Community Living Supports Programs John Petroskas Minnesota Department of human services January 28, 2015

Outline Adult Income Programs General Assistance (GA) Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA) MSA Housing Assistance SOAR/SSI Advocacy programs Group Residential Housing (GRH) Long-Term Homeless Supportive Service Fund Moving Home Minnesota

General Assistance General Assistance (GA) is Minnesota’s primary safety net for single adults and childless couples. Average monthly caseload of 23,216 persons received GA in 2013 Maximum Monthly Benefit: $203 ($260 for a couple)

Who is eligible for GA? 14 categories of eligibility Must have permanent or temporary illness, injury, or incapacity which is expected to continue for more than 30 days and which prevents the person from obtaining or retaining employment. Must have statement signed by a “qualified professional” (e.g., physician, nurse practitioner, social worker, etc.)

GA INCOME/ASSET LIMITS No more than $203 in income (after subtracting certain disregards) No more than $1,000 in assets Recipient must apply for SSI/SSDI within 30 days if they appear to be eligible

Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA) MSA provides a monthly cash supplement to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment Monthly benefit is $81 ($111 for a couple) Average monthly caseload of 30,000 people receiving MSA in 2013 (while over 75,000 Minnesotans aged 18-65 receive SSI and are potentially eligible for MSA)

MSA Special Needs Special Diets Restaurant Meals Guardian/Conservator Fees Representative Payee Fees Home Repairs Household Furnishings & Appliances Housing Assistance

MSA Housing Assistance Eligibility Basis of eligibility: Over age 18 (or under 18 and blind), and Under age 65 (grandfathering allowed), and Receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), OR Countable income under $971 and age 65 or older, or blind, or certified disabled Remember, this is an income supplement, so we need to establish your income to know how much to supplement What is countable income? What kind of deductions make my countable income lower? How is a disability certified?

MSA Housing Assistance Eligibility And… Have monthly housing costs (rent and utilities) more than 40% of gross monthly income (not including MSA cash assistance). Definition of institution How do I verify my housing costs?

MSA Housing Assistance Eligibility And either… Be relocating from institution (hospital, RTC inpatient services, a nursing facility, or an ICF-DD) or an intensive residential mental health treatment program, OR Be eligible for Personal Care Assistance (PCA) services, OR Be receiving waivered services Definition of institution is… Talk about eligible for vs. receiving

MSA Housing Assistance Eligibility And… Apply for rental assistance, if applicable Unless you own your own home or are ineligible (i.e., felony) If waiting list is closed, sign DHS-6351 form saying you’ll apply if it opens You don’t have to move Do I have to apply for subsidized housing? What if the waiting list is closed? What if I don’t want to move? Yes, if you receive a rental assistance voucher, you will only pay 30% of your income, which is better than 40%. You don’t have to apply for rental assistance if you own your own home or are ineligible (i.e., felony). If the waiting list is closed, the county has a form to sign saying you’ll apply if it opens. You don’t have to move. We don’t require you to move into public housing, but instead that you would receive a voucher (like Section 8) that could be used in the setting you choose.

Typical MSA Housing Assistance Benefit $733 SSI Federal Benefit Rate + 81 MSA Cash Assistance +189 MSA Housing Assistance $1,003 Total Income + Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

SOAR Initiative SOAR = SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery Goal: Increase access to SSI/SSDI for people who are homeless and have a mental illness (SOAR) or are using state benefit programs (SSI Advocacy). DHS contracts with agencies to provide SOAR & SSI Advocacy services, and trains those who work with people experiencing homelessness to prepare successful applications for SSI/SSDI.

