Program Guidelines
Empowering families experiencing homelessness to achieve lasting self-sufficiency.
Table of Contents
5
Welcome and Program Description 3
Schedule of A Typical Day 4
Adverse Weather 5
Alcohol and Drug Policy 5
Arrests 5
Case Management 5
Chores 6
Communication 6
Computer Use 7
Curfew 7
Family Health 8
Health and Safety 8
Laundry 8
Mail 8
Meals 9
Medications 9
Money Management 10
Out-Of-Network Planning 10
Parenting/Discipline 11
Personal Belongings 13
Reapplications 14
Telephones 14
Termination 14
Transportation 15
Shower Facility Guidelines 15
Incident Reports and Grievances 16
Signed Understanding 17
5
Seacoast Family Promise
Guest Handbook
WELCOME
The network welcomes you and your family as our guests. We know that you are going through a difficult time in your life and want you to know we are here to help.
It is our hope that this handbook will provide your family with valuable information about the Network – how it works, its guidelines, rules, and expectations, as well as other resources you can use while you are in the program.
The goal of the program is to help you and your family to obtain transitional or permanent housing while staying in a safe environment. During your stay with us, we will try to make you and your family as comfortable as possible.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Family Promise has been designed to provide transitional housing, in partnership with churches and synagogues in the Seacoast area. The program has been designed for families who find themselves temporarily homeless.
Congregation volunteers staff each host site from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. A day center is available at 6 Emery Lane, Stratham, for families who need a place to go during the day. Here, space has been set aside in which you may work on housing and job searches, relax, use the phone, meet with the Executive Director or Case Manager, and spend the day with your children. A kitchenette and shower/bathtub are also available for your use at the day center.
Please be sure to review this handbook carefully, as the policies and procedures for Seacoast Family Promise are carefully outlined here. Your family will be required to adhere to these guidelines during your stay in our program.
Again, we welcome you, and are glad you have come to join us.
SCHEDULE OF DAY
(Changes in schedule may occur as needed)
6:00 A.M Wake up.
6:15-6:40 The day begins with a light breakfast of toast, juice, muffins, cereal, etc. (Some congregations may extend Saturday and/or Sunday morning to allow for sleeping time and a larger breakfast.
6:45-7:00 Family members now go off to work, job training programs, school, appointments and completing housing and job searches. When at the Day Center, families can use the computer, receive and send mail and faxes, and use the telephone. It is also here that families will meet with the Case Manager and Network Director. Families utilizing outside providers that do in-home care can meet with their providers at the day center.
THE NETWORK IS A SHORT TERM PROGRAM AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU WORK ON YOUR HOUSING AND/OR JOB SEARCH EACH DAY.
4:45-5:00 P.M. Guests leave the Day Center and go to the host site (Monday through Saturday). On Sundays, guests MUST report to the new host site by 5:00 P.M. for orientation.
5:30 P.M. Arrive at the host site and prepare for the evening meal. Congregation volunteers provide dinner and will join guests for the evening meal. Your family assistance in helping the volunteers before, during and after mealtime is very much appreciated.
6:30 P.M. Playtime, homework and other family activities. Some congregations will have planned events for your family.
7:15 P.M. Quiet time, wind down with a snack and prepare young children for bed.
8:30 P.M. All children under 12 must be in bed. Parents must stay with their children until they are asleep, and continue to check on them during the evening.
9:30 P.M. All children 12 and over must be in bed.
10:00 P.M. Lights out.
ADVERSE WEATHER
In the event of a snowstorm or other exceptionally dangerous weather, the Day Center may not open for the day. This determination is made by the Network Director. The general understanding is that if the Stratham School District does not have school, then the Day Center will not be open. Please check with the volunteers at the host site or the Network Director to find out what to do in this event.
ALCOHOL AND DRUG POLICY
This is an alcohol- and drug- free program. Absolutely no alcohol, drugs, and/or drug paraphernalia are allowed on the Day Center property or at the host site. All guests will have to submit to a drug/alcohol test before being admitted to the program, and then again after being admitted to the program. If alcohol, drugs, and/or drug paraphernalia are found in a guest’s position at any time during your stay, it will result in immediate termination from the program. Random drug tests may be required at anytime.
Network staff reserves the right to inspect guest’s rooms and personal belongings when there is suspicion of possession of illegal drugs or alcohol.
In the event that a staff member or host site volunteer believes that a guest is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the family may be asked to leave the premises immediately. The Network Director will be contacted, and the police will be notified if warranted.
ARRESTS
All adults in a family are required to submit to 3rd party vendor criminal background check prior to being admitted into Seacoast Family Promise program. A second background check will be sent to Concord NH. No one will be admitted with any violent felonies charges or convictions. If any adult member of the family is arrested while living at SFP, then that guest should contact their family and the SFP Case Manager or Program Director as soon as possible.
CASE MANAGEMENT
Each family is expected to meet with the program Case Manager at a scheduled time on a weekly basis. The Case Manager will help move your family into a more permanent housing situation and to address budgeting and other family needs.
During your scheduled appointment, you will discuss your goals, develop plans to assist you in relocating and review your weekly progress toward meeting your goals. Reviewing your weekly progress will include verifying your savings status and housing searches, follow through on appointments such as training/employment opportunities, childcare, and assistance from other agencies.
