HMIS Comparable Databases Policy

Overview

Most projects funded by the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program, the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program, and certain other funding sources that fund activities for people experiencing homelessness are required to record and maintain their participants' data in ServicePoint, the LA BOSCOC's designated HMIS.

Victim services providers and legal services providers are exempt from the above requirement. Instead, they are each required to establish and operate a comparable database that complies with HUD's HMIS requirements.

Victim Services Providers

Victim services providers that are funded by the CoC Program are required to use EmpowerDB as their HMIS-comparable database.

Certain other funding sources, including the ESG Program as funded by the Louisiana Housing Corporation, may require victim services providers to use EmpowerDB as their HMIS-comparable database. Please check with your program managers for more information.

Legal Services Providers

Legal services providers that are funded by the CoC Program are not required to use a specific database as their HMIS-comparable database.

More Information

For more information, including implementation timeline requirements, please refer to the actual policy as posted on the Members section of the LA BOSCOC website.

Housing Choice Vouchers and Public Housing Waitlists Open in Baton Rouge

Overview

The Housing Authority of East Baton Rouge Parish and the City of Baton Rouge's Office of Community Development are opening their waiting lists for the following programs during the following time periods:

  • Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV, also called Section 8): opens July 23, 2018 at 8 AM and closes the same day at noon;
  • Public Housing Program: opens July 23, 2018 at 12:01 AM and closes July 24, 2018 at 11:59 PM.

Please note: APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ONLINE.

For more information about these programs and to access their online applications once those applications are released, please visit http://www.ebrpha.org/

One Stop Computer Lab is Available for Applications

The One Stop (Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless) computer lab will be available on July 23-24 to people interested in applying to the HCV and Public Housing Programs. There are no reservations required. The One Stop expects many people will be interested in these resources and encourages applicants to arrive early and plan to wait, especially on the morning of July 23. Staff will be available on-site on July 23 to help applicants navigate the application process. Doors open at 8 AM.

The One Stop is located at:

153 N. 17th Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802

FY18 CoC Program RFP Webinar

The LA BOSCOC is hosting a webinar about the FY18 Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Request for Proposals (RFP) from 11 AM to 12:30 PM this Friday, July 20.

It will provide an overview of the RFP, including the different funding pools, eligible activities, and some tips and tricks for creating high quality project applications. There will also be a Q&A session at the end.  

Please register using the following link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/471153219304219907

FY18 State ESG - Baton Rouge Request for Proposals and Application

St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge, as the FY18 State ESG regional applicant for the Baton Rouge Region, has released its Request for Proposals (RFP) and application for State ESG funds.

You can find the RFP and application here: https://svdpbr.org/notice-for-esg-including-2018-plan-rfp-application

Applications to the Baton Rouge Region's RFP are due July 30, 2018.

LA BOSCOC Board Outcomes - 7/11/18

Overview

The Board met by phone on 7/11/18 to review and approve the Request for Proposals (RFP) and scoring tools for the Funding Year 2018 (FY18) Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Competition. It also voted to approve an HMIS-comparable database for projects that serve victims of domestic violence and to approve opening a limited set of HMIS data to the other CoCs in the State of Louisiana.

Attendance

  • Nicole Sweazy, Louisiana Housing Corporation
  • Eric Gammons, HMIS Lead
  • Homeless Experience Representative
  • Brooke Guidry, Houma
  • Tarek Polite, Lake Charles
  • Gail Gowland, Plaquemines/St. Bernard
  • Randy Nichols, Membership and Rules Committee (non-voting)
  • Gordon Levine, Continuum of Care Manager (non-voting)
  • Clay Boykin, HMIS Specialist (non-voting)

FY18 CoC Program Competition

The Board voted to approve the RFP and all other documents posted here: https://laboscoc.org/fy18-coc-program-competition

The Board also voted to approve up to $100,000 in funding for a Coordinated Entry (SSO-CES) project hosted by St. Bernard Battered Women's Program, which for the last year has served as the sole Coordinated Entry access point in the Plaquemines/St. Bernard Region and the sole Coordinated Entry access point operated by a domestic violence (DV) service provider. These funds will be made available from the LA BOSCOC's total DV Bonus amount of $466,959, and any funds not claimed by this project will be added to the LA BOSCOC's competitive DV Funding Pool of $366,959 as described on Page 5 of the RFP.

