Proposal for Emerging Opportunities Program
2016
Submit application to [email protected]
Deadline: 12:00 pm (noon) on Friday, March 18, 2016 LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Please limit your proposal and responses to the form and space provided. Any materials submitted in addition to this application form will not be considered in the evaluation of the proposal. Do not attempt to unlock or alter this form.
If you need assistance with this proposal or are unclear about how to respond to any questions please contact CDD staff at 266-6520.
Agency or Group: Cornucopia, Inc. Amount
Requested: $8,000
Title of Proposal: Access to Mental Health Recovery for Adults who are Homeless
Contact Person: Karen Herro, Executive Director
Address: 2 S. Ingersoll St. Madison, WI 53703 Telephone: (608) 249-7477
E-Mail: [email protected]
Is this Group a 501 (C) (3)?
Yes or No Yes
If no, applicant will need to secure a fiscal agent with 501 (C) (3) status
Applicant Organization
founded (Year): 1996
Name of Fiscal Agent
(if Applicable):
Fiscal Agent Contact
Person:
Project Description: ( Approx. 20 Words)
Mental Health Peer Specialst will connect homeless adults with services and provide on-going support
1. Emerging Need or Opportunity: (5000 characters) Please describe the emerging need or unanticipated
opportunity that warrants City resources and attention at this time:
Currently, there are few options of where people who are homeless can go during the day. Shelters are only available beginning at 5:00 pm. Cornucopia’s hours are from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. The mentally ill, homeless population also need support and practical, effective instruction for life skills such as advocacy (to get housing needs met). Our services are needed because, unlike other agencies that find housing, Cornucopia is able to support its members on a long term basis. We offer social connections and networking, and holistic wellness programs that encourage a sense of community for the long haul, in a recovery oriented manner.
The proposed pilot project is vital because the incidence of co-occurring homelessness and mental illness is extremely high. It is estimated that 25% of all homeless adults also experience mental illness. This is most likely underreported as this is only the known incidence. This is significant in that only 6% of the general population is considered severely mentally ill, according to a U.S. Conference of Mayors survey. Mental illness was the third largest cause of homelessness in their communities, as reported by 48% of the
respondents (07/2009; National Institute of Mental Health and the National Coalition for the Homeless). Better mental health services, such as those provided by Cornucopia would address not only mental illness, but homelessness as well. The proposed project is important because individuals with mental health challenges who are experiencing homelessness are under-represented in our community with respect to basic services. Most are on a limited income of $800 per month or less, if they are lucky enough to have public assistance, or more commonly, have no income at all.
Results of the homeless “Point in Time” count in our community, completed in January 2014: “The number of homeless persons identified as chronically homeless is lower in 2014 than the previous year. However, the number of persons with mental health and alcohol/drug abuse issues increased.”
The proven success of making Cornucopia’s mission a reality is consistent with the “Dane County Consolidated Plan 2010 – 2014” report (11/2009) as a priority: “…expand opportunities for low-and-moderate income persons to access self-help and recreational activities in friendly, safe, accessible, and well maintained civic spaces…” Our arts and wellness programs are uniquely suited to accomplish this goal.
In our local network of community organizations in the greater Madison area, there is a need for closer and more regular interactions that would better serve those who seek support and opportunities for the
underserved mentally ill, homeless population in Madison. This can be accomplished by a type of direct service personnel who can respond and follow through in an individual and personal way.
The Certified Peer Specialists (CPS) at Cornucopia will draw upon the safe and expressive environment of Cornucopia’s long-established arts and wellness program. The integration of the Certified Peer Specialists to Cornucopia’s program will benefit the members served and empower the individuals acting as CPSs, giving them more experience in a helping profession.
The peer support provided by Certified Peer Specialists will fulfill the commitment to recovery and wellness in Madison. CPSs provide a unique service because of their personal experience with mental illness. There is an immediate need in the Madison area for Peer Specialists, as community mentors. The CPS’s are better able to utilize their experience in making connections to the community and providing empathetic support, as compared to traditional providers. "Learning requires modeling. With modeling and support, people could live full lives in the community.” (2011 Larry Davidson PhD, SAMHSA Recovery-Oriented Care Continuum: Community-Based Supports).
