Human Interests Blog Human Services

Human Interests

Seattle Human Services news and events

HSD Announces 2019 Farm to Preschool and OST RFQ Funding Opportunity — Extended Deadline!

by

UPDATE: The application submission deadline for this funding opportunity has been extended to Monday, July 1, 2019 by 4:00 p.m. and a second information session has been scheduled as a Webinar for Friday, June 21, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.

The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from agencies interested in supporting food procurement, food equity, and connections between Washington State farmers and Seattle public preschools and before and after school programs serving low-income children and families in Seattle.

This Farm to Preschool and Out-of-School Time (OST) RFQ is focused on building an equitable food system between farmers and preschool and before- and after-school programs. This RFQ will fund a lead agency that will support farmers (producers) to sell, and preschool and before- and after-school programs (consumers) to buy affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food and build long-term relationships. This lead agency will focus on two bodies of work:

  • Food Procurement: Assist participating preschools and OST programs in purchasing affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food from local farmers, farmers of color, and immigrant and refugee farmers.
  • 2020 Program Design Process: The selected agency will convene and facilitate a group of stakeholders for the program’s 2020 Farm to Preschool and OST design process, in partnership with HSD YFE. With funding from Seattle’s Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT), the 2020 design process will gather community input from Farm to Preschool and OST participants to create a sustainable, community-centered, program model to implement in 2021 and beyond.

Approximately $233,612.00 is available through this RFQ. HSD intends to fund one (1) applicant. Initial awards will be made for the period of January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. While it is the City’s intention to renew agreements resulting from this funding opportunity on an annual basis through the 2023 calendar year, future funding will be contingent upon performance and funding availability.

The City of Seattle Human Services Department seeks to contract with a lead agency to help ensure the result of HSD’s Farm to Preschool and Out-of-School Time investment results is that all people living in Seattle can meet their basic needs.

If you have any questions about the 2019 Farm to Preschool and OST RFQ please contact the RFQ Coordinator: Jules.Posadas@Seattle.gov or (206)684-5296. Click here to view more information and download application materials.

HSD Announces Results of the 2019 Food Access Opportunity Fund RFP

by

The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 Food Access Opportunity Fund Request for Proposals (RFP) that closed on March 6. Applicants were invited to improve healthy food access by investing in community-based projects designed and led by the people most impacted by race, social, health, and environmental injustices.

The RFP guides the investment of $800,000 from the Food Access Opportunity Fund. This funding is provided by the City of Seattle’s Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT) — established by City Council (Ordinance 125324) — and aligns with the SBT Community Advisory Board’s (CAB) Operating Principles:

  • Priority populations – Projects and activities should focus on reaching communities of color, immigrants, refugees, people with low income, youth and young adults, and English language learners.
  • Place-based focus areas – Projects and activities should be located in areas where communities of color, immigrants, refugees, people with low income, and English language learners live, work, play, worship or go to school.
  • Community-driven – Projects and activities should be led by community-based organizations with continuous connections to the focus population or community.
  • Culturally-responsive – Projects and activities should be culturally responsive and delivered in ways that are accessible and comfortable for the focus population or community.
  • Prevention-oriented – Projects and activities should focus on health equity by preventing sugary drink consumption and educating people about the chronic conditions caused by sugary drinks.

HSD received 24 eligible applications that were reviewed by a committee whose members have experience with food systems and food equity, as well as working with communities of color, immigrant and refugee populations, and low-income communities. The panel was gender, age and ethnically diverse and included representatives from the African American, Latinx, Native American, Caucasian, and immigrant communities.