HMIS-Comparable Database for DV Providers

DV service providers funded by the CoC Program, the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program, and by certain other funding sources are required to use an HMIS-comparable database instead of HMIS (ServicePoint).

The Board has approved the Domestic Violence Service Providers Working Group's proposal that the LA BOSCOC require that DV service providers use EmpowerDB as their HMIS-comparable database. This requirement will go into effect January 1, 2019, and will be retroactive for all participant data collected during contract periods beginning before January 1, 2019 and extending into January 1, 2019.

The LA BOSCOC will release a formal policy to this effect once the language has been vetted by the chairs of the HMIS Committee and Domestic Violence Service Providers Working Group.

You can find more information about EmpowerDB here: https://www.empowerdb.com/

HMIS Data Visibility

The Board has voted to make certain HMIS data elements visible to all other CoCs in the State of Louisiana.

This change was proposed during the most recent statewide Homelessness Working Group meeting. Currently, a given participant's data is only visible to organizations within the CoC where they presented for services. If a participant traveled to another part of the State, they would be required to provide their information again, and the new CoC would be unable to view the housing and services that participant had previously received. 

The representatives of each CoC that was present at the Homelessness Working Group meeting agreed to propose to their Boards that the following data elements from their CoC's participants be made visible to other Louisiana CoCs:

  • Participants' first and last name
  • Last four digits of participants' social security number
  • Entry and exit dates for participants' HMIS service transactions

All participant data will continue to be protected by HMIS releases of information and confidentiality agreements, which are implemented statewide by the Louisiana Services Network Data Consortium and are identical for all Louisiana CoCs.

Nationwide Analysis of Homelessness from DataLab

DataLab, a program of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, has published a fascinating and comprehensive nationwide analysis of homelessness.

If you're curious about homelessness on either the national or local scale -- it has a lot of valuable information about Louisiana and the LA BOSCOC! -- you might consider spending some time reviewing DataLab's polished, easy-to-navigate data sets.

You can find the analysis here: https://datalab.usaspending.gov/homelessness-analysis.html

Plaquemines/St. Bernard - Request for Proposals for FY18 State ESG

Overview

Below, please find the Houma Region's announcement of its request for proposals (RFP) for State Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding for Funding Year 2018 (FY18)

Notice of Request for Proposals

St. Bernard Battered Women’s Program, Inc., as the regional applicant for the Louisiana Balance of State Continuum of Care, St. Bernard/Plaquemine region, is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a homeless services grant as part of a collaborative application with SBBWP for a State ESG Homeless Services grant.

RFP packages will be posted and available for download on the www.StBernardBWP.org website on Monday, July 16, 2018.

Consideration for project funding under the Regional Applicant Plan will require submittal of a completed RFP package by July 30, 2018 at 4:30 PM.

HMIS Compliance Certification - State ESG FY18

LA BOSCOC projects that are applying to receive funding under the State Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program for Funding Year 2018 (FY18) are required to submit an HMIS Compliance Certification from the LA BOSCOC.

This requirement applies to ALL projects applying for funding: both Regional Applicants AND their sub-recipients.

To request an HMIS Compliance Certification for your project, including to certify that your project will begin using HMIS before the project period starts, please use the following form: https://goo.gl/forms/l0R2vN9dFvW6AWLp2

All HMIS Compliance Certification requests are due by 4 PM on Tuesday, July 31. 

The LA BOSCOC will issue all HMIS Compliance Certification no later than 4 PM on Friday, August 17.

Houma Region - Request for Proposals for FY18 State ESG

Overview

Below, please find the Houma Region's announcement of its request for proposals (RFP) for State Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding for Funding Year 2018 (FY18)

Notice of Request for Proposals

Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government intends to apply for 2018 State Emergency Solutions Grants Program (ESGP) funds administered by the Louisiana Housing Corporation. Funding available under the Emergency Solutions Grants Program can be utilized for the payment of certain expenses related to operating emergency shelters; street outreach for the homeless; homelessness prevention; rapid re-housing assistance; Homeless Information Management Systems (HMIS); and administrative cost. 

