CONTINUUM OF CARE GOVERNANCE CHARTER OF THE ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS IN SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY - DRAFT

Transcription

1 CONTINUUM OF CARE GOVERNANCE CHARTER OF THE ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS IN SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY - DRAFT Adopted: DATE

2 -DRAFT- TABLE OF CONTENTS ARTICLE 1: Continuum of Care Mission, Values, Goals, Responsibilities ARTICLE 2: Continuum of Care Governance Structure Section 2.1: Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County Board of Directors Section 2.2: Continuum of Care Membership Section 2.2.1: Membership Dues Section 2.2.2: Membership Benefits Section 2.2.3: Membership Responsibilities Section 2.2.4: Voting Section 2.2.5: Conflict of Interest Section 2.3: Committees and Ad hoc Working Groups Section 2.4: Outreach to New Members ARTICLE 3: Operating the Continuum of Care (CoC) Section 3.1: Meetings Section 3.1.1: Meetings of the Board of Directors Section 3.1.2: Membership Meetings Section 3.2: Membership meeting procedures Section 3.3: Selecting the Continuum of Care Board of Directors ARTICLE 4: Continuum of Care Planning Section 4.1: Coordinate implementation of a housing and service system Section 4.2: Conduct PIT counts Section 4.3: Conduct annual gaps analysis of needs and services Section 4.4: CoC consolidated plan Section 4.5: Coordination of CoC and ESG Recipients Section 4.6: Performance Targets & Monitoring ARTICLE 5: Application for funding through the Continuum of Care Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 1 11

3 Section 5.1: Application process Section 5.2: Continuum of Care Funding Process Section 5.3: Other Funding Sources Process Section 5.4: Tenets of Project Review Section 5.5: Appeals ARTICLE 6: HMIS ARTICLE 7: Coordinated Entry ARTICLE 8: Amending the Governance Charter ARTICLE 9: Terms and Definitions APPENDICES Appendix A Board of Director s Bylaws Appendix B Tenets of Project Review Appendix C HMIS Governance Charter Appendix D Coordinated Entry Protocol Appendix E Commonly Used Acronyms Appendix F Code of Conduct Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 2 11

4 ARTICLE 1 - Continuum of Care Mission, Values, Goals, and Responsibilities Mission Statement The mission of the Alliance to End Homelessness is to strive for the elimination of homelessness in suburban Cook County through the coordination and maximization of available resources to assist homeless individuals and families. The Alliance serves as a convener for the collaborative, communitybased endeavors of homeless service providers, affordable housing developers, local governments, foundations, and the private sector. Core Values 1. Respect - We operate with respect for clients, donors, one another, and the wider community. We work with respect for the structure, mission, and vision that we share. 2. Teamwork - We provide support to one another, working cooperatively throughout the organization to ensure that we meet goals together. 3. Mission-Driven - The CoC mission is to plan, develop, and implement comprehensive and coordinated strategies to address homelessness in suburban Cook County. Everything we do is driven toward that mission. 4. Commitment - We work with urgency and commitment to fulfill our mission and goals and strive for excellence and quality in all we do. Goals/Responsibilities 1. End homelessness in suburban Cook County 2. Quickly re-house homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness 3. Promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families 4. Optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness. ARTICLE 2 - Continuum of Care Governance Structure Section 2.1: Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County Board of Directors The Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County leads the Continuum of Care for suburban Cook County (CoC). The Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County s membership is open to any individual or organization that embraces the mission and goals of the CoC. Much of the work of the CoC will be carried out by the CoC Board of Directors, Community Based Service Areas (CBSAs), and Committees with input from Members. Given the large service area of the Suburban Cook Continuum and to increase local participation, the Alliance s service area is divided into three regions (North, South, West), known as CBSAs. To be considered a Member, the individual or organization has an interest in understanding and addressing the issues related to homelessness, and a desire to participate in some way in the suburban Cook County s CoC. The prospective member shall complete the required membership application and pay the required dues in accordance with Section Per the bylaws, when applying Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 3 11

5 for membership, individuals should specify a CBSA or a county-wide membership. Organizations may specify membership in one or multiple CBSAs or county-wide. Section 2.2: Continuum of Care Membership Organizations and individuals may be Members. All Members, both individuals and designated representatives of organizations, shall be eligible to vote to approve or amend the governance framework at the annual meeting or a special membership meeting as set forth in this Governance Charter. An Individual Member is defined as a community representative not employed by an organizational member agency or a person with lived experience who may or may not be employed by an organizational member. An Organizational Member is not an individual but rather an organization interested in the purposes of the Alliance. Organizations that are members may send as many representatives to committees as they see fit but are entitled to only one vote on each committee at which they are represented, except that persons with lived experience are considered Individual Members and are entitled to their own vote. Organizations are allowed one vote at board meetings and at the annual meeting. Section 2.2.1: Membership Dues The Executive Committee of the Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County may establish a dues structure that includes annual dues for all members as part of the annual budget. In addition, CBSAs may choose to have their own dues structure. The proposed dues structure will include a process for requesting waivers for financial hardship for individual and organizational Members. Government entities do not pay dues. Membership shall cease for any Member whose dues are 60 days in arrears. Membership shall be reestablished upon payment of dues. Individual membership dues need to be paid by an individual member and may not be paid by an organization. Section 2.2.2: Membership Benefits Invitation to all open CoC meetings CoC orientation Voting rights as set forth in Article Eligible for committee and board service Access to training and technical assistance opportunities Opportunities to network with people doing similar work or with similar interests Section 2.2.3: Membership Responsibilities Attendance at annual CoC membership meeting Participation in advocacy initiatives Pay annual dues if applicable Work collaboratively to further the goals and mission of the Alliance Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 4 11

6 Members are committed to working together to advance the mission and purpose of the CoC and achieve the goals of the Alliance s plan to end homelessness and to adhere to all guidelines, policies and procedures set forth by the CoC. The Board of Directors may revoke an individual or organization membership by a 2/3rd vote at a properly constituted board meeting if the Board determines that the Member s action(s) is detrimental to the organization. If determination of membership is being considered, the Board Chair shall notify the Member in writing 30 days prior to the board meeting where said action is to be considered and voted upon. The Member shall have the right to address the board at the meeting before the vote to terminate is taken. Section 2.2.4: Voting A member s full voting rights shall commence after the filing of the application and payment of dues. Section 2.2.5: Conflict of Interest Conflicts of interest provisions shall be those specified in the Code of Conduct as provided in Appendix F Section 2.3: Committees and Ad hoc Working Groups Committees and Ad hoc Working Groups are defined in the by-laws as provided in Appendix A. Section 2.4: Outreach to New Members The Governance Committee is charged with increasing membership in order to strengthen and broaden the CoC base of support. The committee shall seek additional members and encourage the participation at all levels of Alliance activity from groups that include but are not limited to persons with lived experience (i.e. homeless or formerly homeless, nonprofit homeless assistance providers and employment providers, domestic violence and sexual assault providers, faith based organizations governments, funders, businesses, advocates, public housing agencies, school districts, social service providers, mental health agencies, substance use providers, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law enforcement, community service groups, and organizations that serve veterans. Recruitment activities may include but are not limited to community meetings, targeted outreach, press releases, and announcements on the CoC website. Staff working with the Governance Committee shall provide new members with orientation materials. ARTICLE 3 - Operating the Continuum of Care Section 3.1: Meetings 3.1.1: Meetings of the Board of Directors Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be conducted in accordance with the by-laws : Membership Meetings Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 5 11

7 Annual Meeting On behalf of the Cook County Continuum of Care, the Alliance shall hold a public meeting for all members at least annually: 1) to be updated on the actions of the Alliance; 2) to approve additions or changes to the Governance Charter; and 3) to attend to other matters as determined by the Alliance Board of Directors. Special Meetings Special meetings are called when a membership decision must be addressed and there is no timely meeting scheduled. Special meetings may be called by the chair or the full board of directors. The Alliance will provide notice of the meeting at least one week prior to any meeting. Notice may be by regular mail, fax, electronic mail, telephonic notice, and/or posting on the Alliance website. Section 3.2: Membership Meeting Procedures The Board of Directors shall invite all the members of the Alliance to the Membership Meetings. Members of the general public may attend the Membership meeting but may not vote. The Executive Committee may determine the agenda and procedures for such meetings. A quorum for the Membership meeting shall consist of ten percent of total Membership as well as a quorum of the board as defined in the by-laws. If the members of the Alliance are called upon to vote on a particular item on the agenda, only members of the Alliance in good standing shall be permitted to vote, and the measure shall be determined to have passed if it receives the majority of those present and voting on the question. Section 3.3: Selecting the Continuum of Care Board of Directors Selecting the Alliance Board of Directors shall be conducted in accordance with the by-laws. ARTICLE 4 - Continuum of Care Planning As the lead agency for the suburban Cook County Continuum of Care, the Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County is responsible for the following planning activities to address homelessness and housing instability of individuals and families in suburban Cook County: Section 4.1: Coordinate implementation of a housing and service system The Alliance shall plan, and coordinate implementation of, a housing and service system within its geographic area that meets the needs of homeless individuals, including unaccompanied youth, and families. Multiple funding sources from Federal, State and local programs are needed to carry out the Continuum s homelessness activities. Coordination of these funding streams and related services leads Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 6 11

