CoC Resources

Activities

February 27, 2019

Philadelphia’s Roadmap to Homes (RtH)
Please join us! We are excited to have launched implementation of Roadmap to Homes and look forward to working with you as we move forward. Any individual interested in supporting Roadmap to Homes efforts can sign up at any time. Contact Gina Ruggieri, Director of Planning, with any questions at gina.ruggieri@phila.gov or 215-686-7186.
Biweekly “Updates and Resources”  email contents are also on the Office of Homeless Services website. Do you have something to include? Let us know! Fill out this online form.

Notices
The City of Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from eligible non-profit applicants to provide shelter and housing-focused case management services for homeless families at City-owned facilities at 1300 East Tulpehocken Street and 1981 North Woodstock Street. An optional pre-proposal briefing will take place on February 28 at 2pm at the Municipal Services Building (1401 JFK Blvd), 16th Floor, Room X. All questions should be referred by email only to Diana H. Rivera, Contract Administrator at Diana.H.Rivera@phila.gov, on or before March 5 at 5pm. Answers to questions received will be posted online on March 11. Electronic Proposals must be received by Roberta Cancellier, Deputy Director of Housing Services at Roberta.Cancellier@phila.gov no later than 5pm on April 15
As of February 18, Valley Youth House operates Philadelphia’s sole youth access point, a youth-friendly, youth-specific locations where young adults ages 18-24 who are experiencing homelessness can go to be assessed for resources within the homeless assistance system. Valley Youth House operates the youth access point 4 days per week (hours vary- check this flyer for details). If young people need support outside of the youth access point hours they can continue to access services through the Office of Homeless Services intake centers or afterhours shelters. Please share our updated flyer with your networks, including youth and any colleagues who work with youth. Here is also a link to a Youth Matters Philly spotlight video about the youth access points that you can share with your networks.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently announced award of $34.5 million in federal funds to support homeless service programs in Philadelphia, including $31.9 million in grant renewals and over $1.6 million for new projects! The new project funding will support a housing program that uses a new model to serve youth ages 18-24, the systems Youth Access Points for entry into the system of housing and services, additional permanent housing opportunities, and trauma-informed training for frontline staff with a special focus on serving survivors of domestic violence survivors. See the OHS Press Release for more information or contact Gina Ruggieri, Director of Planning, with any questions at gina.ruggieri@phila.gov or 215-686-7186.

To celebrate 9 years as Philadelphia’s street paper, One Step Away wanted to help vendors earn more money so they can truly break the cycle of homelessness. To help provide vendors with the best opportunities for success, the new One Step Away magazine sells for $5 on the streets, with vendors earning the difference between that purchase price and the $1.50 that they pay for each edition. The latest issue of the magazine, currently out for distribution, takes on: “The Colors and Faces of Mental Health”; “Sexual Assault in Sports”; “Homeless Memorial Day”; “Philly’s Internet Kiosks”; “Philly’s Fair Work Week Bill”; “Vendor Voices & Articles”; “Teaching Orangutans.” Purchase it quickly, as the third edition is about to hit the streets with an exclusive interview along with phenomenal pictures of Mayor Kenney!
The Philadelphia Land Bank is pleased to announce Competitive Sale Bids for 14 Parcels. The deadline for submission is March 13 at 4pm. To review the properties for sale and the application requirements, please visit http://philadelphialandbank.org/Home/Sales. Please contact christi.jackson@phila.gov for additional information. To stay informed of the latest RFPs and competitive sales offered by the Philadelphia Land Bank, please visit http://www.philadelphialandbank.org/About/StayInformed.
The School District of Philadelphia’s Kindergarten Registration process for the 2019-2020 school year is currently open until May 31, 2019.
General Assistance is a lifeline to populations that need temporary help to keep them out of more expensive programs and dangerous situations, yet it is at risk of being eliminated again. Learn more about the program and easily tell your PA legislators in Harrisburg how you would like them to represent you in Harrisburg on this issue. General Assistance provides a small amount of cash support – about $200 per month – to a small, targeted population of Pennsylvanians in need of immediate help. If you know someone who would like to apply, here is more information about eligibility and the application process.
On February 13, the House Financial Services Committee held its first full committee hearing of the 116th Congress, “Homeless in America: Examining the Crisis and Solutions to End Homelessness.” This is the first time the full committee has held a hearing specifically on homelessness. The committee and witnesses discussed several draft bills aimed at addressing homelessness, including a bill from Committee Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA). The National Low Income Housing Coalition has summarized the proceedings.
On February 15, a final Consolidated Appropriations bill to fund the federal government for the remainder of FY19 was signed into law. Compared to FY18, the negotiated package increases funding for tenant-based rental assistance, public housing, project-based rental assistance, and homeless assistance grants. Funding for homeless assistance programs is increased to $2.64 billion from $2.51 billion in FY18. The president would have funded the programs at $2.383 billion. Additionally, the bill targets $80 million to address youth homelessness and provides $50 million for rapid rehousing assistance for survivors of domestic violence. See the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s summary for more information about funding for other programs.
On January 31, as part of the Philadelphia Resilience Project, the City resolved the last of the four major encampments in Kensington. Learn more about how Philly offers help and closes encampments with compassion.