Applicants for grants under the State ESGP are limited to units of local government or one regional collaborative applicant from a Continuum of Care agency, which may distribute all or part of their grant amount to private nonprofit organizations for use in eligible program activities.  Nonprofit organizations interested in developing a project proposal for possible inclusion in an ESGP funding application under consideration by the Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government may request a copy of the proposal materials by contacting:

Kelli Cunningham
Community Development Administrator
(985) 873-6591     kcunningham@tpcg.org

To qualify for funding participation, a private nonprofit organization as defined by program regulations must be one which is exempt from taxation under subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code, has an accounting system, a voluntary board and practices nondiscrimination in the provision of assistance.  Matching funds (including in-kind contributions) equal to the amount of grant funds must be provided except under special circumstances when an exemption can be allowed.  Program rules require that ESGP recipients involve, to the maximum extent practicable, homeless individuals and families in ESGP funded activities including constructing, renovating, maintaining, and operating facilities assisted under the ESGP Program; and in providing services for occupants of these facilities.

No funding obligations shall be implied based on the information in this solicitation of ESGP project proposals.  The Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government reserves the right to accept any proposal or reject any and all proposals on such a basis as may be deemed to be in its best interest.  The deadline for receipt and consideration of a proposal is 4:00 PM, July 27, 2018. 
 

Members in Good Standing

Going forward, the LA BOSCOC will maintain a public list of member organizations in Good Standing.

Members in Good Standing can apply for Letters of Certification to apply for funding from a variety of sources, including the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program.

The current list of members of Good Standing can be found here: https://laboscoc.org/good-standing/

As always, members that are not in Good Standing can still apply for Letters of Certification if they request and receive a waiver. Waiver request procedures are defined in the LA BOSCOC Governance Charter and can be further defined for specific funding sources; in general, however, waiver requests must be submitted electronically to glevine@lhc.la.gov.

Letters of Certification - State ESG FY18

LA BOSCOC agencies that are applying to receive funding under the State Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Program for Funding Year 2018 (FY18) are required to submit a Letter of Certification from the LA BOSCOC.

This requirement applies to ALL agencies applying for funding: both Regional Applicants AND their sub-recipients.

To request a Letter of Certification for your agency, or to request a Good Standing waiver for your agency, please use the following form: https://goo.gl/forms/HXuLtZk5TVnRJksT2

All Letter of Certification requests are due by 4 PM on Tuesday, July 31. 

The LA BOSCOC will issue all Letters of Certification no later than 4 PM on Friday, August 17.

 

Baton Rouge Region - Public Meeting and RFP for FY18 State ESG

Overview

Below, please find the Baton Rouge Region's announcement of its public meeting and request for proposals for State Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding for Funding Year 2018 (FY18)

Notice of Public Meeting

St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge (SVDP) announces a public meeting to consult with the public on priorities for the most urgent community needs for the homeless for the forthcoming 2018 regional applicant plan. This meeting is part of the SVDP response to the Louisiana Housing Corporation Request for Proposals for Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) services in the Baton Rouge region. SVDP also invites the public to send comments by email to regionalapplicant@svdpbr.org.  Public Meeting: Monday July 9, 2018, 6-7:30 PM at the Carver Branch Public Library 720 Terrace Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70802.

Notice of Request for Proposals

St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge, as the regional applicant for the Louisiana Balance of State Continuum of Care, Baton Rouge region, is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a homeless services grant as part of a collaborative application with SVDP for a State ESG Homeless Services grant. Request for Proposals (RFP) packages will be posted and available for download on the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge website at https://svdpbr.org/  on Monday July 16, 2018. Consideration for project funding under the Regional Applicant Plan will require submittal of a completed RFP package by July 30, 2018 at 4:30 PM.

 

FY18 CoC Program NOFA Now Available

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released the Funding Year 2018 (FY18) Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).

You can read the NOFA, including “a full list of new, changed, and highlighted information,” here: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5719/fy-2018-coc-program-nofa/

The LA BOSCOC will release details about its local competition for these funds over the next few weeks. 

If you have questions about the CoC Program NOFA, please contact Gordon Levine, Continuum of Care Manager, at glevine@lhc.la.gov.

Substance Abuse Providers Working Group

During its last General Meeting, the LA BOSCOC voted to create the Substance Abuse Providers Working Group. Please see the message below from Twanda Laurant-Lewis, Executive Director of the Louisiana Health and Rehab Center, who volunteered to facilitate the working group:

If you are interested in becoming a member of this working group, please contact me at tlewis@lahealthandrehab.org. The first working group meeting will be held via conference call on July 11, 2018, at 10 AM CST. Thanks in advance for your willingness to serve.

As noted, if you or someone in your organization is interested in serving on the Substance Abuse Providers Working Group, please contact Twanda at tlewis@lahealthandrehab.org.

