GUIDE TO THE F.S.S. PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Transcription

1 WASHINGTON COUNTY HOUSING HANDBOOK FOR FAMILY SELF SUFFIANCY PROGRAM GUIDE TO THE F.S.S. PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES

2 INDEX Mission: The Family Self-Sufficiency program of Washington County strives to assist Section 8 families in building a brighter future by becoming self-sufficient and free of welfare assistance through collaborative community partnerships. Welcome: The Washington County s Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) team would like to welcome you in this exciting adventure towards becoming self-sufficient. Your decision to talk to an FSS coordinator was the first step in discovering many wonderful opportunities waiting for you and your family. It is our hope that after attending this FSS briefing that you will see how this program can assist you in providing a brighter future for your family. It is our belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to become successful. The FSS program strives to provide this opportunity. The FSS team thanks you for allowing us the time to share this exciting program with you and your family. Hopefully, you will be as excited about this program as we are!

3 Your Success family self sufficiency Introduction to the FSS Program About the Program Family self-sufficiency (FSS) is a HUD program that encourages communities to develop local strategies to help voucher families obtain employment that will lead to economic independence and self-sufficiency. Public housing agencies (PHAs) work with welfare agencies, schools, businesses, and other local partners to develop a comprehensive program that gives participating FSS family members the skills and experience to enable them to obtain employment that pays a living wage. A separate program, the public housing FSS program, is available for public housing residents. What resources and services are referred through the FSS program? FSS program services may include, but are not limited to: child care transportation education job training and employment counseling substance/alcohol abuse treatment or counseling household skill training homeownership counseling What families are eligible to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) FSS program? Families who receive assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher Program and Public Housing Programs are eligible to participate in the FSS program. Who administers the FSS program? The FSS program is administered locally by public housing agencies (PHAs). What requirements must a family meet to participate in the FSS program? The PHA and the head of each participating family execute an FSS contract of participation (COP) that specifies the rights and responsibilities of both parties. The 5-year FSS contract specifies goals and services for each family. Family members must fulfill all requirements in order to obtain full benefits. The FSS contract requires that the family comply with the lease, that all family members become independent of welfare, and that the head of the family seek and maintain suitable employment. Possible sanctions for noncompliance with the FSS contract are termination from the FSS program, forfeiture of the FSS escrow account, withholding or termination of supportive services, and termination of housing choice voucher assistance.

4 Your Success family self sufficiency FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROCESS INFORMATION REQUEST FORM: A family interested in the FSS program will complete and turn in an FSS information Request form. When it is received by the FSS program, the family will be scheduled for the next information / briefing session. INFORMASSION SESSION/ BRIEFING: You are here! This information session is designed to explain the Family Self Sufficiency program. APPLICATION: At the end of the information session application forms will be available. If you are still interested in being part of the program, please complete the application and return it to the Housing Office. If you need help completing the application form please call the front desk at If you wish to take part in the FSS program, your application must be received within 60 days after this briefing. If we do not receive a completed application we will consider your interest in the program closed. INITIAL INTEVIEW AND INFORMATION GATHERING: After your application is reviewed you will receive a call / notice of an office meeting. This is known as the assessment process. During the assessment process you will have the opportunity to ask more questions about the FSS program and how it would benefit you and your family. Your initial interview must take place within 30 days from the date of the FSS staff contacts you. If you decide that you do not want to participate at the time you are called you have two choices: 1. You can choose to be on an FSS waiting list and participate at a later time 2. You can withdraw your interest in the program and wait 5 years to reenroll. The purpose of the Assessment is to determine what goes into your Individual Training and Service Plan (ITSP). We will primarily be looking at the Head of the Household, but it will also gather information about all household members and goals they may want to achieve. The assessment will cover many areas of your life. Some of the areas include: economic earning capacity, communication skills, money management, social networking, personal and family development and well-being of children. SIGNING A CONTRACT: You will be asked to sign a Contract of Participation at your initial interview. This contract details what is expected of you on this program and the shows that you are in agreement with your responsibilities as a participant. SETTING GOALS: Once the initial assessment has been completed, and the FSS staff understands where you are with your life and how you want to change it, they will work with you to create the Individual Training and Service Plan (ITSP). The plan will clearly state your goals and what steps need to be taken to reach those goals. We will work to connect you with services in the community that fill your needs. WORKING YOUR PLAN: Your FSS coordinator will schedule regular meetings with you and your family to help you complete the goals on your plan. We will require monthly progress reports be completed by the family and returned to your coordinator. We will also meet once a year to update your goals and needs.

