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Guide to Financing Supportive Housing:
Department of Health and Human Services Health Center Grants for Homeless Populations (HCH)
Introduction
Program Description
Regulations/Guidelines
Administrative Agencies
Eligibilty Information
Grant/Loan Terms
Application Process
CFDA Code
Authorizing Legislation/Statute
Additional Resources
INTRODUCTION
The Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program delivers a full range of comprehensive primary health care services to homeless people through a multi-disciplinary approach that combines aggressive outreach with integrated systems of primary care, mental health and substance abuse services, case management and client advocacy.
Part of the allocation for Community Health Centers (CFDA Code 93.224), Health Care for the Homeless is a competitive grant program designed to promote and sustain the health status, outcomes and well-being of homeless people, including homeless children. In addition to direct federal grant funding, Health Care for the Homeless programs qualify for enhanced Medicaid reimbursement provisions as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs.)
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
REGULATIONS/GUIDELINES: 52 CFR 32347 "Availability of Funds for Project Grants for Health Services to the Homeless Population"
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES (Federal):
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Primary Health Care, Divisions of Health Center Development and Health Center Management, (301) 594-4300 and (301) 594-4420 http://www.bphc.hrsa.gov/
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
Eligible Target Populations:
Homeless individuals including but not limited to children, elderly persons, handicapped persons, families with children, Native Americans, and veterans. Homeless individual is defined as an individual who lacks housing (without regard to whether the individual is a member of a family), including an individual whose primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private facility that provides temporary living accommodations, an individual who is a resident in transitional housing, or a person who was homeless and has been living in permanent housing for one year or less.
Eligible Projects/Programs:
HCH programs are encouraged to integrate both health and social services into individual care plans and to provide a coordinated, comprehensive approach to the care they provide their homeless clients. Applicants for this program are further encouraged to include homeless people in the development and oversight of the HCH program in order to foster client-centered approaches to treatment.
HCH funds can be used to provide eligible services in shelters, transitional housing and for up to 12 months in permanent housing, if the services were provided to the individuals when they were homeless.
The most likely use of this program to fund services in permanent supportive housing is when a Health Care for the Homeless grantee (oftentimes a community health center) becomes a supportive housing sponsor or partners with a supportive housing provider to provide a component of the services in the housing. For a listing of HCH grantees in your community, go to the Directory on the Health Care for the Homeless Information Resource Center website (www.bphc.hrsa.gov/hchirc/).
Please note that HCH funds can only be used to pay for eligible services for the first 12 months of a resident's tenure in permanent housing if services were provided to these individuals when they were homeless. For ongoing funding for some of the services paid for with time-restricted HCH grant funding, the HCH grantee may pursue billing Medicaid for eligible services as a Federally Qualified Health Center (see the Medicaid description for more information) or identify other sources of funds.
Eligible Use of Funds & Use Restrictions:
Outreach; primary health care, mental health and substance abuse services at locations accessible to homeless individuals; 24-hour emergency primary health, mental health and substance abuse services; referrals, as appropriate to medical facilities and to needed mental health services; outreach services to inform homeless individuals of the availability of primary health, mental health and substance abuse services; supplementary services (e.g., podiatry, dental and vision care, etc.) and, aid in establishing eligibility for assistance, and in obtaining services under entitlement programs and housing programs. HCH funds may be used to continue to provide the services listed above for up to 12 months to individuals who have obtained permanent housing if services were provided to these individuals when they were homeless.
Eligible Applicants/Sponsors:
Nonprofit private organizations and public entities, including State and local governmental agencies. Applicants/sponsors may provide these services directly or through contract. Grantees and other organizations with which applicants/sponsors contract for services under this program must have an agreement with a State under its Medicaid program and be qualified to receive payments under the agreement.
GRANT/LOAN TERMS
Minimum/Maximum Awards: N/A
Average Awards: $579,000 (as of 2003)
Term of Awards: Grants are awarded for five years, although funding for years 2 - 5 is contingent upon available funding and project performance.
Matching Requirements: The applicant must assume part of the project costs determined on a case-by-case basis.
Formula: N/A
Eligible sponsors apply for HCH for a five-year period, although funding for years 2 - 4 is contingent upon available funding and project performance. After the initial year, applications for funding are submitted annually as budget period renewals. After the five-year project is completed, other local organizations can compete with the previous HCH grant recipient in the same service area by submitting a grant application. The program accepts applications for new service areas, called "new starts", only when there is an increase in the program appropriation.
For information about current HCH grant funding opportunities, look at the HRSA Preview, published twice a year, which is a consolidated announcement of all of HRSA's funding opportunities. (Visit www.hrsa.gov, and click on Grants under the Funding section of the index.)
CFDA CODE: 93.151
AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION/STATUTE Public Health Service Act, as Amended under the Health Centers Consolidation Act of 1996, Section 330(h), Public Law 104-299.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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