HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04251995 - FHS3 F&HS-03 Contra
To: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ,,�,..-5;--.:L--.-oma
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FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEECosta
FROM: .1
County
April 19 1995
DATE: p res'+i`oiic+� �r
SUBJECT: REPORT OF MEETING WITH THE HOMELESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . Assuming that the two positions are approved by the Board of
Supervisors on April 25, 1995, ENCOURAGE the Health Services
Director to fill the Homeless Program Coordinator position and
Planner position as quickly as possible.
2 . URGE the Acting Social Services Director to assign staff to
meet on a regular basis with the Homeless Advisory Committee
to insure that the Department' s input, perspectives and
resources are taken into consideration in planning for the
needs of the homeless .
3 . REQUEST the Health Services Director to encourage the cities
to participate in the planning for the needs of the homeless
since they have real and legitimate concerns, perspectives and
positions that need to be taken into consideration and
addressed as the comprehensive plan for the homeless is
written.
4 . ENCOURAGE the Health Services Director to use an integrated
community service center model in dealing with the needs of
the homeless, similar to that in operation currently in Bay
Point and Richmond with the Service Integration Teams in an
effort to involve all affected government and community
resources in providing comprehensive services to the homeless,
calling as needed on the Social Services Department, Community
Services Department, Probation Department, and other public
and private service providers .
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMM T E
APPROVE O`THE�RA/�,�/J(�
SIGNATURE(S): y
ACTI ON OF BOARD ON _April 2 5� 1995 APP VED;S RECOMMENDED 1] OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. C(
ATTESTED a S) 'Q` `
Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
cc: See Page 5 SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY DEPUTY
F&HS-03
5 . CONCLUDE that some things we are doing in the way of serving
the homeless are not working as well as they could, can and
will be improved, but that under no circumstances will the
County be able to meet all of the needs of all of the homeless
in this County now or the foreseeable future.
6 . DIRECT the County Administrator to schedule another meeting of
the Family and Human Services Committee with the Homeless
Advisory Committee sometime prior to June 30, 1995 so our
Committee has another opportunity to hear from and plan with
the members of the Homeless Advisory Committee before the
draft comprehensive plan for homeless services is filed with
our Committee by the Health Services Director.
BACKGROUND:
On March 21, 1995, the Board of Supervisors approved a report from
our Committee which included the following recommendation, among
others :
7 . REQUEST the County Administrator to schedule a
date, place and time when the Family and Human
Services Committee can meet with the members of the
Homeless Advisory Committee in order to jointly
plan for the direction in which the Board of
Supervisors should move in developing and
implementing a comprehensive plan for services to
the homeless in this County.
On April 19, 1995 our Committee met with the Homeless Advisory
Committee. Dr. Ashok Patwardhan, Chair of the Homeless Advisory
Committee, introduced the subject matter by making the following
comments :
❑ The County has made some real efforts to address the problem
of homelessness . However, the needs exceed the available
resources, therefore it is necessary to prioritize the needs
and focus resources where they will be most effective.
❑ The County should set some goals for the next 3 - 5 years in
terms of what is going to be accomplished in addressing the
needs of the homeless .
❑ The County should set some measurable objectives that will
move toward accomplishing the agreed-upon goals .
❑ Once goals and objectives are agreed to, the County needs to
decide what strategies will assist in reaching the goals and
objectives .
❑ The County should not only pay attention to treatment, but
also to prevention. The question should be, "How can we
prevent people from becoming homeless without diverting our
scarce existing resources . "
❑ The County then needs a comprehensive plan. The Homeless
Advisory Committee and Pro-Active Community Team have been
working for a number of weeks on preparing a document which
can form the base for a plan.
❑ There is some overlap in interest and capabilities of the
service providers . There is no effective way to coordinate
all of the current service providers .
❑ Finally, it is necessary to have a timetable for completion
and implementation of the plan.
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F&HS-03
Dr. Patwardhan suggested that the meeting would be a success if, by
the end of the meeting, we are able to come up with a few things we
can achieve and agree on what they are.
Dr. Brunner commented that the draft plan needs to be reworked. It
was put together rather quickly for a HUD application. It is
essential to have the proposed Planner on board in order to
complete a truly comprehensive plan.
Dr. Patwardhan suggested that we should leave the room this evening
with a general idea of what the major parts of the plan should
consist of. We should also consider how we can all help to make it
happen.
Supervisor DeSaulnier suggested that we are all frustrated and need
to agree on some outcomes so we can see and measure our progress .
He suggested that the group should meet again in 60 to 90 days .
In response to a question from Kathy Renfrow about whether any of
the dollars that were eliminated from programs for the homeless
would be restored, Supervisor DeSaulnier indicated that he did not
know whether this was possible, although the Board has been able to
do some reprioritizing of services, although doing so is always
difficult.
David Ammann suggested that the Board of Supervisor should do the
following:
1 . Review the allocation of Community Development Block Grant
funds more carefully.
2 . Divert some shelter funds and use them to put some homeless
people in housing.
3 . Avoid adding to the case management structure. There are
other resources available to provide case management which
should be used.
4 . Get people out of shelters more quickly so there will be slots
available to serve more people.
5 . Recognize that homelessness cannot be prevented directly
because it is caused by a lack of money, job skills, and
employment opportunities .