8 to a stronger community response to homelessness. At a minimum, the system will encompass the following components: Outreach, engagement, and assessment Shelter, housing, and supportive services Prevention strategies The Alliance will develop and maintain a policy that guides consistent operation of the coordinated entry system included as Appendix D, with respect to how the system will triage and address the particular safety needs of individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness. In addition, the policy will state how the system will address the needs of individuals and families that are fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The coordinated entry system will: Cover the geographic area served by the CoC Be easily accessed by individuals and families seeking housing or services Be well-publicized Include a comprehensive and standardized assessment tool. The coordinated entry system has been developed in consultation with Emergency Solutions Grant recipients in suburban Cook County and includes the following standards for evaluating and referring potential program participants: Policies and procedures for evaluating individuals and families eligibility for assistance under the CoC Program Policies and procedures for determining and prioritizing which eligible individuals and families will receive transitional housing assistance Policies and procedures for determining and prioritizing which eligible individuals and families will receive permanent supportive housing assistance Policies and procedures for determining and prioritizing which eligible individuals and families will receive rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention assistance. If the Continuum is designated by HUD as a High Performing Community (HPC), policies will be developed that meet the standards for high-performing communities, as described in the Emergency Solutions Grants program rule at 24 CFR part (e)(vi) through(e)(ix) Policies and procedures for referring individuals and families for ESG funding as appropriate will be based on the regulations and policies and procedures for each ESG entitlement community. Section 4.2: Conduct PIT counts The Alliance shall plan for and conduct, at least biennially, a point-in-time (PIT) count of homeless persons in suburban Cook County that meets the following requirements: Homeless persons who are living in a place not designed or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for humans must be counted as unsheltered homeless persons. Persons living in emergency shelters, safe havens, and transitional housing projects must be counted as sheltered homeless persons. Other requirements as established by HUD. Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 7 11

9 The PIT Count must be conducted in such a way as to adequately survey the homeless population throughout the broad geography of the suburban Cook County CoC. Section 4.3: Conduct Annual Gaps Analysis of Needs and Services The Alliance shall conduct an annual gaps analysis of the homeless needs and services available within the geographic area of the suburban Cook County CoC. The analysis should include, but is not limited to, emergency shelter, permanent housing, and prevention services. Section 4.4: CoC Consolidated Plans The Alliance shall provide the information required to complete the Consolidated Plans of all entitlement communities within the CoC s geographic area. This includes but is not limited to statistics on the sheltered and unsheltered homeless population, the coordinated entry process, and homeless program outcomes. Entitlement communities as of the adoption of this charter are: Arlington Heights, Berwyn, Chicago Heights, Cicero, Des Plaines, Evanston, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect, Oak Lawn, Oak Park, Palatine, Schaumburg, Skokie, and Cook County. Section 4.5: Coordination of CoC and Emergency Solutions Grant Recipients The Alliance shall consult with Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) recipients within its geographic area, including Cook County and state and local governments, on their plans for: Allocating ESG program funds Reporting on the performance of ESG program recipients and subrecipients Evaluating the performance of ESG program recipients and subrecipients. Consultation shall take place as part of the development of ESG recipients Consolidated Plans and annual Action Plans. ESG recipients as of the adoption of this charter are: Cicero, Evanston, Oak Park, Cook County, and the State of Illinois. Each ESG recipient will be responsible for initiating consultation with the Alliance prior to issuance of any draft plan for public comment, and at a point in their planning process that allows for meaningful input relating to ESG planning and allocation decisions. ESG recipients are responsible for describing said consultation in their Consolidated Plans and Action Plans. One of the goals of consultation between the Alliance and ESG recipients is to coordinate and/or align written standards to ensure all populations eligible for assistance within the geographic area are assessed and prioritized for available assistance as consistently as possible. The Alliance will incorporate the written standards of ESG recipients for the use of ESG funds into its coordinated entry system in order to provide an initial, comprehensive assessment of the housing and services needs of individuals and families within the CoC geography. At a minimum, each ESG recipient s written standards for the use of ESG funds must include policies and procedures that address the following: Evaluating eligibility for ESG assistance Targeting and providing essential services related to street outreach activities Admission to, diversion from, referral to, and discharge from emergency shelters Assessing, prioritizing, and re-assessing the need for essential services related to street outreach Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 8 11

10 Coordination among other emergency shelter, essential service, homelessness prevention, and rapid re-housing providers as well as with other mainstream housing and service providers Determining and prioritizing individuals and families for homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing assistance Determining the percentage and amount of rental assistance and utilities each program participant must pay while receiving homelessness prevention or rapid re-housing assistance Determining the amount and duration of rental assistance, including how the amount will be adjusted over time, as appropriate Determining the type, amount, and duration of housing stabilization and/or relocation services. Section 4.6: Performance Targets & Monitoring The Alliance will establish formal policies and review procedures for homeless programs and services in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the CoC s efforts to prevent and end homelessness and the efficiencies of individual projects and programs. This will require emphasis on performance measurement and development of performance targets in order to make best use of limited resources by supporting more efficient service models. The Alliance will: Consult with recipients and subrecipients to establish performance targets appropriate for population and program type; Monitor recipient and subrecipient performance to evaluate outcomes and work with underperforming programs to improve outcomes and take actions as necessary Evaluate outcomes of projects funded under the CoC and ESG programs and report to HUD. ARTICLE 5 - Application for funding through the Continuum of Care Section 5.1: Application Process The Alliance shall inform all its members when funding becomes available through the Alliance for programs that address homelessness. Alliance staff shall conduct training related to application completion and shall ensure an open and transparent process from announcement of availability to awarding of funds. All decisions as to awards shall be made by the Board of Directors in accordance with Tenets of Project Review. It is anticipated that most awarding of funds will be through a competitive process, but when a funder requires a rapid decision, a competitive process may not be possible. The Board may decide to renew funding to a specialized project without competition when there is a Board consensus that the current recipient has performed well in utilizing the funding and when continuity in program performance is a significant factor. Section 5.2: Continuum of Care Funding Process The Board of Directors of the Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County determines the final prioritized list of projects to be recommended to HUD for Continuum of Care funding. In accordance with the Tenets of Project Review as indicated in Appendix B, the Project Prioritization will develop and recommend ranking tools for consideration and approval by the Board. The Project Review Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 9 11

11 Panel is composed of individuals with no conflict of interest. The Panel shall utilize the ranking instruments in a fair and unbiased manner to develop the recommended project ranking. While maintaining the overall integrity of the Project Review Panel s recommendations, the Board may modify the ranking list to better accomplish its mission. If HUD rules allow funding for a new priority, the Board may rank a project that will address that priority without a competitive process if it determines there is insufficient time to have a current competitive process. Section 5.3: Other Funding Sources Process When other resources become available to the Continuum, the Board of Directors shall oversee the process of awarding those dollars. If the Executive Committee determines there are significant time constraints that must be met to acquire the dollars and there is not adequate time to develop and implement a competitive process, the Board of Directors may award the dollars without competition to ensure that the new resources are secured. If there is adequate time for implementing a competitive process but the dollars are targeted to a specialized function outside the normal purview of the Project Prioritization Committee, the Board of Directors shall ensure that either an ad hoc Specialized Review Instrument Committee is appointed to develop the review instrument or that Alliance staff work with the current committee(s) that are most related to the new function in developing the Specialized Review Instrument. The Executive Committee shall also establish the reviewers group. The Board of Directors shall make the final decision as to the agencies to be awarded the project funds. Section 5.4: Tenets of Project Review Project Review shall operate per the Tenets of Project Review as indicated in Appendix B. Section 5.5: Appeals Appeals to project review decisions shall be conducted in accordance with the Tenets of Project Review as indicated in Appendix B. ARTICLE 6--HMIS HMIS shall operate per the HMIS Governance Charter as indicated in Appendix C ARTICLE 7 - Coordinated Entry Coordinated Entry shall operate per the Coordinated Entry Protocols as indicated in Appendix D. ARTICLE 8 - Amending the Governance Charter Proposed changes to the Governance Charter may be submitted by any member to the Governance Committee up to 90 days prior to the annual meeting. The Governance Committee will review the entire charter and any proposed changes and develop a recommendation for any amendments to be Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 10 11

12 considered at the annual meeting. The Governance Charter and any proposed amendments will be published on the Alliance website and distributed to the full Continuum membership prior to the annual meeting. Board-approved changes to appendices of this Governance Charter are effective immediately and shall be subject to membership approval at the annual meeting. The members of the CoC will have the power to adopt, amend, or repeal provisions of this governance charter by 2/3rds vote of the members present at any full membership meeting where such proposed action has been described in the notice of the meeting. Appendix A Board of Director s Bylaws Appendix B Tenets of Project Review Appendix C HMIS Governance Charter Appendix D Coordinated Entry Protocol Appendix E Commonly Used Acronyms Appendix F Code of Conduct Alliance Governance Charter DRAFT Page 11 11

