DHHS's Continuum of Care Permanent Supportive Housing Program (PSHP)

(Formerly Shelter Plus Care)

DHHS's Continuum of Care Permanent Supportive Housing Program (PSHP) (formerly Shelter Plus Care) provides permanent supportive housing options for Literally Homeless individuals with disabilities and their families. Following a Housing First model, our program offers low-barrier assistance to applicants with severe and persistent mental illness, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and other qualifying disabilities.

While any homeless individual or family with eligible disabilities may qualify, we strive to prioritize under-served populations, including: veterans; persons fleeing domestic violence; families; and eligible homeless youth.

Program participants provide 30% of their income* towards rent while the remaining amount is subsidized through the program.

***

There have been some changes to the program and how we can accept applications, so we ask that you please review these notices in their entirety.

DHHS's Continuum of Care Permanent Supportive Housing Program (PSHP) (Formerly Shelter Plus Care) is required to only accept referrals for housing resources through the new statewide Coordinated Entry System (CES). All referrals must be assessed and prioritized by the Hub where they reside, or are planning on living.

Please do not submit a program application to Shalom House unless you were referred to the program by your Service Hub.

View the DHHS PSH Program Coordinated Entry Referral Policy and Procedures

 Coordinated Entry System (CES)

What is Coordinated Entry?

Coordinated Entry is a "consistent, streamlined process for accessing the resources available in the Maine Continuum of Care (MCoC) homeless crisis response system."

Through coordinated entry, the MCoC ensures that housing resources and supportive services are used as efficiently and effectively as possible. This is done by assessing households experiencing homelessness quickly and uniformly to connect them to the best available housing resource whenever possible.

In order to accomplish this across such a vast geography, Coordinated Entry will operate locally within the state’s Service Hub structure. Maine has a total of 9 Service Hub areas, each covering one or more counties. Some towns are assigned to Hubs outside their county where that made more sense in terms of access to resources.

• Hub 1: York

• Hub 2: Cumberland

• Hub 3: Midcoast (Sagadahoc, Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo Counties, and the Towns of Brunswick and Harpswell)

• Hub 4: Androscoggin

• Hub 5: Western (Oxford and Franklin Counties and the Towns of Livermore and Livermore Falls)

• Hub 6: Central (Somerset and Kennebec)

• Hub 7: Penquis (Penobscot and Piscataquis)

• Hub 8: Downeast (Washington and Hancock)

• Hub 9: Aroostook

If you wish to be accessed for coordinated entry, we'd recommend that you reach out to the nearest access point in your area. For a list of access points in your coverage area, please click here.

Please note: some Access Points are only able to offer assessments for individuals that are already accessing their services. If you are already connected with one of the shelters or agencies below, please follow up with them to be assessed.

If you are having trouble connecting with an Access Point to get assessed, please contact 211.

Once accessed, your name will go on a regional by-name prioritization list, and as resources become available, the HUB will refer eligible individuals with the highest need to our program. Once you are referred, you will be asked to fill out our program application, which we can provide guidance on completing. Until we have resources and you are referred by the Hub, please do not submit an application as we will be unable to process it and it will be returned.

 

 

General Program Eligibility

PSHP is for Adults and households who:

  • have a Disability, as defined by the U.S. Department of  Housing and Urban Development under [24 CFR 582.5]; and
  • are Literally Homeless, as defined by the McKinney-Vento  Homeless Assistance Act As Amended by S. 896  HEARTH ACT of 2009 as funded by the U.S.  Department of Housing and Urban Development [42 USC 11302], or are fleeing, or attempting to flee domestic violence.

What are Qualifying Disabilities?

As defined by HUD, a person shall be considered disabled if he or she has a condition that is a physical and/or mental impairment, including those that are caused by alcohol or drug abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, or brain injury, that:

  • Is expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration;
  • Substantially impedes the individual’s ability to live independently; and
  • Could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions.

Diagnoses must be verified by a qualified professional with one of the following credentials: MD, DO, LCPC, APRN-BC, NP, PA, psychologist, or any another person licensed by the State of Maine to diagnose and treat such diagnoses.

What is homelessness, and what qualifies as homelessness?

