Funding Priorities
Homelessness Franklin County
Grantee Profile
 
Capacity Building in Supportive Housing
Supportive Housing is a successful, cost-effective combination of affordable housing with services that helps people live more stable, productive lives, according to the Corporation for Supportive Housing. Through the Foundation Homeless Funding Priority, nine providers in Franklin County, Ohio received over $245,000 designed to increase supportive service funding and client self-sufficiency through job training. National Church Residences (NCR) and YMCA of Central Ohio are two grantees working to build their organizational and program capacity to deliver the highest quality of services to formerly homeless and disabled individuals.

“Funding from the Foundation is directed to providers of permanent supportive housing (PSH), a national best practice for ending homelessness while serving chronically homeless individuals,” said Terri Donlin Huesman, director of programs for the Foundations. “In addition to increasing access and linking to services such as employment, transportation and technology through these grants, the agencies funded are demonstrating result through organizational efficiencies and quality improvements within their direct client service systems.”


National Church Residences was awarded $50,000 to strengthen capacity in providing resident services through a quality improvement plan, increased supportive service funding and client employment resources.

NCR is responsible for 23,000 housing units throughout the country, 200 of which are for permanent supportive housing. There are two such PSH housing units in Franklin County, OH, with a goal of three by summer 2010 and five in place by the end of 2012. Dave Kayuha, senior vice president and chief administrative officer of NCR, Columbus, Ohio area, said, “Support from the Foundation allows NCR to move forward on several fronts--operational improvements, future permanent supportive housing on the local and national levels, and improving the lives of clients on a daily basis that otherwise would have taken years.

“The Foundation has been open to looking at and supporting new ideas and ways of doing things that make a difference in our communities,” said Kayuha. “We have an opportunity to end homelessness, and we’re now able to bring some expertise to permanent supportive housing and to provide quality operational measures to the impact of case managers and day-to-day results. These benchmarks will help us demonstrate how case management makes a difference and is less expensive than inpatient services.”

The ability to access Medicaid for mainstream services is critical to funding current and future services to formerly homeless individuals. Kayuha said that case management for the homeless requires more direct, client-based services such as alcohol, drug and mental health assistance. The Foundation’s grant assisted NCR with the extensive Medicaid accreditation application and certification process. In August 2009, NCR was notified that it had received Medicaid certification, and is now working through the Medicaid billing process for permanent supportive housing services through the department of mental health.


The YMCA of Central Ohio was awarded $24,000 to expand and upgrade the computer training and employment resource rooms at two permanent housing locations.

The population served in the YMCA housing program includes those living in two supportive housing projects: a downtown project of 403 units for single men, and the 183 unit Sunshine Terrace in Franklinton, which houses men and women, singles and couples. Those eligible for the program must qualify for low income housing, have a history of long-term homelessness, and be disabled.

Laura Donahue, director of supportive services at the YMCA, said that 1,100 persons were served at the two housing sites in 2009, and that nearly half had no income at move-in. Donahue said that the long-term goal is to help residents achieve their potential, but that they first must address mental and physical health needs as well as financial stability, all important to help them pay for health care and other needs to maintain their housing. The primary focus of Rebuilding Lives’ staff is vocational rehabilitation and employment for the residents.

“Employment is a major focus for financial stability, self sufficiency and to obtain housing,” said Donahue. “Most job applications are to be completed online, and we had only four computers, each out of date, shared among 403 men. We were in desperate need of more computers at both locations,” she added.

The Foundation grant provided 16 new computers, computer tables and printers, and “training on employment services and updated curriculum for vocational rehabilitation classes,” said Donahue.

“Residents use the computers for employment services and to access public and private benefits, including health care. The resource rooms, with the new computers, opened December 22, 2009, and utilization by residents has increased more than 50 percent, which was a capacity increase goal,” said Donahue.

"I would like to thank the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation for its support. The additional resources for our vocational rehabilitation program have dramatically leveraged our capacity to reach more individuals in need,” said John Bickley, president and CEO of the YMCA of Central Ohio.