Janet Bruce agreed with Mr. Ammann that a significant part of the
problem is that people cannot afford housing. The County needs
more low-cost, affordable housing.
Jerome Knott shared a somewhat different perspective. He suggested
that 80% of the people he sees who are homeless have problems with
alcohol or drug abuse, mental health problems or are battered
women. Only following these problems does a lack of money become
an issue. He also suggested that we need to do some research into
what other counties are doing. He also suggested that the County
does not do enough for homeless families, as opposed to single
individuals .
In response, Mr. Ammann suggested that part of the problem is that
those individuals with alcohol and drug problems do not receive
adequate recovery services . People tend to be shifted from one
program to another without ever getting the individual reconnected
to society.
Phil Bertenthal suggested that the alcohol, drug and mental health
problems have always been present. The difference previously was
that these individual had homes . Now these individuals still have
the alcohol, drug and mental health problems, but are also
homeless. He suggested that the County faces a crisis in
affordable housing. He also suggested that rather than being the
result of alcoholism, drug abuse or mental health problems,
homelessness may actually cause alcoholism, drug abuse and mental
health problems.
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F&HS-03
Susan Prather complained that too much low-income housing that is
built is dedicated to senior citizens . Many other younger
individuals do not have any housing. She also stated that many
developers and builders get into a community by using low income
and low-low income bonds and then buy out the contract to provide
that housing. She also stated that the Coordinator and Planner
positions should be filled by people who have strong skills in
homeless programs and who will bring experience in the field to the
job.
Vince Lombardo noted his concern that County departments seem to
just do studies . The problem is shifted to another department
which then does another study. The problem is then transferred to
another department which does another study. He pointed out that
the County has a team. What is needed now is a coach - a leader to
inspire the team and get them all moving in the same direction.
Mr. Lombardo also outlined the elements of a comprehensive,
integrated community service center where a homeless person could
obtain all of the necessary services which would be coordinated and
available under one roof. This would include emergency housing,
low-cost permanent housing, a place to get a shower, receive mail,
find out about employment opportunities, and get accurate
information about what services are available and how the process
works . Trained volunteers could also be available to help homeless
individuals fill out the forms they need to complete to receive
services .
Charee Lord indicated that St. Vincent De Paul has applied for
funds to do exactly what Mr. Lombardo was suggesting but that it
was not funded. She also agreed that alcohol and drug abuse is a
big problem. She suggested that addressing these problems was a
key to preventing homelessness .
Tom Fulton expressed his concern that we so often put more emphasis
on administrative program activities and not enough attention to
providing bed space for the homeless .
Charee Lord commented that no one seems to be aware of all the
service providers who are present in the community. She also
suggested that the plan for HUD had been assembled too quickly
because of HUD' s deadlines .
Benita Harris remarked that she has done case management for years.
Case management is a major way that costs can be cut. Case
management should be viewed as the manner in which people move to
receive services, rather than simply a way to hire more people.
She also suggested that there is a need to have a strong hand on
the helm - someone in charge of services for the homeless . All of
the services seems to be fragmented; nothing is pulled together.
We almost need a "homeless czar" . Unfortunately, many of the
agencies are dealing with the same people, but the people are being
dealt with in a vacuum.
Dr. Brunner suggested that one of the best pieces of advice he had
received from Susan Prather was, "Don't tell people you can do
something if you can't" . He pointed out that we cannot totally
solve the homeless problem. There are things that can be and need
to be improved. But even with those improvements we are not going
to be able to solve the problem of homelessness in this County. He
also commented that he has learned how much of a problem affordable
housing is in this County.
Phil Bertenthal suggested that the Social Services Department is
not represented at this meeting and needs to be. He also agreed
with the need for a homeless czar to provide leadership. He also
suggested that the Board of Supervisors has to be prepared to
accept some failures.
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F&HS-03
In summarizing the meeting, Dr. Patwardhan made the following
points :
❑ The Board of Supervisors needs to have a vision and at the
same time be pragmatic about what can be done.
❑ The Board of Supervisors needs to set some goals .
❑ The Board needs to have a Plan prepared quickly.
❑ Among the strategies the Board of Supervisors should pursue
are the following:
✓ Strengthen outreach to the homeless and referral of the
homeless to needed services .
✓ Create a neighborhood system to deliver services to the
homeless which makes services more accessible.
✓ Increase the stock of affordable housing.
✓ Increase services to some segments of the homeless
population who have not received sufficient attention,
such as run away youth, women and children.
❑ The County needs a better collaborative approach to addressing
the needs of the homeless - need a coach.
❑ The Board of Supervisors needs to look at who or which agency
is the best integrator of services - it may not be the County.
❑ The Homeless Advisory Committee is ready to take a hand in
writing the plan and helping to make it a reality.
Based on this excellent interchange, we have formulated the above
recommendations and will continue to meet with staff and the
Homeless Advisory Committee in an effort to move this subject
forward.
cc: Mark Finucane, Health Services Director
Richard Martinez, Executive Director
Contra Costa County Housing Authority
Bob Hofmann, Acting Social Services Director
Wendel Brunner, M.D. , Public Health Director
Victor J. Westman, County Counsel
Scott Tandy, Chief Assistant County Administrator
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