Homelessness Prevention Initiatives Grant Program Announcement

Purpose:  The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is pleased to announce a rolling, open grant program aimed at addressing Homelessness Prevention Initiatives for Priority Populations.  Developed in partnership with the Department of Housing, this program is funded through the Opioid Settlement and Medicaid’s Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) enhanced Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (e-FMAP).  Grants will be awarded on a quarterly basis until funding is exhausted.  Due to funding spend down restrictions for certain activities, prioritization will be given to the grant activities utilizing a phased approach. 

Eligible Applicants and Joint Applications:  Partnerships between sectors are strongly encouraged and preferred.  Preference may be given to past or present CHF applicants with demonstrated performance serving this target population.  Supportive service and healthcare organizations are also strongly encouraged to apply.  Applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:  

• Medical, behavioral health, and community-based organizations including community mental health clinics, federally qualified health clinics, hospitals, substance use treatment centers, and other healthcare providers—such as home stabilization services providers.  These organizations should have experience and expertise in addressing OUD/SUD and related health conditions.  

• Housing policy organizations that work towards promoting affordable housing, developing housing strategies, and implementing homelessness prevention initiatives.  These organizations should have a demonstrated understanding of the intersection between housing instability and OUD/SUD.  

• Harm reduction organizations that focus on harm reduction strategies and services, including but not limited to syringe exchange programs, naloxone distribution, overdose prevention, and overdose prevention centers. These organizations should have expertise in harm reduction interventions related to OUD/SUD populations.    

• Health Equity Zone partners, community-based organizations, and coalitions that aim to reduce health disparities and improve access to care for underserved populations.  These organizations should have a track record of working with OUD/SUD populations and/or addressing health inequities.    

• Current and past CHF applicants—such as homeless service providers and shelter operators—who have previously applied for and received funding from the CHF or other relevant funding sources for homelessness response or prevention. Applicants should demonstrate their experience and success in implementing effective programs or interventions for individuals with OUD/SUD and housing instability.  

• Criminal justice-serving organizations that provide services to individuals involved in the criminal justice system, such as re-entry programs, diversion programs, or alternatives to incarceration. These organizations should have a demonstrated understanding of the unique challenges faced by individuals with OUD/SUD who are transitioning from correctional facilities.    

• Other non-profit organizations, especially those led by individuals with lived experience of OUD/SUD and/or who represent minority communities. These organizations should have a focus on addressing health disparities and providing culturally competent services to diverse populations affected by OUD/SUD and homelessness.  

Grant Activities:  This grant program aims to fund multiple activities over multiple years, enhancing but not duplicating the Department of Housing’s Consolidated Homeless Fund (CHF) solicitations.  Key activities include: 

1. Statewide Mitigation Fund for Priority Populations:  Develop and implement a statewide mitigation fund for landlords to provide monetary protections for additional safety needs, property modifications, and damages and improve landlord/tenant relationships for people that are facing barriers due to past and present OUD/SUD.  (Approximate Funds Available: $50,000-$100,000) 

2. Landlord Incentives for Housing Priority Populations:  Provide incentives to landlords who make units available to individuals with an OUD/SUD and/or who are justice-involved or have a history of homelessness. (Approximate Funds Available:  $90,000--$180,000) 

3. Subsidies for Individuals or Families with OUD/SUD:  Provide rental, security deposits, utilities, and other housing related subsidies for individuals or families with OUD/SUD and/or justice system involvement. (Approximate Funds Available: $300,000 - $500,000) 

4. Housing First Policy and Technical Assistance:  Create a policy hub that will develop and implement a plan to engage, train, and support public housing authorities to implement Housing First, low-barrier screening for individuals with OUD/SUD and make quality improvement recommendations across the system. (Approximate Funds Available:  $100,000–$200,000) 

5. Harm Reduction Model Implementation for Shelters and Providers:  Invite shelters and other operating providers, new or existing, that are interested in adopting a harm reduction model to implement harm reduction strategies through education, policy development, and other relevant supports.  (Approximate Funds Available:  $100,000) 

6. Supportive Services Partnership Incentives:  Establish partnerships between shelter providers and supportive services providers by providing incentives to ensure authentic collaboration to enhance the overall well-being and support systems for individuals experiencing homelessness.  (Approximate Funds Available: $60,000 - $80,000) 

7. Warming Station and Emergency Shelter Supportive Services:  Support and partner with homeless service providers that establish and pilot supportive services for a 24-hour warming station (or akin) programs to ensure connection to wrap around services, such as social and medical services to promote holistic, dignified, person-centered supports to people that are experiencing homelessness and are at-risk for OUD/SUD. (Approximate Funds Available: $250,000).  *This activity will only be awarded if needed* 

8. Interagency Partner Convening and Case Conferencing:  Host a convening of EOHHS secretariat agencies, Department of Housing, Department of Corrections, and other relevant agency partners (including but not limited to additional state agencies, supportive service providers and homelessness service providers) for partnership develop and provide case conferencing facilitation at the direction of EOHHS. (Approximate Funds Available: $10,000) 