Group Residential Housing (GRH) Individual income supplement to purchase “room and board” GRH can pay for services in some cases Goal is to prevent or reduce institutional residence or homelessness GRH is a unique income supplement in that it is not paid directly to the recipient

Facts about grh GRH is entirely state-funded, but is administered by counties Nearly 20,000 people/month receive GRH The total cost of GRH in FY2013 was $130,000,000 Average GRH payment is approximately $545/month

Types of GRH HousinG Adult Foster Care (4104) - Nearly half of people receiving GRH live in adult foster care Board and Lodge (235) Board and Lodge w/ Special Services (282) Supervised Living Facility (56) Non-Certified Boarding Care (16) Housing w/ Services Establishment (520) Housing w/ Services Est. - Homeless (372) Metro Demo (15) Address, primary designation, 5600 total

Eligibility for GRH Eligibility for GRH Housing Rate Meet a Basis of Eligibility for SSI (blind, over age 65, or disabled) or Meet a Basis of Eligibility for GA

INCOME/asset Eligibility Eligibility for GRH Housing Rate Countable Income: Less than maximum benefit (the rate paid to the GRH setting) Assets: SSI Basis of Eligibility: $2,000 GA Basis of Eligibility: $1,000 (additional $2,000 with Earned Income Savings account)

GRH Housing Requirements Must be Licensed or Registered MN Department of Health, or MN Department of Human Services, or Tribal Government Must have GRH Agreement with County

Rent, Utilities, Food, Household Supplies GRH Housing Rate $876, effective 7/1/14 ($28.80/day) Rent, Utilities, Food, Household Supplies Anything left: Other things necessary to provide room and board NOT services, clothing, medical costs

GRH Supplemental Service Rate $482.84, effective 7/1/13 (or higher if Legislature has authorized exception) Supportive Services (required) Assistance with transportation, Arranging meetings and appointments, Arranging medical and social services, Medication reminders, and Up to 24-hour supervision Health Supervision (optional) 27% of GRH clients receive SSR

Program uniformity changes Changes passed by 2014 legislature will affect all DHS cash assistance programs. Effective June 1, 2016, a single asset limit of $10,000 will be used across programs. Effective October 1, 2015, a single earned income disregard will be used – first $65 of earned income and 50% of any remaining income thereafter.

LTH Supportive Services Grants Nearly $12,000,000 budget in FY2014 Funds services such as case management, utility bill assistance, transportation assistance, and crisis intervention. Services are delivered by multi-county and tribal collaboratives, through local nonprofits and government entities. Served about 1,500 households in FY2014 -- 25% in the seven-county metro area, with the remaining 75% in greater Minnesota.

Moving home minnesota Minnesota’s version of the federal Money Follows the Person initiative, which provides services and funding to help people leave health care facilities. Federal demonstration project started in 2012 -- five years with possibility of extension Multi-divisional project at DHS. Community Living Supports has the housing staff person. MN Housing received HUD 811 project-based rental subsidies – half are targeted to MHM participants and half to long term homeless persons with severe mental illness

resources Updated rules for all DHS cash assistance programs can be found in the MN DHS Combined Manual: www.dhs.state.mn.us/id_016956 Other DHS programs, like health care and child care, have their own manuals: www.dhs.state.mn.us/id_000103 All MN DHS forms are available on eDOCS: www.dhs.state.mn.us/id_000100

Questions? GA/MSA: Beth Grube 651-431-3839 SOAR: Barbara Williams 651-431-2156 GRH: John Petroskas 651-431-5644 LTH SSR: Pat Leary 651-431-3834 MHM: Karen Peed 651-431-2511 HUD 811: Heidi Sandberg 651-431-6357 John.Petroskas@state.mn.us dhs.adultincomesupport@state.mn.us

Homeless Program Funding MN Department of Human Services Office of Economic Opportunity

Learning Goals Which homeless grants are awarded through OEO. How much funding is available for each grant. What types of programs and populations are eligible for each grant. How to apply for funding.

Presenter’s Goals To make this the TED Talk of Funder presentations… To make this the Funder presentation that you will tell your grandkids about… Okay, to not put anyone to sleep.

The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) Founded in 1965 as part of War on Poverty Designed to address both consequences and causes of poverty. Goals include improving the economic and social well-being of recipients. The Office also includes SNAP Outreach and Education, Farmer’s Market SNAP Access, Food Programs/TEFP, Community Action (CSBG)

OEO Homeless Program Staff Francie Mathes Isaac Wengerd Dina Chou Tom Balsley Andrea Simonett

Name That Bird Bird B Bird A

OEO Programs Overall, OEO distributes approximately $19.2 million in homeless funding each biennium. General Eligibility: Homeless