If you are unable to meet your goals, or are unable to keep an appointment, you will be expected to discuss this with the Case Manager in advance of your scheduled appointment. Guests who fail to comply with program rules, including meeting goals and attending appointments as directed by the Case Manager will be given written warnings. When a guest has received 3 warnings, guests will be required to meet with the Network Director and Case Manager concerning possible termination from the program.
This is a short-term program (six month maximum) and your goals and progress are important to your family relocating within that time frame.
CHORES
EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHORES!
In order to make your family’s stay comfortable for everyone, your family is expected to share in the housekeeping responsibilities at the Day Center and host site.
Everyone helps keep the common areas clean. This includes:
Clean up after eating (clear table, wash dishes)
Vacuuming and/or sweeping the dining and living areas
Snack preparation and clean up
Picking up toys
Clean and check bathrooms mornings and evenings
Stripping beds on the designated moving day
Keeping personal living space clean and neat
COMMUNICATION
It is important that all guests remain in communication with the Case Manager and the Network Director. We understand that life brings challenges that can interfere with schedules. We cannot understand your situation if we do not hear from you. Lack of communication leaves us to believe you no longer require the assistance of the network.
COMPUTER USE
The Day Center has computers available for your use. Software or programs are not allowed to be installed on any SFP computer without prior staff approval. This includes, but is not limited to: games, chat clients (AIM, IMVU, etc.), Yahoo! Search tool bar, Google search tool bar, and web browsers.
Installation of programs either by you or your children may lead to a warning. Parents are responsible for their child’s activities on the computer at all times.
Computers are to be used for job searching, housing searches, homework, and email. If you are using the computer for Facebook, or something similar, you are restricted to 30 minutes of computer use.
CURFEW
All Family members must be at the scheduled host site by 5:30 P.M. daily (5:00 P.M. on Sundays) unless the Network Director has approved other arrangements in advance (such as to accommodate work schedules.) If you are unable to be at the host site on time, contact the host site immediately by calling the number provided. If you are not at the host site by 5:30 P.M. (or 5:00 P.M. on Sunday), the Network Director will be notified, and you will be given a verbal, and if necessary, a written warning.
Due to the early morning schedule, bedtimes are 8:30 P.M. for children under 12, 9:30 P.M. for children over 12 and lights out at 10:00 P.M. (This also allows host site volunteers time to account for everyone and secure the site before they settle in themselves.) During the summer, bedtime for children over 5 years is extended to 9:30 P.M. Parents must stay with their children until they have fallen asleep and check on them continuously throughout the evening.
All guests will be required to provide a weekly schedule at the host site on Sunday evenings as part of orientation. This schedule will be confirmed with the SFP Director for verification. Please be sure to include any evenings you and/or your family will be late to dinner due to work, appointments or school functions. If a guest is more than ½ hour late to the host community, the Program Director will be notified.
Guests are not allowed to relay program absence through another guest, and are not allowed to be let into the host site by another guest under any circumstance.
Children and adults are allowed to stay out of the program overnight with 24-hour advance notice given to, and the consent of, the Network Director. See the Out Of Network Requests and Planning section on page 11 for more information. Guests must sign in and out of the host facility and Day Center whenever they leave and return.
FAMILY HEALTH
Each family member is expected to have a primary care physician and to have had a physical examination within the past year. All children must be up to date on immunizations. Copies of all children’s immunization records must be provided to the Case Manager. If you need assistance with obtaining copies of immunization records, please discuss this with the case manager. If you are in need of a primary care physician or your children need immunizations, the Case Manager can assist you.
All families are required to provide copies of any insurance and/or Medicaid cards to the Case Manager upon moving in the program.
All contagious diseases must be reported to the Case Manager or Network director immediately.
Smoking is only allowed in designated areas at the host site and the Day Center.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
EMERGENCIES – In a medical emergency, if time allows, contact your primary care physician to get instructions on how to proceed, or call 9-1-1 immediately.
When you enter the program, you are expected to supply a written child-care plan in the event an emergency should arise and parents or legal guardians are unable to care for their children. If a childcare plan is not on file, the Division of Children, Youth and Families will be contacted to provide emergency care.
LAUNDRY FACILITIES
A washer and dryer are available at the Day Center for use by guests of the program. Guests are expected to complete their laundry in a timely manner, and the staff requests that families do not allow laundry to pile up in front of or on the washer/dryer. Guests are asked to help with program laundry needs as necessary, as well.
MAIL
When you move in, you may change your address to:
6 Emery Lane, PO Box 233
Stratham, NH 03885-0233
When you exit the network, you are responsible for changing your address from SFP to your new housing address, and this cannot be done through the United States Postal Service. We will forward your mail for 14 days only. If mail continues to come for you after the 14 day grace period, the Stratham Post Office will be notified that you are no longer living at the SFP address. An accurate list of families in the network will be sent to the Stratham Post Office on a regular basis
MEALS
Volunteers will do their best to provide a menu that includes a variety of items weekly that are both nutritious and tasty. If you are on a restricted diet or have food allergies, please let the Case Manager or Network Director know, and consideration will be given to your meal choices. Some host sites set aside an evening in which the guests can prepare a meal. The site will provide the needed supplies. Please be aware that meals are usually planned a few weeks in advance with volunteers.
You are welcome to keep food you purchase at the Day Center. All foods must be stored with your name on it. Eating and drinking areas are provided at each host site and at the Day Center; you and your family are asked to honor that space. Under no circumstances is food or drink allowed in your private room.