5 What is expected of me? As head of the household you are responsible for the following items 1. Establishing goals for yourself and your family 2. Signing a 5 year contract of participation 3. Completing monthly progress reports 4. Following through on community referrals for you or your family members 5. Following all conditions of your current lease 6. Following all conditions of your Housing Assistance Voucher program 7. Meeting with your FSS coordinator at pre-scheduled times 8. Meeting all interim goals 9. Meeting all final goals 10. Communicating with your coordinator What is expected of my caseworker? As your caseworker I will 1. Help in establishing goals for yourself and your family 2. Connect you with community services that help you reach your goals 3. I will complete quarterly progress reports for your family including your escrow / savings balance 4. Notify you of training opportunities 5. Follow up with you on referrals 6. Keep you updated on your contract status

6 Page 3 of 16 What & How The Escrow Account Works The concept of the escrow account is that FSS families continue to pay rent according to their incomes. The amount of the increase in family rent resulting from an increase in earned income is escrowed. Because there are other factors that affect the family rent, it will not necessarily be dollar for dollar. The amounts of the family s annual income, earned income, and family rent when the family begins the program will be used to determine the amount credited to the family s FSS escrow account because of future increases in earned income. Examples of Earned Income Un-earned Income Wages from employment Wages from personal business Unemployment Child Support Student Aid / Grants Social Security / SSI TANF Escrow credits are paid by the Washington County Housing Authority HAP (federal monies) If during the contract term the family rent becomes less than the family rent on the effective date of the contract, there is no escrow credit. The amount escrowed for the family will also depend on whether the family is considered a very low or low income family (Updated annually on HUD website) Washington County Housing Authority may permit the family to withdraw funds from the FSS escrow account before completion of the contract, if the family has completed specific interim goals, and needs some of the FSS escrow account funds to complete the contract (example: to pay for school costs). Washington County Housing Authority will pay the head of the family the amount in the family s FSS escrow account, less any amount owed to Washington County Housing Authority, when: The family has completed the contract, and At the time of contract completion, the head of the family provides written certification to Washington County Housing Authority that no member of the family has been receiving welfare assistance in the past 12 months. Welfare assistance means income assistance from Federal or state welfare programs. All final goals are met. The family will not receive the funds in its FSS escrow account if: The contract of participation is terminated; The contract of participation is declared null and void; or The family has not met its family responsibilities within the times specified in the contract of participation. Definitions: Escrow: a money account held by a third party until all requirements are met to distribute the monies

7 Page 4 of 16 Examples of how you earn an escrow credit Every family is different We look at the following items when calculating the escrow credit for your family. What was your rental share at the time you entered the FSS program? What income level are you at? (Low, Very Low, Extremely Low) This is considered your baseline or starting place for your earnings. You earn an escrow credit when your earned income increase. Whenever your rent increases above your starting or baseline amount we will credit your escrow account. When do you not receive an escrow credit You will not receive an escrow credit when any of the following happen: You have a rental share increase not caused by earning more income You have a rental share reduction that falls below your baseline start amount You have reached zero HAP payments from the Washington County Housing Authority, you are able to pay your full share of rent