The committee recommended 18 proposals receive funding, up to $50,000 each, to support a diverse range of organizations:

  • South Park Information and Resource Center
  • Indigenous Roots, LLC
  • Somali Family Safety Task Force
  • African Community Housing & Development
  • Black Dollar Days Task Force
  • East African Community Services
  • Puentes: Advocacy, Counseling & Education
  • Rainier Beach Action Coalition
  • Avole Coffee, LLC
  • Feest
  • Hip Hop is Green
  • First Tongan Seniors Association
  • Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle
  • Vietnamese Friendship Association
  • Hunger Intervention Program
  • Puget Sound Labor Agency
  • Temple Lifestyle
  • American Polynesian Organization

“On behalf of the Sweetened Beverage Tax Community Advisory Board, we congratulate the first grantees of the new Food Access Opportunity Fund,” said Christina Wong, Advisory Board Co-Chair. “We are excited to see the Sweetened Beverage Tax revenue supporting grassroots, community-led efforts to improve healthy food access in communities most affected by racial and economic inequities. We look forward to learning from your innovative and tailored strategies.”

The funding will support a number of efforts such as urban farming and increased access to healthy foods, farm stands, strategies to reduce sugary drink consumption, and healthy food and nutrition education focused on youth to seniors and students to families from diverse communities across Seattle.

HSD Announces 2019 Safety RFP Funding Opportunity

by

The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from agencies interested in providing systems navigation and addressing trauma for 18 to 24-year-old people harmed by the criminal legal system in Seattle.

This Safety RFP is focused on people harmed by the criminal legal system in Seattle by investing in two strategies:

  • Systems Navigation – Individuals and families harmed by the criminal legal system get their basic needs met. This RFP defines a system as a structure that intersects with an individual’s or family’s ability to fully live their lives.  
  • Trauma Intervention – Individuals, families, and communities (of shared identity, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and/or experience) address the harm caused by the criminal legal system. This RFP defines trauma as the result of an experienced event that has lasting, adverse effects on individual, familial, and community well-being.

Applicants must address both strategies. We will accept proposals submitted by one group or one agency. We will also accept collective proposals submitted by two or more groups and/or agencies. Collective proposals must identify a lead agency or group. If selected for funding, HSD will contract with the lead agency or group. All funded applicants will be required to participate in a data and learning cohort that will meet regularly.

Approximately $4,910,333 in HSD General Fund dollars is available through this RFP. HSD intends to fund a maximum of 25 proposals. Initial awards will be made for the period of January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. While it is the City’s intention to renew agreements resulting from this funding opportunity on an annual basis through the 2023 calendar year, future funding will be contingent upon performance and funding availability. For more information, and all application materials click here.

HSD seeks to contract with a diverse group to help ensure the result of HSD’s Safety investment is that people harmed by the criminal legal system in Seattle live their lives fully without further harm and that all youth in Seattle successfully transition into adulthood. 

If you have any questions about this Safety RFP, please contact: Leslea Bowling at leslea.bowling@seattle.gov or (206) 684-0520. 

Next Thursday, 5/16: Coffee with the Department of Neighborhoods!

by

Join us for coffee and conversation with Andrés Mantilla, Director, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Thursday, May 16 10:00–11:00 a.m. The Central Building 810 3rd Avenue 1st Floor Conference Room (between Columbia & Marion in downtown Seattle)
Click above to view the flier

Join us for coffee and conversation with Andrés Mantilla on Thursday, May 16, 10:00–11:00 a.m. at The Central Building, 810 3rd Avenue, 1st Floor Conference Room (between Columbia & Marion in downtown Seattle).

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods provides resources and opportunities for community members to build strong communities and improve their quality of life. Director Andrés Mantilla will address how the Department interacts with older adults and elevates their concerns to City decision making.

New for 2019! Subscribe to “Aging King County” on YouTube to view short video stories (“vlogs”) about each coffee hour: bit.ly/ADSonYouTube. Share them with anyone you think might be interested! For questions about accessibility or to request an accommodation, contact Lenny Orlov (206-386-1521 or agefriendly@seattle.gov) at least three days prior to the event.

Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hours are held on the third Thursday of every month at the Central Building and on other dates in Seattle neighborhoods.

The events bring community elders closer to City officials to explore topics of interest. Presentations often include cutting edge information about healthy aging, legal and planning issues, and more.

