News of 2003

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County Commissioners approve contract with MHS for a women's shelter.

25-Nov-2003

The Board of Cuyahoga County Commissioners, during their regular meeting of 25 November 2003, considered and adopted by unanimous vote a contract with MHS for shelter services for homeless women.

Susan Neth, Director of Homeless Services, Steven M. Friedman, Ph.D., Executive Director, and Jim Nagle, Director of Administration, are implementing the plan they created with county officials for the provision of effective care and interventions. They are also working with Stacey Taylor, Director of Human Resources, to recruit and hire staff members.

A .pdf file of the Board's Actions during the meeting is available by clicking this link to the County website.

Safe Haven I earns NAMI-Metro award.

09-Oct-2003

On the evening of Thursday, October 9, 2003, the MHS program Safe Haven I received the NAMI-Metro Cleveland Mental Health Program Award.  A Safe Haven provides a 24-hour residence and care for "hard-to-reach homeless persons who have a severe mental illness, are on the streets, and have been unable or unwilling to participate in supportive services" (Federal Register, Vol. 68, No. 80, Friday, April 25, 2003, p. 21616.)

Safe Haven I was MHS' first program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and one of Ohio's first HUD Safe Havens.  MHS and EDEN, Inc. shared the award.  EDEN, Inc. owns and maintains the property, and MHS operates the program, now in its eighth year. The capable leadership of Daniel Wutsch, and the skillful work of his staff have been instrumental to the program's success. Among the staff members is Ricardo Hunter, a Residential Support Specialist at Safe Haven I, who is well-regarded for his extraordinary skills in helping clients achieve important goals.

Dan Wutsch

Ricardo Hunter

Cleveland City Councilman Nelson Cintron leads a neighborhood meeting at the new Safe Haven III facility.

02-Oct-2003
7-9:00 p.m.

Citizens from around the area of the new Safe Haven III facility spoke with staff members of EDEN, Inc., and MHS, in a meeting organized and led by Cleveland City Councilman Nelson Cintron. Some people from the neighborhood expressed apprehension about living near people with mental illnesses. Others said they did not share these fears, because they or people close to them had experience with mental illness. MHS Executive Director Steven M. Friedman, Ph.D., MHS Director of Homeless Services Susan Neth, and MHS Medical Director Cynthia Vrabel, M.D., spoke with participants about the nature of the program and clients, and confirmed that 24/7 staffing was an important part of the program.

In response to some neighbors who said they never knew the home would become a Safe Haven, Councilman Cintron said that EDEN and MHS had discussed this with him in the spring of 2003, and he instructed them to speak with members of two community groups. Members of these groups in the Tremont-West, and Metro-Clark area, were informed, and were invited to share any concerns with EDEN and MHS staff members. EDEN purchased the property, which had been used as a boarding home, in the spring of 2003, and MHS operates the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-funded Safe Haven III program. Councilman Cintron said that he planned to schedule another community meeting soon.

Safe Haven III hosts open house for new facility.

29-Sep-2003
4-7:00 p.m.

• the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which provides support for program operations and services,

• the Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services, for their support and leadership in the creation and direction of the county's Continuum of Care for homeless persons,

• the Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH), which provided the initial $250,000 for site acquisition;

• the Cuyahoga County Community Mental Health Board, which provides reimbursement for eligible program services,

• The Cleveland Foundation, and their grant of $150,000;

• the Sisters of Saint Augustine, who gave $35,500 to the project;

• the Deaconess Foundation, which provided $50,000;and

• the Eva L. and Joseph M. Bruening Foundation, and their grant of $75,000.
  

MHS Annual Public Meeting of the Board of Trustees.

25-Sep-2003
4-6:00 p.m.
YWCA

MHS honored members of the Cuyahoga County Department of Employment and Family Services (DEFS), and loyal MHS staff members during a special, annual meeting of the Board of Trustees. Departing President John J. Urban made a special presentation to Steven M. Friedman, Ph.D., the MHS Executive Director, for his extraordinary leadership, vision, and energy.

