTRACTED PARTNERS • Housing Authority of Bergen County • Christ Church CDC • Care Plus, NJ • Friendship House Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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 • Veteran’s Services • Rape Crisis Center • HOPE Ex-Offenders • BCCAP • Jewish Family Services Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center

14. 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

15. 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 • 440 + 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

16. 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