OEO Programs Grants Emergency Solutions Grant Balance of State Federal Shelter—$2.4 Million Re-housing—$1.2 Million…can fluctuate annually. Emergency Services Program (ESP) State, $1.1 Million State Transitional Housing Program (STHP) State $6.3 Million Homeless Youth Act (HYA) State, $6.2 Million Safe Harbor State, $2 Million

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Federal Provides funding: Emergency Shelter ($2.4): To meet the operating and service costs associated with the provision of emergency shelter to homeless people Application open to all areas of State Re-Housing ($1.2): Short to medium-term rental subsidies and stabilization services for persons leaving the streets, emergency shelter or temporary living arrangements. Balance of State (Non-Entitlement Areas*) *Hennepin County, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, St. Louis County, Dakota County

Emergency Services Program State, $1.1 Million Funds the operating and service costs of overnight shelters, motel vouchers and day shelters for the homeless, as well as essential services to homeless children, families and individuals.

State Transitional Housing Program State, $6.3 Million Provides rental subsidies and supportive services to homeless individuals and families to attain and maintain stable housing. Participants are required to pay at least 25% of their household income for rent, and program stay is limited to 24 months. New requirement for State THP grantees: 3 month evaluations. Length and depth of rental subsidies should allow individuals and families to obtain or increase employment, earned income and/or necessary education and training for greater sufficiency. Eligible Models: Scattered-Site, Site-Based, Master Leasing, Tenant- Based Leasing

Homeless Youth Act State, $6.2 Million Provides funding to non-profits and Tribal Governments to provide Street outreach Drop-in center programs Emergency shelter Youth supportive housing This includes prevention, transitional living program, and permanent supportive housing)

Safe Harbor State, $2 Million Provides funding for a new set of programming specific to sex trafficked minors through specialized emergency shelter, transitional living, youth supportive housing programs and specialized foster care.

How to apply for OEO funds Consolidated, competitive RFP every two years. Next RFP will be released in late February 2015. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, local units of government and tribal governments. Application is structured to allow agencies to apply for funding for specific homeless activities, such as emergency shelter or transitional housing. Format changing for 2015 Criteria: Program Capacity, Design, Revenue and Budget Also consider Geographic Location, Previous Performance

Contact Info: Tom Balsley 651-431-3823 tom.balsley@state.mn.us

Minnesota Housing Heading Home Hennepin January 28, 2015 Brown Bag Lunch Series Minnesota Housing January 28, 2015

Our Mission: Minnesota Housing finances affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households while fostering strong communities. Please keep this slide on all presentations. Introduce Minnesota Housing by explaining what we do: Minnesota Housing provides access to safe, decent and affordable housing and builds stronger communities across the state. It has a national reputation as one of the finest housing finance agencies in the country and has built an enduring alliance among partners in the for-profit, non-profit and government sectors to achieve its mission. Minnesota Housing offers products and services to help Minnesotans buy and fix up their homes and to stabilize neighborhoods, communities and families. It also supports the development and preservation of affordable rental housing through both financing and long term asset manage­ment. It has pioneered a successful model for supportive housing that helps stabilize the lives of some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.

Minnesota Housing Overview Single Family Multifamily: Production: Underwriters, Architects, Closers Asset Management: PBCA, TC, Compliance Supportive Housing: Grants, Community, Capital Operations: Business Support, Data Management, Training

Supportive Housing Grant Programs Bridges and Rental Assistance Housing Trust Fund, State Appropriations, agency funds Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) State Appropriations, Operating Subsidy State Appropriations, agency funds

Supportive Housing Community Collaboration Continuum of Care Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness (MICH) and partnerships with state agencies Note: The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness and the Olmstead Implementation Office are NOT a function under Minnesota Housing.

Supportive Housing Capital Permanent Supportive Housing Tend to be focused populations 100% supportive housing Housing Infrastructure Bonds (HIB) and other State Appropriations Supportive Housing Officers Long Term Homeless units Tend to be within larger development (i.e. 4 units) Housing Tax Credits and other State Appropriations Note: Minnesota Housing does not provide NEW rental assistance, operating subsidy, or service funding.

For More Information Contact: Joel Salzer joel.salzer@state.mn.us 651.296.9828 www.mnhousing.gov