The employment of Peer Specialists at a recovery center is more cost-effective than traditional medical model systems, such as Community Support Programs. Those programs are Medicaid-funded clinical agencies. They employ psychiatrists, master’s level social workers and registered nurse case managers. They all provide similar services (support, advocacy, and connection to other community agencies). A cost savings include a significant decrease in hospitalizations and incarcerations, due to the pro-active support that members receive, as compared to those with mental health issues not enjoying the benefits of a peer-run recovery center utilizing peer specialists.
2. Applicant Organization or Group: (5000 Characters) Please briefly describe the history and structure of your organization. Include information about staffing, your board and/or volunteers. Please describe any successes you have had in the areas of programming or the project described in this proposal.
Mission Statement: Cornucopia is an arts and wellness activities center run by and for people with mental health issues and their allies. We celebrate creativity and diversity through mutual support. We promote growth and dignity by helping members develop individual strengths and talents for use in building on self directed recovery goals and community and life skills. We began with MC Video after the founding members viewed “Girl Interrupted.” It was clear at that time a supportive environment outside of an institution was needed, thus; Cornucopia was born in 1995. We were incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 1996. It was also recognized that the arts had a very therapeutic effect. Our longevity is a testament to our stability as a non-profit organization. Our board of directors and volunteers comprise approximately 75% of adults with lived experience with mental health challenges, as does our Executive Director and all of our staff. The goal of Cornucopia has always been a holistic approach. We do not require that potential members have
Because of this, we are an alternative to the traditional medical model system. Our recovery plans are more effective because the participant has a vested interest in their own priorities.
Success: Cornucopia has succeeded in establishing a working relationship with the Tellurian Reachout program, which finds housing for people who are homeless and self-identify with having mental health challenges. In contrast, Cornucopia is able to establish long-term support connections that goes well beyond the Reachout program’s capacity. Cornucopia has expanded its Certified Peer Specialist program which is now becoming integral to our success. We have utilized rehabilitation practicum students, as well as undergraduate psychology interns to enhance our program and build upon the idea of art being therapeutic.
Structure of the organization: The lead peer support specialist and volunteers report to the executive director, and she reports to the board of directors. We have approximately eighteen volunteers and interns, most of whom are peer mentors. The executive director is also a Certified Peer Specialist and has been a registered nurse for over twenty years, with a specialty in mental health and dual diagnosis. She was also employed by Tellurian and will operationalize the smooth transition between their short –term services and Cornucopia’s long-term person-centered recovery planning.
One of our success stories include GM. She came to us homeless, despondent, and in frequent trouble with the correction system. She was living in her car. She received support and a creative outlet, which increased her confidence. The Certified Peer Specialist working with her and Tellurian got her set up with housing and the long-term support provided by Cornucopia. She is now working on establishing a more solid and consistent rental history. She now volunteers with us.
3. Intended Service Population: (2500 characters) Please describe the intended service population (e.g.,
where they are located, ages, ethnicities, income ranges, English language proficiency etc.). We are dedicated to serving the city of Madison. An average of two new participants per month
experiencing homelessness and mental illness will join Cornucopia over a period of six months. Homeless adults with behavioral health issues living in the city of Madison would be served with this funding. Adults that are homeless need only to self-identify that they struggle with mental health issues, e.g. depression, anxiety. We do not require that they are currently receiving professional treatment.
4. Innovation: (5000 characters) How does this proposal reflect a new or innovative approach to the stated problem?
Programs run by peers are often more effective in promoting recovery than the traditional medical model. (- United Way-Dane behavioral health plan)
In the last twenty years, a sizable body of literature has helped to substantiate the sound practices of peer support and consumer-run organizations for mental health recovery. Typical outcomes include decreased hospitalization and crisis, improved functioning and coping. In a 2009 review, Boston University found peer workers and services to have favorable results in several ways as compared with more intensive clinical services. Recently the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) has formulated an evidence-based practice of Consumer Operated Services. In 2014 we started to use the fidelity assessment for this practice, partly in consultation with affiliates in other counties.
