HEALTH AND HOUSING STABILITY committee
Purpose: The Health and Housing Stability Committee aims to improve access to and retention of mainstream healthcare services, and housing for three priority populations: most vulnerable and/or chronically homeless individuals; families, children and youth; and re-entry.
Projects include supporting and promoting existing initiatives already serving these populations such as:
Social Innovation Fund [SIF] Program – provides supportive housing and enhanced healthcare navigation for high- utilizers of acute medical services
Connecticut Collaborative on Re-entry [CCR] – targets supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals who are also high users of correction systems
Housing First Collaborative [HFC] Programs – a collaboration between homeless service providers that creates innovative solutions for ending chronic homelessness
Community Care Teams [CCT] – hospital-led initiatives in each local area which bring together community providers to improve client outcomes and reduce costs by developing wraparound services for vulnerable populations
Co-Chairs:
Margaret Watt, Southwestern Regional Mental Health Board, mwatt@healthymindsct.org
Committee Members:
Frank Concepcion, Open Door Shelter
Anthony Crisci, Triangle Community Center
Rachel Cunningham, Council of Churches Greater Bridgeport
Samuela Davis-Marlow, Catholic Charities of Coastal Fairfield County
Denise Kilic, Alpha Community Services YMCA
Karen Lyons, Community Health Network CT
Kelly McGee, Catholic Charities of Coastal Fairfield County
Silvia Narvaez, Alpha Community Services YMCA
Jasmin Noel, Malta House
Marlene Orr, Recovery Network of Programs
Staci Peete, Norwalk Hospital/Western CT Health Network
Margy Roberts, Community Health Network of CT
Margaret Watt, Southwestern Regional Mental Health Board
Staff: Lisa Bahadosingh, Director of Youth Initiatives and Special Projects, Supportive Housing Works, lisa@shworks.org
Meetings: monthly, 4th Wednesday, 10:00 am - 11:30 am, Mid Fairfield AIDS Project, 618 West Avenue, 2nd floor conference room, Norwalk, CT
H2 Plan: This action plan, possible because of HUD technical assistance, is a concise, strategic and prioritized presentation of recommended actions put forth by providers to address gaps and barriers in data, treatment/services, housing and funding for people who are experiencing homelessness, with a specific focus on those who are struggling with substance abuse disorders and/or with persistent mental illness.
Regional Housing First Collaborative [HFC] Team Leader Meeting: This monthly meeting of Fairfield County HFC team leaders, as well as the Coordinated Access Manager, and Regional CAN Manager from Department of Housing [DOH] streamlines processes, shares best practices, and aligns necessary resources to end chronic homelessness by December 2016.
Youth Task Force: This task force is composed of runaway and homeless youth service providers, and their aim is to collect data; align resources to meet the needs of homeless youth; and implement local strategies to help reach the goals of the CT Opening Doors Plan for Youth.