Community Outreach Division COD 909 Vine St Cincinnati

Community Outreach Division (COD) 909 Vine St. Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (513) 977. 6800 The Community Outreach Division provides services to Veterans who are homeless and/or at-risk of homelessness Sally Hammitt, LISW- S Director, Community Outreach Division Sally. hammitt@va. gov (513) 977. 6807 Stephanie Kindred, Administrative Support Assistant (513) 977. 6800

Community Outreach Division (COD) • Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) • Grant and Per Diem (GPD) • HUD/VASH

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COD provides referrals for: • • Transitional housing for eligible Veterans Residential and Outpatient treatment Substance abuse treatment Medical treatment Employment training programs Assistance in applying for VA benefits Permanent supportive housing

Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) • The core mission of HCHV is primarily to perform outreach provided by the VA Social Worker and other mental health clinicians, to identify homeless Veterans and assist these Veterans in accessing appropriate health care and benefits. In addition to its initial core mission, HCHV also functions as a mechanism to contract with providers for communitybased residential treatment for homeless Veterans

Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) • Homeless/Educational Outreach • Maintains and updates Homeless & Low Income Resource guide (5 th Edition) • National Call Center/ CPRS Homeless Consults • Establishes relationships with community providers (local police, community mental health agencies, shelters, soup kitchens, homeless coalitions, COC, etc. ) • Maintains close relationships with local street outreach workers and participation in “homeless counts” • Develops relationships, rapport, and trust with homeless Veterans through engagement efforts

Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) • VA partners with Talbert House to contract 12 emergency shelter beds • We can house single males, single females, families, and LGBT Veterans • Of special importance is our ability through this program to keep Veteran families intact through an episode of homelessness

Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) • The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program – The SSVF program assists very low-income Veterans and their families who are literally homeless or imminently at risk of becoming literally homeless in obtaining or retaining permanent housing

Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) • HCHV Staff Page Layman, LISW, Outreach Specialist william. layman 3@va. gov 513. 977. 6811 • Emily Hunt, MSW, LSW, Outreach Specialist emily. hunt 2@va. gov 513. 977. 6813 • Pete Contreras, BS, Resource Specialist peter. contreras@va. gov 513. 977. 6825 • Seana Creech, LCDC III, SUD Specialist seana. creech@va. gov 513. 266. 7877 • Susan Ball, NPC, HCHV Nurse Practitioner susan. ball@va. gov 513. 477. 1788

Grant and Per Diem (GPD) • Up to two years of transitional housing per episode of care • Veterans need not be medically eligible to obtain services through GPD transitional living programs • 173 GPD beds currently operational –(90 Beds in 2009) • The goal of all GPD Transitional Living Facilities is to exit the Veteran from homelessness into permanent housing

Grant and Per Diem (GPD) • Qualifications/Eligibility criteria for GPD Programs – Veteran MUST be homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless (e. g. , served with eviction notice) – Must have other than “dishonorable discharge” and served at least one day of active duty – Able to provide their own self care (e. g. , bathe themselves, take their own medication, dress themselves, etc. )

Grant and Per Diem (GPD) • Brighton Recovery Center – 3 GPD beds for female Veterans with active substance abuse diagnosis – Veteran must be willing to commit to substance abuse treatment – Referral Process: Contact Anita Prater or Michelle Westerkamp at 859. 282. 9390 or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Steve Knight at 513. 977. 6808

Grant and Per Diem (GPD) • Joseph House – 63 beds for male (only) Veterans with an active substance abuse diagnosis – Veteran must be willing to commit to substance abuse treatment – Referral Process: Contact Calvin Wooten at 513. 476. 5978 or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Donna Cobbah at 513. 977. 6810

Grant and Per Diem (GPD) • Goodwill Industries (Veteran’s Dormitory) – 24 beds for homeless Veterans that are able and willing to work – Veteran will be screened into the program based on their ability and motivation to obtain and maintain steady employment – Referral Process: Veteran should call Neil Hutchinson or Dennis Koenig at 513. 631. 4500 or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Donna Cobbah at 513. 977. 6810

Grant and Per Diem (GPD) • Drop Inn Center (Veteran’s GPD Step-up Dorm) – 15 beds for male Veterans – Veterans will work with assigned Veteran’s case manager as well as assigned VA GPD liaison – Education/treatment classes are offered – The ultimate goal in all GPD transitional living facilities is to exit into permanent housing – Referral Process: Call Ruby Lucas or Sherran Harris at 513. 721. 0643 or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Steve Knight at 513. 977. 6808. The Veteran can also arrive in person for a face-to-face screening

Grant and Per Diem (GPD) • Volunteers of America/Veterans Resource Center – 46 male beds and 4 female beds • Target population: – Veterans with mental illness – Veterans involved with the justice system (e. g. , recently released from incarceration, on probation, on parole, etc. ) – Case managers provide referrals to identified services and assistance with obtaining permanent housing – Referral Process: Complete VOA referral form and fax to 513. 322. 5171 or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Dawn Mbomyo at 513. 977. 6809