13 AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS OF ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS IN SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY, An Illinois Not for Profit Corporation May 22, 2015 ARTICLE I. Name, Purposes and Powers 1.1. Name. The name of this not for profit Corporation is Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County hereinafter referred to as 'the Corporation' Purposes. (a) The Corporation is a community planning body initially created to oversee the Continuum of Care program (the "Continuum of Care") established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") for reviewing requests for block grant money from HUD for suburban Cook County, Illinois. The Corporation will plan for service and housing priorities, guide the planning and implementation of projects that fit within the Continuum of Care's strategic plan, and carry out the activities of the Continuum of Care to maximize interagency collaboration. The Corporation will also facilitate partnerships to prevent homelessness, reduce duplicative services, impact systems change, improve local and county-wide service planning, adopt best practices and expand and preserve access to housing and supportive services to significantly impact and end homelessness in suburban Cook County, Illinois. (b) To achieve these ends the Corporation will bring together a cross-section of stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including persons with lived experience of homelessness, homeless service providers, governmental agencies, faith organizations, advocates, businesses, educational institutions, private funders and other interested parties Powers, The Corporation shall have such powers as are now or may hereafter be granted by the Illinois General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986, as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Act") Specific Purposes and Limitations on Authority. As the chief planning, coordinating and administrative body of the Continuum of Care for suburban Cook County, Illinois, the Corporation will not provide any direct client services to individuals who are homeless or facing homelessness. Rather, the Corporation shall, through its activities, seek to enhance the availability, coordination and delivery of services through its member organizations in a fair and open manner so as to advance the elimination of homelessness. The Corporation shall not pursue any activity, funding, legislation or organizing effort other than those necessary to directly accomplish its purposes.

14 ARTICLE II. Offices The Corporation shall have and continuously maintain in the State of Illinois a registered office and a registered agent, which agent may be either an individual resident in the State of Illinois whose business office is identical with such registered office, or a domestic corporation for profit or a foreign corporation for profit authorized to conduct affairs in the State of Illinois that is authorized by its articles of incorporation to act as such agent having a business office identical with such registered office, and may have other offices within or without the State of Illinois as the Board may from time to time determine. ARTICLE III. Members and CBSA's 3.1. Membership. The members of the Corporation (the 'Members') shall consist of those charitable organizations, neighborhood and community groups, governmental agencies, faith based groups, individuals, and for-profit corporations who-support the purposes of the Corporation-and agree to abide by the rules, policies and procedures of the Corporation Authority and Duties of the Community Based Service Area To assure effective grass roots input into the Corporation it is divided into three de facto Community Based Service Areas (CBSAs). These CBSAs, serving the North, West, and South areas of Cook County (see Township appendix), shall utilize their local knowledge to inform the Corporation of their common and unique issues as well as develop and implement local solutions for local issues. Each CBSA shall be responsible for: (a) (b) creating its own operating rules and procedures; and appointing persons from such CBSA to serve on the Board as provided in Section 4.2(a) Authoritv of Members and CBSA's. Except as expressly provided in this Section 3.2, neither any Member nor any CBSA shall have any power, authority or voting rights with respect to the Corporation. 3.4 Dues. Service Provider members shall be assessed dues as determined by the Board of Directors \'. J

15 ARTICLE IV. Board of Directors 4.1. General Powers. The affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by a Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board which shall be elected or appointed in accordance with these by-laws Number, Tenure and Qualification. The Board shall consist of from thirty-four (34) to thirty-nine (39) Directors (the "Directors"), of whom up to twenty-one (21) shall be persons appointed by the CBSA's pursuant to Section 4.2(a) (the "CBSA Representatives") and up to eighteen ( 18) shall be persons appointed by the Board pursuant to Section 4.2(b) (the "County-Wide Representatives"). (a) Each CBSA shall appoint up to seven (7) CBSA Representatives prior to the June meeting of the Board in each year, who shall assume their positions on the Board at the immediately succeeding August meeting of the Board (provided that a CBSA may fill vacancies in its CBSA Representatives during any meeting of the CBSA), which seven (7) CBSA Representatives shall be comprised of: (i) No more than one (1) representative from each of three (3) Funded Provider Agencies located in the Service Area of the CBSA (the "CBSA Funded Provider Representatives"). A "Funded Provider Agency" is defined as an organization which (A) delivers services to those who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, (B) has been recognized by the United States Internal Revenue Service as an organization described in Section 50l (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax law, and (C) is receiving HUD funding through the Corporation; and (ii) At least four (4) representatives from the community-at-large of the Service Area of the CBSA, including individuals, local government leaders, Provider Agencies not HUD funded by this Corporation, or other stakeholders. (iii) Other at large representatives as approved by the Board. (iv) Additionally, each CBSA shall nominate at least one (1) Person with Lived Experience of Homelessness to serve as a County-Wide Representative. A Person with Lived Experience of Homelessness is a person who is or was homeless per HUD's definition of actual homelessness and is public about this experience. (Being a current or former employee of a Funded Provider Agency or Provider Agency is NOT a disqualification for being nominated for this position and such individual shall not be considered a Funded Provider Agency or Provider Agency Representative) I74693JIV-3

16 (b) The Board shall appoint up to eighteen (18) County-Wide Representatives at the June meeting of the Board in each year, who shall assume their positions on the Board at the immediately succeeding August meeting of the Board. Nominations for these positions may come from any member of the Board and appointment shall be by a vote of the Board. The Board may fill vacancies in the County-Wide Representatives during any meeting of the Board. (i) A County-Wide Representative shall be either (A) a Person with Lived Experience of Homelessness, (B) the current Chair and Immediate Past Chair of the Corporation (Ex Officio Representatives), (C) a member of a government entity or a member of a profit or not-for-profit entity or a person in the general community that brings knowledge, dedication, and commitment or other resources to ending homelessness in Suburban Cook County, or D) an employee of a Funded Provider Agency or other Provider Agency which delivers services throughout suburban Cook County ( c) Members of the board of directors or trustees of a Provider Agency may serve as a Community Representative at those times when no employee (excluding Persons with Lived Experience of Homelessness) or other representative of such Provider Agency is also a Director. (d) Each Director shall, at the time of appointment or selection, declare his or her status on the board as a CBSA Funded Provider Representative, a CBSA Community Representative, a County-Wide Provider Representative, a County-Wide Community Representative, a County-Wide Person with Lived Experience of Homelessness Representative, or a County-Wide Ex-Officio Representative. ( e) There may be no more than one voting Director from any one individual Member or agency represented on the Board (excluding Persons with Lived Experience of Homelessness (f) Directors shall not be allowed to share their positions with other Members of the Corporation, nor shall Director alternates be allowed Regular Meetings. The Board shall provide by resolution the time and place, within the State of Illinois, for the holding of regular monthly meetings of the Board, a minimum of 10 times during each fiscal year of the Corporation Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be called by or at the request of the Chair or the Executive Committee. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board may fix any place, within the State of Illinois, as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board called by them Notice. Notice of any regular or special meeting of the Board shall be given at least two days previously thereto by written notice delivered personally or sent by mail, overnight \'-3

17 courier service, telecopy, telegram, electronic mail or facsimile to each Director at his or her address as shown by the records of the Corporation. Such notice will include a written agenda for the meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered three business days after being deposited in the United States mail in a sealed envelope so addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. If notice be given by telegram, overnight courier service or telecopy, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered the following business day. Any Director may waive notice of any meeting. The attendance of a Director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the Board need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, unless specifically required by law or by these by-laws Quorum. Forty percent (40%) of the Directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board, provided, that if less than forty percent ( 40%) of the Directors are present at said meeting, a majority of the Directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice Manner of Acting. All meetings will be conducted according to the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure. The act of a majority of the Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except where otherwise provided by law or by the articles of incorporation or by these by-laws. Directors may participate in and act at any Board meeting through the use of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can communicate with one another. Participation in such meeting shall constitute attendance and presence in person at the meeting of the person or persons so participating. Voting shall be conducted by voice vote or raising of hands except whenever a roll call vote shall be requested by a Director. Contested elections shall be held utilizing a secret ballot. No proxy voting will be allowed Informal Action by Directors. Any action required to be taken at a meeting of the Directors, or any other action which may be taken at a meeting of Directors, may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be personally signed, faxed or ed by all of the Directors entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof Removal. A Director who misses more than three (3) meetings in a fiscal year may be removed by a vote of the Board. Non-compliance by a Director with these by-laws or any rules, regulations, policies or procedures adopted by the Board may result in the censure and/or removal of such Director from the Board by a 2/3 rds. vote of those present and voting Vacancies shall be filled in the manner of the original holder >\\'-3