Opportunities
Men ages 18-30 who have experienced violent injury in your lives, do you want to help other people heal from the impacts of violence? A free Community Health Worker Peer/Certified Peer Specialist (CHWP/CPS) Training Academy will begin May 13 and run 4 days per week for 9 weeks until June 11, from 9am–3pm (165 hours of training). Participant payment will be provided, as well as assistance with transportation. Training Academy applications will be accepted until April 6. Selected applicants will be invited for an in-person interview; there are limited spaces available in the Academy. Participants who complete the Training Academy may be eligible to apply for employment as a CHWP and/or CPS. For more information, please contact Casey Chanton, Project Manager, at crc72@drexel.edu or 215-762-1170.
The Philadelphia Manufacturing Boot Camp Training Program offers focused training in a 6-week boot camp program, beginning March 11. Transportation will be provided for the duration of the boot camp. Participants are linked with opportunities to interview for entry-level positions in the Manufacturing Industry. Space is limited, so apply today and/or call 1-833-750-JOBS (5627) to learn of next steps for being accepted into the program and/or attend a February 27 info session. Applications are due by March 8.
Philadelphia Foundation will accept applications for YOUTHadelphia grants of $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000 through 5pm on March 1. Priority consideration will be given to demonstrably youth-led projects with embedded social and political content, primarily serving low-income youth of color and addressing policing, gun violence, and/or youth leadership.

Timeline for Philadelphia Foundation’s ongoing discretionary grantmaking program in 2019:

  • Applications for Direct Service general operating support grants accepted between February 22 and March 29. Competitive applicants are well-run, well-led organizations serving high poverty and vulnerable populations, with a clear history of effective connections to multiple resources, that can demonstrate strength in management practices, fiscal performance, and board and staff leadership.
  • Applications for Impact, Advocacy and Leadership grants accepted from May 17 until July 26. All funding will be available on a competitive basis and will support services for low-income individuals and other vulnerable populations.

Philadelphia Foundation is pleased to continue covering the cost of Catchafire subscriptions for eligible organizations through the start of 2020, providing access to free consulting support for operations, strategy, market and communications, web development and more.
Workshop proposal submissions for the June 11 HIV Prevention and Education Summit are being accepted until March 1. The Summit is a conference that welcomes all people interested in learning more about the wide-range of issues that impact people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH/A) and the AIDS epidemic at large. Conference workshops provide information on the latest treatment, research, prevention, and outreach strategies, highlight the social determinants of health that place people at risk, and aim to amplify the voices of PLWHA.
Mazzoni Center has a number of regular opportunities for open to LGBTQIA+ folks ages 13-24:

  • They are always looking for new Youth Leadership Board members! YLB members advise on the direction of Mazzoni’s programming, speaking from their experiences about their needs. YLB meets every other Wednesday from 4:30–6:30pm at 1348 Bainbridge St.
  • Brave Schools Drop-In, a weekly community-building space for LGBTQIA+ youth, will be held every Thursday, 4–6pm at 1201 Locust St.
  • LEAD is an annual spring conference of over 150 LGBTQIA+ youth and staff from GSAs (Gender and Sexuality Alliances) and schools across Philadelphia. The best way to get involved in LEAD planning is to attend a Youth Leadership Board meeting.

Food and SEPTA cards are provided. For more information, contact Tyunique Nelson, Brave Schools Associate, at tnelson@mazzonicenter.org, 215-563-0652 ext. 298, or 215-563-0652.