Grant and Per Diem (GPD) • Parkway Center (Formally Mt. Airy Shelter) – 18 beds for male Veterans – Any homeless Veteran can self refer to Parkway Center. A Veteran simply needs to be homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless – To self refer call 513. 381. 7233 (SAFE) • Press the number “ 3” and the Veteran will be sent to a Parkway Center screening specialist or refer to assigned GPD Liaison Steve Knight at 513. 977. 6808

Grant and per Diem (GPD) • Facility Liaisons – Parkway Center; Brighton Recovery Center; Drop Inn Center: Steve Knight, LISW-S, ACSW • Steven. knight 2@va. gov • Phone: (513) 977. 6828 – Goodwill Industries (Veterans Dormitory); and Joseph House: Donna Cobbah, LISW-S • Donna. cobbah@va. cov • Phone: (513) 977. 6810 – Volunteers of America: Dawn Mbomyo, LISW-S • Dawn. mbomyo@va. gov • Phone: (513) 977. 6809

HUD-VASH • Utilizes set-aside Section 8 vouchers to help Veterans secure independent housing • Provides housing and case management through a modified Housing First approach • Prioritizes chronically homeless Veterans , homeless Veterans with families, and Veterans with mental illness or substance abuse issues

HUD-VASH Vouchers • 325 vouchers currently: (48 vouchers in the beginning of 2008) throughout 5 counties in Ohio and Northern Kentucky. • Eligibility requirements to obtain a HUD/VASH housing voucher – Veteran MUST be eligible to receive VA Health Care – Veteran MUST fall beneath the financial threshold set forth by the local housing authority (Approximately $1, 300 per month for single Veteran) – Veteran MUST agree to case management services – Veteran MUST have realistic plan put in place to obtain income Veteran will be responsible for paying their portion of their rent and utilities – Veteran needs to be a good neighbor and CANNOT BE ON THE LIFETIME SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRY

HUD/VASH • Referral Process – Complete thorough homeless timeline dating back 4 years as well as HUD/VASH referral form with Veteran – Fax completed homeless timeline and HUD/VASH referral to Nicole Michaelson (Supervisor; HUD/VASH) at 513. 977. 6836 – The referral will be reviewed by a triage team and a priority status will be assigned based on the Veteran’s history of homelessness as outlined in the homeless timeline (priority 1 -7) – Once triaged, a note will be placed in CPRS. You can refer to HUD/VASH note in CPRS to check on assigned priority status – HUD/VASH housing vouchers are assigned solely based on the corresponding priority status. THIS IS NOT A WAIT LIST BUT A PRIORITY LIST!

Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV) 1000 S. Ft. Thomas Avenue Ft. Thomas, KY 41075 859. 572. 6202 The Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV) is a 58 - bed residential recovery program designed to provide time-limited treatment to Veterans who are currently homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness and help them become reestablished in their community. Dr. Ryan Faulkner, Psychologist, Chief DCHV ryan. faulkner@va. gov 859. 572. 6202

Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) • Provides information and education to courts and attorneys about Veterans' issues and VA services available • Collaborates with judges and specialty courts to connect Veterans to VA treatment services and homeless programs • Develops and implements specialized dockets or Veterans Treatment Courts for interested communities • Provides outreach to Veterans in contact with the justice system

Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) • Justice-involved Veteran is: – A Veteran in contact with local law enforcement who can be appropriately diverted from arrest into mental health or substance abuse treatment – A Veteran in jail, either pretrial or serving a sentence – A Veteran involved in adjudication or monitoring by a court

JAIL OUTREACH • 2009 - Hamilton County • 2014 - OH Jails: Butler County, Clermont County, Hamilton County, Warren County KY Jails: Boone County, Campbell County, Grant County, Kenton County IN Jails: Dearborn County

VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS (VTC) • 2009 - No VTC’s operational • 2011 - Hamilton County VTC (Felony) • 2012 - Hamilton County VTC (Municipal) Campbell County, KY Veterans Diversion Docket • 2013 - City of Hamilton VTC (Municipal) Dearborn Superior VTC (Felony) • 2014 - Northern KY Regional- (Felony and Municipal) Butler County Veterans Court Services Program

Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) • Referral Process: – Contact Veteran Justice Outreach Specialists at (513) 977 -6838 • Elizabeth Brett, LCSW – Elizabeth. brett@va. gov • Amanda List, LISW, LICDC – Amanda. list@va. gov • Ron Michaelson, MSW, LCSW – Ronald. michaelson@va. gov • Jennifer Wolfe, PCC-S, LICDC-CS – Jennifer. wolfe 3@va. gov

Community Outreach Division To make a referral to COD: 909 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Phone: (513) 977. 6800 Fax: (513) 977. 6836

Questions?