Evidence for the efficacy of certain forms of peer support, particularly peer specialists, has been developed by organizations such as Magellan Health and Optum Health. The latter involved the study of a
collaboration with those organizations in Wisconsin with Grassroots Empowerment Project, where peer specialists were matched with people transitioning from hospital stays.
In 2013 we began to allocate more staff and volunteer hours specifically for more individual support with a Certified Peer Specialist.
There is also precedent for the benefits of the arts as practiced in programs like ours. A literature review published in the 2011 Journal of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing found creative arts to have potential as therapeutic and transformational tools, although not to replace other therapy. The arts have always been a primary component of our program, sometimes including art therapy interns. They integrate with our total environment of social and peer support.
5. Project/Program Goals: (5000 characters) Please describe the specific goals, objectives and intended measurable impacts of this program/project. Include the number of people you expect will benefit from this project.
Goals:
A. Increase coping and life skills, such as assertiveness and self-advocacy. B. Participants will maintain successful housing.
Objectives:
A. Develop and maintain an on-going positive dialog with the participants. B. Document interractions with participants to evaluate goals and progress. Intended measurable impacts:
A. An average of two participants per month will be referred from Tellurian for a longer term membership to Cornucopia.
B. An average of two participants per month will develop a person-centerered recovery plan which can include maintenance of housing.
6. Program/Project design: (5000 characters) Please describe structure of proposed program or project, hours of service/schedule, staffing, curriculum or project/service structure, etc.
Peer run recovery centers such as Cornucopia are more recovery oriented than traditional service systems in that we utilize Person Centered Planning (PCP). This approach is more effective because the participant decides their own life goals instead of a provider assigning them; therefore, increasing the motivation for the participant. PCP is an evidence-based practice, meaning it has been proven by research to be more effective than traditional methods of goal-setting and achievement.
The proposed funding will engage two Wisconsin Certified Peer support Specialists (CPS), in a pilot program to assist homeless, mentally ill adults to participate in what Cornucopia offers to this underserved population. Our organization will assist the new participating members to develop their own recovery goals.
Since Cornucopia is peer-run, staff has personal experience with mental (behavioral) health challenges. We are uniquely qualified to provide the necessary support to this population.
Cornucopia is unique in that we are the only mental health recovery center in the greater Madison area that has an arts program. We offer groups and open studio time that explore a variety of media, including fine arts, crafts, drawing, painting, recovery journaling, bonsai wire sculpture, and creative writing. We emphasize the importance of the arts as a therapeutic process for mental health recovery. “Creating art in a therapeutic setting increases and enhances insight, judgment, coping skills, cognitive ability, relationship skills, and helps to resolve traumatic experiences.” (2011, Kellie Murphy MA, ATRL, Art Psychotherapy for Children,
Adolescents and Adults).
We will work with Tellurian UCAN’s Reachout homeless outreach program. Employees of the Reachout program find housing and other basic resources for mentally ill, homeless adults in Madison and follow their progress for a limited period of time. One of the CPSs was employed by this organization and is familiar with the services provided. Tellurian’s Reachout program has agreed to make referrals to Cornucopia.
Connections from the community and Tellurian’s Reachout program will also be made to Cornucopia’s holistic wellness program. This program emphasizes cognitive behavioral concepts (changing negative thoughts and feelings for more positive outcomes), assertiveness skills, general health information, dance movement therapy, and a yoga group teacher from the community. We currently employ a registered nurse, and interns such as Occupational Therapy students from the University of Wisconsin and Madison College to facilitate these programs.
