Title
CONSIDERATION OF A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $321,479.00 FOR COMCARE'S DUAL DIAGNOSIS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM.
Presented by: Marilyn Cook, LSCSW, Executive Director, COMCARE.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the application for the grant, and authorize the Chairman to sign all necessary documents, including the grant award agreement containing substantially the same terms and conditions as this application.
Body
Grant Renewal: Yes
Never Applied: N/A
Applied; not awarded: No
Grant Summary and Timeline:
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the 2013 Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program. This NOFA makes funds available for Homeless Assistance Grants which include transitional housing, supportive services for homeless persons, and permanent supportive housing. The community application will be submitted to HUD through the United Way of the Plains by February 3, 2014.
COMCARE's Dual Diagnosis Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program is one component of the HUD community application. This project has been operated by COMCARE and funded by HUD since 2003, and was previously referred to as COMCARE's Transitional Housing Project (THP). The THP had two grants, known as the HUD-16 and HUD Enhancement, but these were combined into one grant and are now recognized as Dual Diagnosis Permanent Supportive Housing.
COMCARE's PSH will be a 21-bed housing resource for chronically homeless individuals and/or families who have a mental illness and substance use disorder. The project's goal is to effectively address the complex needs of the chronically homeless by offering integrated treatment services to improve housing stability and access to mainstream resources. Residents will continue to be encouraged to participate in a full array of services, including individual/group mental health therapy, addiction treatment, medication management, and independent living skills training. They will develop an individualized treatment plan to address issues related to their specific needs and homelessness, and will focus on attaining self-sufficiency via competitive employment and/or accessing mainstream benefits. Current residents of the program will detect little change in the new PSH program design other than the opportunity to sign a new sublet agreement from COMCARE and having a permanent housing status as opposed to transitional.
The grant amount being requested from HUD is consistent with the prior year, and totals $321,469.
Financial Considerations:
Grant period starts: 02/01/14
Grant period ends: 01/31/15
Source of funding
Grant: $321,469
Required Match: $52,194
Required Cash Match: $52,194
Required In-Kind Match: $0
Other funding :$0
TOTAL SOURCES: $373,663
Uses of funding
Operational costs: $33,819
Personnel: $204,105
Contractual services: $120,707
Operational supplies: $10,649
Equipment:$0
Indirect administrative costs:$4,383
Capital projects cost:$0
TOTAL USES $373,663
Source of matching funds: Medicaid Fees
Source of other funding: N/A
Budget Authority Adjustment: No additional budget authority is being requested, as the 2014 budget contains sufficient authority.
Personnel considerations: Four positions will continue to be tied to this grant, including 1.0 FTE therapist, 1.0 FTE case manager, 1.0 FTE clerical, and 1.0 FTE addiction counselor. The PSH grant reduces two case manager positions down to one, and increases the addiction counselor from 0.5 FTE to 1.0 FTE. All four positions are currently filled, though the addiction counselor is part time and will be made full time with this change.
Expected measurable outcomes: Clients housed in the PSH all have a dual diagnosis. Through participation in this program residents have access to safe, recovery oriented housing and supportive services for the treatment of severe and persistent mental illness and substance use disorders. It is expected that those discharging successfully from the program will have increased housing stability, self-sufficiency, and recovery from mental illness and addiction disorders.
Alternatives: There are no alternatives identified. There is no program in Sedgwick County which addresses co-occurring disorders among the literally homeless. There is no other funding source for this lease subsidy or the supportive services at PSH. Residents may be indigent and would not otherwise be able to access housing and treatment. The Dual Diagnosis Permanent Supportive Housing program would have to be discontinued if funds were not available and homelessness would persist in our community.
Policy considerations: All Sedgwick County policies have been followed in the development of this grant application.
Legal considerations: The authority for this action is K.S.A. 19-101 and a simple majority vote is required. Compliance with federal laws, specifically the Fair Housing Act, is a requirement for this grant.