Announcement

Former Salem Housing Authority Admin, Andy Wilch

Until further notice, the Mid-Willamette Valley Health and Housing Work Group is in recess,  subject to the call of the secretary.

Please feel free to contact the Secretary, Sarah Owens, with any questions.

The Work Group is very grateful to the Salem Housing Authority for allowing them to meet in their conference room over the past year.

13 January 2020 Meeting Notes

Present: Presenter Corissa Neufeldt, Marion County Human Services Director; Sarah Owens, Secretary;  Members Chris Jones, Eddie Maestas, Dana Schultz, Michael Livingston (see Roster tab, above).

Corissa spoke informally about what Marion County Human Services is doing at the intersection of health and housing.  The Board of Commissioners has a leadership role in forming the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance.  The Juvenile and Sherriff's Department are also involved.  Most of Marion County's housing services is supporting clients that the county serves through behavioral health services. 

The Marion County Housing Authority sets aside 10 housing vouchers per month for homeless/at risk clients.  These are shared between the Human Services, Juvenile, and Sherriff's Department, but Human Services uses most of them.  Their clients have many barriers to accessing housing, even with a voucher (housing is not affordable, or not accessible, or not suitable because of other tenants, etc.)  Corissa plans to work with Annette Jensen to cultivate relationships with owners and property managers.  Annette prioritizes housing referrals based on need/vulnerability.

The county also has an OHA "Housing First" rent subsidy program for clients with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders.  Clients in this program eventually move on to a voucher.  The county Health Department runs Horizon House and other adult foster homes
  
Dana asked if the county would be interested in cooperating on a Permanent Supportive Housing project and Corissa said yes, she thought so.  Dana and Annette had been to Eugene the day before to look at a reentry housing program for sex offenders, and were hopeful about working together on similar project. 

Pacific Source has contractual expectations that providers address housing as one of the social determinants of health.  Corissa said the county is more or less waiting to hear more about those expectations.  Dana said she'd met with interim director Trudy Townsend, who said once the Mid-Willamette Valley Health Council was assembled, providers would be invited to make proposals on how they propose to satisfy their contractual obligations, and the Council will decide whether or not to approve them.  Pacific Source has yet to settle on a director or a location, but will eventually have about 40 staff in a Salem office.  

Dana said that Jan Calvin is conducting one on one meetings with providers to get them "signed on" to the Built for Zero goals.  The aim is to involve every organization who is connected to a homeless individual or to the desired outcome for the homeless individual.  Providers have to commit to twice per month case conferencing.  The by-name list will focus on chronically homeless individuals.  Lane, Clackamas, and Washington counties are also participating.  Participants report to an "improvement advisor" named Sandy Coltz who is also available for technical assistance.  See here for an info sheet with more details.

The next meeting is scheduled for February 10.

13 January 2020 Agenda