Homeless Taskforce Update #1 (8/1)

Resident Unhoused Population

The City's Homeless Task Force was activated to increase efforts in addressing our Resident Unhoused Population: people originating in Sanford/Springvale (or the close region) who have become or have been unhoused for an extended period due to various reasons. The Sanford Police Department's Mental Health Unit (MHU) tracks the number of contacts, conducts interviews, and maintains a database of the Unhoused and the associated reasons for being unhoused. The Task Force was activated in response to the rapid increase in the number of Unhoused individuals in the last year, particularly those facing financial struggles, mental health issues, and Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD). The Task Force is comprised of the following members:

Sanford Mayor
City Councilor
Police Mental Health Unit
- 2 Officers
- 2 Social Workers (one focused on SUD and one on Mental Health)
Sanford Housing Authority Director
York County Community Action Executive Director and Director of Economic Opportunity
Police Chief, Deputy Chief, and 2 Majors
City Manager

The purpose of the meeting was to review both long-term and short-term services to address homelessness and to solidify the roles and partnerships that already exist across the City's Departments and with the Sanford Housing Authority, York County Community Action, and other regional or state service providers. The Task Force discussed the currently Unhoused Population:

142 Unique Contacts
105 Actively Engaged Unhoused
7 Unhoused individuals addressed last week and now off the list

The Resident Unhoused can be grouped into Four Major Categories:

People who are Unhoused due to Financial or other Circumstances, not Mental Health or SUD-related.
- Need Housing Assistance Funding or Gap Funds above current levels.
People needing support or case management to become successfully housed.
- Case Management – Short Term
People with severe Mental Health and SUD that will require treatment and then case management, short term, to be successfully housed.
People whose Mental Health and SUD have become so dominant that they will require long-term case management while being housed.

Extensive dialogue around these groupings, the associated services utilized or needed, the success or deficiencies of services, and capacities were then summarized into the following immediate and/or short-term actions:

Place Groups 1 & 2 under Case Management and Housing Navigators to Apartments.
- YCCAC and Housing Navigators
- Sanford Housing Authority for Vouchers
- Same Placement Efforts as for AS
Maximize the Partnerships Key to addressing the number/type of Homeless
- YCCAC to explore placing a current Housing Navigator at the Sanford PD to work beside the Mental Health Unit Staff to improved coordination
- AmeriCorps Funded Position – Regional Application – housed within MHU
  - Grant for Three Years – trained specifically in Housing
- YCCAC Staff Person to assist with data tracking and management of the Unhoused Population provided by MHU
- Housing Navigation Program used for AS focused here
Paramedicine Program
- $100,000 Grant and $10,000 Grant - Still need $30,000
  - AFG Grant for Vehicle
  - SAFER Grant for Additional Staffing
- Medication Adherence
- Pick Up and delivery of prescriptions
- Wound Care – start of medical progression to accept assistance
Establish a New Group of Volunteers around Resident Unhoused
- Coordination of Volunteer hours, resources, donations
State of Gap Funding for Housing – Upcoming Meeting with State Officials
- Housing First Model
- Shelter Bed Capacity – York County Shelter Program Primary focus to increase capacity
- Gap funding for Rental Assistance – now lost post-COVID
Landlord Education – Eviction prevention (Economic Displacement)
- Sanford Housing and YCCAC has outreach educational programming – seeks to lessen evictions, loss of housing for renovations, significant rent increases (not rent control)
Reestablish the Resource Hub for this Summer
- Focus on a new location and aid the Peer Support Counseling Center to reopen – as the Lost Resource Hub proven to be very effective
- Food Services - coordinated
- Needs Based Services – coordinated
Work with Maine DHHS - IHSP Independent Housing Supportive Program
- Partner on an Application by Southern Maine Area on Aging
  - Elderly Care Assistance – in home and preventive care
  - Federal Title 3 Resources for Supportive Services
Explore COPS Grant (Community Oriented Policing – Federal) for additional staffing for MHU
- Sanford PD to Examine - Timing - Positions that would be most successful
- State Opioid Assistance Funding
Renewed Examination of the Homeless Crisis Protocol Policy and Training for Police Officers pursuant to Title 17-A §18 et.al.

The next Homeless Task Force Meeting is scheduled for August 14th, 2023, with additional attendees including the Sanford Fire Chief on the Community Paramedicine Program and the Assistant School Superintendent on the Student Unhoused Population.

The Long-Term Objectives, primarily capacity-based issues, were also noted around the Major Area, in preparation for the next Meeting with State Officials around the assignment of resources on August 15th, 2023. Recognition of the State’s allocation of resources around Homelessness and Sheltering Programs has been concentrated in certain Cities/Counties and not proportional within York County. The purpose of meeting with the State is to address York County’s, to include Sanford’s, capacities and State funding assistance to address Homelessness. The City, through the Police Department's Mental Health Unit, is also working to implement a Memorandum of Understanding with Maine Behavioral and Southern Maine Healthcare for more direct access to behavioral health referrals and services. Additionally, the City has Staff directly involved with the York County expansion of Layman’s Way, adjacent to the Jail in Alfred, to increase the capacity for Substance Use Disorder and evidence-based recovery programming for York County.