Participants learn about City programs and services, and officials hear from their constituents. Coffee and refreshments are served. Visit the Age Friendly Seattle website to learn more — www.seattle.gov/agefriendly

HSD Announces Results of the Older Adult Community Transportation RFP

by

The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 Older Adult Community Transportation RFP that was issued on January 14. Applicants were invited to submit proposals providing health services transportation and/or food access transportation in King County. Health Services Transportation enables older people to access healthcare by providing trips to medical and dental appointments, health-related services, and other essential appointments. Food Access Transportation enables older adults to access healthy food in the setting of their choice.

The RFP guides the investment of $711,500 in Federal Older Americans Act Title III-B funding and Washington State Senior Citizens Services Act funding. Additionally, City of Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT) provides $150,048 to enhance and expand Food Access Transportation services for Seattle residents and allow full funding of the two top-ranked applications.

Three applications were received and reviewed by a diverse committee of subject matter experts and advocates for older adult services and community transportation. This included community members with extensive personal and professional experience with program activities, representation of or service to the focus populations, and understanding of participants’ needs, as well as representatives from the City’s human services, transportation, and legislative departments. In accordance with committee recommendations:

  • Sound Generations will receive $711,500 to support their Volunteer Transportation Service, Driver Companion, Nutrition Van Service, and Demand Response Service programs.
  • Catholic Community Services will receive $60,048 for their Volunteer Services Transportation program.
  • Northshore Senior Center will receive $90,000 for their Right Ride program.

“Transportation to and from community meal sites and health services is a service provided by many Area Agencies on Aging throughout the country,” said Cathy Knight, director of HSD’s Aging and Disability Services division, the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle and King County. “Each year, more than 2,000 people use these services to get the nutrition and health care they need for healthy aging.”  

The three funded agencies will engage in coordination activities and conduct client-level data reporting toward HSD goals of results-based accountability and racial equity.

April is Fair Housing Month

by

April is National Fair Housing Month. National Fair Housing Month increases efforts to end housing discrimination and raises awareness of fair housing rights. The month also remembers the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 and his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, of which fair and equitable access to housing was a key factor. The Fair Housing Act also celebrates its anniversary during April. In 2018, the Fair Housing Act celebrated its 50th anniversary. Designed to protect Americans from discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of housing based on color, race, national origin and religion, the act later extended to sex, disability and family status.

During 2018, the City of Seattle focused on the second year’s work to implement the 2017 City of Seattle and Seattle Housing Authority Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH). The development of the AFH required significant coordination, facilitation, research and production among 16 different city departments plus the Seattle Housing Authority during the period of 2015-2017. The AFH was adopted and accepted by HUD in July 2017. The 2018-2022 Consolidated Plan integrated the goals of the AFH work plan and as a result, the 2018 CAPER is the first time AFH accomplishments are included in our report. Please see the separate attachment that focuses on the commitments and progress toward AFH goals.

Below are some highlights for 2018 from that plan, though only a small portion of the work overlapped with the Assessment of Fair Housing:

  • The “Fair Chance Housing Ordinance” became effective on 2/19/2018 (SOCR)
  • SOCR worked in partnership with HSD to attend community listening sessions as part of a Racial Equity Toolkit to examine how City Council-designated funds should be distributed for tenant outreach (SOCR)
  • A campaign was launched to educate the public about the “Alternative Source of Income” and “Fair Chance Housing” ordinance (SOCR)
  • 8 free fair housing workshops for housing providers in an effort to make housing laws easier to access for the public (SOCR, SDCI)
  • 26 trainings were held with housing providers on how best to address bias when using criminal records in tenant screening (SOCR)
  • OPCD published its first “Comprehensive Plan Urban Village Monitoring Report” in June 2018. This report gauges the City’s progress in implementing Seattle’s recently updated Comprehensive Plan. The report tracks indicators related to housing and employment growth, housing affordability, and key aspects of livability including access to frequent transit, presence of sidewalks, and access to parks and open space. We’re measuring the indicators for the city as a whole and for individual centers and villages across the city (OPCD)
  • Affirmative marketing requirements for MFTE, MHA, and IZ performance units were published (OH)