Applications for the 2019 True Colors Fellowship program are open for LGBTQ-identified young people ages 18-24 with lived experience of housing instability and/or homelessness! The Fellowship offers up to 5 young people the opportunity to execute a 6-month project that contributes to a more inclusive world in which LGBTQ young people are included and affirmed in their identities. Fellows make professional connections, gain hands-on organizing experience, and build leadership skills, while receiving nominal payments and expense reimbursements. Fellowship applications are due March 1.
The Community Design Collaborative is seeking a full-time Evaluation and Engagement Manager and an Economic Development Program Manager.
Save the date for the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty’s 2019 National Forum on the Human Right to Housing in Washington DC – June 5-6. More information to come, but limited travel scholarships are currently available for low-income and homeless persons. To apply, contact Rachel Lee at rlee@nlchp.org with the subject line ‘Forum Scholarship Request’. In your e-mail, please state your need, where you will be traveling from, and describe your involvement in advocacy on behalf of homeless individuals.

Events & Trainings
February 26, 6:30–8:30pm: Building Brotherhood: Healing the Wounds of Trauma and Violence
February 26 (and every 4th Tuesday), 7–9pm: Support Group for Families/Friends of persons with Personality Disorders: What gets in the way of self-care?
February 27, 12:30pm: CareerLink: Info Session on Manufacturing Boot Camp
CSH’s six-session Excellence in Leadership: Driving Change course aims to support leaders within the HUD Continuum of Care structure, who have the difficult, yet important, job of managing, evaluating, and overseeing projects while articulating high-level vision and goals that may require change, which isn’t always popular.

The course costs $500 per person, with bulk pricing available and discounts for CSH subscribers.
February 28, 2pm: Optional pre-proposal briefing regarding RFP to provide families shelter and housing-focused case management at City-owned facilities: Municipal Services Building (1401 JFK Blvd), 16th Floor, Room X
February 28, 10am–2pm: UrStorytellers Storytelling Through Health and Wellness
March 1, 9–11am: Becoming Trauma Informed: Define Trauma and its Impact ($7)
March 5, 8:30am–3pm: Campus Connections: High School to College Partnerships to Serve At-Risk Students (at Penn State Harrisburg)
March 5, 9am–3:30pm: The Power of Knowing: Psycho-Education as a Trauma Intervention ($30)
March 5 & 7, 9am–12pm: Accessing Vacant Property through the Philadelphia Land Bank ($15)
March 6, 9am–12pm: Program Design – Giving Life to your Mission ($69/$75)
March 6, 12–1:30pm: Planning for Transition into Adulthood for Adolescents with Special Needs
March 6, 1–7pm: Kensington Utility Fairs – RSVP to receive a document checklist; Feria de Servicios Públicos de Kensington – Confirme y conozca qué documentación tiene que llevar
March 7, 4pm: The Lived Experience of Reentry in Philadelphia
March 8, 9am–3:30pm: Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) — For Health & Human Services (HHS) Professionals (a training designed for OHS-connected direct service providers)
March 9, 10am–4pm: Kensington Utility Fairs – RSVP to receive a document checklist; Feria de Servicios Públicos de Kensington – Confirme y conozca qué documentación tiene que llevar
Sundays, March 10–April 28, 10am–12pm: Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (Early bird registration: $210 by March 1)
March 11, 9am–5pm: Mental Health First Aid
March 13, 3–4:30pm: Supporting Women in Recovery: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Substance Use Treatment
March 14, 2–3:30pm: Spring 2019 Speaker Series: Moving a child welfare system to be more affirming for LGBTQ youth
March 16, 9am–3:30pm: Civic Engagement Academy 2.0
March 20, 5:30–8:30pm: Verbal De-escalation Strategies for Managing Conflict ($14)
March 22, 9am–12:15pm: Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence: Addressing Abusive Behaviors (a training designed for OHS-connected direct service providers)
Fridays, March 22–April 5, 1–2:30pm: Opioid Overdose Prevention (live online course) ($190, 3.75–5.5 CEUs)
March 30, 9am–1pm: Good Grief: Understanding & Supporting Grieving Youth & Adults ($20-$85)
April 1–3: Trauma + the Arts: Mobilizing Anchor Institutions ($50-$250)  (Agenda)
April 10, 9am – 12pm: CDC 101: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about CDCs, RCOs, and NACs ($15-25)
April 16, 9–11am: Becoming Trauma Informed: Practice Skills ($7)
April 30–May 2: CSH Summit 2019: Connecting the Dots (Indianapolis; Early-Bird registration: $575 by March 1)

