May 11, 2021 – The Devereux Center, Curry County Homeless Coalition, Brookings Community Resource [CORE] Response Team
Cheryl Davies (Southwestern Community College) – SWOCC is conducting a survey asking for input on an Applied Baccalaureate in Behavioral Science 4-year degree with an emphasis in mental health and drug and alcohol counseling through SWOCC – the survey is here, responses are requested by May 21: https://forms.gle/YWF5a3Dsr8HWVStW8
Tara Johnson (Executive Director, The Devereux Center, director@thedevereuxcenter.org)
Community campground – partnering with ORCCA to provide pallet shelters (metal/plastic solid structures, 8x8x9′) for 20-25 people. By referral only through The Devereux Center, services will be provided at the Center. Will also have some space for community partners to provide services on site. A list of community campground needs can be found on AmazonSmile’s charity lists. Security and staff will have offices on site with someone there 24/7.
Azalea House – home has been purchased/donated, renovations in progress. Partnership with Coos Health & Wellness, space for up to 5 adults with mental health issues. Referrals will be taken through CH&W.
Beth Barker-Hidalgo (Executive Director, Curry County Homeless Coalition, curryhomelesscoalition@gmail.com)
Mobile outreach bus provides hot meals/coffee, water, snacks, OHP enrollment, housing applications for subsidized housing, ORCCA applications, section 8 applications.
Contracted with OHA as a community based organization responding to households affected by COVID – wraparound services including rent/mortgage/utility/insurance payment assistance.
Homeless prevention program – can pay rent/mortgage through a one-time payment to keep folks housed.
Advocating for affordable housing.
Homeward bound program – can help with travel costs to return folks to out of area support systems.
Supporting DV services during Oasis’s transition. Have some funding to isolate households impacted by COVID.
Building robust network of coordinated care with Curry community partners.
Assisting with routine vaccine events.
Diana Cooper (Executive Director, Brookings Community Resource [CORE] Response team, diana@brookingscoreresponse.org)
Based out of St Timothy’s, provide service navigation/connections, direct services, advocacy, vaccine administration/coordination.
HAF grant to purchase iPads and weatherproof gear to help facilitate providing services.
Intentionally working with Fair Housing Council of Oregon to provide resources, education at a local level for residents and government agencies. Also working on preventing loss of housing.
Partnering with HIV Alliance who will be coming to Brookings every Monday, working on out-of-area outreach for services.
Community updates:
Rachael Espy (Executive Director, The SAFE Project, respy@stopabusecoos.org) – The SAFE Project is assisting with Curry County survivor needs during Oasis Advocacy & Shelter’s transition period. Oasis still has financial assistance for survivors but their shelter is temporarily closed.
Carrie Prechtel (AllCare Health) – Unite Us (Connect Oregon) is a free referral service for partner agencies in their system. Anyone who goes to an agency in the system can be connected immediately to other agencies for services. Warm handoff instead of requiring the individual to follow up, tell their story multiple times, etc. Rolling out across the state, stay tuned for updates for Coos/Curry Counties.
Zachary Richard (new D7 SNAP Navigator, Zachary.A.Richard@dhsoha.state.or.us, https://www.oregonstep.info/, Gold Beach 541.247.7036; North Bend 541.808.6155) – job training program for anyone on SNAP. The email address for District 7 STEP program referrals is ODHS-SSP-D7.SNAPNavigators@dhsoha.state.or.us.
David Ross (Americorps VISTA with Waterfall Community Health Center, dross@wfall.org) – connecting with community partners to address social determinants of health.
Natasha Garrison (Workforce Specialist/Coos, South Coast Business) – training and employment services. Big push to partner with WorkSource to provide training unemployment insurance and training funding, people can receive unemployment insurance while going to school.
Shane Brown (South Coast ESD regional education network, shaneb@scesd.k12.or.us) – working to affirm racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity, creating safe spaces for all students. Reach out to see if Shane can help with funding relevant projects.
Starla Paris (D7 Program Analyst 1/Community Partnership Coordinator, ODHS)
American Rescue Act funding webinar May 14 @ 12pm – register here: https://www.acesconnection.com/blog/learn-how-to-secure-federal-funding-for-your-community-a-better-normal-with-ctipp-dave-ellis-dan-jurman
News Release 05.11.21 Federal approval in Oregon to issue Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) for the 2020-2021 school year. Any questions or clarifications, please contact Tracey Anderson, ODHS – SSP Branch Manager at Tracey.ANDERSON@dhsoha.state.or.us or via phone at 541.808.6073.
Last week was Public Service Recognition Week across the nation to honor public employees and to educate the public about the many ways that the government makes life better for all Americans. Here in Oregon, Gov Brown selects five state employees who exemplify being a servant to Oregonians and this year, our very own Gloria Clark, the D7 Community Development Coordinator, was selected.
Cambria Turnbow has a new role of Branch Office Manager in the North Bend office.
Nadia Yakovich (ODHS Branch Office Manager/Gold Beach, Nadia.Yakovich@dhsoha.state.or.us) – rolling out the ONE system, providing SNAP, TANF, day care assistance. Significant DEI work in progress! Temporary HFS1 position available, contact Nadia for more information/referrals.
Becky Yaeger (211/OHA, becky.yaeger@dhsoha.state.or.us) can provide updates on COVID-19 vaccine clinic opportunities and ways of working through vaccine hesitancy within the community – email Becky for more info.
Georgia Nowlin: From a policy level, be sure to vote in the May 18th Special Elections. The League of Women Voters of Curry County have the candidate forums for races for Curry Health Network board, SOCC board and ESD board on https://lwvcurry.org/. [Coos County League of Women Voters debates are here: https://my.lwv.org/oregon/coos-county/candidate-debates-interviews]
Lualhati Anderson (Coos Health & Wellness, lualhati.anderson@chw.coos.or.us): The older adult BH initiative is hosting a QPR training on Friday, May 14th (flyer here). Several OABHI specialists have partnered up to put together an advance care planning series for consumers starting June 3rd (flyer here). I am hoping to roll out the vulnerable adult gatekeeper training (similar to the gatekeeper/APS training) sometime in June.
Rachel Montgomery (Community Strategies Coordinator with Humboldt Area Foundation/Wild Rivers Community Foundation, rachelm@hafoundation.org) – supporting food and housing, community outreach, connecting with similar agencies in Curry specific to the pandemic but also going forward. Also works with Equity Alliance on institutional level to look at internal policies, procedures to impact public health outcomes.
Teri Moore (WorkSource Coos) – almost 400 job listings available! Unemployment is starting to change regulations back to pre-pandemic unemployment regulations. Extension is tentatively scheduled to end in September. Laptops are available.
Clayton Willett (STEP at SWOCC): Free summer classes at SWOCC! In-person, online, hybrid courses available. To register for classes offered through the Coos Campus, call or email (541) 888-7352, firststop@socc.edu. To register for classes on the Curry Campus, call or email (541) 813-1667, curryfirststop@socc.edu. To talk with an advisor on the Coos Campus, (541) 888-7405. To talk with an advisor on the Curry Campus, (541) 813-1667.
Gordon Clay – May is Mental Health Awareness month. Curry Co Suicide Awareness and Prevention Council has a brochure at over 100 retail locations in Curry County (locations are listed here: http://zeroattempts.org/curry.html). It is also National Teen Pregnancy Prevention month – resources available at http://zeroattempts.org/teen-pregnancy.html.