Most of our referrals are from clinics, hospitals, psychiatrists and therapists, and by word-of-mouth. There is no application process and membership is free. New members agree to and sign a community agreement, which promotes safety, respect and dignity. We only require that members self-identify as having mental health issues. They do not have to prove they have a given diagnosis. For this reason, people who are homeless can start getting help before going through a long process of getting in to the traditional health system.
Our hours of operation are 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday, which, as previously mentioned are when the shelters are closed. We have a calendar of our events in our monthly newsletter which also includes relevant community events. We recognize funders in our newsletter.
7. Community Engagement: (2500 characters) Please describe how community, residents and program and/ or project participants were engaged in the development of this proposal.
Alder Marsha Rummel of the sixth district gave preliminary input as to what her district's priorities are. She identified both housing and the arts as two of the three top priorities in her district, in which Cornucopia is located. The Tellurian UCAN Reachout program has agreed to refer and transition participants to
Cornucopia's program.
Three members who were previously homeless have given Cornucopia feedback as to the impact of our services. They were surveyed and shown to have increased their skills in self-advocacy and working with landlords, employability and familiarity with system resources. Most of these members now mentor other members and would like to see this project succeed.
8. Collaboration: (2500 characters) Please describe the level of involvement with other service providers, schools, funders, government bodies, or other public or private stakeholders in the development of this proposal and its expected implementation.
One of the Certified Peer Specialists was employed with the Tellurian Reachout program, which finds housing and other services for adults who are homeless and have mental health conditions. For youth and families, Tellurian makes referrals to appropriate organizations. Cornucopia and Tellurian have agreed that continuum of care is important to insure the success of maintaining housing and therefore have agreed to join forces. Tellurian finds housing and possibly other services and discontinues their services after a few months. Without proper long-term support, many return to the streets. Having an employee that works closely with both organizations would guaranty that the transition from Tellurian to Cornucopia would be smooth. This particular Certified Peer Specialist has twenty years of experience as a registered nurse and is connected to numerous organizations, including The Homeless Consortium and state advocacy
programs for the homeless population. For the implementation of our wellness activities, we collaborate with Recovery Dane, an organization that is the entry point for those peers that typically "fall through the cracks" with respect to receiving system services. The Peer Specialists facilitate wellness and recovery groups at Cornucopia. These groups are open to all members and participants. We also partner with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation for education and employment opportunities, Access to
Independence for advocacy for all disabilities, and Employment Resources, Inc. for financial benefits counseling (Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid).
9. Proposed Timeline for Implementation:
Activity Estimated Start and Completion
Dates
Formalize Plan with Tellurian May 2, 2016 - May 13, 2016
Staff Training May 16, 2016 - May 30, 2016
Tellurian referrals May 30, 2016 - Oct 15, 2016
Person-Centered Training and Program Implementation May 30, 2016 - Oct 15, 2016
On-going member orientation/involvement in programs
Surveys, testimonials and data collection entire period and beyond
Evaluation of project effectiveness Oct 15, 2016 - Nov 1
a) What other funding have you sought and/or received to support this project?
We have sought, but have not received Meriter and St. Mary's hospitals' foundation moneys. b) Do you anticipate future funding needs from City sources associated with this proposal? Please
describe.
We do not anticipate future City sources. We will instead continue to seek funding from the hospitals. c) Has your organization received funding from the City of Madison Community Development Division,
City of Madison CDBG office, Community Services, the Emerging Opportunities Program or the former Emerging Neighborhoods Program in the last 5 years?
Yes No
11. Budget:
Summarize your project budget by estimated costs, revenue, and fund source.