HUD separates homelessness into four categories (24 § 578.3):

  1. Literal Homelessness
  2. Imminent Risk of Homelessness
  3. Homeless Under Other Federal Statutes
  4. Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence

***At this time, we only accept applicants that are Homeless under Categories 1 & 4.

Category 1: Literal Homelessness

Individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, meaning:

1. Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

            1. Living in a tent, in a public park or in the woods.
            2. Living in a camper or RV that is substandard and does not have access to clean water and utilities.*
            3. Living in an uninsulated shed in a friend’s backyard with no access to the residence.

2. Is living in a publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state and local government programs);

Examples include, but are not limited to:

              1. Emergency Shelters
              2. Transitional housing and voucher programs, as long as individual was verified to be homeless before entry.
              3. Living in a motel paid by a charity, local General Assistance office, non-profit, religious organization, etc.

Category 4: Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence

Any individual or family who:

1. Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence;

2. Has no other residence; and

3. Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing

Please Note: Per HUD, "Domestic Violence" includes dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or family member that either takes place in, or makes him or her afraid to return to, their primary nighttime residence (including human trafficking).

HUD Exchange - Homeless Eligibility Overview

What about a camper or RV?

*Because RVs and Campers are “ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations,” not all persons sleeping in RVs are considered homeless. There are several factors to consider when determining occupants of RVs and Campers are classified as homeless, including:

    • disrepair (e.g., holes, broken windows, flat tires, removed or broken siding);
    • no access to proper sewer, water, and electricity connections; and
    • it is parked in an unusual place, including non-RV designated lots, non-residential areas, or areas where RVs are not allowed to park; and
    • and is clearly occupied.

Questions to ask/answer when referring someone to our program(s):

Is the RV insulated? Does it have adequate sewer and water (not including properly working equipment as installed)? Does it have electricity and are there any medical needs? Is it in disrepair that is preventing proper use?

Documenting Homelessness

Order of Priority for Collecting Eligibility Documentation

HUD has established an “Order of Priority” for documenting literal homelessness. This order of priority establishes guidelines for how program staff should prioritize different forms of documentation, with attempts to collect higher-priority documentation before moving on to lower- priority documentation. Reasonable efforts should be made to follow the order of priority established by HUD. The order of priority is as follows:

  1. Third Party Verification – Intake staff should make a reasonable effort to obtain third party documentation for current literal homelessness and for all 12 months showing chronic homelessness. For months that cannot be covered by third party documentation, the effort to do so should be recorded as due diligence.
  2. Intake Worker Observation – Where applicable, intake worker observation should take priority over self-certification of literal homelessness.
  3. Self-Certification – For any month that the applicant must document literal homelessness because third-party verification or intake-worker observation is not available, the applicant must provide self-certification of their living situation during that month.

Please Note: All 12 months used to establish chronic homelessness must be covered by one of the following: third party verification, intake worker observation, or self-certification by applicant.

HUD does not require documentation showing that an applicant is literally homeless for every day of the 12 months used to determine eligibility for chronic homelessness. One documented day within a calendar month is enough to establish homelessness for that entire calendar month, unless there is documentation showing that the applicant had a break in literal homelessness during that month.

For literal homelessness status at time of intake, documentation must show that the applicant was literally homeless within 14 days of eligibility determination.

Order of Preference for Third Party Verification

In order to build the strongest case possible for documenting literal and chronic homelessness, the following order of preference should be used when collecting third party verification.

  1. HMIS
    • An HMIS record should be a report designed by the CoC HMIS lead agency OR a “screen shot” that includes Client name, Shelter name, and entry/exit dates, or dates of case manager observation and location. Must include name and signature of individual submitting for inclusion with application.
  2. Third Party Verification provided by a housing or service provider or institutional documentation.
  3. Third Party Verification provided by a community member that does not have a personal relationship with the applicant.
  4. Third Party Verification provided by a community member that has a personal relationship with the applicant.
  5. Self-Certification. Must be acknowledged by a provider that can notate all attempts made to gather Primary and/or 3rd Party verification.)

Documenting Breaks in Homelessness

When documenting episodic chronic homelessness, any breaks in literal homelessness need to be documented and all breaks can be documented using self-certification by the applicant. A minimum of three separate breaks must be documented in the file, in order to establish episodic chronic homelessness.

