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(Homeless in RI) “The Governor has misspoken”. CES shelter system not keeping hours, answering.
Photo: Pamela Bhatia, Artistic Images
After contacting the RI Coalition to End Homelessness to respond to Governor McKee’s statements that there were more shelter beds than needed right now and if people “make the call” they could expect a shelter bed, Kimberly Simmons, Executive Director of the RI Coalition to End Homelessness sent this statement to us:
Rhode Island Homelessness Is a Public Health Crisis: The Governor Has Misspoken
Never before has there been such a need for an urgent response from our elected and government officials in Rhode Island concerning homelessness. Instead, we got a Governor who yesterday, presented the homelessness issue as almost a non-issue for the state.
He claimed that there “is a shelter provider whose occupancy is at 66% and that there was a surplus of beds”. He failed to mention that this only reflects 3 available beds for adults and 2 available beds that are designated for Transitional Aged Youth only.
Rhode Island has the 2nd highest rate of chronic homelessness in the country. Just this past year, 54 homeless residents have died and that does not include those who have come out of homelessness and
succumbed to the diseases and illnesses that they acquired while being homeless.
Service Providers and other Advocates are wondering where is the outrage… the sense of
urgency to help our most vulnerable neighbors? This should not be a political football. The fact
that there are over 650 human beings of all ages, living outside in the New England winter
elements every day should be appalling to every one. This number has increased by 100 people
from last year.
Any other epidemic that critically impacts a population’s health and continues to negatively affect the community, stresses out our healthcare system, and shows an increase in fatalities, would ordinarily rise to the declaration of a public health emergency.
Next week, those who will be on the ground doing their best to keep people alive during what is
to be a polar vortex in Rhode Island where temperatures are expected to be in the single digits
to zero degrees Fahrenheit with Arctic winds, sadly will have no options to provide shelter for all
of our unhoused neighbors. We certainly can expect there to be more deaths as a result.
There is no room for distortion, misrepresentation or lying when it has to do with these realities. If the Governor declared homelessness as a Public Heath Crisis it would immediately make resources available and set in motion a coordinated response from the government agencies and healthcare facilities. It also would trigger emergency protocols and additional funding to respond to the crisis.
Rhode Island needs to take a page out of some other states where this has indeed made a significant difference in saving lives.
The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness works collaboratively with advocates, providers, and faith-based organizations to create and advance lasting solutions to prevent and end homelessness. Notably, the Coalition, alongside advocates and constituents, lobbied and successfully passed the country’s first Homeless Bill of Rights in June of 2012.
Day to day the Coalition runs lead on the state’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and the permanent housing placement end of the Coordinated Entry System (CES) as well as the call center (available 365 days).
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How does the CES required process work – when no one answers
The Coalition is housed in relatively small office space at the CIC building in Providence. They operate “on a hybrid schedule”.
The only way to obtain a shelter bed, RINewsToday has been told by several attempts to go around the system and try to check in with programs directly, is to go through the CES system. All agencies reached says there are “no beds anyway”.
On Friday, RINewsToday called mid-morning into the CES line (not wanting to do this but the office lines were not answering and “senior staff” were out of the office, returning “next week” according to out of office messages received). We were on hold for 2 1/2 hours and then had to hang up with no one picking up the call. Other advocates were also on the over 2 hour hold with no answers.
On Saturday, hours for the CES system at the Coalition were listed as 2pm to 7pm. Calling several times during that window we received a recording saying they were not responding, but to call “211” – the United Way help line.
We called 211 and a person answered almost immediately. She said they do not give out any shelter information – all of that is through the CES line and she offered to give us that number. We informed her that they have a recording giving out the 211 number. She then referred us to Providence Rescue Mission at 274-8861. Rescue Mission’s recording said if you were a man looking for a shelter bed to leave a message – if you were a woman, to go to a different extension – we did that and that went to a voice mail, noting the office was closed.
Providence Rescue Mission describes their emergency shelter services as: “Every night, seven nights a week, 365 nights a year, we provide emergency overnight accommodations for and average of 100 homeless men and 20 homeless women”.
RI Coalition to End Homelessness Website
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Calls for a State of Emergency – and a Public Health Crisis
Several groups are in unison with calls for the Governor to declare a State of Emergency. On Saturday, the RI Council on Churches added their calls to that of others, including the RI Coalition to End Homelessness.
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Governor’s Office
The Governor’s office has had no response to his declaration that there were more beds than needed. Here is the interview that began the accusations of beds vs. no beds – listen in at 27.40.
Who is operating at 66%?
We have learned that the program with the 66% utilization is a specialty program called the Haus of Codec, designed to provide housing for young people, over 18, who were aging out of the children’s system and were on their own in life. However, even though they were on the list to be only 66% full, the same day this notice was on their site – indicating they are currently full – and to complete a wait list survey.
Where does the Governor get his information?
We have sent another request to the Governor’s office asking for clarification – specifically asking how the Governor receives his information on the homelessness status in Rhode Island. Who and how he is updated, how the numbers are given to him, etc. When he went on the Gene Valicenti show on WPRO he had his senior communications member with him – and as Gene attempted to clarify the statement, Gov. McKee seemed to deepen his conviction that there were beds. No one in studio attempted to clarify what he was saying. So, we asked the question – who tells the Governor the status of homelessness and bed availability? And where do they get their information?
Readers will remember that it was the RI Coalition to End Homelessness that refused to provide the Governor with the list of encampments so his office could try to intervene. Since that time they have a new Executive Director.
Here is the Coalition’s staff directory – followed by their board members. Staff count are about 23 with 8 per diems as “Help Center Agents”. The chart leaves 4 open full time positions and 4 agent positions. Note that they are working on a stated “hybrid schedule”.
Susan Gunter is a consultant with The Gunter Group, based in Portland with offices also in Reno. She is not found on the company’s website, but is on LinkedIn as “Seasoned program manager and operations specialist with deep experience across the nonprofit, public and private sectors.” Gunter has a an MPA from Columbia University.
Kim Rohm, Vice Chair, is with Gatehouse Management based in Mansfield, MA, as Assistant Vice President. Gatehouse is described as “an industry leader in the development and management of apartment communities”.
The temperature this morning was 26 degrees – a low of 18 is expected tomorrow.
This is a developing story
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Most recent stories in our Homeless in RI series:
McKee doesn’t get his information anywhere. He just makes up whatever facts match the messaging so mayors around the state can continue using law enforcement to terrorize homeless people trying to survive.
The homeless are not only drug users like most people think. They’re US Veterans. Thayer Elderly. They’re Children. Some staying in cheap hotels. Some staying in storage units Some staying in shelters at night but kicked out in morning.
McKee is inept and plain pathetic