Events of 2008

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Construction progress is evident in this photograph (taken 28 March 2008) of South Pointe Commons, a permanent, supportive housing program now being built by Emerald Development and Economic Network, Inc., a nonprofit housing development agency devoted to increasing the number of quality, affordable housing units for low-income individuals with disabilities.

Opening in autumn 2008, this program will provide permanent housing and supportive services for 82 chronically homeless individuals who have a severe mental disability, or other disabling condition. The program site is on West 25th Street, near the campus of the MetroHealth Medical Center, on Cleveland's near west side.

MHS will provide on-site supportive services for 41 program participants who have severe mental illnesses, many with co-occurring substance-use disorders. The AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland will serve 25 individuals with HIV-related disabilities, and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center will provide specialized supportive services for 16 veterans with disabling conditions.

The opening of South Pointe Commons will bring to 288 the number of formerly homeless individuals who will be in permanent housing sites operated by MHS. MHS also serves 192 formerly homeless individuals who now live in three MHS-operated transitional housing programs (Safe Haven II, the Young Adult Program, and North Point Transitional Housing Center).

See the artist's depiction of the completed structure.

Sherri Brandon, MSSA, who began her career as an MHS Community Support Worker for homeless persons, has been chosen as the new Executive Director of Transitional Housing, Inc. (THI). She is to be welcomed into her new role at a THI Open House Reception on Wednesday, 2 April 2008, from 3-6 p.m., at THI's offices at 1545 West 25th Street, in Cleveland.

In addition to her work with MHS homeless clients, Ms Brandon later worked with the MHS Mobile Crisis Team, and served as the MHS Liaison to Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare Services, providing inpatient psychiatric services for uninsured residents of Cuyahoga and other Ohio counties. She was well known for her diligent and productive work, keen intelligence, and commitment to helping her clients achieve enduring housing and recovery.

THI is a leading provider of transitonal housing services in Cleveland, working with the Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services. The mission of THI is "Providing homeless women with a safe environment, programs and services to promote self-sufficiency and independence to end the cycle of homelessness."

MHS is proud of Ms Brandon's achievements at MHS and at other supportive service providers in Cuyahoga County, and congratulates her in her important new leadership position within the Cuyahoga County Continuum of Care.

MHS and Emerald Development and Economic Network, Inc. (EDEN), one of Cleveland's leading nonprofit housing development corporations, welcomed the first clients to Liberty Commons at Saint Clair.

This HUD-funded program will provide permanent housing with on-site supportive services for 72 persistently homeless men and women. The program also includes eight apartments at different sites throughout Cuyahoga County, for families with children. MHS will provide on-site supportive services for 42 program participants who have severe mental illnesses, many with co-occurring substance-use disorders. The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center will provide healthcare and supportive services for an additional 30 program participants.

As of 24 March 2008, the program housed 64 residents, and Program Manager Sonya Thompkins (photo below) reports that the program will be at its capacity of 72 by month's end. She also reports that one of the eight apartments for families is now occupied by a mother and her one child.

Oher MHS staff members include Community Support Workers Melissa Keith, Kenneth Lipka, and Tim Smith. The V.A. staff members are Community Support worker Devon Booth and Life-Skills Worker Shirley Henderson.

Sonya Thompkins

Kenneth Lipka

Tim Smith

MHS supports Issue 15, the Cuyahoga County Health and Human Services levy, on the 4 March 2008 ballot. Issue 15 would replace and reduce the current 4.9 mill levy with a 4.8 mill levy beginning in January 2009. Cuyahoga County uses funds from the levy to support programs and services essential to communities throughout Cuyahoga County, and to build the foundation for economic development.

The monthly cost per $100,000 home valuation would be just $2. Cuyahoga County’s Health & Human Services levy funds vital care and protection for more than 200,000 people every year in every community of Cuyahoga County. Passage of the issue would generate $18.6 million annually to help ensure the continuation of critically important services, including emergency services at MetroHealth Medical Center, Life Flight, the Severe Burn Treatment Center, and Northeast Ohio’s only Level 1 Trauma Center.