For Documenting Homelessness FAQs – Click Here

 

HUD Exchange – Record keeping Requirements for Chronic Homelessness

 

Helpful Forms

Chronic Homelessness Summary Form

Homeless Self-Certification Form  (filled out by provider)

Example Homeless Verification Letter Template-Single Instance

Example Homeless Verification Letter Template-Multiple Instances

Documenting Disability

Qualifying Disability

As defined by HUD, a person shall be considered disabled if he or she has a condition that:

  • Is expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration;
  • Substantially impedes the individual’s ability to live independently;
  • Could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions; and
  • Is a physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, or brain injury.

The following forms of disability status documentation are acceptable to determine CoC PSH eligibility:

 

  1. Written verification by a qualified professional with one of the following credentials: MD, DO, LCPC, APRN-BC, NP, PA, psychologist, or another person licensed by the State of Maine to diagnose and treat such diagnoses; OR
  2. Written verification from the Social Security Administration (SSA) of a qualifying disability; OR
  3. Copy of a statement or disability benefit letter showing that the applicant is the recipient of a disability check such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Veteran’s Disability Compensation; OR
  4. Written observation(s)s from intake staff of a qualifying disability.
    • Please Note: For Intake staff verification, disability MUST be confirmed within forty-five (45) days of submission of application by providing one of the 3 above methods (#’s 1-3). If disability verification is not provided within forty-five (45) days of submission, the voucher will be withdrawn and any rental assistance will be ceased.

Helpful Resources and Forms

HUD At-a-glance: Disability Definition

Program Trainings and Information

Program Referral and Application

We've changed how we accept applications! Please read:

We are required to only accept referrals for housing resources through the new statewide Coordinated Entry System (CES). All referrals must be assessed and prioritized by the Hub where they reside, or are applying through.

If you haven't been referred, or are looking to get accessed, we'd recommend that you reach out to the nearest access point in your area. For a list of access points in our coverage area, please click here.

  1. When you contact an access point, you will asked a series of questions, known as an Assessment, which will look at:
      • Any emergency needs to help identify other natural supports or alternatives to homelessness through problem-solving if non are found.
      • Length of time homeless
      • Housing barriers
      • Other key factors necessary to prioritize households for the resources available.
  2.  Then, you will be prioritized onto the Service Hub's By-Name list. This will help rank you for any available resources that you may qualify for.
  3. Once ranked, you will go through what's called "Case Conferencing", which means that hub staff and providers will review your information, identify available resources you may be eligible for, and prepare you for referral as you near the top.
  4. When we have an available opening, we will notify the applicable Hub Coordinator, who will then refer the highest ranked, eligible individual or household to our program, then they will notify you or your provider.

 

 What changed?

In the past, program LAAs could accept applications from anyone, anywhere, as long as the individual was eligible.

  • With Coordinated Entry, we can no longer accept applications sent by anyone. When we have resources (vouchers) available, we will notify the applicable Hub, and they will refer someone to us to fill out an application.

 What do I do next?

Once accessed, your name will go on a regional by-name prioritization list, and as resources become available, the HUB will refer eligible individuals with the highest need to our program. Once you are referred, you will be asked to fill out our program application, which we can provide guidance on completing. Until we have resources and you are referred by the Hub, please do not submit an application as we will be unable to process it.

Download the SPC Application

Ways to submit your completed application packet:

Please Note: We can only accept applications for individuals or households that have been accessed and referred by the CES. Do not submit a program application to Shalom House unless you were referred to the program by your Service Hub.

Mail: PSHP Applications - Shalom House 106 Gilman Street Portland, ME 04101

Fax: 207-874-1077      attn: PSHP Applications

Email: PSHPApplications@shalomhouseinc.org

 

Shalom House, Inc Release of Information

If you would like for Shalom House staff to communicate with an outside organization or provider, please fill out this Release of Information and include it with your application submission.

Shalom House, Inc Release of Information

If you feel that you may qualify for PSHP (formerly SPC) and would like more information, please contact the Local Administering Agency for your area.

Their contact information can be found at:

Statewide Contact List View the LAA/CAA Directory.