Fresh agreement will have FSWE deliver County homelessness program through HPP funding
Essex County Council authorized the Warden and the Interim Clerk to execute a fresh Agreement with Family Services Windsor Essex (FSWE) to deliver specific Homelessness Programs in the County at its May 15 meeting.
The County has previously approved accepting provincial funding from the City of Windsor to allow the County to directly administer and oversee some homelessness programs in the County, Jeanie Diamond-Francis, the County’s Manager of Community Services, explained.
FSWE has demonstrated the ability to develop and implement the programs required for the Homelessness Hub and to operate it on a day-to-day basis on behalf of the County, she added.
On June 1, 2022, the previous Term of County Council approved funding for a two-year pilot program for the County of Essex to enter into an agreement with FSWE to deliver homelessness services to Essex County residents. These services were to be provided through the development of a Homelessness Hub located in Leamington with services to be deployable to any parts of the County where needed.
FSWE is already the service provider tasked with delivering regional outreach services, Diamond-Francis added.
With this new agreement, it will have one full-time worker designated to work solely in the County and located at the Essex County Homelessness Hub.
“Given [its] previous experience, [FSWE] is in the best position to continue delivering outreach services to County residents,” Diamond-Francis said.To date, the emergency shelter for the County was operated by the City out of hotel rooms in Leamington.
The emergency shelter program was being supported by a different service provider in the City, with workers not being readily available to attend the needs of the individuals placed in hotel rooms in the County. In addition, some intakes completed over the phone, Diamond-Francis told County Council.
“With this service delivery being shifted to FSWE, there will be support staff available to complete in-person in-takes, and to provide in-person support when needed.”
In addition, having FSWE provide the programming mentioned will ensure fluidity and seamless service delivery for individuals requiring support with housing in the County. By reaching out to – or being referred to – the Homeless Hub, individuals will have access to staff who can offer support through a continuum of services in one location.
Following County Council authorizing the execution of the designated service provider and funding agreement with the City, Diamond-Francis noted County Solicitor and Administration negotiated a fresh agreement with FSWE to allow it to operate the homelessness programs on behalf of the County.
The Report on the Matter notes the funding to deliver these County Homelessness Programs will be received by the County from Homeless Prevention Program (HPP) funding provided by the Province through the City as the Regional Consolidated Service Manager.It is anticipated that sufficient funding has been allocated to the Homelessness Programs and that there will be no direct financial impact on the County in excess of the HPP funding being provided.
Kingsville Councillor Tony Gaffan said the level of homelessness is a lot worse than known.
“Families have been keeping it secret.”
He spoke of charity work he is involved in through different means that he is aware of in Kingsville.
“Hang on tight because these numbers will continue to escalate and I think we need to continue on this,” he said.
In answering Essex Councillor Kim Verbeek’s question about housing for the emergency shelter, Diamond-Francis noted two hotel rooms are currently utilized in Leamington. There are ideas hoped to be developed in the near future.
The Essex County Homelessness Hub began operating on September 6, 2022. Between its opening and January 31, 2023, 167 unique individuals attended the Essex County Homelessness Hub to access services with a total of 740 visits, members of Essex County Council learned at a meeting in March of 2023.It was noted previously that the cost to deliver the Homelessness Hub program is $250,000 per year for the two-year period.
This pilot program is funded under the Ontario Safe Restart Program, having no impact on the County’s operational budget and tax levy.In mid-January of this year, the facility – located in the South Essex Community Council building at 215 Talbot Street East in Leamington – was open from 10pm to 9am, seven days a week, as a warming station. It was expected to continue this program until April 1.
Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