Funds from Issue 15 would provide protection and counseling for abused or neglected children, foster care and adoption services, and services to make sure young children get proper health care and are prepared for school. A portion of funds generated by the levy go to the Cuyahoga County Community Mental Health Board to fund the suicide prevention and crisis response services of the MHS Mobile Crisis Team, and other essential mental health services. The issue also provides home health care and home-delivered meals to seniors, allowing them to continue to live at home. Families and individuals need strong Health & Human Services because of job losses, reduced health care, and lost pensions. Voters overwhelmingly approved a separate and smaller levy in November 2006.

MHS supports the passage of Issue 15 because funds from the levy would help people who need emergency care and cannot afford to go anywhere else. Although election day is Tuesday, 4 March 2008, any eligible voter may vote early by submitting an Early Voting Application to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

Addendum of 5 March 2008
Thank you, voters!   Issue 15 passed by a margin of more than 100,000 votes. With results from all 1,436 precincts, votes for the levy totaled 234,023 (64%); votes against, 131,096 (36%).

Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson (at right), and Cleveland Ward 13 City Councilman Joe Cimperman, at the opening of North Point.

MHS, joined by City and County officials, welcomed the first clients of the new North Point Transitional Housing Center in downtown Cleveland, where 160 homeless men will find housing and a broad range of on-site supportive services. MHS will operate the program, and provide case management and supportive services. Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries, Towards Employment, and the Louis Stokes Cleveland V.A. Medical Center are partners with MHS in service provision.

The program will serve homeless men who had been using the Men's Shelter on Lakeside Avenue in Cleveland, or the overflow shelter at Aviation High School.

Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson and Cleveland Ward 13 City Councilman Joe Cimperman (in the photo at left) welcomed the first homeless men to move into North Point on 17 January 2008. The City of Cleveland and the Board of Cuyahoga County Commissioners (Peter Lawson Jones, Timothy F. Hagan, and Jimmy Dimora) invested nearly $4 million to purchase and renovate the three-story building on Superior Avenue, and to fund the first year's operations. Residents moving into the Center will live in semi-private rooms, and have on-site access to social and employment services. In his press release, Mayor Jackson said that North Point "will help address the problems that lead to homelessness, like lack of job trainining. By taking steps like this, we will be able to help reduce homelessness and improve the quality of life for all Clevelanders."

A television news reporter interviews one the first residents to move into North Point on 17 January 2008.

Most men who will be the Center's first residents have experienced multiple episodes of homelessness, and nearly half have been homeless for more than a year. Half are working, but earn an average of only $7.88 per hour - an insufficient amount to allow them to achieve stable housing. Most (57%) of the new residents are between 31 and 50 years of age, and 26% are older than 50 years.

North Point is Cuyahoga County's largest and most ambitious transitional housing program, bringing to its clients the expertise and resources of an on-site team of premier social service providers. Services will address the individualized needs of participants, with the goal of helping them achieve competitive employment paying a living wage, and permanent housing within six months of program entry. Each participant will have a case manager, and the service team will help create the supportive environment participants need to achieve success.

Edward Gemerchek, MHS North Point Program Manager (left), and Eric Morse, MHS Director of Homeless Services.

Eric Morse, MHS Director of Homeless Services, and Stephen M. Friedman, Ph.D., MHS Executive Director, worked for many months with City and County officials to develop plans for the project. Mr. Morse said "It has been thrilling to be a part of this collaborative effort of City and County governments, and local nonprofit and federal service providers. This project embodies a shared vision of services for vulnerable men who have endured many challenges in their attempts to find employment, housing, and self-sufficiency."

In addition to the City and County officials mentioned earlier, Dennis Madden and Rick Warner of Cuyahoga County, and Ruth Gillett, Manager of the Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services, were instrumental in making North Point a reality.

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