18 ARTICLE V. Committees General. The Board by a vote of a majority of the Directors may create one or more committees and appoint Directors or such other persons as the Board designates, to serve on the committee or committees. All committee members shall serve at the pleasure of the Board Quorum and Voting. Unless the appointment by the Board requires a greater number, 40% shall constitute a quorum, and a majority of committee members present and voting at a meeting at which a quorum is present is necessary for committee action. Each member of a committee shall have the right to a vote in all committee matters, even if there is more than one member of the committee representing or associated with any one individual Member or agency. A committee may act by unanimous consent in writing without a meeting. The committee by majority vote of its members shall determine the time and place of meetings and the notice required therefor Authority of Committees. To the extent specified by the Board, each committee may exercise the authority of the board of directors under Section of the Act; provided, however, a committee may not: (a) Adopt a plan for the distribution of the assets of the Corporation, or for dissolution; (b) Fill vacancies on the Board or on any of its committees; ( c) Elect, appoint or remove any officer or Director or member of any committee, or fix the compensation of any member of a committee; (d) Adopt, amend, or repeal the by-laws, policies and procedures or the articles or incorporation; ( e) Adopt a plan of merger or adopt a plan of consolidation with another corporation, or authorize the sale, lease, exchange or mortgage of all or substantially all of the property or assets of the Corporation; or (f) Amend, alter, repeal or take action inconsistent with any resolution or action of the Board when the resolution or action of the Board provides by its terms that it shall not be amended, altered or repealed by action of a committee Standing Committees. The Corporation shall have the following standing committees. (a) The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the Chair, Vice Chair, Past Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and the three (3) CBSA Chairs. Except as provided in Section 5.3, the Executive Committee shall have all of the authority vested in the Board I \V-3

19 in between meetings of the Board, as well as any authority delegated to the Executive Committee by the Board or these by-laws. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for hiring, firing and overseeing the Executive Director of the Corporation. (b) The Finance/Operations Committee shall be chaired by the Treasurer. At least half the members shall be Directors. It shall be responsible for developing the spending plan for the year, monitoring the financial condition of the Corporation, and making recommendations as to how the Corporation can financially meet its goals. ( c) The Governance Committee shall be chaired by the Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors. At least half the members shall be Directors. It shall be responsible for reviewing and updating the Bylaws and policies and procedures as needed as well as recommending candidates for County-Wide Board membership and Board Offices. (d) The Project Review and Prioritization Committee shall be responsible for developing an annual procedure for prioritizing/ranking funding priorities, managing the annual Continuum of Care NOF A project review process, and maintain ongoing review of Continuum of Care NOF A-funded projects that are identified as having significant problems in operating within Continuum expectations. (e) The Plan Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the writing of the Continuum of Care Application for the annual HUD NOF A, developing Strategic Plans, monitoring their implementation, and conducting the biennial homeless count. (f) The HMIS Committee shall be responsible for the development, management, and the implementation of the Homeless Management Information System. It shall review HMIS policies and procedures annually. (g) The Resource Development Committee shall propose how to develop new streams of income for the Corporation as well as maximizing current resources utilized to achieve the Corporations goals (h) The Employment Committee shall promote the implementation of evidence based practices that will increase employment rates and income of Persons with Lived Experience of Homelessness. (i) The Prevention Committee shall be responsible for developing an annual procedure to apportion prevention dollars, distribute those dollars, and monitor their utilization as well as making recommendations related to systems and processes to prevent homelessness Other Committees. The Board may create other ad hoc committees to address specific projects or time sensitive tasks as it deems appropriate. These committees shall be dissolved or renewed as the Board sees fit )]\\'.)

20 ARTICLE VI. Officers 6.1. Officers. The officers of the Corporation shall be a Chair, a Vice Chair, a Past Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer. No more than one office may be held by the same person. All officers must be Directors at all times during their term of office Election and Term of Office. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected annually by the Board at the regular July meeting of the Board. Nominations for elections for officers shall be made in writing to the Secretary prior to, or from the floor at, the June meeting of the Board and shall assume their office at the immediately succeeding August meeting of the Board. Any Director who shall attain a tenure of one year of service on the Board prior to assuming office shall be eligible to hold and office. A Director elected to the office of Vice Chair will serve a one year term. At the conclusion of the one year term, the Vice Chair will automatically assume the role of Chair. Upon completing a one year term of office as Chair, the Chair will automatically become the Past Chair for a period of one year. A Director elected to the office of Treasurer or Secretary shall serve a term of one year. No Treasurer or Secretary may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office Removal. Any officer elected by the Board of directors shall be removed if such person ceases to be a Director Vacancies. In the event the Treasurer, Secretary or Vice Chair is unable to complete their term of office for any reason, the Board shall elect an eligible Director to fill the position until the next general election in July. The Board shall announce the vacancy and open the nomination period at the first meeting following the date of the vacancy. The nomination period shall be open until an election is conducted at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. In the event the Vice Chair is unable to complete his or her term of office, the person elected by the Board to fill the remaining term of office shall assume all of the rights and responsibilities of the role of Vice Chair, including the assumption of the office of Chair at the conclusion of the original term. In the event the Chair is unable to complete his or her term of office, the Vice Chair shall assume the office of the Chair and complete the unfinished term prior to serving his or her own term, the Past Chair shall remain in office until succeeded by the Chair and the position of Vice Chair shall be filled as stated above Chair. The Chair shall convene all Board meetings, shall convene meetings of the Executive Committee, at his/her discretion, shall supervise the Executive Director of the Corporation, shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, shall seek and appoint members of committees, shall oversee all committees, shall prepare agenda for Board meetings, and shall, in conjunction with the Executive Committee, prepare a calendar of Board and Corporation events. The Chair must attend all monthly Board meetings and shall serve as the official contact person for the Corporation. He or she shall be the \'. )

21 principal executive officer of the Corporation and shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Corporation. He or she may sign, with the secretary or any other proper officer of the Corporation authorized by the Board, any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, or other instruments which the Board authorizes to be executed, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board or by these by-laws or by statute to some other officer or agent of the Corporation; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chair and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time Vice Chair. In the absence of the Chair or in the event of his or her inability or refusal to act, the Vice Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chair. The Vice Chair shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the Chair or by the Board Past Chair. The Past Chair shall chair the Governance Committee and serve on other committees as necessary. The Past Chair shall provide the Board with a historical perspective and offer support and guidance for the Chair. The Past Chair shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the Chair or by the Board Treasurer. If required by the Board, the Treasurer shall give a bond for the faithful discharge of his or her duties in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the Board shall determine. The Treasurer shall, unless otherwise delegated to an employee: have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the Corporation; receive and give receipts for moneys due and payable to the Corporation from any source whatsoever, and deposit all such moneys in the name of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall be selected by the Board; oversee and report, to the Executive Committee and the Board, the status of all grants and other monies provided by the Corporation; and in general perform all the duties incident to the offices of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the Chair or by the Board Secretary. The Secretary shall keep minutes of the meetings of the Board in one or more books provided for that purpose; see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these by-laws or as required by law; be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Corporation; keep a register of the post office address of each Director and Member which shall be furnished to the secretary by such Director or Member; be the official repository of all Board records and meeting minutes and be responsible for the maintaining and distributing written meeting minutes to the Director; and in general perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the Chair or by the Board \'-J

22 ARTICLE VII. Conflicts of Interest 7.1. General Policy. In the event there exists a conflict between the personal or professional interest (direct or indirect) of a Director and the interests of the Corporation with respect to any transaction or activity, such Director shall not take any action in his or her capacity as a Director with respect to such transaction or activity, except in instances where such transaction or activity has been approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested Directors on the Board after such majority determines that the transaction or activity is reasonable and upon terms that at that time were fair and in the best interests of the Corporation, but in no case shall such transaction or activity be approved by less than a majority of the entire Board Disclosure Obligation. Without limiting the foregoing prohibition (and any authorized exceptions thereto), any possible conflict of interest on the part of any Director (or such Director's business or profession or member of his or her family) shall be disclosed to the Board and made a matter of record. When any such interest becomes relevant to any matter requiring action by the Board or any of its committees, the Director having such possible conflict shall disclose such possible conflict to the Board or committee and such Director shall not vote on such matter, shall not use personal influence in connection therewith and shall not be counted in determining the quorum for the meeting. The minutes of the meeting shall reflect that a disclosure was made, that the Director, if a member of the Board or committee, abstained from voting and was not counted in determining the quorum for the meeting. In disclosing a potential or possible conflict of interest as required above, a Director must include the following information: (a) All relevant facts as to such Director's interest in any pending or proposed transaction and as to any common directorship, officership, or financial o'r influential interest which the Director has with respect to any party to such transaction; and (b) All relevant facts known to such Director with respect to such transaction which might reasonably be construed to be adverse to the Corporation's interest Definition oflndirectly. For purposes of this Article VII, a Director is "indirectly" a party to a transaction if the other party to the transaction is an entity in which the Director has a material financial interest or of which the Director is an officer, director, general partner or employee No Invalidation. If a transaction is fair to the Corporation at the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, the fact that a Director is directly or indirectly a party to the transaction is not grounds for invalidating the transaction, so long as the requirements of this Article VII have been satisfied. The presence of a Director, who is directly or indirectly a party to such a transaction or a Director who is otherwise not disinterested, may be counted in determining whether a quorum is present ))\\'-}

23 ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification of Directors and Officers Third Party Actions. The Corporation shall indemnify each Director and each officer who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a Director or officer of the Corporation, or who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful Actions by the Corporation. The Corporation shall indemnify each Director and each officer who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a Director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his or her duty to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite that adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper Fiduciaries. The Corporation shall indemnify each Director and officer who is held to be a fiduciary under any employee pension, profit sharing or welfare plan or trust of the Corporation or any of its divisions and who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the \V.J

