Subject:
Title
Funding Agreement with 211 Tampa Bay Cares, Inc. for a Homeless Crisis Response System Front Door.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of the Funding Agreement with 211 Tampa Bay Cares, Inc. (211) for a Homeless Crisis Response System Front Door.
●This Agreement provides continuation funding to support the Homeless Crisis Response System Front Door (Front Door) for service connection as part of the local Homeless Continuum of Care (Homeless CoC).
●The Front Door model consists of a Homeless Services Call Team (Call Team) within 211’s call center, serving as centralized service navigators for the Homeless CoC to more efficiently connect individuals and families to resources such as diversion, prevention, shelter and housing services.
● On June 6, 2019, the Board of County Commissioners (Board) approved a decision package submitted by the Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas (HLA), in collaboration with 211 to establish the Homeless Crisis Response System Front Door Homeless Helpline.
● This program was originally funded as a decision package in Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20). Continuation funding in an amount not to exceed $158,550.00 is included in the Human Services’ Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) General Fund appropriation.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention, and protective services to ensure a safe and secure community
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener, and purchaser of services for those in need
2.4 Support programs that seek to prevent and remedy the causes of homelessness and move individuals and families from homelessness to permanent housing
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
This Agreement provides continuation funding for Front Door service connection as part of the local Homeless CoC. The Front Door model will maintain a Call Team within 211’s call center to serve as centralized service navigators for the Homeless CoC to connect individuals and families more efficiently to resources. Activities include identifying and assessing people experiencing homelessness to assist with placement into Diversion, Prevention, Emergency Shelter, and Housing-Focused Coordinated Entry services across the CoC.
Background/Explanation:
On June 6, 2019, the Board approved a decision package submitted by the Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas (HLA), in collaboration with 211 to establish the Homeless Crisis Response System Front Door Homeless Helpline.
The Pinellas County Point in Time Count identified 2,110 individuals that were homeless in 2024 under the HUD definition. When considering extended non-HUD data (e.g. school and jail data), the number is approximately 5,817. It is critical to effectively manage service connection and navigation to ensure that resource connections are appropriate to levels of need. A front door approach seeks to ensure that appropriate connections happen at the beginning of the process to maximize the effectiveness of the system. The program will continue to help connect individuals and families that are homeless or at risk of homelessness to critical resources more efficiently.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding in an amount not to exceed $158,550.00 has been identified in the Human Services Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) General Fund appropriation.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign this Agreement is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
211
HLA
Homeless CoC
Attachments:
Agreement