Appendix to Annual Report
Agencies, Organizations, and Business Partners
IHNA 2016
Prepared by Regina Roth-Goldman, Service Director
Shelters
Athens Area Homeless Shelter
-Barber Street (serve single-moms 18- 24)
-ARCH (serves families)
I work closely with case managers at AAHS (Corey Scott and Jocelyn Crumpton). We share a waiting list and pool case management information and info about resources for clients in Athens. This year IHNA had clients move into their shelters from our program. AAHS refer families to us and we refer families to them. We had a family stay with us for a few days until a room at the AAHS was ready.
Salvation Army
-Emergency shelter (individuals and families)
I work with the case manager (Mary Rosser) at the Salvation Army. IHNA refers individuals to the Salvation Army and they refer families to IHNA. We have made arrangements with the Salvation Army to shelter an IHNA mom who was no longer eligible for our program (she had decided to send her children to family for the summer).
Project Safe Inc.
-Domestic violence emergency shelter (DV)
I work with the shelter advocate (Tanya Wingfield) at PSI. A family moved out of PSI and into our program. PSI refers families to IHNA, and we refer families with active DV to them. PSI has provided me with info on how to handle calls, and how to make referrals, from women in DV situations (safety plan, how to get a temporary protective order, etc.).
Peace Place
-Domestic violence emergency shelter in Winder.
Peace Place refers families to IHNA and we refer families there.
Department of Family and Children Services
-Child Protective Services (CPS)
I have made many CPS reports for families that have called IHNA and described their situation.
I work with Rachele Gibson (DFCS attorney and IHNA board member). She refers families working with DFCS to IHNA.
Family Promise Gwinnett and Family Promise of Hall County
I have referred families and they have referred to IHNA. We also discuss families that may not be a good IHNA fit. We contact each other with case management issues/questions/concerns.
Family Promise Affiliates
I attend regional meetings to case management, volunteer management, etc. I work with our regional director – Jeanna Beck
Bigger Vision
-Emergency, night-by-night, winter shelter for adults
I make referrals all the time.
Housing
Going Home Housing Programs
-Rapid-rehousing program (Temporary rent assistance with case management and budgeting)
I work closely with the director of GH (Julieann Ghedis), and several of our families moved into this program. We have an MOU with them to make it easier for our families to be eligible.
-Homelessness Prevention Program (Provides funds to prevent an eviction)
I have made referrals to the prevention program for families that call IHNA and they are facing eviction.
Advantage Behavioral Health Systems
-Housing Programs for Advantage mental health clients
I work with the housing program director (Alicia Harris). I have made referrals and we have had a family move in to one of their housing programs.
Department of Veteran Affairs
-HUD-VASH (Temporary and permanent rent assistance for veterans)
I work with the case manager (Brent Temple) and have referred vets to this housing program.
Department of Community Affairs
-Housing Choice Program (Section 8 housing vouchers)
We had a family with a housing choice voucher move into this program. I refer families to the Georgia Housing Search put out by the DCA. (An online listing of low-income and affordable housing by county)
AIDS Athens
-Rent assistance program for people living with HIV/AIDS.
I have made referrals to their housing program. AIDS Athens provides info to us about free HIV testing. I work with the case manager (Chris Williams).
Childcare
Bright Beginnings Daycare and Preschool
-Full-time childcare
-Part-time childcare for school aged children
-Summer day camp for school aged children
I work with the director (Bianca Taylor) for our families needing childcare. Bright Beginnings accepts all of our children immediately; no waitlist. Required documents, birth certificates, immunization records, etc. can be provided at a later time.
Bright Beginnings allows us to pay fees monthly (at the end of the month) by invoice rather than at the start of each week.
Magic Years of Learning Daycare
-Afterschool program
One family used their afterschool daycare. Magic Years worked with us, and we were able to pay monthly by invoice rather than at the beginning of every week.
Clarke County School District Homeless Student Liaison
-After school program
-School supplies, school uniforms
-School bus transportation
-Homeless Education
I work closely with the liaison (Katie Wheeler). Homeless Education Program has paid for After School program, and arranged for bus transportation when families moved out of the shelter. Katie Wheeler also makes referrals to us for families she feels will be a good fit for IHNA.
I work with the Homeless Education director (Stephanie Anderson). She arranged a free tutor for a child in our program. She acted as a liaison between school and parents, for several children, to make sure they were following their individual education plan for special ed.
Employment
Department of Labor
-Career Center (Job skills, job search, interviewing, job fairs, interview clothes)
I arranged for our parents to meet one-on-one with an employment counselor (Luther Atwater) to assist with job searches.