24 Corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was such a fiduciary and was serving as such at the request of the Corporation, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding for any breach of any of the responsibilities, obligations or duties imposed upon fiduciaries by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and any amendments thereto, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of such plan or trust, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of no lo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of such plan or trust, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. The provisions of all the following paragraphs of this Article VIII relating to Directors, officers, employees or agents shall apply also to Directors, officers, employees or agents held to be fiduciaries under this Section 8.3, specifically including the power of the Corporation (under Section 8.8) to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of such fiduciaries Expenses. To the extent that a person who is or was a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise with which such person is or was serving in such capacity at the request of the Corporation, has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Sections 8.1, 8.2 or 8.3, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith Authorization. Any indemnification under Sections 8.1, 8.2 or 8.3 (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the Director or officer is proper in the circumstances because such person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Sections 8.1, 8.2 or 8.3. Such determination shall be made (a) by the Board by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (b) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable but a quorum of disinterested Directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion Expense Advances. Expenses incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding, as authorized by the Board in the specific case, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount, unless it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article VIII lJ\\ '. J

25 8.7. Not Exclusive. The indemnification provided by this Article VIII shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which a Director or officer seeking indemnification may be entitled under any statute, provision in the Corporation's articles of incorporation, bylaw, agreement, vote of disinterested Directors or otherwise, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person Insurance. The Corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article VIII Definitions. (a) For purposes of this Article, references to "the Corporation" shall include, in addition to the surviving corporation, any merging corporation (including any corporation having merged with a merging corporation) absorbed in a merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such merging corporation or is or was serving at the request of such merging corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued. (b) For purposes of this Article, references to "other enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; reference to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Corporation" shall include any service as a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on or involves services by such Director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries. A person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation" as referred to in this Article VIII Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision in this Article shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Article b93J\V.J

26 ARTICLE IX. Contracts, Checks, Deposits & Funds 9. I. Contracts. The Board may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents of the Corporation, in addition to the officers so authorized by these by-laws, to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances Checks, Drafts, Etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation, shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Corporation and in such manner, as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board. In the absence of such determination by the Board, such instruments shall be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Chair or the Vice Chair of the Corporation Deposits. All funds of the Corporation shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board may select Gifts. The Board or the Chair may accept on behalf of the Corporation any contribution, gift, bequest or devise for the general purposes or for any special purpose of the Corporation. ARTICLEX. Books and Records The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of account and shall also keep minutes of the proceedings of the CBSA's and Board, and shall keep at the registered or principal office a record giving the names and addresses of the Members entitled to vote. ARTICLE XI. Fiscal Year The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on the last day of December in each year. ARTICLE XII. Seal The Board may provide a corporate seal which shall be in the form of a circle and shall have inscribed thereon the name of the Corporation and the words "Corporate Seal, Illinois." I \V-J

27 AR TI CLE XIII. Waiver of Notice Whenever any notice whatever is required to be given under the provisions of the Act or under the provisions of the articles of incorporation or by the by-laws of the Corporation, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. ARTICLE XIV. Grievance Procedures All grievances shall be heard by the members of the Executive Committee. Any party wishing to appeal a decision of the Board shall have fifteen (15) business days from the date of personal notification to file a written appeal with any member of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall review and research the appeal and make a recommendation to the Board. Matters governed by deadlines which are beyond the control of the Corporation may necessitate reduction of the general 15 day appeal period. In such circumstance the Executive Committee shall determine and make known the appeal period. ARTICLE XV. Addenda These by-jaws incorporate by reference: the HMIS Governance Charter, the Alliance Code of Conduct, the Coordinated Assessment System Procedures, the Tenets of Project Review, and the HMIS Policies and Procedures Manual attached hereto as Addenda. ARTICLE XVI. Amendments to By-Laws These by-laws may be altered, amended or repealed and new by-laws may be adopted by the Board pursuant to the following procedures: (a) The Governance Committee shall, from time to time, review these by-laws. If such a review results in a recommendation that a change be made, the Governance Committee shall forward the recommendation(s) to the Board for consideration. (b) The Board shall, at its discretion, authorize the Governance Committee to conduct a complete review of these by-laws. At the completion of such a review, the Governance Committee shall make its recommendations to the Board for consideration. (c) If the Board recommends a change be made to these by-laws which have not previously been reviewed by the Governance Committee, the Chair shall ask the \ '->

28 Governance Committee to convene to review and research the proposed change. The Governance Committee shall then make its recommendation regarding the change, to the Board for consideration. (d) All changes to these by-laws adopted by the Board as part of the above procedures shall go into effect thirty (30) days after their adoption by the Board ) )\V. J

29 Tenets of Project Review by the Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County Adopted January 30, 2009; ADOPTED Revision In advance of the NOFA season, applicants and potential applicants shall be involved in decision-making about the project review process in a way that maximizes collaboration to the greatest extent feasible. Examples include but are not limited to building partnerships for new projects at the CBSA level and participating in renewal roundtables. The Alliance Board may consider Continuum strategic planning goals, HUD priorities, and aggregate data about its system in determining the priorities for the project review process each year. 2. The Alliance Board of Directors establishes all project review policies and priorities, the specifics of which may vary from year to year. The Board is charged with ensuring that project review decisions are fair to both new and renewal applicants. All directors may vote on project review decisions that are about the process in general and not about specific projects. 3. The selection process may require a Letter of Intent (LOI) to be submitted by renewal and potential new projects by a deadline. While a LOI must be submitted in order for a project to proceed to an application, it is used for planning purposes by the Alliance and not for screening out potential applicants. Previously awarded projects that are not yet in operation shall submit a status report to the Alliance by the same deadline. If the status report suggests delays or setbacks that impact timely implementation, the Alliance may request quarterly or monthly updates until the project is in operation. 4. Alliance Staff s role in the project review process shall be as an impartial facilitator. The director can create scenarios involving hypothetical or actual projects but does not choose or recommend any particular path. Staff helps applicants to understand factors such as eligibility, funding caps, HUD rules, and Continuum priorities. While the director may actively promote new project ideas and provide technical assistance, staff will not show preferential treatment to any application. 5. Projects in transition or closing shall notify the Alliance in a timely manner. The Alliance is here to help and to prevent gaps in services. 6. The Alliance Board and staff shall promote the efforts of projects to align with HUD and Continuum goals, including coordinated entry. The Alliance shall create mechanisms to allow projects to amend their project design or focus. These too may include Board policy decisions, staff support, and technical assistance. The Alliance executive director shall advise project applicants on the strategic realignment of their projects to fit HUD and Continuum goals.

30 7. The Project Prioritization Committee shall develop and recommend evaluation instruments to be used in ranking HUD renewal and new projects. The Project Review Panel shall utilize the Board adopted evaluation instruments in ranking proposals. The Chairperson of the Project Prioritization Committee will also chair the Project Review Panel. 8. Within the policies set by the Alliance Board, the Project Review Panel is charged with making a qualitative assessment of eligible new and renewal projects and recommending a ranking list for Board approval. The Project Review Panel may make Go/No Go recommendations about accepting or rejecting new project applications. The Panel s recommendations may also include reductions in budgets that are informed by Outcome Evaluation results, information presented to the Project Review Panel in the written application or the project presentation, and/or the specific guidance given to the task group by the Board or Executive Committee about Continuum-wide goals. 9. The Project Prioritization Committee chair shall provide written reports to inform Board decision-making to the greatest extent possible. The Project Prioritization Committee and the Project Review Panel recommendations are shared with projects in advance of a Board decision to give impacted parties the opportunity to review and respond to the recommendations. If agencies wish to develop a counterproposal to the recommendations, they are advised to discuss and vet those scenarios with the Alliance executive director and the Project Prioritization Committee chair. 10. Project Review Panel members must not be representatives of any applicant. Project Review Panel members must sign an Ethics Protocol that asserts this conflict of interest policy and the confidentiality of project review proceedings. 11. The Project Review Panel is ultimately advisory, and the authority to accept or revise a ranking list lies with the Board of Directors. The Board acknowledges that it does not have access to the breadth of information that the Project Review Panel uses in its deliberations, and the Board gives significant weight to the Project Review Panel s ranking recommendations. Directors representing a project on the ranking list must abstain from voting on the ranking list. 12. All decisions related to project review and ranking may be appealed, per the Alliance bylaws, to the Executive Committee. Because of the nature of NOFA timing and deadlines, the window to make an appeal may be shortened from 15 business days to a minimum of two (2) business days. If the Executive Committee is not the appropriate venue for action (e.g., if all but two executive committee members have conflicts of interest that preclude them from voting on the appeal), then the Board Chair may appoint a Special Appeal Committee of 3-7 Board Members who have no conflict of interest to take final action to decide the appeal.