8 Page 5 of 16 How do you find the help you need? FSS PROGRAM COORDINATING COMMITTEE (PCC) The PCC assists in securing commitments of public and private resources for the operation of the FSS program. It is also responsible for assisting with the development and implementation of the program. The PCC meets quarterly and may conduct business on an as-needed basis via or telephone conferences. Membership in the PCC will be drawn from a variety of agencies and individuals, which includes but is not limited to: Human service agencies State/City/County government Community colleges Financial institutions Private business sector Job training services Faith based agencies Department of Workforce Services Nonprofit service providers A Section 8 resident A Public Housing resident Housing staff members We will work to connect you with the services that will help you meet your goals! Classes that you will be required to complete Money Smart - You will be required to complete this within your first 3 years of participation. The 10 Money Smart Training Modules (These classes may vary based on available instructors) Bank on It an introduction to bank services Borrowing Basics an introduction to credit Check It Out how to choose and keep a checking account Money Matters how to keep track of your money Pay Yourself First why you should save, save, save Keep It Safe your rights as a consumer To Your Credit how your credit history will affect your credit future Charge It Right how to make a credit card work for you Loan To Own know what you're borrowing before you buy Your Own Home what home ownership is all about

9 Page 6 of 16 Voluntary Class: Home Ownership Washington County Department of Housing Services has chosen to offer home ownership assistance to twenty-five (25) eligible families who are receiving Section 8 tenant-based assistance. Instead of using a Voucher to help with rent, a family may be able to use the assistance to pay on a home mortgage. Requirements for enrolling in this program: Must be eligible for a Section 8 Voucher Must be participating or graduating from the Department s FSS program Must qualify as a first time home buyer Must have a minimum income of $23,000 annually However, higher income may mean a better/bigger loan offer from a lender You still have to qualify on your own for a loan Termination from FSS Involuntary Termination: (more information is in the Contract of Participation) If the participant fails to meet their obligations under the Contract of Participation, the Individual Training and Services Plan, the Program Completion Agreement and related documentation. Non-compliance includes but not limited to: a. Missing scheduled meetings; b. Failure to return phone calls; c. Failure to maintain contact; d. Failure to work on activities and/or goals set forth in the Individual Training and Services Plan; g. Failure to participate in job related activities (i.e. employment, education, training, workshops, completing applications, etc). h. If the participant fails to met their obligations to the housing choice voucher program under the Family Obligations i. If the participant has committed fraud in connection with any Federal housing assistance program; j. If the participant failed to meet any obligations under the lease; k. If the client s housing assistance (either Public Housing or Section 8) is terminated;

10 Page 7 of 16 ** Participants who fail to meet their obligations under the above circumstances will be given the opportunity to attend a required meeting with the FSS case manager to resolve the problem. At this meeting, a review of the Contract of Participation, Individual Training and Services Plan, Program Completion Agreement, and all related documentation will be conducted and amendments will be made as necessary (within HUD guidelines) to allow for changes in circumstances. Voluntary Termination: Participants may also be terminated from the FSS program under the following circumstances: 1. Mutual consent of both parties; and/or 2. The family s withdrawal from the program. If the family withdraws from the FSS program with the mutual consent of Washington County Housing Authority and the FSS Head of Household, then the family may rejoin the FSS program in the future, with the following understanding: Must wait 5 years. The family signs a new Contract of Participation, Program Completion Agreement, and Individual Training and Services Plan. The family is not eligible to receive funds accrued in escrow up to the point of their initial withdrawal from FSS. The family will be eligible to receive future deposits into escrow upon rejoining the FSS program. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations WCHA and FSS program staff will make reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities in order to ensure they are able to take full advantage of the services provided under the FSS program.