MHS was honored by the presence of County Commissioner Tim McCormack, who spoke earnestly and solemnly of the vital importance of the work done by DEFS and MHS, and who participated in the awards presentations with sincerity and wit. Cuyahoga County DEFS staff members Joseph Gauntner, Chere Chambers, Selena Robinson, and Jacque Ward were honored for their work in designing and implementing special benefit enrollment protocols that were responsive to the needs of homeless persons.

Susan Neth received special honors, and a certificate from the Board of County Commissioners, for her 15 years of creative, energetic, and dedicated work with MHS.

Julie Rittenhouse was installed as President of the Board of Trustees, and Steve Prengler began serving as Vice-President.

A segment of the videotape “Tell Them Who I Am” was shown. This is a 60-minute documentary of MHS outreach services that was made by Dennis Golden, with the support of the Ohio Department of Mental Health, and the Woodruff Foundation (http://www.fmscleveland.com/woodruff).

Dan Barney, a consultant who is working with MHS Board and staff members, presented first drafts of an Annual Review, which was well-received by participants.

Cleveland Police Patrolman Doug Nichols speaks with MHS staff about homeless issues.

11-Sep-2003

Patrolman Doug Nichols was awarded the special assignment of being the Cleveland Police Department’s representative for issues of homelessness, particularly in the Third District, which includes the downtown area. He was invited to MHS by Susan Neth, Director of Homeless Services.  Patrolman Nichols had an informative and productive discussion with 15 MHS Program Managers and Directors.  The goal of the discussion was to promote more effective collaboration between law enforcement and mental health services, in order to better serve the needs of homeless clients, and to protect their safety and the safety of all community members.  Steven M. Friedman, Ph.D., Executive Director, led the discussion, and thanked Patrolman Nichols for his commitment to serving homeless persons.

Patrolman Nichols informed staff that because of the settlement to a federal lawsuit, CPD officers cannot enforce ordinances that prohibit living and sleeping on the street. He also explained that there is no Cleveland ordinance prohibiting panhandling.  If someone asking for money restricts a person’s “thoroughfare,” that would be disorderly conduct, but an officer can only cite a person for a misdemeanor if the officer witnessed the offense.

Regarding the attack on downtown homeless men in August, Patrolman Nichols said that six victims were identified on the videotape made by the alleged assailants.  Only three of the victims have provided statements to CPD or the City Prosecutor.  Two of the victims declined to provide a statement or speak with investigators.  One victim cannot be found.

Patrolman Nichols said that the many homeless people on the streets in Public Square and the downtown area don’t utilize shelters because they are fearful of being victimized, and that some won’t conform to shelter rules.  He reminded staff that drinking alcohol in a shelter is not illegal, nor is intoxication in a shelter, because the shelter is not considered a public space.

LaTonya Murray, Program Director of Outreach Services, described the activities of MHS outreach programs, and informed Patrolman Nichols that outreach staff members frequently conduct outreaches in response to information from callers, including police officers.  She said her staff would welcome calls from CPD Officers, and would respond to outreach requests. Dr. Cynthia Vrabel, Medical Director, offered to speak with CPD officers about mental disorders and how these disorders influence the decisions and conduct of homeless persons.  She noted that MHS staff members participated in many training seminars for police officers from all municipalities in Cuyahoga County, and would welcome the opportunity to do this once again. Sandy Major, Accounting Manager, told Patrolman Nichols how the agency handles funds of clients for whom MHS is the assigned representative payee. Patrolman Nichols accepted an invitation to speak with outreach and shelter staff members, and provided staff members with a phone number for direct access to him and his voice-mail.  MHS staff members thanked him for taking the time to meet with them.  Patrolman Nichols is the first Cleveland Police Department Patrolman in the memory of MHS staff members to be devoted to issues of homelessness, and all were thankful for the willingness of CPD to commit staff resources to these issues during a time of fiscal shortfalls

For other news and information about MHS, click on the links below.

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