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34 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 Coordinated Entry Protocol for Suburban Cook County 2016 Edition Table of Contents 1. Overview of Coordinated Entry 2 2. Access Points 3 3. Resource Database 4 4. Assessment and Referral Processes 5 5. Diversion and Stabilization Services 8 6. Special Populations 9 7. Staffing Oversight and Governance Evaluation Glossary of Terms Appendix: Coordinated Entry Diagram 15 1

35 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/ Overview of Coordinated Entry The Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County is developing and launching a new coordinated entry system in Coordinated entry is a community-wide system that standardizes and expedites the process by which people experiencing homelessness or who are at imminent risk of homelessness access shelter, housing, and homeless resources. Coordinated entry will help suburban Cook County better target the limited resources provided by the homeless assistance system to people who are experiencing homelessness and need them the most. By standardizing the intake process across the region, by sharing information in real-time, and by adopting uniform prioritization policies, homeless service agencies will be able to refer people to the right program based on their preferences and level of need. The coordinated entry planning committee adopted the following four goals for the system: 1. The coordinated entry system will match participants to resources based on their preferences and needs within the capacity of the available community resources. 2. The coordinated entry system will improve access to all homeless-specific resources, particularly rapid re-housing, homelessness prevention, and permanent supportive housing. 3. The coordinated entry system will promote low-barrier and Housing First principles in all programs that work with people experiencing homelessness or who are at imminent risk of homelessness. 4. The coordinated entry system will meet HUD s requirements and will be responsive to the needs of the community. The coordinated entry system in suburban Cook County is designed to be comprehensive and accessible to everyone in the region who experiences a housing crisis. In compliance with HUD s requirements, all programs funded by the Continuum of Care (CoC) and the Emergency Solutions Grant are required to participate in coordinated entry. Over time, other housing programs will be invited to participate in coordinated entry, and the system will be open to all programs regardless of funding source. A nonprofit partner agency or a consortium of nonprofit partner agencies will administer the coordinated entry system in suburban Cook County. The purpose of this Coordinated Entry Protocol is to outline the components, processes, and expectations of the coordinated entry system, the lead agency/agencies, and all the participating agencies. 2

36 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/ Access Points One of the primary goals of suburban Cook County s coordinated entry system is for the system to be easily accessible and welcoming to the wide range of people who may experience a housing crisis in our region. Therefore, the coordinated entry lead agency will be expected to develop and staff multiple types of access points for people experiencing or at imminent risk of homelessness. The intake and referral process will be consistent across all access points, so that participants receive the same care regardless of which access point they use to enter the system. Phone Coordinated entry is a welcome opportunity to improve upon the current Virtual Call Center (VCC), the current system by which participants access homelessness prevention resources. The phone access point in the new coordinated entry system will have expanded hours beyond the current VCC, including nights, with priority given to times when the walk-in centers are closed in order to expand accessibility. Features of the phone access point should include, but are not limited to: All calls to be answered live during open hours. During closed hours, a recorded message instructing callers to call back later, rather than the option to leave a voice mail which may overload staff capacity. A contracted translation service in order to serve people who speak languages other than English. A procedure for efficiently handling repeat callers. Ideally, the ability to do three-way calling in order to complete a warm hand-off to a referring agency. The coordinated entry lead agency and oversight committee (described in Section 8) should review call volume data on a regular basis to shift staffing and operating hours to peak call times. Walk-In The coordinated entry system will include multiple sites where participants can walk in and meet with an intake professional in person. Maintaining the human touch, especially in times of crisis, is an important part of our community s values. The locations and hours of the walk-in centers will be determined by the coordinated entry lead agency and approved by the oversight committee. Ideally, the walk-in centers will provide some evening hours and weekend availability in order to be fully responsive to the needs of the community. The walk-in centers should also take into account the needs of the entire geographic area and proximity to public transportation, where available. Walk-in centers may be housed within homeless service agencies or other providers of safety net services. 3

37 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 Web The coordinated entry system will also have a public website that provides information about accessing the in-person and phone access points. In the nascent stages of coordinated entry, it is expected that the website will be static and provide contact information only. As the system matures, it may be possible to have a more interactive public site that conducts assessments and provides referrals electronically. The coordinated entry system will feature an online resource database available to the Alliance, the lead agency, and homeless service providers that shares information about real-time availability of housing resources (see Section 3: Resource Database). Other Access Points and Resource Availability In addition to the access points run by the lead agency detailed above, the coordinated entry system will also rely on the services provided by emergency shelters and street outreach providers. Individuals and families who present at emergency shelters or who are found via street outreach will access the coordinated entry system through these access points. These access points will be managed by existing providers, not the coordinated entry lead agency, and will be assessed for services and housing through a parallel path. Please see the coordinated entry diagram (Appendix) and Section 4: Assessment and Referral Processes (page 5) for more detail. It is important to note that the coordinated entry system will only be able to offer those resources that are currently available within the homeless service system, and that the current supply of resources does not match demand. Therefore, not all those who present at a coordinated entry access point will be eligible for or will receive assistance. The goal of coordinated entry is to better target the limited resources available to those who need it most. 3. Resource Database In addition to the public website, the coordinated entry system will utilize the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to provide agencies with information about available community resources. The resource database will initially only be available to HMIS users and should be used to enhance the case management services provided by housing agencies. The following resources should be included in the database, and updated at least biannually: 4

38 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 Coordinated entry access points Emergency shelter Free medical providers Food pantries Crisis lines Resources for specific subpopulations (youth, survivors of domestic violence, Veterans, etc.) Some online resource databases already exist in the region, so the lead agency will want to coordinate efforts in order not to duplicate work. 4. Assessment and Referral Processes The coordinated entry system in suburban Cook County will utilize a phased assessment approach so as to assess individuals and families over time and only as necessary. The goal of the phased assessment process is to gather and share, with appropriate consent, only as much information as necessary to make a successful referral. Pre-Screen Tool Participants who present at the walk-in centers or call the hotline will be assessed using a brief pre-screen tool. The pre-screen tool is designed as a decision tree that helps identify the participant s immediate needs: emergency shelter, homelessness prevention resources, diversion and stabilization services (described in Section 5), or referral to specialized services (e.g., Veterans). The coordinated entry intake worker will conduct a brief 5-10 minute conversation with the participant in order to complete the tool and to determine what the appropriate referral should be. Determining Eligibility for Short-Term Resources After completing the pre-screen tool, participants will be assigned to a diversion and stabilization services, shelter, or homelessness prevention track. Once a participant is recommended for homelessness prevention resources or emergency shelter, the intake worker will complete a short eligibility questionnaire with the participant. Only if the participant meets the eligibility requirements for the program will he or she be referred. If the participant is deemed ineligible, the intake worker will provide other options to the participant, including offering a stabilization service appointment when appropriate. If the participant is eligible for homelessness prevention resources but no resources are available at that time, he or she will also be offered a stabilization service appointment. Whenever 5

39 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 possible, stabilization service appointments will immediately follow the completion of the pre-screen tool. VI-SPDAT The VI-SPDAT is an additional assessment tool that will be used by the coordinated entry system to prioritize participants based on vulnerability factors and determine what housing intervention best fits the participant s needs. All persons must sign a VI-SPDAT consent form before the VI-SPDAT is completed. Those who are already in emergency shelter or engaged with street outreach do not also need to complete a pre-screen. They will be directed to the VI-SPDAT when appropriate. For adult-only households, the VI- SPDAT will be completed when the household has been homeless for seven (7) days or more; for families with children and for transition-age youth, the VI-SPDAT will be completed at the point of literal homelessness. The coordinated entry oversight committee will review this policy annually and update if necessary. Determining Eligibility for Housing Interventions It is important to remember that the coordinated entry system is striving to be low-barrier and to uphold Housing First principles. Therefore, in gathering eligibility criteria from providers and in determining eligibility for participants, the coordinated entry system will make every effort to screen participants in to services, rather than screen participants out. The community is looking to all participating providers to embrace these same principles. Housing Intervention Referral Process A quick and successful referral process will be one of the key measures of success of the new coordinated entry system. The referral process will be guided by a combination of participant preference, project eligibility, and program availability. Referrals to housing providers with vacancies should be as seamless as possible, and supportive of the needs and preferences of participants. Once eligibility is determined, the participant will be offered the housing interventions that are available at that time, and the referral will be made based on the participant s preference. Generally, the process of receiving programs locating the participant should require not more than a few days. Receiving programs should take no more than two weeks (14 days) to locate the participant and begin the housing placement process. If the receiving program is having trouble locating a participant, the agency will work with regional street outreach teams and housing navigators to assist in their search. 6

