Item Description:
title
Amd 1 to Agmt A2111071 with the MN Dept of Human Services for grant funding for the administration of support services in permanent housing programs for long-term homeless, revising the terms of payment, 01/01/22-12/31/23, $5,668,603 (recv)
end
Resolution:
body
BE IT RESOLVED, that Amendment 1 to Agreement A2111071 with the Minnesota Department of Human Services for a grant from the state’s Long-Term Homelessness Supportive Services Fund (LTHSSF) Program and as part of the Human Services and Public Health’s Long-Term Homelessness Initiative with the other six counties of the metropolitan region, during the period of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023, in the receivable amount of $5,668,603 be approved; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to accept and disburse funds as directed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that sponsorship and acceptance of grant funding for the program by Hennepin County Board of Commissioners does not imply a continued commitment by Hennepin County for this program when grant funds are no longer available.
end
Background:
In 2004, the State of Minnesota established a business plan to end long-term homelessness. In response, Hennepin County entered into a cooperative agreement with six other metro counties (Board Resolutions 06-6-358, 09-260) to develop and submit The Metropolitan Counties’ Long Term Homeless Supportive Services Plan to the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to fund services in supportive housing programs that would allow the seamless delivery of services and coordinated allocation of resources across metro county boundaries. Under the governance structure of this agreement, Hennepin County is designated as fiscal agent and lead agency contractor for this multi-county effort. Since the initial funding in 2006 and through December 31, 2021, DHS had continued to allocate resources totaling $49,577,968 towards this effort (Board Resolutions 06-6-358, 07-416, 08-323, 09-0286, 10-0280, 11-0329R1, 12-0332, 13-0377, 15-0193, 15-0512,17-0414, 19-0450, and 20-0459).
This current agreement with DHS, A2111071, was approved by the Board on December 14, 2021 (Board Resolution 21-0478). As the fiscal agent, Hennepin County entered into an agreement with Hearth Connection (HS00000978) to serve as the administrative entity for the delivery of services and allocation of resources for this initiative and to ensure consistency in services standards and outcomes.
Amendment 1 to this agreement to revise the terms of payment is the result of a DHS change for the state’s recouping of advance payments from a percentage of quarterly invoiced payments to an annual reconciliation and by adjusting related terms of payment in the agreement accordingly.
The service dollars provided by this grant allow the metro counties to coordinate the range of services to individuals and families experiencing long-term homelessness and those families at risk of long-term homelessness. Hearth Connection is providing services that include:
• A service “network” that spans current metro county boundaries, providing uninterrupted supports and resources to clients that choose to move from one county to another;
• Specialized training in long-term homelessness to network service providers;
• Client monitoring and tracking, and utilization of the Statewide Homeless Management Information System (HMIS);
• Data collection and reporting to the counties and state;
• Linkage to permanent supportive housing;
• Full participation and compliance with state program evaluation;
• Additional services and funding as applicable
Current request: This request seeks to amend agreement A2111071 with Minnesota Department of Human Services for long-term homeless supportive services funding for the 7-county metro region to change the terms of payment in the agreement.
Disparity reduction: This board action request aligns with Hennepin County disparity reduction by funding services for individuals and households experiencing homelessness to achieve housing stability.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval