A scorecard has been developed for each grantee which documents that program’s progress toward shortening the length of homelessness, prevention of homelessness and recidivism. The Western …show more content…
How will the CoC or local planning group leverage mainstream resources? Provide program and community level examples.
Our CoC members have long standing collaborations with mainstream providers to increase access to services through either memoranda of understanding and/or changes to admission processes for housing vouchers and access to permanent housing. The Western CoC has conducted SOAR training and has established a system to ensure that individuals experiencing homelessness are able to access mainstream resources (SSI/SSDI).
At the program level our Continuum has been successful at creating opportunities to bring non-VHSP resources to our region to address homelessness. Recently, the Western CoC membership received an award of VASH project-based vouchers to assist chronically homeless veterans in accessing permanent supportive housing. Additionally, the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission has established a tenant based rental assistance program using HOME funds to assist individuals who are homeless. This program uses the centralized intake process and is coordinated through various CoC member …show more content…
Dynamic community based collaborations with the James Madison University Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services (IIHHS) and the Health Care for the Homeless Suitcase Clinic have brought medical workers directly into area shelters. These programs have also improved access to prenatal care; pediatric services for homeless children, as well as ongoing health focused educational programs. Similar initiatives to streamline access to mental health services have been created through memoranda of understanding and formalized referral relationships with area Community Service