40 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 While the coordinated entry system will rely on HMIS, it will also be important for the lead agency to employ a referral coordinator to oversee the referral process. The referral coordinator adds the human element to the process and will be able to troubleshoot any issues that arise. This position will also ensure compliance with the referral process and be able to make key program decisions based on available data. Since coordinated entry is a new process for suburban Cook County, the system will need to remain flexible for the rare circumstances that referrals are unsuccessful. Receiving programs will have the opportunity to return referrals to the coordinated entry lead agency only when the eligibility screening was not accurate, the agency cannot locate the participant, or the participant declines admission to the program. In extremely rare cases, receiving programs can appeal referrals to the coordinated entry oversight committee if the participant does not seem to be a good fit for the program. The receiving program must provide clear evidence on their reason for declining admission. The oversight committee will adjudicate appealed referrals on a case-by-case basis. Prioritization for Housing Interventions As stated above, the current supply of homeless assistance resources does not match demand. For several years now, the system of care in suburban Cook County has used a participant s level of vulnerability to target limited resources to those who need them most. The coordinated entry system will continue using this prioritization mechanism to allocate housing interventions. The Alliance manages a central, by-name vulnerability list for the region, maintained within HMIS. Participants are placed on the by-name list after their VI-SPDAT is completed. The list is prioritized by vulnerability factors, and subpopulations are ranked by different factors as outlined in the table below. Vulnerability Factors Used to Prioritize for Housing Interventions Single Adults Families Youth VI-SPDAT score Chronic Status Length of time homeless Age Tri-morbidity Family VI-SPDAT score Number of previous homeless episodes Head of household with disabling condition Dependent with disabling condition that prevents head of household from working Transitional Age Youth VI- SPDAT score Length of time homeless Lack of access to family and/or community supports The individual or family who is most vulnerable will be at the top of the list and will be prioritized for housing openings as they become available. Permanent supportive housing 7

41 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 programs will receive up to three referrals at a time per open slot in order to increase the likelihood that an eligible participant will be located and housed quickly. Care will be taken to ensure that no participants are taken off the list until they are housed or deemed inactive, which means 3-6 months of no contact with an outreach provider. Housing navigators meet monthly with Alliance staff to oversee progress on housing placements for participants on the by-name list who are the most vulnerable. This process has successfully housed hundreds of vulnerable people over the past few years and will continue under the coordinated entry system. 5. Diversion and Stabilization Services Short-term stabilization services are defined as short-term, solutions-focused, nonfinancial assistance. The goal of the stabilization service is to help participants solve problems, navigate systems of care, and get connected to alternative resources as quickly as possible. Stabilization services are designed to be a short-term intervention and complement existing services in the community. Diversion an example of stabilization services is a strategy being used by highperforming communities to help people seeking shelter avoid homelessness altogether. By helping individuals and families identify alternative housing arrangements and connecting them with mainstream and community resources, some people may be able to maintain their housing and prevent homelessness altogether. The stabilization service staff will be employed by implementing agencies, and their services will be offered, after the pre-screen tool is completed, to the following populations seeking help: Participants who are not literally homeless, but who are living in an unstable housing situation and need support to stabilize their situation so they do not need to utilize emergency shelters. For example, if a participant is staying with family and the family is asking him to leave, services could include helping the participant find an alternative living situation or mediating between the participant and host family to find a short-term solution. Participants who are eligible for homelessness prevention financial assistance, but for whom no resources are currently available, or for participants who are ineligible for homelessness prevention. These 8

42 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 participants need very light touch services to troubleshoot their crisis so they do not become homeless. One example is a participant who is behind in her rent but who has income. She may need assistance with budgeting and negotiating with her landlord to develop a repayment plan. Participants who score into the self-resolve categories of the VI-SPDAT. These participants are literally homeless, but have scored low enough on the vulnerability assessment not to be eligible for long-term housing assistance. Participants in this category will be offered emergency shelter and short-term stabilization services. These participants may already be engaged in case management services through emergency shelter or other programs; the coordinated entry system can offer a stabilization service appointment in addition to or in the absence of other case management options. The target is for participants to work with their stabilization service provider by attending 1 to 3 sessions, either in person or on the phone, within a 30 day period. Stabilization services can address a wide variety of issues that best meets the participant s needs. Options include, but are not limited to: budgeting; landlord mediation; family mediation; applying for mainstream benefits; identifying community financial resources to resolve the crisis; and linkage with affordable housing, employment, or health care resources. This new service option will expand the number of participants who receive at least a light touch from the homeless service system, and will greatly reduce the number of times the system will be forced to turn participants away with no resources whatsoever. 6. Special Populations As stated above, the coordinated entry system will be comprehensive and accessible to all. However, special populations may have unique needs that the coordinated entry system will need to be designed to address. Youth Youth experiencing homelessness require developmentally appropriate outreach and services in order to successfully interact with the coordinated entry system. The lead agency should consider how access points will be youth-friendly to both minors (under 18 years of age) and transition-age youth (18 to 24 years old). Youth are more likely to take 9

43 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 advantage of access points that are open in the evenings and on weekends, and they may also be more comfortable accessing services via text, phone apps, or social media. Survivors of Domestic Violence Confidentiality and safety are of utmost concern to survivors of domestic violence. Before the pre-screen tool is completed, all participants who come to walk-in centers or call the phone line will be asked if they are attempting to flee domestic violence or experiencing intimate partner violence. If yes, none of the participant s information will be entered into HMIS, and referrals will immediately be made to domestic violence-specific resources. Participants in domestic violence programs will be able to complete the VI-SPDAT and become eligible to receive RRH and/or PSH through the coordinated entry system. Whether participants choose to access domestic violence-specific or general homeless assistance resources, they must be able to choose whether their personal information is locked down. In addition, the by-name list should use a different identification number than the HMIS identification number for survivors of domestic violence. Veterans The pre-screen tool will identify if a participant seeking assistance is a Veteran. Veterans will be offered Veteran-specific resources or general homeless assistance. If a Veteran chooses to be connected to Veteran-specific resources, he or she will be quickly referred to the Hines VA or a Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) provider. The VA is a long-time and effective partner of the Continuum of Care and has a wide variety of housing and health care resources available to Veterans experiencing homelessness. If a Veteran chooses not to be referred to the VA or a SSVF provider, he or she will be served by CoC resources. Veteran participants in Veteran-specific transitional housing programs will be able to complete the VI-SPDAT and become eligible to receive housing assistance through the coordinated entry system. 7. Staffing The coordinated entry system will require a talented and dedicated staff of direct service and program management professionals in order to be successful. While the exact staffing pattern and division of responsibilities will be designed by the coordinated entry lead agency, the following staff responsibilities should be included: Direct Service Staff Responsibilities 10

44 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 Intake (Phone): First point of contact at the call center. Responsible for entering all data into HMIS, conducting pre-screen assessments, and making referrals to homelessness prevention, housing interventions, stabilization services, or other mainstream and community resources. Intake (Walk-In): First point of contact at the coordinated entry walk-in center. Responsible for entering all data into HMIS, conducting pre-screen assessments, and making referrals to homelessness prevention, housing interventions, stabilization services, or other mainstream and community resources. Stabilization Services: Responsible for providing short-term, solutions-focused crisis intervention and resource advocacy to participants who are not eligible for homeless system resources or for whom no resources are currently available. Street Outreach: Responsible for outreaching to locations where people experiencing homelessness spend their nights (overpasses, parks, bus stations, etc.) Outreach staff will serve as an additional access point to coordinated entry for those who may not call the phone line or visit a walk-in center. Program Management Staff Responsibilities Project Management: Responsible for the successful implementation of coordinated entry, including all access points and the referral process. Provides leadership to staff, operational support, and appropriately engages with community stakeholders. Actively participates in the coordinated entry governance structure. Due Process: Responsible for developing and maintaining a process to receive and respond to grievances of participants and providers. Grievances that cannot be resolved by the coordinated entry lead agency and all provider appealed referrals will be forwarded to the oversight committee for resolution. Outcome Measurement: Oversees data entry, tracks system progress as defined by the coordinated entry performance metrics, and runs performance reports and shares them with community stakeholders. Partner Coordination: Responsible for facilitating homeless service providers participation in coordinated entry to ensure full participation, communication, and coordination. Identifies additional organizations that can receive referrals from coordinated entry for non-homeless assistance services and works with them to ensure quality and appropriate referrals from the coordinated entry system. Referral Coordination: Facilitates the housing referral process and ensures that the referral process is smooth and successful for both participants and receiving agencies. 11

45 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/ Oversight and Governance The coordinated entry lead agency will be responsible for day-to-day implementation and evaluation of the coordinated entry system. In addition, a coordinated entry oversight committee made up of Alliance staff, representatives from nonprofit partner agencies, and community representatives will provide governance and oversight of the system. Participation in the oversight committee is open to all interested community partners. The oversight committee will have two co-chairs elected annually by the committee; co-chairs may not work for or be affiliated with the coordinated entry lead agency. The oversight committee is responsible for: Providing general oversight and support to the coordinated entry system. Receiving, investigating, and resolving grievances from participants and providers that cannot be resolved by the coordinated entry lead agency. Adjudicating appealed referrals from housing programs. Evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of the coordinated entry process by reviewing performance data on a regular basis. Conducting an annual review of the Coordinated Entry Protocol. Recommending policy changes or protocol improvements to the Continuum of Care Board of Directors for final approval. Regularly providing updates to the Continuum of Care and community partners to ensure the transparency of the coordinated entry system. 9. Evaluation In order to ensure that the system is meeting the community s goals and operating at maximum efficiency, coordinated entry will be regularly evaluated according to the following performance metrics, adopted by the oversight committee in February 2016: System Capacity: These outcomes will measure participant entries and exits, program occupancy rates, and system outputs in order to capture how efficiently the coordinated entry system is running and to compare system capacity to level of system demand. System Performance: These outcomes will measure how well the coordinated entry system is meeting the CoC s expectations as outlined in this protocol, as well as HUD system performance measures such as decreasing overall homelessness, 12