Board of Directors Updated

Overview

The LA BOSCOC Governance Charter (v3.4) created the Natchitoches/Sabine Region and a new regional seat on the Board of Directors.

As there were no members present from that Region at the LA BOSCOC General Meeting in June 2018, the LA BOSCOC has appointed Mitzi Harris, executive director of Project Celebration, to fill that Region's seat. 

As with all regional representatives, Mx. Harris will serve a 24-month term.

LA BOSCOC Governance Charter Updated

Overview

The LA BOSCOC Governance Charter has been updated to version 3.4. You can download a copy here.

Changelog

Created the Regional Applicants Section

  • Each Region can elect a Regional Applicant to apply to funding sources that require a limited number of applications from each Region (for example: ESG, PATH);

Created the Letter of Certification Section

  • Specifies when (and for what reason) organizations can request a Letter of Certification to apply for various funding sources;
  • Specifies when (and for what reasons) organizations can request a waiver from the Good Standing requirement (organizations cannot receive a Letter of Certification if they are not in Good Standing).

Empowered the Board of Directors to create additional Good Standing requirements

  • The Board can now create additional Good Standing requirements without needing to amend the LA BOSCOC Governance Charter

Emergency Solutions Grant Funding Now Available

Overview

The Louisiana Housing Corporation has released the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Funding Year 2018 (FY18).

ESG funds projects that serve people experiencing homelessness. ESG is an annual formula-based funding source distributed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to states and certain entitlement areas.

Click here to access the full ESG FY18 NOFA.

The application period began June 5, 2018; applications are due August 31, 2018.

What does ESG fund?

ESG funds the following project types:

  • Street Outreach
  • Homeless Prevention
  • Emergency Shelter
  • Rapid Re-housing

For more information about these project types and eligible costs, refer to 24 CFR Part 576 or https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/esg/.

How much funding is available?

Funding is allocated by formula to each Continuum of Care (CoC) in Louisiana, and to each Region of the LA BOSCOC. Each CoC and Region receives funding in proportion to the size of its homeless population. (Homeless population is reported during the January 2018 Point in Time Count.) All CoCs/Regions are eligible to apply for at least $50,000 regardless of their homeless population.

ESG funding by LA BOSCOC Region is as follows:

  • Baton Rouge Region: $148,430
  • Houma Region: $50,000
  • Lake Charles Region: $67,697
  • Natchitoches/Sabine Region: $50,000
  • Plaquemines/St. Bernard Region: $50,000

In addition, the Louisiana Housing Corporation is offering a $300,000 grant to fund one Homeless Prevention project dedicated to reducing the number of people who exit Department of Corrections custody into homelessness. For more information, see page 20 of the ESG FY18 NOFA.

Who can apply?

Each Region will submit one Regional Application through its Regional Applicant. Regional Applicants will consist of one or more project applications that fund one or more organizations.

Regional Applicants were elected by member organizations in attendance at the June 2018 LA BOSCOC General Meeting. They are as follows:

  • Baton Rouge Region: St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge (contact: SVDP BR)
  • Houma Region: Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government (contact: Kelli Cunningham)
  • Lake Charles Region: Calcasieu Parish Police Jury (contact: Tarek Polite)
  • Natchitoches/Sabine: Project Celebration (contact: Mitzi Harris)
  • Plaquemines/St. Bernard: St. Bernard Battered Women's Place (contact: Gail Gowland)

Both private non-profit organizations and units of local government, including cities and parish governments, are eligible to apply. Please contact your Regional Applicant if you would like to receive funding through the ESG FY18 NOFA.

Every agency that wishes to receive ESG -- either as a regional applicant or sub-recipient -- is required to attend the following information session:

ESG Mandatory Information Session
June 27, 2018
9:30 AM to Noon

Louisiana Housing Corporation
2415 Quail Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

If you plan to attend the information session, please send your RSVP to Aimee LeBlanc at aleblanc@lhc.la.gov.

Questions?

Please email your questions about the ESG FY18 NOFA to Winona Connor, ESG Program Manager at the Louisiana Housing Corporation, at wconnor@lhc.la.gov.

The Louisiana Balance of State Continuum of Care is dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in Louisiana. We believe all people are entitled to safe, stable, and secure housing. We are committed to working with stakeholders across our geography, in different professional circles, and from every background to create a Louisiana in which no person lives in fear of homelessness.