11 Page 8 of 16 FSS Participants You can get help to seek and maintain better employment! The Department of Housing Services wants to help you succeed and become self-sufficient. In order to become self-sufficient, individuals must be able to recognize the barriers that keep them from getting better paying jobs, and keeping those jobs. One major concern is training. Without proper training, it can be very difficult to break into the job market. But it takes money to get training, doesn t it? Not always! There are many resources in the community to help people get the training they need to get into the job market, and into good paying jobs. The Workforce Training Center and PCC Capitol Career Center are here to help you obtain the skills you need to enter the job market. The Center offers computer training, support, assistance with interviewing skills and resume writing, and many more helpful services. For more information, please call the Workforce Training Center at The State of Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Division (VRD) can help persons with disabilities get into the workforce. The VRD assists a wide variety of people, including those who were injured on the job and now need to be retrained to hold other positions, people who have not worked before, and people with disabilities who have not worked for some time. The VRD offers assistance with school costs, job site accommodation, and supportive services. For more information, please call the VRD at Portland Community College also offers assistance with applying for and obtaining Financial Aid, as do many local trade schools. You can call PCC at Training is not the only obstacle to maintaining good employment. Sometimes, other factors can make it difficult for a person to keep their job, or to enter the job market. Counseling can help in some cases. But isn t counseling expensive? It does not have to be! Tualatin Valley Centers, located throughout Washington County, offer one on one counseling and group sessions on a sliding scale. If you are feeling overwhelmed, afraid, alone, confused, or depressed, Tualatin Valley Centers may be able to offer you guidance and support. Call for more information. Childcare is another concern among working parents, and parents going back to school. Metro Child Care Resource and Referral can offer assistance in locating suitable childcare. Call for more information. Childcare can be costly, but the State of Oregon Department of Human Resources offers assistance to parents who qualify under their income guidelines. They can help by paying a portion of the childcare cost directly to your provider. Please call for more information about the Employment Related Day Care assistance program. Finally, remember the Family Self-Sufficiency program is here to help you. If you are in need of other services, please call the FSS Coordinator at for assistance in locating other service providers to help you overcome your barriers to selfsufficiency. Please help us to help you together, we can make sure that you have a winning future!

12 Page 9 of 16 Washington County Department of Housing Services Family Self-Sufficiency Path GOAL(S) Planning Resource and Referral List (Updated ) INFORMATION AND REFERRAL For up to date information about agencies and services in the Portland Metro Area: 211 Info 211 or (503) CASH ASSISTANCE/FOOD STAMPS State of Oregon: Department of Human Services Beaverton SW Jenkins Road, Suite B, Beaverton TTY Hillsboro 5350 NE Elam Young Pkwy. Hillsboro TTY Tigard SW Cascade Ave, Tigard TTY CRISIS LINES Washington County 24 Hour Crisis Line Suicide Crisis Line Oregon SAFENET Northwest Human Services Crisis & Information National Domestic Violence Hotline Sexual Assault Resource Center Portland Women s Crisis Line RAIN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) Rape Crisis Center National Runaway Switchboard Poison Control HELP LINES and INFORMATION & REFERRAL Adult & Family Services Alcohol and Drug Helpline Clackamas County Social Services I&R Clark County Human Service Council I&R Community Action Organization HIV/AIDS Hotline (Cascade AIDS Project) Parents Anonymous Pregnancy Talk Line SU FAMILIA National Hispanic Family Health Helpline hour Nurseline United Way Information & Referral CHILDREN S SERVICES & CHILD CARE Boys & Girls Aid Society