46 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 length of homelessness, and repeats of homelessness. Where possible, performance data will be used to compare system performance pre-coordinated entry and postcoordinated entry and over the time of implementation in order to document system improvements. For example, one metric might be to measure the length of time from a participant requesting help to being housed. Characteristics of Persons Seeking Services: These metrics will keep a careful watch on the types of persons seeking services, which entry point they use and when, and how long they receive services. The system will regularly evaluate this data to ensure that participant needs are being served to the best of the community s ability, the system is as responsive as it can be, and bottlenecks are resolved as quickly as possible. Evaluation mechanisms will be built into system operations and will include: Monthly review of performance metrics prepared by the lead agency and reviewed by the oversight committee. Quarterly performance reports, prepared by the lead agency, reviewed by the oversight committee, and provided to the Continuum of Care Board of Directors. Regular participant satisfaction feedback, either through surveys, focus groups, or other best practices. The coordinated entry lead agency, oversight committee, and CoC Board will use the opportunity of regular system evaluation to change procedures as necessary and better meet the needs of participants and the community. 10. Glossary of Terms Continuum of Care (CoC): a community planning body, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to organize and deliver housing and services for a specific geographic region; develop a long-term strategic plan for preventing and ending homelessness; and to apply for federal resources. Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): a program of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide emergency shelter to homeless individuals and families living on the street; rapidly re-house homeless individuals and families; and prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless. 13

47 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/2016 Homeless Management Information System (HMIS): Computerized data collection system designed to capture client-level information on characteristics and services needs; and help communities identify service gaps, improve performance, and plan for emerging needs. Homelessness Prevention (HP): Short-term financial assistance and stabilization services to prevent shelter entrance and promote housing retention. Housing First: Rather than moving homeless individuals and families through different levels of housing until they are housing ready, this evidence-based best practice moves households immediately from the streets or emergency shelter into their own housing with wraparound services. Rapid Re-Housing (RRH): Short-term housing subsidy and strategic case management provided to persons who are homeless in order to reduce the length of time households spend homeless and increase the rate at which households are placed into permanent housing. Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH): Long-term rental assistance with supportive services. Majority of programs serve people with disabilities or people experiencing chronic homelessness, but requirements vary by subsidy source. Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF): a program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide supportive services to very low-income Veteran families living in or transitioning to permanent housing. Virtual Call Center (VCC): A rotating, volunteer-run call center with limited hours serving as the current access point for homelessness prevention resources in suburban Cook County. VI-SPDAT: An evidence-based assessment tool that combines the Vulnerability Index (VI) to determine the chronicity and medical vulnerability of homeless individuals, and the Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (SPDAT) to help service providers allocate resources in a logical, targeted way. 14

48 Updated 2/26/16. Adopted 2/26/ Appendix: Coordinated Entry Diagram 15

49 AHAND AHAR APR ART CBSA CDBG CEDA CH CoC CPD DV EFSP ehic ESG esnaps ETH FLOW GIW HACC HEARTH HIC HIPAA HMIS ACRONYMS COMMONLY USED WITHIN THE ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS IN SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY Association of Homeless Advocates in the North/Northwest District Annual Homeless Assessment Report a national report of HMIS data in which the Alliance participates Annual Performance Report Advanced Reporting Tool, of ServicePoint HMIS Community Based Service Areas what the Alliance calls the three local councils, AHAND, West Suburban Council on Homelessness and South Suburban Council on Homelessness Community Development Block Grant Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County, Inc. Chronic Homelessness Continuum of Care, the group of stakeholders (i.e., the Alliance) that organizes and plans the local homeless housing system and recommends projects for HUD McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants HUD s office of Community Planning & Development Domestic Violence Emergency Food and Shelter Program, formerly known as FEMA, administered locally by the United Way Electronic Housing Inventory Chart, an annually updated list of emergency shelter, safe haven, rapid re-housing, transitional and permanent supportive housing that shows numbers of units and beds for homeless individuals and families in our Continuum Emergency Solutions Grant Electronic grant application system for the Continuum of Care competition. The office of HUD that administers McKinney- Vento Homeless Assistance Grants is called the Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAP) Illinois Emergency and Transitional Housing grants, previously known as Emergency Food and Shelter (EF&S) Flexibility, Livability, Outcomes and Wellness Grant Inventory Worksheet Housing Authority of Cook County Homeless Emergency and Rapid Transition to Housing Act - amends and reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act with substantial changes, passed into law in May 2009 Housing Inventory Chart Health Information Portability and Accessibility Act, law dealing with privacy of health and disability related info Homeless Management Information System a web-based client database that HUD-funded homeless programs are required to use. The software we use locally is ServicePoint, provided by Bowman Systems, Inc. HOME TBRA HOME Funds for Tenant Based Rental Assistance. HOME is usually used for affordable housing development, but a small portion can be used for tenant based assistance lasting up to 24 months. HOME doesn t actually stand for anything, but it s always capitalized. HOPWA Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS HP Homelessness prevention HPRP Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program stimulus program HUD U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development IDHS Illinois Department of Human Services IDIS Integrated Disbursement Information System, a reporting system used by the county and entitlement communities to drawdown and report on federal grants LGBTQI2-S Homeless Youth, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex & Two-Spirited LOCCS Line of Credit Control System, an automated phone system that Continuum of Care grantees use to draw down funds LOI Letter of Intent MISA Mental Illness/Substance Abuse MOU Memorandum of Understanding, an agreement between program partners NOFA Notice of Funding Availability can refer to any funding program, but when the Alliance refers to the NOFA, it s referring to the Continuum of Care NOFA, which funds over $9 million in HUD McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants in suburban Cook. PHA PIT RFP/RFQ RRH S+C SHP SSCH TH VA VI VASH WSCH Public Housing Authority Point-in-Time in reference to the Homeless Count. The number of people homeless at a point in time will be fewer than the number who experience homelessness over the course of a year, which can be 5-6 times more people. Request for Proposals / Request for Qualifications Rapid Re-Housing Shelter Plus Care, one of the HUD McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grant that funds the leasing portion of permanent supportive housing for homeless people. SHP and S+C have been combined into the Continuum of Care Program. Supportive Housing Program, one of the HUD McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grant that funds permanent, transitional and supportive-service-only programs for homeless people. SHP and S+C have been combined into the Continuum of Care Program. South Suburban Council on Homelessness Transitional Housing a type of supportive housing that is time-limited, usually up to 24 months U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Vulnerability Index HUD-VASH Vouchers are HUD & VA Supportive Housing vouchers for homeless veterans West Suburban Council on Homelessness

50 Policy Statement JENNIFER C. HILL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Code of Conduct The Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County believes that an organization s representatives have a responsibility to demonstrate the highest standards of ethical and accountable behavior, to set the tone and to foster the same conduct in others. As a director, officer, staff member, or volunteer of the Alliance, you have accepted an obligation to act in the best interest of the organization as a whole. For this reason, our conduct and ethical behavior must be beyond reproach and free of any impropriety. Dissemination This Code of Conduct is posted on the Alliance website for public review at The Alliance will distribute printed copies of Code of Conduct to all new staff and incoming members of the Board of Directors, even if s/he is a re-elected or returning member. Enforcement The Board of Directors will address any violation of any section of this Code of Conduct on a case-by-case basis. By majority vote, the Board may take disciplinary action up to and including removal from the Board, office, or staff position to remedy such violation. Professional Practices All directors and officers will adhere carefully to the principles, goals, and policies of the Alliance, including but not limited to: Comply with all established operating policies and procedures of the governing body. Avoid any appearance of impropriety. Do not accept gifts or gratuities for your personal benefit as an Alliance representative. Promptly disclose any current or potential conflicts of interest. This includes not only material profits, but also endorsement or prioritizing of your personal/agency project or goals before those of the organization. Report behavior that crosses ethical boundaries to the governing body or Executive Director, as appropriate. Speak up when you have questions or disagree, but support the final decision of the organization. Participate fully in deliberations of the governing body. Represent all members and constituents in a fair and consistent manner, and refrain from promoting personal interests and biases. Once an issue has been discussed and decided, support it and defend it. Keep confidential all privileged and sensitive information that is gained by virtue of office or position. Think broadly. Look at problems from an organization-wide perspective. Focus on the best way to meet the longterm goals of the community. Look for ways to collaborate with other local organizations and governmental agencies. Look for ways to draw on the expertise of all members. Treat your colleagues respectfully. Conflicts should focus on issues, not personalities or individuals. Periodically review the Alliance and its programs. Take a fresh look at how things are done, encourage innovation and improvement while respecting the accomplishments we have achieved thus far. Be a good ambassador. Look for opportunities to introduce yourself and the Alliance to new or potential stakeholders. Last revision: March 2006 Adopted by the Board of Directors: April 28, HARRISON STREET, SUITE 228 HILLSIDE, IL telephone fax web