Continuum of Care in Continuum of Care in Rural NebraskaRural Nebraska

January 26, 2010January 26, 2010

NIFA ConferenceNIFA Conference

Omaha, NEOmaha, NE

Rural Continuum of Rural Continuum of Care RegionsCare Regions

Southeast

Region 4

22 counties

Northeast

Region 5

15 counties

North Central

Region 2

22 counties

Southwest

Region 3

23 counties

Panhandle

Region 1

11 counties

Southeast NE Southeast NE Continuum of CareContinuum of Care

Organized in 1998Organized in 1998 22 counties22 counties Meet 9-10 times/yearMeet 9-10 times/year

– Face-to-faceFace-to-face– WebExWebEx

17 entities; 20-25 attendees17 entities; 20-25 attendees Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning

AchievementsAchievements

Provides framework to bring Provides framework to bring funding into rural areafunding into rural area– Supportive Housing Program Supportive Housing Program

o Funding through US Housing & Urban Funding through US Housing & Urban DevelopmentDevelopment

o Transitional Housing programs (5)Transitional Housing programs (5)o Supportive Services Only Programs (1)Supportive Services Only Programs (1)o Homeless Management Information Homeless Management Information

SystemsSystemso Total of $1,306,761Total of $1,306,761

AchievementsAchievements

– NE Homeless Assistance GrantsNE Homeless Assistance Grantso Totaling $2,801,812Totaling $2,801,812o Operations, Client Services & Operations, Client Services &

PreventionPrevention

– Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing ProgramRe-Housing Program

o Totaling $5,128,578Totaling $5,128,578o Goal: With this assistance, Goal: With this assistance,

households become stably housedhouseholds become stably housed

AchievementsAchievements

Statewide Client Data SystemStatewide Client Data System– All CoC’s on same data programAll CoC’s on same data program– Statewide homeless & near Statewide homeless & near

homeless datahomeless data Awareness of homelessnessAwareness of homelessness

– Hunger & Homeless Awareness Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week – the third week in NovemberWeek – the third week in November

AchievementsAchievements

Inventory of Services Updated yearlyInventory of Services Updated yearly– Supportive servicesSupportive services

Employment, education, transportation, Employment, education, transportation, health, case management, child care, etc.health, case management, child care, etc.

– Housing units available Housing units available Emergency shelterEmergency shelter Transitional housing programsTransitional housing programs Permanent supportive housingPermanent supportive housing

Collaborations/Partnerships Collaborations/Partnerships establishedestablished

Planning & GoalsPlanning & Goals

Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning– HousingHousing– Service Coordination & CollaborationService Coordination & Collaboration– SustainabilitySustainability– Public Education & AwarenessPublic Education & Awareness– Data Collection & AnalysisData Collection & Analysis

Connection to Connection to Nebraska’s 10-year Nebraska’s 10-year

PlanPlan1. Create housing options1. Create housing options

– Discuss the feasibility of Housing FirstDiscuss the feasibility of Housing First

2. Increase access to mainstream 2. Increase access to mainstream resourcesresources– Identify barriers & gaps of servicesIdentify barriers & gaps of services– Explore methods to address gapsExplore methods to address gaps

3. Establish data collection system3. Establish data collection system– Implement & conduct point-in-time Implement & conduct point-in-time

countcount

ChallengesChallenges

Large geographic areaLarge geographic area– Travel time to meetingsTravel time to meetings– CollaborationCollaboration

o Building relationshipsBuilding relationshipso Frequent communicationFrequent communication

– Having diverse representation from Having diverse representation from all geographic areasall geographic areas

LeadershipLeadership

ChallengesChallenges

Representation of certain groupsRepresentation of certain groups– Housing developersHousing developers– Local governmentLocal government– BusinessBusiness– Consumers, i.e. homeless or Consumers, i.e. homeless or

formerly homeless individualsformerly homeless individuals Getting current information from Getting current information from

all areasall areas

SuccessSuccess

Believe in the missionBelieve in the mission Dedication of those involvedDedication of those involved Support of the StateSupport of the State Foresight to develop statewide dataForesight to develop statewide data Willingness of HUD to provide Willingness of HUD to provide

technical assistancetechnical assistance Creative in order to be efficientCreative in order to be efficient