Checklist for Homeless Service Providers During Community Re-opening
Across the United States, some states and local areas are preparing to reopen businesses and community centers after closing. Even if COVID-19 cases have decreased in your area, quick spread of this disease in homeless shelters or encampments is possible. Protection of clients and staff remains necessary. During this time, continue to refer to the guidance for homeless service providers and unsheltered homelessness. This checklist was designed to provide homeless service providers – many of whom have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic – with a reminder of important considerations for service delivery as the surrounding community reopens.
WRO May is Mental Health Awareness Month Event
Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. invites you to a Zoom Meeting
TOPIC: Housing and your Mental Health
Open to the first 100 people on a first come first serve basis
Date and Time: May 29, 2020 10:30am
Zoom Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82621189113
CALL: +1 929 205 6099 MEETING ID: 826 2118 9113
Join us for a presentation followed by questions and answer from the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health. Approximately one in five Americans struggles with Mental Health. Come join us to hear about options available to you in Westchester County.
Engaging Persons with Lived Experience of Homelessness in Your COVID-19 Response Materials
HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) invited homeless assistance providers and their partners to participate in an hour long call to discuss best practices and strategies for engaging persons with lived experience of homelessness in your COVID-19 planning and response. The following presenters were available for a live question and answer session:
Kelvin Lassiter, National Coalition for the Homeless
Donald Whitehead, National Coalition for the Homeless
Shawn Jones, Baltimore Lived Experience Advisory Committee
Anthony Williams, Baltimore Lived Experience Advisory Committee
Click here to view the recording and slides from the webinar.
Saint Vincent's 24/7 COVID Support Line
24/7 COVID Support Line
St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester, A Division of Saint Joseph’s Medical Center
(914) 925-5959 - 24/7 telephone response
Walk-in evaluations available 24/7 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Harrison
To support our community at this difficult time, our new COVID Support Line offers callers free and confidential support for those feeling added stress, anxiety and depression due to the pandemic.
Our team of experienced mental health professionals is available to listen, assist and offer referrals to additional services as needed.
Individual and group support is available via phone, Telehealth and Zoom video conferencing.
You’re not alone, call us for help.
ANNOUNCEMENT - Westchester County DCMH has released the RFP for the FY19 Planning Grant
Westchester County DCMH, as Collaborative Applicant with the CoC, has been awarded a planning grant for certain work concerning the CoC. This Planning Grant is intended to be used for planning and management services, including, without limitation, coordinating and monitoring the activities of the CoC, and monitoring responsibilities, providing oversight of HUD grants, and administering required surveys and reports that go to HUD.
For more information or to apply, go to https://rfp.westchestergov.com/rfp/rfps.
NYS Needs Your Help- Join the Contact Tracing Team
NYS is rolling out its Contact Tracing Initiative. The aim of this initiative will be to call every person diagnosed with COVID-19, establish all contacts of this person, and proceed to call and maintain ongoing communication with every contact. In addition, the team will support the isolation and quarantine of individuals, as appropriate in cooperation with the Local Health Department. This includes virtual needs checks and referral to community resources as needed. This contact tracing initiative is in tandem with statewide-wide efforts to increase testing, improve communication and knowledge of effective strategies to reduce transmission, and implementation of isolation and quarantine. This will fortify efforts to control the pandemic in NYS.
New York State plans to hire a team of 6,400 to 17,000 staff statewide, depending on the projected number of COVID-19 cases, to support the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) and Local Health Departments (LHDs) to perform contact tracing in communities across NYS. The first goal is to help the state identify and recruit a robust Contact Tracing team to be a part of this ambitious and urgent effort. To be considered, candidates must be a New York State resident, 18 years of age or older; meet the position description requirement; go through an interview process; and complete a training and certification program.
New York State is looking to immediately fill the following roles:
Contact Tracers: reach out to the contacts of anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 to assess symptoms, ensure compliance with quarantine and determine social support needs.
Team Supervisors: lead a team of 20 Contact Tracers, and one Community Support Specialist who are working remotely using digital tools.
Community Support Specialists: work with the team and the local health departments to address the physical/mental health, and social/human service needs of those contacted, especially those who are under isolation or quarantine.
Click here if you or someone you know in New York State is interested in applying to be a part of the Contact Tracing team.
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/get-involved-how-you-can-help
COVID-19 Planning & Response for Homeless Assistance Providers Office Hours - April 17 →
HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) invited homeless assistance providers and their partners to participate in an Office Hours session to discuss COVID-19 planning and response. Presenters from the following federal agencies and their partners were available for a live question and answer session:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
National Healthcare for the Homeless Council (HCH)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Office Hours sessions on COVID-19 planning and response will occur weekly on Fridays from 2:30 - 4:00 PM EDT.
