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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUNITED WAY HOUSING SERVICES DAY CENTER - PDP - 30-06 - CORRESPONDENCE - (7)7. Shelter Employee Education All new Center employees are required to go through a 60-hour training program that includes instruction in areas such as: one-on-one communication skills, setting professional boundaries, recognizing and responding to mental illness, recognizing and responding to substance abuse and alcoholism, medical problems and emergencies, women's issues, interagency relationships, and all of the Center's written policies and procedures. 8. The Center's Responsibility as a Good Neighbor The Center is committed to being a good neighbor and will make it a top priority to keep the facility clean and orderly. The Center is also committed to daily trash pick-up in the areas adjacent to the Center grounds. Snow removal on the sidewalks along Blue Spruce and Conifer will also be a daily chore for our clients when required. The Center plans to create and maintain an aesthetically pleasing landscape around the facility. The Center desires to be part of a Police sponsored neighborhood watch group and will host such meetings if asked. 9. Neighborhood Outreach and Methods for Future Communication Every neighbor of the new facility (defined as those notified by the City) will receive the Center's quarterly newsletter. This publication contains information about the Center's operations, volunteer opportunities, notices of upcoming events and Center contact information. Volunteer opportunities at the Center will be made available specifically for anyone in the neighborhood with a desire to volunteer. The Center will create a standing Board committee called the Neighborhood Connections Group that will serve as the primary vehicle for on -going Neighborhood - Center communications. This group will include Center Board members, Center staff and representatives from the surrounding neighborhoods. This group will have a maximum of (10) members and will meet at the request of either the Center or the neighborhood representatives. The purpose of this committee will be to offer recommendations to the Center Board and/or to the neighborhood associations on how either can become better neighbors, develop options for engaging the neighborhood in Center activities, and, if necessary, Neighborhood -Center dispute resolution. 10. Dispute Resolution Neighbors will be asked to call the on -duty Center staff for problem resolution. If the staff person can not resolve the problem, the complaint will be elevated, in a timely manner, to the Center's Executive Director. If the Executive Director and the neighbor cannot come to agreement, the issue can be elevated to the Neighborhood Connections Group for resolution. If that group is unable to resolve the issue, the neighborhood representatives from the Neighborhood Connections Group will be asked to present the issue to the Center's Board of Directors. If the Center Board and the neighborhood representatives cannot resolve the issue, either party may request third party mediation and/or file a grievance with the appropriate City agency. If a person is denied entry due to inebriation, please see drug and alcohol policies below. Center staff will call the Police if any person, known to staff to be a sex offender registered with the City of Fort Collins Police Department, is turned away from the Center for any reason. 5. Drug and Alcohol Policies The Center has a zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. No one may enter the premises under the influence of either drugs or alcohol. Clients will undergo a breathalyzer test if the intake staff recommends it. The Center does not, and will not, admit persons who have consumed drugs or alcohol. If someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol shows up at the Center, they will be denied entry. Center staff will work with the denied person to find them transport from the area. The first option offered by staff will be a strong recommendation that the denied person be transported to the Poudre Valley Hospital's triage center. The denied person will be offered a free ride, via Center shuttle or cab, to PVH. If this offer is refused, they will be offered a free ride, via Center shuttle or cab, to another location (such as a friend or relative's home). If the person refuses to work with the Center staff in finding suitable transport out of the area, they will be denied Center services for a minimum of one day to denial for life. If the person insists on leaving the Center property by foot, the Police will be called. If the police are called, Center staff will try to maintain visual contact with the individual until the police have arrived. No client will be allowed to have alcohol or drugs in the Center. All alcohol must be relinquished at intake. All alcohol relinquished at intake or otherwise found on the Center's premises will be disposed of or destroyed by Center staff, and will not be kept at the facility or returned or delivered to any client. Any client found to have stored or left alcohol on Center property or on public or private property in the Neighborhood shall be denied Center services for a minimum of one day to denial for life. Any illegal drugs turned in at intake will be turned over to the Police. Any resident found with illegal drugs in the Center will be denied Center services for at least 90 days. 6. Loitering Loitering on Center property is a violation of Center policy and those persons will be denied services for a minimum of one day to denial for life for such actions. Likewise, loitering on any private property around the Center is a violation of Center policy and will result in like denial of Center services. The Center will work with the neighborhood to address any loitering issues not addressed by the above policies. The Center will assist any homeless persons, who are not clients, in securing transportation out of the area. These persons will be transported via Center shuttle to a homeless shelter. The Shelter will work closely with the Police to address any loitering issues that may arise. Many residents will come and go from the Center by bus, which greatly reduces the possibility of loitering. The Center will offer free transport, via Center shuttle or bus tokens, to all qualified clients who need transportation. Management Plan for the Housing Services Day Center January 2007 1. Hours of Operation The Center will offer case management and complementary services during the following times: Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8 a.m. — 5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday: 8 a.m. — 7 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m. — noon, by appointment only 2. Clients Served "Qualified clients" of the Center must be working under the guidance of a case manager in order to receive services. Qualified clients will develop a plan of action with a case manager that will involve a variety of service referrals as needed including, but not limited to: job assistance, housing assistance, government program assistance, healthcare providers, mental health and substance abuse counseling and 12-step group referrals. These clients are allowed access to the "daily living" services of the Center, which include showers, telephones, mail service, computers, snacks, laundry facilities and storage facilities for their belongings. 3. Security The Center staff will be well -trained in security issues and will monitor the facility closely. The Center staff also relies on a strong relationship with the City of Fort Collins Police, which includes working with a dedicated Police liaison on a regular basis. The Center will not allow clients to come and go continually from the Center. Clients may only enter the facility two times during a day. Violation of this policy by any client will result in denial of services for a minimum of one day to denial for life. There may be rare exceptions to this rule, as in the case of a client with multiple appointments at the Center during one day. Any resident with any kind of weapon must relinquish it at intake. The Center considers any knife and most tools (such as box cutters and screwdrivers, etc.) as weapons. Failure to relinquish these items at intake will result in denial of Center services for a minimum of one day. This personal property will be returned to the client, unless Center staff deems it unsafe to do so, when the client leaves the Center. Illegal weapons turned in at intake will be turned over to the Police. Any resident found with an illegal weapon in the Center will be denied Center services for at least 90 days Firearms of any kind are not allowed on the Center premises. 4. Turn -away Management Any client expelled from the Center for a behavior violation will be strongly encouraged by Center staff to accept a free ride, via Center shuttle or public bus, to the destination of their choice. If the client refuses to work with the Center staff in finding suitable transport out of the area, they will be denied Center services for a minimum of one day to denial for life. If the denied resident leaves on foot and is considered a danger to themselves or others, the Police will be called immediately.