13 Page 10 of 16 Early Intervention National Child Abuse Hotline Child Development and Rehabilitation Center New Parent Network Services to Children and Families A Child s Place Bilingual Child Care Early Head Start Hillsboro Boys and Girls Club Child Care Resource & Referral of Washington County CLOTHING Beaverton 7th Day Adventist Church Catholic Charities Community Action Organization Forest Grove 7th Day Adventist Church Hillsboro 7th Day Adventist Church Play it Again Clothing (CAO) Sunset Presbyterian Church COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTERS/MULTI-SERVICE CENTERS Beaverton Family Resource Center Centro Cultural Forest Grove Family Resource Center Hillsboro Family Resource Center Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) Lutheran Community Services Outside-In William Temple House COUNSELING & GUIDANCE Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare Community Dispute Resolution Center Domestic Violence Resource Center Good Samaritan Ministries Lutheran Community Services Northwest Men s Resource Center Open Door Counseling Center Pacific University Clinic Parents without Partners Portland State University: Counseling Clinic Theft Talk Counseling Service Tualatin Valley Centers Services to Children and Families Washington County Conciliation Services Women s Psychiatric Resource Center Youth Contact DRUG & ALCOHOL Treatment & Support ChangePoint CODA Mountaindale Recovery Center Network Behavioral Healthcare

14 Page 11 of 16 Providence Health System Tigard Recovery Center Tualatin Valley Centers Youth Contact Al-Anon/Alateen Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Families Anonymous Gambler s Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous FOOD Brown Bag/Tualatin Valley Gleaners Care to Share Community Action Organization (after 6pm & weekends) Loaves and Fishes Neighborshare Oregon Food Bank Salvation Army St. Anthony s Church (Forest Grove) Sunshine pantry SVDP Aloha Tree of Life Food Pantry FOOD & CLOTHING Holy Trinity Clothes and Food Closet St. Francis Church (Sherwood) St. Matthew s Catholic Church (Hillsboro) HEALTH American Cancer Society American Heart Association American Lung Association Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare Cascade AIDS Project Oregon Health Plan Planned Parenthood Pregnancy Talk Line SU FAMILIA National Hispanic Family Health Helpline Tuality Health Education Center Veteran s Medical Center Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Washington County Health & Human Services (immunizations) WIC (Women, Infants & Children) Dental: Dental Access Program Virginia Garcia Dental Clinic Disability/Mental Health: Albertina Kerr Center, Inc ARC of Washington County NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)

15 Page 12 of 16 Oregon Disabilities Commission Oregon Senior and Disabled Services Quiet Waters Outreach Tualatin Valley Mental Health Crisis Line Washington County Adult Mental Health Washington County Developmental Disabilities Women s Psychiatric Resource Center HOUSING Emergency Assistance to Avoid Eviction Community Action Emergency Rental Assistance Home Buying, Rehabilitation, and Other Housing Help Adult Choices Living Referral CASA of Oregon Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Habitat for Humanity Home Access - Repair for the Disabled and Elderly HUD Home Buying Programs Rebuilding Together Shared Housing Washington County Department of Housing Services Weatherization Program (CAO) Landlord/Tenant Issues: Dispute Resolution Center Fair Housing HUD Housing Discrimination Hotline Landlord/Tenant Hotline Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) Renter s Rights Hotline (Community Alliance of Tenants) Tel-Law Oregon State Bar Association Shelters: Bradley-Angle House Good Neighbor Center Hillsboro Family Shelter (CAO) Interfaith Hospitality Network Monika s House Portland Rescue Mission Raphael House Rose Haven Straight Ahead Shelter Transition Projects, Inc Volunteers of America Family Center Shelter West Women s Shelter Salvation Army HopeSpring LEGAL SERVICES Child Support Enforcement Court Appointed Special Advocates Dispute Resolution Center Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO)

16 Page 13 of 16 Legal Aid Public Benefits Hotline Oregon Human Rights Coalition Oregon Legal Services St. Matthew s Legal Clinic Restraining Orders Tel-Law Oregon State Bar Association LAW ENFORCEMENT Emergencies 911 Beaverton Police Hillsboro Police Washington County Sheriff s Office TRANSPORTATION Red Cross Transportation Ride Connections Tri-Met RIDE U-Ride UTILITIES Energy Assistance Program (CAO) Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) NW Natural Temporary Payment Agreements PGE Time Payment Assistance Salvation Army St. Vincent DePaul Example Forms to follow: