Key West The Newspaper

REPORT TO THE CITY OF KEY WEST

Southernmost Homeless Assistance League, Inc.

For April 2015

HIGHLIGHTS

• April saw the resignation of Randi Cohen Brown as SHAL Executive Director. The SHAL Board accepted Randi’s resignation and appointed Operations Director John Miller as Interim Executive Director. John promoted Head Monitor Mike Tolbert to the position of KOTS Manager. Elicia Pintabona has had a title change to Client Services Manager.
• Shelter programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, AHEC Smoking and Medical Care from both Visiting Nurses and Monroe County Health Department Nurses continue to be well received and beneficial. A volunteer Air Force booster group brought “Breakfast at KOTS” one morning, with several churches also agreeing to start regular programs to help with the nutritional needs of the Shelter clients. Other new programs to be announced soon.
• SHAL’s Case Managers, Elicia Pintabona and Amy Yancich performed 305 total services to homeless clients, including 14 long distance relocations, 25 birth certificates, 33 IDs obtained, 19 food stamp cards were obtained, and 14 medical services/referrals were made. 27 Coordinated Assessments were completed, which refers clients to other agencies within the Monroe County Continuum of Care. One client was accepted into Transitional Housing and 2 clients were housed in hotels for emergency medical needs. Case Manager salaries, bus tickets and other expenses are paid for by out-of-county grants.
• SHAL’s Employment Case Manager, Channing Lamar, continues to work with shelter clients, supporting their job-hunting and job-retention efforts. In April she added 11 new clients and continued to work with 31 others. Of these 42 active clients, 26 (62%) are currently employed, and 15 (36%) have moved out of the Shelter! Channing’s salary and all client expenses are fully funded by a state/federal grant. Clients are working for local firms in construction, restaurants, entertainment and tourist firms.

KEYS OVERNIGHT TEMPORARY SHELTER (KOTS)

Shelter Usage

A total of 184 un-duplicated individuals used the Shelter in April 2015. KOTS was full by 9 pm on 5 evenings, with just over 130 clients sleeping in the Shelter on an average night.

Only 3 EMT calls were made for Shelter clients in April.

Males 152 (83%)

Age 18-24 1

Age 25-62 154

Age 63+ 29

Other populations

Veterans 26 Domestic Violence 3

Chronic Substance Abuse 14 Other Disability 26

Severely Mentally Ill 7 Chronic Homeless 16

SHAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Breakdown of Case Management Users

Total Case Management Contacts: 305

Sheltered 153

Unsheltered 152

– Continued shower services to unsheltered clients.

– Continued to provide temporary mailing address for SS, Food Stamps and Birth

Certificates.

– Were able to pay for clients’ medication for acute illnesses.

– Continued case management services to jail clients.

– Continued to provide local bus passes to mobility challenged clients or those actively

seeking employment.

– Were able to pay for emergency hotel stays for 2 clients with emergent medical issues.

– Were able to pay for a doctor visit for a client with a broken ankle.

– One female client was accepted into transitional housing.

Relocations/Reunifications

A total of 14 individuals received relocation/reunification services in April 2015.

Breakdown of Relocations/Reunifications

Male recently released from jail referred by the Public Defender’s office was relocated

Two males with physical/medical disabilities were relocated to safe housing