9. Infectious Disease Supports:  Procure and provide infection control and prevention supplies to warming stations, emergency shelters, and community partners in need to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases, including, but not limited to COVID test supplies, air purifiers, personal protective equipment (PPE), hand hygiene supplies, surface disinfection supplies and other harm reduction supplies as needed to mitigate transmission of infectious diseases. (Approximate Funds Available: $25,000 - $50,000) 

10. Night Outreach:  Provide night outreach in overdose hotspot locations to provide peer support to vulnerable populations impacted by overdose and link them to treatment, recovery, basic needs, and harm reduction services.  To include case conferencing and partnering and coordinating with other shelters for the allocation or holding of shelter beds for night outreach clients. (Approximate Funds Available: $200,000 - $300,000) 

11. Housing First Trainings:  Housing first curriculum surrounding OUD/SUD including anti-stigma trainings for homelessness providers and EOHHS service providers.  (Approximate Funds Available: $50,000) 

12. Recovery House Accessibility Fund: Develop and implement a fund for state certified recovery houses for accessibility improvements to support people with disabilities, including physical accessibility, assistive devices and/or other physical limitations. (Approximate Funds Available: $100,000) 

13. Recovery House Startup Assistance Fund and Incentives: Develop and implement a fund and incentives to assist in startup costs for new recovery house owners who are interested in adding recovery house beds for individuals and/or families with children and with an OUD/SUD but do not have the capital to invest in property, renovations, or other expenses associated with NARR certification requirements.  (Approximate Funds Available: $150,000) 

14. Equity Supports: Initiatives to support meeting the demographic, linguistic, and functional needs of clients to ensure equitable access based on race, ethnicity, language spoken, disability status, and functional/access needs to ensure clients can fully access housing supports and services including but not limited to permanent supportive housing, recovery housing, and shelters. (Approximate Funds Available: $50,000) 

15. Housing is Healthcare Coordination: Supportive Services organizational lead(s) to serve as the coordinating hub that brings together the leaders of the healthcare, housing, and social services sectors for strategic alignment, joint opportunities and investments, and policy development that facilities cross-sector collaboration. (Approximate Funds Available: $50,000) 

16. Supportive Services Toolkit Development: A municipal resource map for supportive services coordination was created by EOHHS to highlight resources for state agencies, municipalities, organizations, and individuals working to assure housing and/or delivering services to those for housing readiness or retention. Additional guidance and toolkits are needed to expand this resource to support homeless service and healthcare providers to deliver comprehensive supports to individuals in shelters, warming stations, and emergency pop-up hubs.  (Approximate Funds Available: $50,000) 

17. Quality Improvement: Additional approved uses of funding may be authorized by EOHHS to aims of this initiative and will be based on data, quality concerns, and client feedback to the population of focus’ needs. (Approximate Funds Available: $50,000) 

Funding:  The estimated funding for year one is $2,250,000 (combining $1,750,000 from the Opioid Settlement and $500,000 from HCBS e-FMAP).  Additional funding may be available as settlements and allocations are realized. 

Funding Restrictions:   

• Opioid Settlement funds may not be used for expenses or purposes that do not align with the requirements set forth in Exhibit C of the Opioid Settlement Agreement.  Any expenses or uses that are deemed ineligible or outside the scope of the allowable uses for these funds will not be considered for funding.  Applicants are advised to review the guidelines and eligibility criteria carefully and ensure that proposed expenditures are directly related to addressing the opioid crisis, OUD/SUD, and homelessness prevention.    

• HCBS e-FMAP funding may only be used to meet the needs of Medicaid-enrolled and Medicaid-eligible clients in home and community-based settings.  

Phased Approach to Review Applications: 

Quarterly reviews of applications will occur on a rolling basis with prioritization of projects on the following timeline, due to funding spenddown restrictions.  Organizations can submit at any time, however applications submitted during the timeline outlined below will be prioritized.  

Application Process:   

1. Threshold Evaluation 

• Application Completeness:  Ensure all forms are complete and submitted timely. 
• Application Eligibility:  Applicants must meet eligibility criteria as described above. 
• Applicant Compliance:  Applicants must agree to be in compliance with OSAC and HCBS e-FMAP requirements. 

2. Technical Criteria and Scoring 

Total Points =100 Points 

• Commitment to Equity and Populations:  25 Points 
• Experience and Proposed Partnerships:  20 Points 
• Proposal/Project Design:  20 Points 
• Program and Reporting Requirements:  10 Points 
• Readiness to implement:  5 Points 
• Cost Effectiveness:  20 Points 

3. Selection:  Proposals will be selected based on technical scoring.  EOHHS may also categorize proposals to ensure equitable access based on geography, population, demographics, languages offered, equitable policies in practice, and comprehensiveness of supportive services partnerships. 

How to Apply:   

• Please click here to view and download the application. 
  • Organizations should identify which activities they are interested in implementing. 
  • Prepare a comprehensive application addressing the threshold evaluation and technical criteria. 
• Please also refer to the full grant description document as a guide. 
• Applications can be submitted at any time, but priority will be given to activities outlined in the phased approach to review. 
• Applications will be reviewed and categorized as “Received,” “Under Review,” and “Approved/Denied.”  Applicants will be updated regarding their application status throughout the process.   

To submit your application or for any questions related to this grant or the application process, please contact:   

Allison Arden : allison.arden@ohhs.ri.gov