Specifications include, but are not limited to: Outreach, Engagement, and Benefits Enrollment (including, but not limited to): Reaching out to people experiencing homelessness in any and all locations with the goal of establishing a trusting relationship and offering services that will result in improved health and safety and access to bridge and/or permanent housing. Examples of outreach locations include streets, encampments, parks, vehicles, and institutional settings such as acute hospitals, emergency departments, psychiatric facilities, and jails; Providing housing crisis resources, either virtually or in person, for people seeking services; Development of housing navigation strategy and completion of coordinated entry assessments and housing applications as needed; Assembling Housing and Income Portfolios, including Public Benefits Portfolios (a collection of core documents required for clients to obtain rental housing, including publicly-funded housing); Benefits counseling and advocacy, including assistance in accessing SSI/SSP, enrolling in Medi-Cal, CalFresh, In-Home Support Services and/or other benefits (as appropriate when coordinated and in partnership with Social Services Agency). Health and Supportive Services (including, but not limited to): Case management; Peer support activities; Mental health care, such as assessment, crisis counseling, individual and group therapy, and peer support groups; Substance use services, such as treatment, relapse prevention, and peer support groups—all with a focus on harm reduction; Support in linking to physical health care, including access to routine and preventive health and dental care, medication management, and wellness services; Basic housing retention skills (such as unit maintenance and upkeep, cooking, laundry, and money management); Services for persons with co-occurring mental and physical disabilities or co- occurring mental and substance use disorders not listed above; Recreational and social activities; Educational services, including assessment, GED, school enrollment, assistance accessing higher education benefits and grants, and assistance in obtaining reasonable accommodations in the education process; Employment services, such as supported employment, job readiness, job skills training, job placement, and retention services, or programs promoting volunteer opportunities for those unable to work (Behavioral Health works in this area, and Social Services does also); Obtaining access to other needed services, such as civil legal services, or access to food and clothing; Community supports including reunification with family and/or friends, coordinating In Home Support Services (if needed), addressing housing barriers through a housing retention plan, and working with Housing Resource Center staff to ensure clients have access to additional resources for which they are eligible. Housing and Property Related Services (as appropriate and coordinated with Housing and Community Development) (including, but not limited to): Real estate search, including establishing relationships with private and non-profit property owners willing to assist the County in their goal of reducing homelessness; Agencies that lease and/or master lease units/properties to be used for transitional and permanent housing; Administer funding, including but not limited to: 1) move-in funds such as application fees and deposits for clients to facilitate their transition to housing, 2) rent subsidies that help clients experiencing homelessness access any and all safe and healthy residential options such as shelter, medical respite and long-term housing, and 3) flexible funding for clients experiencing homelessness and clients at imminent risk of homelessness to help resolve their housing crisis; Providing services to help manage units lived in by people who were formerly homeless; Client annual income re-certification, housing quality standard inspections, and rent adjustment as necessary; Performance of site inspections, maintenance, and repair in order to ensure a high standard of safety, security, health and accessibility for site occupants. These activities also include ensuring that the overall aesthetic and up-keep of the property is maintained so that the property is a “good neighbor” in the community; Housing search services such as developing housing support plans, searching for housing, assisting with applications, gathering required documents, and providing non-medical transportation to ensure access to housing options; Eviction prevention counseling and advocacy including collaboration with support service providers to prevent eviction and displacement and help clients integrate into the community; Administer funding to help with payment of rent, utilities, services, taxes, insurance, etc. for people who were formerly experiencing homelessness as necessary to maintain a safe and secure building environment for occupants and staff.