Webinars & Calls

February 26–27, beginning February 26 at 12:30pm: Livestream of Aspen Forum on Children and Families (see agenda)
February 26, 4pm: How Social Change Happens: The View from Detroit
February 27, 12–1pm: HIV Prevention: Harm Reduction for Injection Drug Users (IDUs)
February 28, 2–3pm: Recovery LIVE! Recovery Supports that Empower People in Treatment and Recovery in their Parenting Roles
March 1, 12–1pm: Crisis Communication Planning: Preserving your Nonprofit’s Reputation ($20-$25 or $48-$60 for 3 webinar bundle)
March 5, 12–1pm: Donor Retention Strategies: Keeping the Love ($20-$25 or $48-$60 for 3 webinar bundle)
March 6, 9:30–10:30am: Proposed Time Limits for SNAP Benefits – webinar by Coalition Against Hunger and Community Legal Services (CLS)
March 6, 2–3:30pm: Building the Evidence: Innovative Partnerships to Move Community-Defined Evidence to Best Practice
March 6, 2–3pm: Well-Being of Families after Experiencing Homelessness
March 7, 2–3pm: Lobbying 101 Webinar
March 7, 2–3:30pm: Engaging Boards and Trustees in Strategic Learning ($50)
March 8, 12–1pm: How to Present at the Homes Within Reach Conference (incl. tips for a competitive proposal)
March 13, 12–1pm: Pain Medication Education Series, Part 3: What are my options for tapering opioids?
Recorded Webinar: Youth Collaboration (also transcript, slides)
Podcast: The Federal Role in Reducing Homelessness
Recorded Congressional Briefing: Opportunity Starts at Home
Recorded Webcast: America’s Opioid Crisis: Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment in Cities

Resources

National Summary of CoC System Performance Measures Now Available
Individual Homelessness: What are the Trends?
Why It’s Critical to Address Single Adult Homelessness Now
Philadelphia Reentry Coalition 2019 Winter Stakeholder Meeting Recap (The meeting focused on housing resources.)
Getting Talent Back to Work Toolkit
Using Medication Assisted Treatment to Treat Opioid Use Disorder: Learning from past Experience to Guide Policy
A Bridge to Long Term Recovery: Building Meaningful Collaboration
CDC Quality Improvement and Care Coordination: Implementing the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain
The Urban Institute is exploring promising solutions to advance equity and upward mobility in the decades ahead. What would it take to ensure quality, affordable housing for all in communities of opportunity?
Black History Month: Understanding Inequities Created by Housing Policies
BELL Summary Report on Year 1: January 1, 2018 to November 30, 2018
I Want to Go to College: Now What? A guide for youths who are or were homeless, or are at-risk of experiencing homelessness
Fostering Successful Youth Transitions in Pennsylvania: Laying the Groundwork for Positive Change
Understanding Rapid Re-housing: Systematic Review of Rapid Re-housing Outcomes Literature
Understanding Rapid Re-housing: Supplemental Analysis of Data from the Family Options Study
Youth Rapid Re-Housing Is on the Rise. Join Us to Learn More in 2019.
Coming Up Short for Individuals: Why Bed Counts Make a Difference
Racial Disparities in the Homeless System: Moving Forward
Progress Report: What Does the AHAR Tell Us About Family Homelessness?
How Housing Instability Impacts Individual and Family Well-Being
The Emerging Crisis of Aged Homelessness: Could Housing Solutions Be Funded by Avoidance of Excess Shelter, Hospital, and Nursing Home Costs?
Rental Housing Discrimination on the Basis of Mental Disabilities: Results of Pilot Testing
What Modern-Day Housing Discrimination Looks Like: A Conversation with the National Fair Housing Alliance
For Reentry Success and Beyond, Rental Housing Access Matters
Evidence Matters: Transforming Knowledge into Housing and Community Development Policy – Summer/Fall 2018
Findings from In-Depth Interviews with Participants in Subsidized Employment Programs
The Science of Addiction: The Stories of Teens – explore common misconceptions about opioids through the voices of teens
Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America
Outcomes of a Citywide Campaign to Reduce Medicaid Hospital Readmissions With Connection to Primary Care Within 7 Days of Hospital Discharge
Reducing Barriers to Reintegration: Fair chance and expungement reforms in 2018, including discussion of Pennsylvania’s technically ambitious Clean Slate Act of 2018