I would like to acknowledge and offer my many thanks to the HSD Federal Grants Unit, in particular Debra Rhinehart, for the coordination this local effort requires. This body of work is racial equity in action, and I appreciate your leadership. #NationalFairHousingMonth

HSD Announces Results of the Homeless Outreach RFQ

by

The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce that it has awarded $244,400 to Evergreen Treatment Center’s REACH program to provide neighborhood-based homeless outreach services. The 2019 Homeless Strategy and Investment Outreach RFQ, also known as the 2019 Outreach RFQ, was a closed, expedited process only made available to agencies that had applied for Outreach and Engagement funding through the City’s 2017 Homeless Investments RFP and agencies currently funded by HSD to provide Outreach services.

Outreach services are defined as efforts to approach and engage someone with the objective of developing a relationship of trust and connecting that person with resources. Services may include addressing a person’s survival needs, providing health and other education, facilitating access to available services such as diversion or emergency shelter, and establishing ongoing, trusting relationships.

HSD is investing $244,400 of City General Fund to support up to three full-time outreach workers to serve First Hill, Capitol Hill, and/or Chinatown-International District neighborhoods. (HSD already funds several other outreach providers serving areas in Seattle.) In addition to outreach directly to people who are homeless, the staff person will serve as the point of contact for neighbors, including businesses, who are interested in maintaining or creating safe and vibrant communities and generating solutions to homelessness. Initial awards will be made from April 2019 through December 31, 2019, with renewal through 2020 contingent upon performance and funding availability.

The Outreach RFQ review committee consisted of members who have lived or worked in the identified neighborhoods, have led programs designed for people who are or have been homeless, and/or have lived experience as homeless and have received homeless services and subsidized housing in Seattle.

The committee recommended Evergreen Treatment Center’s REACH program based on a variety of factors, including their experience engaging with and assisting unsheltered populations, their willingness to tailor outreach work in the three identified neighborhoods in the RFQ, and their expertise in outreach to an array of people who are homeless in Seattle, including, but not limited to, people with ongoing mental health and substance use needs.

“It was a difficult decision to come to, but we were ultimately impressed with REACH’s ability to holistically serve the individuals experiencing homelessness in our neighborhoods,” said Jamie Lee, Director of Community Initiatives at Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda). “I am ready—as I’m sure are my colleagues in First Hill and Capitol Hill—to work with REACH to ensure that they serve our business community as well as those experiencing homelessness well.”

REACH builds relationships with people experiencing homelessness and connects them to the help that they need – everything from food and clothing to medical care, shelter, and mental health and/or substance use treatment. REACH improves lives daily for more than 1,000 King County residents. Whether it’s a visit to the doctor, a warm meal, or getting into substance use treatment, their work changes lives. Visit REACH’s website to hear stories about how they have helped improve people’s lives on the street.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month & What is Denim Day?

by

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), which was first nationally observed in 2001, but has been used to raise awareness and organize against sexual- and gender-based violence since the 1970s. The Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (MODVSA) would like to acknowledge the important work of the Seattle Women’s Commission, the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence, and the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center  for leading in our region to support survivors and work to eliminate sexual assault, rape, and gender-based violence in our communities.

As part of recognizing SAAM, City Councilmember Lisa Herbold crafted a Proclamation in partnership with the Women’s Commission honoring the month in Full Council on Monday, April 8. The MODVSA and the Coalition will also be co-sponsoring an educational event as part of Denim Day on April 24, 2019 at City Hall.

Denim Day - Wear jeans with a purpose on April 24, 2019.