Goodwill Industries
-Career Center (Job skills, job search, interviewing, job fairs)
I refer families here for job search skills. Goodwill keeps me informed about upcoming job fairs and job skills sessions.
Healthcare
Physical
-The Athens Clarke County Health Department (birth certificates and child immunizations)
-Neighborhood Health Clinic (family general practice for low income and Medicaid patients)
-Mercy Health Clinic (No insurance or under-insured adult patients, free pharmacy, adults)
-Athens Nurses Clinic (No insurance, No income patients, adults)
These are the places I referred our families to depending on their insurance. I referred for both adults and children.
Dental
-Kool Smiles for Kids (low income, Medicaid)
-Athens Nurses Clinic (adults only, cleanings and extractions, no insurance, no income)
I referred to these places for both adults and children.
Mental
-Advantage Behavioral Health (mental health, substance abuse recovery, counseling for adults, sliding scale)
I work with the mental health treatment provider (Jocelyn Lang), and make direct referrals. I have referred several adult clients, and Jocelyn makes appointments for our clients right away.
-Pathways Counseling (for children and adolescents with Medicaid)
I made a referral for two families to get them set up with mental health counseling for the children.
-Good Samaritan (counseling for adults, couples, family therapy, sliding scale)
Women
-Amerigroup (family planning info, birth control, women’s healthcare)
Amerigroup is Medicaid for children in GA. I refer women, and give information, to their free services
Financial Literacy
Family Promise
-New Beginnings Program
I use the information in Family Promise’s financial planning manual to help families plan a monthly budget.
ASPIRE Clinic
-Offers free and sliding scale services, open to the public, on UGA campus
I have referred families here for financial counseling, credit repair, loan consolidation, etc.
Action Ministries
-VITA (volunteer income tax assistance)
I work with the director (Solomon Smothers) to refer families for one-on-one help with filling out income tax forms and income tax information.
Legal Assistance
Virginia Morris
-Family Law
I have referred several families to Ginny Morris needing help with child custody, divorce, and also to assist in reading and understanding legal documents.
ASPIRE Clinic
-Several families used their legal advice services for evictions and fair housing.
Education
Actions, Inc.
-Continuing Education Assistance
I work with at Action Inc. (Lisa Ranson) We have an MOU with them to assist parents in the Extended Network Program to continue their education. I referred two families. One mom finished her early childhood education certificate at Athens Tech, and one mom will start her certified nursing assistant certificate program next semester at Athens Tech.
Clothing
America’s Thrift Store – Provide free clothing vouchers for our families.
Re-Blossum – I work with the owner (Monira Silk – she is an IHNA volunteer ) to provide infant clothing and baby items.
Dover Grace Boutique – I work with the owner (Francis Dover) to provide free formal wear to teens when needed. For example, we had a girl needing a prom dress, a boy needing dress clothes for a formal ROTC dance (Last year we had a member of the Jackson County High School on the homecoming court, and a formal gown was needed).
The Salvation Army- Provides thrift store vouchers for our guest families to shop for free. IHNA gives the Salvation Army donations we receive that we cannot use or store.
Project Safe - Provides thrift store vouchers for our families to shop for free. IHNA gives Project Safe thrift store items that have been donated that we can’t use or store.
Mainstream Benefits
Information is always provided for SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, CAPS, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), Georgia Child Support Office, SSI (Social Security Insurance) for children, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children – under 5), CAPS (Child and Parent Services(federally subsidized program for daycare assistance).
In addition to those listed above – These are agencies, organizations, and businesses IHNA has partnered/collaborated with
in the past and most likely will work with again in the future
Habitat for Humanity
-Rent Assistance Program
Athens Housing Authority
-Public Housing Program (Permanent rent assistance)
Athens Land Trust
-Rent Assistance Program
NEGA Work improvement Act
-I was contacted by a new collaborative of Athens Tech, WIA, and NEGA Work Improvement to assist with job search, job skills, getting people in their program interviews. This will start in 2017.
Pathways Counseling (adolescents with Medicaid)
-I made referrals here for teens in 2015
Good Samaritan (counseling for adults, couples, family therapy, sliding scale)
-Used for marriage counseling in 2014 and 2015
Latino services
-Used for Spanish interpreter
-Used to hook a family up with Migrant Worker Services through school district in 2015
AIDS Athens
In 2014 – We sheltered a family for two weeks until their apartment with AIDS Athens housing program was ready.