BUDGET EXPENDITURES TOTAL PROJECT COSTS AMOUNT OF CITY $ REQUESTED AMOUNT OF NON-CITY REVENUES SOURCE OF NON-City FUNDED PORTION A. Personnel Costs (Complete Personnel
chart below)
1. Salaries/Wages (show detail below) $5,980 5,980 0 0
2. Fringe Benefits and Payroll Taxes $1,500 $1,500 0 0
B. Program Costs
1. Program supplies and equipment $100 $100 0 0
2. Office Supplies 50 50 0 0 3. Transportation 370 370 4. Other (explain) C. Space Costs 5. Rent/Utilities/Telephone $600 In-kind 6. Other (explain): D. TOTAL (A + B + C) $8,000 $8,000 $600
Explanation of “Other” expenses: (500 characters)
12. Personnel Chart: Please list all paid staff that will be working on the proposed program/project. Title of Staff Position F.T.E.* Proposed Hourly Wage*
Supervisor .125 $15.00
Certified Peer Specialist .25 $15.00
Title of Staff Position F.T.E.* Proposed Hourly Wage*
$
$
TOTAL .375
*FTE = Full Time Equivalent (1.00, .75, .50, etc.) 2080 hours = 1.00 FTE Please identify FTE that will be spent in this project.
*Note: All employees involved in programs receiving City of Madison funds must be paid the established Living Wage as required under City of Madison Ordinance 4.20. Effective January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016, the Living Wage is $12.83 per hour.
13. Fiscal Agent Relationship (if applicable): If applicant organization is not a 501c (3) this section must be completed. If applicant is a 501c (3) please skip to the Signature Page.
Fundamental expectations of the Fiscal Agent and Applicant relationship:
• The Fiscal Agent should read the EOP application and have some confidence that the applicant agency
will be able to successfully implement the proposed project or program.
• The Fiscal Agent will accept allocated funds from the City of Madison for the identified program or
project and reimburse the applicant for expenses incurred performing the work of the contracted program.
• The Fiscal Agent and the applicant agency will decide who will provide and purchase the necessary
insurance coverage for the identified program.
• The Fiscal Agent will ensure that the funded project or program is in compliance with City of Madison
Purchase of Service Contact requirements, including but not limited to Living Wage requirements, Non Discrimination and Affirmative Action, and equal benefits protections.
Applicant is expected to provide the Fiscal Agent with the Fiscal Agent Commitment Form. Please indicate date and staff person that received this form.
Date:
Staff person: Position:
-SIGNATURE PAGE- City of Madison Contracts:
The following information is provided in order to outline city requirements that will apply if your proposal is funded. All allocated funds will be administered through contracts with the City of Madison, community Development Division. If funded, the City of Madison reserves the right to negotiate the final terms of a contract with the selected organization. If funded, applicants will be expected to attend a mandatory meeting on contracting requirements the week of November 17. City purchase of service contracts include requirements regarding non discrimination, and consideration of vulnerable populations along with specific requirements regarding the following three areas:
1. Affirmative Action:
If funded, applicant hereby agrees to comply with City of Madison Ordinance 39.02 and file either an exemption or an Affirmative Action Plan with the Department of Civil Rights. A model Affirmative Action
Plan and instructions are available at http://www.cityofmadison.com/dcr/aaplans.cfm.
2. Living Wage Ordinance:
All employees involved in programs supported by City of Madison funds must be paid the established Living Wage as required under City of Madison Ordinance 4.20. The Living wage effective January 1, 2016 is $12.83 per hour. For more information on Living Wage requirements, go to
http://www.cityofmadison.com/finance/wage/.
3. Insurance
If funded, applicant agrees to secure insurance coverage in the following areas to the extent required by the office of City Risk Management:
• Commercial General Liability
• Automobile Liability
• Worker’s Comp
• Professional Liability
The cost of this coverage can be considered in the request for funding. The Certificate of Insurance that will
be required at the time of contracting is available on the City of Madison Risk Management website.
A sample contract that includes standard provisions may be obtained by contacting the Community Development Division at (608) 266-6520.
4. Signature:
(Any applications submitted without a signature will be considered incomplete and will not be considered for funding.)
Applicant Signature: Enter
Name: Karen A. Herro, Executive Director
Date: 03/17/2016
By entering your initials
in the box, KAH
You are electronically signing your name and agreeing to the terms above.