Harmful and erroneous attitudes about rape and sexual assault pervade our society. That is the reason why Denim Day exists – it is an anti-sexual violence campaign that is acknowledged worldwide every April. In Italy in 1992, a man raped a woman who was wearing a tight pair of jeans at the time. She reported the rape and the man was convicted. The case was appealed to the Italian Supreme Court. The court overturned the conviction in 1998 due to their belief that because the woman’s jeans were so tight, there is no way she could have been raped – in their view, she must have helped the man remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women of the Italian Parliament showed up to work wearing jeans in protest of the outrageous decision. This protest sparked an annual, worldwide Denim Day campaign against destructive attitudes about sexual assault.

Unfortunately, many harmful myths and misconceptions about rape and sexual violence remain in our collective conscience: myths about victims, myths about perpetrators, myths about causes of rape, myths about reactions to sexual violence, etc. Even though we are living in the #MeToo era, where we have declared #TimesUp on sexual predators, and even though many high-profile offenders are being held accountable for the harm they have done to others, we still have a long way to go.

For Indigenous survivors of sexual violence, justice is even further away. Native Americans are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault and rape than women of any other ethnic group in the United States.[i] About 9 in 10 Native/American Indian victims of rape or sexual assault were estimated to have had assailants who were of a different race.[1] According to a study of 148 Native women in Seattle, 94% of participants had been raped or experienced sexual coercion in their lifetime.[2] Because of several laws preventing tribes from prosecuting non-Native offenders, many Native women who experience sexual violence never see justice. According to a study by the Government Accountability Office, US attorneys declined to prosecute 67% of sexual abuse, homicide, and other violent crimes against Native women.[3]

Racist attitudes about Indigenous communities and their approach to government and criminal prosecution threatened to halt the reauthorization of VAWA (the Violence Against Women Act – a federal law that provides support for many victim service agencies in the U.S.) in 2013 and again now, in 2019. In 2013, a provision was added to VAWA that allowed tribes to prosecute non-Indians for domestic violence, dating violence, and criminal violations of protection orders. This year, the proposed legislation would add child abuse, sexual assault, stalking, trafficking, obstruction of justice, and assaults against law enforcement officers to the crimes that tribes can prosecute against non-Indians.

As we know from two reports by the Urban Indian Health Institute, violence against and murder of Indigenous women in the Seattle area is an alarming problem that needs more attention.[4] To amplify the volume on this issue, this year, on April 24th, the City of Seattle is hosting an event titled Denim Day: Honoring Indigenous Women. The event features an incredible lineup of local Indigenous leaders and speakers who will be discussing the topic of sexual violence against Native women.

**Updated April 29, 2019 to include video from event below:

To further address sexual violence in our community, MODVSA invests more than $8.4 million in gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, intervention, systems enhancement, and offender accountability programs. The objectives of these investments are to ensure that survivors and their families find safety, ensure that all members of our community have access to critical services, build community support to end abuse and violence, and hold offenders accountable. Together, service providers in our region champion progress in our local, state, and national laws to ensure that all survivors are supported. Many of the funded agencies in our region provide specialized services for focus populations, such as the Native American community. By investing in a wide array of services that represent and serve traditionally under-funded communities, we know that we will be able to empower more survivors to lead the way for change and, ultimately, to end sexual violence.

[1] https://endrapeoncampus.org/new-page-3

[2] http://www.uihi.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/UIHI_sexual-violence_r601_pagesFINAL.pdf

[3] https://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11167r.pdf

[4] http://www.uihi.org/resources/reports/

[i] https://www.hcn.org/articles/tribal-affairs-why-native-american-women-still-have-the-highest-rates-of-rape-and-assault

Seattle announces three new authorized encampment sites

by

SEATTLE (December 1, 2016) —Today, the Human Services Department announced the siting of three new temporary sanctioned encampments for individuals living unsheltered in Seattle. This action is part of the Bridging the Gap plan, announced in October, to better address the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness while the City fully implements its long-term plan, Pathways Home.

