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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 5/5/2020 - Information From Holly Lemasurier Re: Covid-19 Homelessness Response & Homeward 2020 Update - April 14, 2020 Work Session SummaryFrom: Holly LeMasurier <holly@homeward2020.org> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2020 3:53 PM To: City Leaders <CityLeaders@fcgov.com> Subject: COVID-19 Homelessness Response & Homeward 2020 Update Hello Mayor and Council, I hope you are all managing well through this trying time. Thank you for your support for the community as we navigate the challenges we are facing, as well as toward community recovery, together. These are follow-up items from our Council Work Session. All are available on our website, as is a lot of documentation and reporting of Homeward 2020's community work and guidance. The links below are relatively short summaries of focal projects, in easy-to-digest newsletter format. COVID Response at Northside Aztlan Community Center First, I wanted to be sure you have the summary document of the COVID-19 response happening at Northside. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like me to help answer questions. Moving forward, I am sure you will be hearing about efforts to transition people from current congregate shelter settings to 'non-congregate' transitional housing or permanent housing in the community soon. (Also attached.) Homeward 2020 Evolution I also wanted to share the Homeward 2020 Update published this February. It includes the summary of our Housing-focused System Response to Homelessness in Fort Collins, I mentioned, as well as provides you with a quick compilation of recommended best practices across our system. (System chart also attached). Frequent Utilizer System Engagement Demonstration Project (FUSE) Finally, I also mentioned the FUSE Project regarding housing our most complex cases and the extraordinary results the project is seeing. This midterm report is provided after housing 10 out of 20 clients within five months, and is ongoing. A final report from CSU Social Work Research Center is due in Nov/Dec. Thank you again for the time we had and the discussion that followed. More updates on all of these projects will follow. Please reach out with any questions and ideas. I can also help schedule a tour of Northside operations with partners present to meet with you, if desired. Holly LeMasurier COVID-19 Homelessness Response, Project Manager Homeward 2020, Director www.homeward2020.org 970-325-3125 April 30, 2020 TO: Mayor & City Council FROM: Holly LeMasurier, Homeward 2020 RE: April 14, 2020 Work Session Summary /sek homeward2020.org homeward2020.org homeward2020.org 55+ In lieu of non-congregate shelter options available, NACC shelter partners rapidly implemented COVID-19 response and recovery designed for ‘congregate’ shelter. However, NACC partners continue to advocate for prioritizing long-term, non-congregate solutions such as hotel/motel leases or purchases, permanent affordable housing access, etc. COVID Response CDC Recommendations for Congregate Shelter We are here together to prevent and fight COVID-19. • Plan for high shelter usage during an outbreak and ensure communications, protocols, sites, and supplies are staged for prevention and response. Provide adequate space for physical distancing, more space between sleeping beds, and to reduce crowding. • Implement consistent surveillance for individual triage and signs of spread. • Identify space that can be used to accommodate clients with mild respiratory symptoms consistent with COVID-19, isolate from others, and monitor recovery. • Identify those who could be at high risk for complications from COVID-19 (who are older or have underlying health conditions). Work toward separation from high exposure. • Unless individual housing units are available, do not clear encampments during community spread of COVID-19. Clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community, increase potential for infectious disease spread, and break connections with service providers monitoring public health impacts. Rescue Mission, Jefferson Street Site • 40-50 Male/Female • Overnight only Catholic Charities, Linden Street Site • Currently Family Shelter only • 2-5 Families • Open all day Catholic Charities, Women’s Overnight Overflow • 15-30 Women • Overnight only NACC Gym, Men’s Overnight Overflow Catholic Charities & Rescue Mission • 70-100 men • Overnight only *Currently through April 26 NACC Supervised COVID Response Camp City of Fort Collins Police, Parks Services • Temporary, supervised camp • Response to COVID-19; CDC Recommendations • 30-60 Tents; 5-15 Vehicles *Currently