Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) announced today that approximately $650,000 will be awarded to housing stabilization service providers through two grant programs.
The Housing Stability Program provides a set of limited-time services to eligible Medicaid members. This includes housing move-in support, life skills training, and other modeling and education services for individuals who need help maintaining a home, as well as home search services for individuals who need support. In securing housing and transitioning to housing.
“Homelessness and housing insecurity in Rhode Island must be addressed using a number of strategies as our administration works towards the Rhode Island 2030 Plan,” he said. Governor Dan McKee“One of those strategies is to secure supportive services that focus on finding housing or rental units, keeping individuals housed, and providing comprehensive services that address health needs. It is critical that we strengthen our housing stability services workforce by recruiting, retaining, and training staff within organizations that serve people experiencing homelessness.”
Grant recipients can utilize funds for staff retention bonuses, new employee hiring bonuses, professional development, or consultancy services. All funds must be spent within one year.
Recruitment and retention of staff is a challenge across the industry, particularly in the health and human services sector. Activities to be implemented from the first part of this mini-grant will increase staff capacity to increase the delivery of housing stabilization services to Medicaid clients, increase housing navigation and The purpose is to enable meaningful engagement.
The recipients of this $200,000 opportunity are:
- Crossroads Rhode Island – $33,532.93
- Providence Center – $64,670.66
- Newport Mental Health – $79,041.92
- Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness – $22,754.49
“I want to thank the community organizations that work every day to meet the needs of Rhode Islanders facing homelessness and housing insecurity.” EOHHS Secretary Richard Charest. “Research shows that having a stable and safe place to live improves health outcomes, reduces stress, and provides individuals with a foundation for achieving better health outcomes.” Our hope is that these funds will allow our partners to strengthen their service delivery capabilities, expand their reach to additional Medicaid customers and people in need, and ensure that Rhode Islanders have access to housing assistance when they need it most. is.”
The goal of the second grant program is to strengthen and maintain each organization’s ability to obtain Medicaid reimbursement for eligible services and staff that support the maintenance of critical benefits such as Housing Stability Services in Rhode Island .
Through this opportunity, EOHHS will specifically focus on Rhode Island’s home stabilization service providers, community health workers, peer recovery specialists, and clinical providers who provide medical, behavioral health, and social services in community-based settings. The plan is to replenish funds to increase the workforce. Evacuation centers, encampments, related venues, etc.
Winners of this opportunity agree to work to establish or strengthen partnerships with state Medicaid systems and improve electronic records and technology systems. To maximize the integration of health care and housing as social determinants of health, grantees must strive to maintain at least some of their services through Medicaid billing and partnerships in the future. .
“At EOHHS, we understand that housing is a social determinant of health and is absolutely critical for our Medicaid population to stay healthy and thrive.” Rhode Island Medicaid Director Christine Souza. “This grant opportunity will allow us to strengthen relationships between the Medicaid program and housing stability service providers, resulting in improved delivery of housing stability services to some of Rhode Islanders’ most vulnerable residents. , will be expanded.”
The recipients of this opportunity are as follows:
- Crossroads RI – $9,500.00
- Newport Mental Health – $110,814.98
- Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness – $19,620.00
- Rhode Island Child and Family Services – $35,000.00
- A community for people – $12,000.00
- Desired Home – $50,412.00
- Project Weber Renewal – $93,650.00
- Sojourner House – $35,200.00
- Wood River Health Services – $59,603.21
“This grant opportunity will allow us to expand our housing stabilization services and provide housing search and housing stabilization to more families,” he said. Jenna Nutting, vice president of support services for Crossroads Rhode Island, said: “Additionally, this opportunity allows us to encourage our staff to continue their great work and increase their professional development and knowledge. ”
“Everyone has the right to a home and a community,” he said. Dayna Gladstein, LICSW, Newport Vice President of Mental Health. “Newport Mental Health (NMH) is a housing-first, recovery-focused behavioral health organization. NMH understands the importance of stable housing in behavioral health recovery plans. Everyone we provide housing with can help prevent more people from falling into homelessness. Building more housing is essential, but it is not the only solution to homelessness. We We must take advantage of all housing solutions. It is also important that we focus on preventing people from losing their homes in the first place. This vital funding will enable us to increase wages for our dedicated staff and It allows them to secure their own housing and grow while supporting their clients. Higher salaries and incentives allow them to attract more staff, reduce caseloads, and provide better care for the people they serve. We can provide it.”
Grantees will also be eligible to apply for a second round of funding totaling $150,000 in August 2024.