Together, the following three new sanctioned encampments will serve more than 200 people starting in early 2017:

  1. 1000 S Myrtle Street will contain up to 50 tiny houses serving 60-70 people.
  2. 8620 Nesbit Ave N. will contain up to 50 tiny houses serving 60-70 people.
  3. 9701 Myers Way S will contain up to 50 tents serving 60-70 people.

“Today’s announcement recognizes our need to provide safer alternatives to the people living unsheltered on our streets as we work to implement Pathways Home,” said Catherine Lester, Director of the Human Services Department. “We remain committed to our long-term plan to transform our homeless services system and focus our investments on getting people off the streets and into housing. In the meantime, we will continue the work of increasing our outreach efforts, implementing a more compassionate set of protocols when cleanups are necessary and offering trash and needle pickup services.”

In October, Mayor Murray announced the Bridging the Gap plan, which recognizes that the City should not displace unauthorized encampments that do not pose an imminent health or safety risk or do not unlawfully obstruct a public use, unless the City can offer those living there a safer alternative place to live. The plan reflects the principles laid out by the Task Force on Unsheltered Cleanup Protocols.

That announcement came a month after Mayor Murray announced Pathways Home, Seattle’s plan to transform our homeless services system by focusing our investments on the goal of getting people into stable housing. The plan aims to eliminate barriers to better meet the individualized needs of those experiencing homelessness, shift investments where necessary to achieve the goal of moving people into housing, and increase accountability to this goal through performance-based contracting.

The first of the authorized encampments is scheduled to open in early January.

Additional information about the Mayor’s actions to address homelessness can be found here.

 

###

City announces navigation center operators

by

SEATTLE (November 14, 2016) – Today, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) announced that the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), in partnership with Operation Sack Lunch, has been selected to operate Seattle’s navigation center site when it opens later this year. DESC will operate the 24-hour, low-barrier shelter while Operation Sack Lunch will provide food and meal support to those at the shelter.

“As the City works to implement the long-term strategies to address our homelessness crisis laid out in Pathways Home, we must immediately address the need for low-barrier and 24-hour shelter options,” said Mayor Murray. “Today’s selection of the new navigation center operators brings us one step closer to providing emergency shelter and services to people who are not well served by our current system.”

On June 9, Mayor Murray issued an executive order directing the creation of a new low-barrier, one-stop service center for people living unsheltered to receive personalized support and transition them into permanent housing. This award intends that the Downtown Emergency Service Center, in partnership with Operation Sack Lunch, will offer support for basic needs like shelter, hygiene, meals, secure and accessible storage, case management, and supportive services including referrals for substance abuse and mental health treatment.

Seattle’s navigation center will be modeled on the San Francisco Navigation Center,  a dormitory-style living facility that provides people living outside with shower, bathroom, laundry and dining facilities, and a place to store their belongings. The navigation center will be a 24/7 site that welcomes pets, couples and individuals currently struggling with addiction.

“Through a collaborative approach, the Downtown Emergency Service Center and Operation Sack Lunch will work together to provide the wraparound client services and meal support to make the Seattle Navigation Center successful,” said Human Services Department Director Catherine Lester. “We know that increasing access to low-barrier, 24-hour shelter is one of the most important ways we can transform our response to the growing number of people living unsheltered in our city.”

HSD’s contracted outreach providers will continue to engage individuals and families experiencing homelessness and facilitate referrals to the Navigation Center. Priority will be for those who have relocated from the I-5 East Duwamish Greenbelt to the transitional encampment at Royal Brougham Way.

The $1.67M in allocated funding for this project is derived from the City of Seattle Homelessness State of Emergency funding ($475,000), Washington State Department of Commerce ($600,000) and private donations ($600,000).

The Human Services Department, in coordination with partners, continues to review potential sites for the navigation center. The awards announced today are conditional, contingent on the finalization of budget and other contract details.

Individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organizations can make donations to the navigation center on the United Way of King County website.