Homeless Veteran Service Providers > Saratoga County Rural Preservation Company
Saratoga County Rural Preservation Company
Organization Designs IMS to Enhance HVRP Services
Several years ago, the Saratoga County Rural Preservation Company (SCRPC) of Ballston Spa, NY, determined that homeless veterans in the central New York area faced unique challenges when trying to gain employment. To address the problem, SCRPC applied to the Department of Labor (DOL) for funding under the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program in 2000. SCRPC was awarded $115,000 and began its work in September of that year. The program has been renewed for the same amount each year since.
HVRP is dedicated to helping homeless veterans who are frequently unable to access traditional employment services obtain the vital assistance they need to re-enter the workforce. These individuals frequently face special challenges such as legal issues, mental and physical health challenges and drug addiction. The Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) is funded under the U.S. Department of Labor-Veterans Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS), in compliance with the requirements of 38 United States Code, Section 2021, as added by Section 5 of Public Law 107-95, the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001. Section 2021 requires the Secretary of Labor to conduct, directly or through grant or contract, such programs as the Secretary determines appropriate to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force. HVRP is the only national program that specifically targets homeless veterans. While some HVRP programs have been in existence for several years, providers must reapply as a first-year program every three years, and must request renewal in the other two.
The SCRPC employment assistance program offers services for all veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, have been honorably discharged from the military, and who have been free of alcohol or drug abuse for at least 30 days. The program covers several counties in the state of New York, including Saratoga, Washington, Warren, Albany, Schenectady and Essex.
Each SCRPC client receives a wide range of services, including:
- A complete in-take interview to determine enrollment eligibility
- A needs evaluation that includes clothing, food, medical attention and housing
- A consulting session involving the job market conditions, "selling oneself," dealing with liabilities, cover letter development and conducting a job search campaign
- Database Information Management System that facilitates rapid responses to client needs
- Job leads
- Job search follow-up and evaluation, along with continued assistance needs
Veterans served by the program are asked to stay in touch with SCRPC to provide on-going information about their well-being and progress.
The program has experienced continued growth during the last four years. The SCRPC program has been very successful, with approximately 80 percent of its program clients fully completing their work campaigns and moving on to experience substantial personal and professional growth.
One major requirement for all HVRP programs is that they provide linkages to other mainstream services in the communities they serve. This includes communicating the availability of services being provided and collaborating with other organizations to maximize the assistance received by the client. SCRPC staff members have increased community awareness efforts and have increased agency participation in community activities. SCRPC works in collaboration with several entities to ensure client success, including:
- New York State Department of Labor
- New York State Division of Veterans Affairs
- Saratoga County Employment and Training
- Saratoga, Warren and Washington County Veterans Service Agencies
- Shelter of Saratoga (SOS)
- Vet House of Glens Falls
- EOC Saratoga
- Seven area food banks and soup kitchens
- New York State Probation Department
SCRPC, through these community connections, has integrated several services into a "one-stop shop" approach. Clients are able to maximize their success by accessing the full continuum of local services in one location. This innovative service approach is unusual in rural and suburban areas, where residents in need typically encounter limited services spread out over a wide area coupled, transportation difficulties and a lack of holistic case management. Clients in these areas frequently do not successfully access or even know about all of the services for which they are eligible. In contrast to that service model, SCPRC offers, in addition to the HVRP program, the following services in one convenient location:
- Transitional housing for homeless veterans
- Permanent housing for veterans and their families
- Permanent housing for chronically ill veterans and their families
- 364 units of Section 8 housing
- An affordable home mortgage program
- A food pantry
- A Department of Labor -Veterans' Employment and Training Service employment assistance program
As the HVRP program grew, an increased amount of time was being spent on administrative functions. This began to limit the time available to serve clients and to coordinate services with Department of Labor Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) and Local Veterans' Employment Representative (LVER) specialists. This challenge led to the development of an innovative computerized reporting system that helps SCPRC maintain the necessary administrative controls to satisfy reporting obligations while freeing workers to attend to client needs.
The system allows the department to produce accurate monthly, quarterly and annual reports on time and within acceptable guidelines. Instructions and calculations were built into the system to ensure reporting accuracy. It produces reports on standard information such as assessments, enrollments, placement and employment activities. It also ensures accountability to the clients by providing alerts needed to ensure completion of 30, 90 and 180-day follow-up requirements.
The information management system program was written by SCRPC employment specialist Art Clark, who will make it available to other grantees. He said he will perform any program customizing required by the receiving organization, and it can be modified for incorporation into most data systems.
The Department of Labor requires grant recipients to set and meet measurements of success. SCRPC had the following outcomes:
HVRP Outcomes – July 2003-February 2004:
Goal Actual % of Goal
Total Assessments 56 66 117%
Total Enrollments 41 44 107%
Employment Placements 26 28 108%
Employment Placement Rate 63% 64% 101%
Since 2000 SCRPC has provided vital employment services to homeless veterans. It has developed a modernized reporting system that maximizes service delivery and minimizes time filling out paperwork It has also successfully led collaboration and outreach efforts among local human service providers to create and expand a holistic, one-stop service in a non-urban environment. All of these innovative efforts could be replicated in other non-rural areas, which makes the Saratoga County Rural Preservation Council a HVRP national best practice.
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