through April 26 The NACC Site was established for temporary COVID-19 public health response for people experiencing homelessness. The site use is currently restricted by the City of Fort Collins to the duration of the State ‘stay-at-home’ orders through April 26. Alternate solutions to prevent spread of COVID-19 will be necessary. Hundreds will continue to need emergency shelters while the virus in still actively spreading in the community and ‘congregate’ settings will continue to be highly vulnerable. Northside Aztlan Community Center (NACC) Day Shelter & COVID-19 Response Operations Partners: Homeward Alliance, Rescue Mission, Catholic Charities, Health District • Day Shelter 8:00a.m. – 9:00p.m. • Basic needs services and daily health screening • 150-200 people per day COVID-19 Prevention • Symptomatic and urgent conditions receive immediate medical attention • Referrals to NACC Triage & Recovery Center for Symptomatic • Visual, verbal screening daily at entry • Temperature checks at meal services and overnight site check-ins • Public health workers onsite all day for symptom surveillance and referrals • Physical distancing, symptom surveillance, and prevention education • Operations Adjustments to reduce crowding, encouraging physical distancing • Monitoring those at-risk • Department of Health Epidemiologists onsite addressing virus mitigation (Norovirus/COVID) • Masks provided, especially to those exhibiting respiratory symptoms • Meals, coffee, water dispensed by staff in portions (no communal sources) • Posters and educational materials posted throughout building Environmental Cleaning • Supervised and required handwashing at meals • Increased facility and restroom cleaning schedules with recommended anti-viral cleaning agents • High-touch surfaces, tables disinfected many times daily • Rocky Mountain Biohazard Waste removal and expertise • Air monitoring by CSU Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences Emergency Shelter & Basic Needs Services • Three meals per day • Bathrooms • Showers (by lottery) • Continuity of Social Services: Case Management; Health Care Navigation • Mental Health supports through SummitStone Health Partners onsite and on call • Hygiene supplies • 24/7 Security and Safety Monitoring provided by Precision Security • Guest Registration at Entry and for Service Utilization • Mail, lockers, laundry accessible during reduced hours at Murphy Center NACC C-19 Triage & Recovery Services Provided by Health District of Northern Larimer County • COVID-Symptomatic isolation and assessment • Regular symptom monitoring by health district staff • Onsite COVID testing (results within 24-48 hours) • Overnight stays while pending results • Onsite isolation and recovery surge beds • Severely ill patients immediately to hospital • Referrals and transport to respite site for COVID-positive recovery • Access to COVID Recovery Case Manager • Onsite and on call behavioral health support NACC Off-site Option • Alternate, ADA-compliant site prepared • Leased, equipped, and staffed • Up to 10 clients referred from NACC based on public health emergency need • Currently assessing best use • Prepped for overflow and surge capacity • Possible uses: persons at-risk, underlying conditions (respiratory illness, heart disease, persons with disabilities, etc.), COVID positive Larimer County Isolation Site 1501 Blue Spruce • 10 beds (for County) Specific criteria are: • At discharge point from in-patient hospital stay for acute respiratory issues with rule-out of other illnesses and pending COVID-19 test result. • OR: Positive COVID-19 test result registered with Larimer County Public Health & Environment. Referrals: • From hospital discharge come in via email to the Larimer County Emergency Operations Center for validation/eligibility of the client. • Referrals from positive tests without hospital stay come from Epi Task Force via Larimer County EOC. ReconfigurationRecovery of Shelter Sites Emergency Response Hub Triage and NACC Partner Contacts Project Manager: Holly LeMasurier holly@homeward2020.org Jessica Coe, SummitStone Health Partners Joe Domko, Catholic Charities of Northern Larimer Seth Forwood, Fort Collins Rescue Mission David Rout, Homeward Alliance Tim Ryan, Ph.D., Larimer County Department of Health Beth Sowder, City of Fort Collins Dr. James Stewart, Health District of Northern Larimer County Jay Suttor, Precision Security All media who wish to visit inside the site and talk with staff are by appointment only. Any photos of guests at Northside Aztlan Community Center property must obtain a signed photo release to be published in media. Please direct media inquiries for appointments to: holly@homeward2020.org.