COVID-19 Prevention and Response for Homeless Providers: Daily Resource Digest
Resources and assistance to support HUD's community partners
COVID-19 Prevention and Response for Homeless Providers: Daily Resource Digest
Digest for April 14, 2020
The recent emergence of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) calls for enhanced cooperation between public health authorities, homeless service systems, and other partners at the local level. To support these partnerships and the vulnerable households served, relevant federal agencies are issuing guidance from subject matter experts on lessons learned from previous response efforts to infectious diseases.
Below are new resources from HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) and their federal, state, and local partners. SNAPS will share daily updates highlighting new COVID-19 prevention and response resources targeted to homeless providers.
New HUD SNAPS Resources
Visit the SNAPS Disease Risks and Homelessness page for a full list of COVID-19 infectious disease prevention and response resources.
New National Partner Resources
National Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) Council: COVID-19 Resources
National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH): Coronavirus and Homelessness
COVID-19 Webinar Series: Watch past webinar recordings and register for upcoming webinars
U.S. Department of Treasury: CARES Act Web Portal
This portal will capture and share information on applications and timelines associated with the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund. Treasury will make payments from the Fund to states and eligible units of local government. Eligible governments must submit completed payment materials no later than 11:59 PM EDT on Friday, April 17, 2020.
View the full COVID-19 SNAPS resource digest for a comprehensive list of websites and resources.
Visit the HUD Exchange at https://www.hudexchange.infoForward to a Friend | Update Subscription | Unsubscribe from the ListThis email was sent to apr5@WESTCHESTERGOV.COM by news@hudexchange.info. Do not reply to this message. Contact the HUD Exchange at info@hudexchange.info.Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe TM | Privacy PolicyU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development|451 7th Street S.W. | Washington | D.C. | 20410
Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition Coronavirus and Homelessness Webinar
Join the Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition for a weekly National Call on Coronavirus and Homelessness/Housing on Mondays at 2:30 pm EST. Join housing and homelessness advocates nationwide to learn more about how federal, state, and local governments are responding to a national outbreak of Coronavirus and its impact on people experiencing homelessness and low-income households. To Register for these calls CLICK HERE .
To view slides presented during the Monday April 6th call Click Here .
COVID-19 Planning & Response for Homeless Assistance Providers Office Hours - April 10
HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) invites homeless assistance providers and their partners to participate in weekly Office Hours sessions to discuss COVID-19 planning and response on Fridays from 2:30 - 4:00 PM EDT
Join this Friday's Office Hours
Participants do not need to register in advance. It is strongly recommended that you join the session 15 minutes prior to the start time (2:15 PM EDT). To join the session, simply Click Here
COVID-19 Prevention and Response for Homeless Providers: Daily Resource Digest
The recent emergence of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) calls for enhanced cooperation between public health authorities, homeless service systems, and other partners at the local level. Click here to read important and relevant resources from HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) and their federal, state, and local partners.
COVID-19 Planning & Response for Homeless Assistance Providers – Fridays at 2:30 PM EDT →
HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) invites homeless assistance providers and their partners to participate in weekly Office Hours sessions to discuss COVID-19 planning and response on Fridays from 2:30 - 4:00 PM EDT. The next session will be this Friday, March 27, 2020. Click Here to learn how to register.
Check Out This Newsletter: COVID-19 Prevention and Response for Homeless Providers: Daily Resource Digest →
Find new resources from HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) and their federal, state, and local partners. SNAPS will share daily updates highlighting new COVID-19 prevention and response resources targeted to homeless providers.
Click here to view full site
What to Know About NY State on PAUSE
New York’s Governor Cuomo announced the "New York State on PAUSE" executive order, a 10-point policy to assure uniform safety for everyone. Find out more Here
For Local Updates on COVID-19 Continue to Check the Westchester County Department of Health Website
https://health.westchestergov.com/
HUD Exchange Presents-Infectious Disease Preparedness for Homeless Assistance Providers and Their Partners
Click here for a copy of the slides presented- Infectious Disease Preparedness Among Homeless Assistance Providers and Their Partners
Farewell and Thank You to DCMH's Intern Michele Landry!
We thank Michele for all of her hard work and contributions to the 2020 Point in Time Count. We appreciate all that Michele has accomplished and look forward to working with her again on next year’s PIT Count!
