Program areas at HP
Housing Services partners with clients who are seeking to reach long term financial stability and self-sustainability. A home is more than just the concrete, stucco, and tile that go into it. A home is a place to raise a family, be part of a community, and to build wealth. Housing Services consist of six business lines including Supportive Housing, Homeownership Promotion and Preservation, Financial Capabilities, Lending, and Real Estate Development. CPSFL provides housing services including volunteer tax preparation to 2,000 residents a year. Our lending program covers South Florida. (Continued on Schedule O)Supportive Housing Programs provide a blend of social service support and housing assistance to special needs populations, including homeless families, families with mental health or substance abuse issues who are also trying to transition from welfare to work, as well as adults with chronic mental illness. CPSFL has developed two properties for special needs populations and works with area landlords to facilitate decent, affordable independent living. In 2019/2020, CPSFL partnered with Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network (SEFBHN) and the City of West Palm Beach to create the organization's first transitional housing project The Village. The Village houses 35 homeless residents with a mental health and/or substance abuse diagnosis. HPI purchased the properties in September 2022 with support from the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners. In 2021, at the request of SEFBHN, HPI developed a rapid housing program, which serves the formerly homeless population, where we provide shelter for 13 formerly homeless clients. In 2023, the rapid housing program ended. Twelve (12) of the thirteen (13) beds were transitioned to the Village transitional housing program. The program currently serves 47 clients, including formerly homeless and clients with dual diagnosis mental and substance misuse.The Homeownership Promotion and Preservation Program provides a full spectrum of homeownership services, including homebuyer education classes, pre-and post-purchase counseling and access to residential mortgage and down payment assistance.The Prosperity Center program offers low-income residents a one-stop source of financial empowerment services, including a matched-savings program for home ownership, help in resolving credit issues, money management assistance, ACCESS benefits assistance, education and job assistance, plus free VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) income tax services. SOFI (Security our Future Initiative), a workforce development program targets households at 50% and below poverty level. The program provides financial literacy workshops, individual financial coaching, income tax preparation, resume writing, interviewing skills, and all training relevant to becoming financially literate and self-sustaining. HPI is a chartered member of the prestigious national NeighborWorks America (NWA), formerly known as Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, and as such receives technical and financial support with an emphasis on promoting affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization.Community Land Trust(CLT), CPSFL developed nine (9) homes through a $1.3 million grant from Florida Housing Finance Corporation and Palm Beach County Department of Housing and Community Development for use in its Community Land Trust (CLT). In accordance with the operating structure of a CLT, the land underneath the homes is owned by HPI, while the homeowner purchases and owns the improvements. The homeowners only pay the purchase price and taxes for the improvements and lease the land from HPI for a nominal amount. This arrangement allows for favorable financing and lower real estate taxes for the homeowner. There are resale restrictions, and the unit must be sold to qualified buyers earning 80% and below of the Palm Beach County AMI, adjusted annually. The Lending Program provides brokerage services, with a goal of closing 10 to 12 loans a year. In 2023, we closed 16 loans. HPI also originates and closes deferred second mortgages. Previously, HPI served as the lending agency for the Neighborhood LIFT 1.0 program (LIFT1) in Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville, LIFT 3.0 (LIFT3) in Jacksonville, and LIFT 5.0 (LIFT5) in Orlando, in partnership with NeighborWorks America and Wells Fargo. The lending department also administers down-payment assistance through the Down Payment Assistance program, where HPI provides $5,000 5-year forgivable down-payment assistance to households earning up to 120% of the Palm Beach County Area Median Household Income (AMI). HPI administered the LIFT Program until 2018. LIFT1 provided $15,000 or $25,000 5-year forgivable down-payment assistance funds to qualified borrowers in those cities between July 2012 and July 2014. The LIFT1 program completed its administrative phase in July 2019. In November 2016 HPI entered into a similar agreement with NeighborWorks America and Wells Fargo to administer LIFT 3.0 (LIFT3) in Jacksonville. LIFT3 provided $2,500 to $7,500 3-year forgivable down-payment assistance funds to qualified borrowers in Jacksonville. The LIFT 3 program is currently in its 3-year administrative phase since January 2019. LIFT5 provides $15,000 or $17,500, 5-year forgivable down-payment assistance funds to qualified borrowers in Orlando, starting in January 2019 through October 2020. The LIFT5 program is now in its administrative phase.Real Estate Development and Asset Management (REDAM) HPI is collaborating with stakeholders to facilitate the development of new residential units, for sale or rental for households earning up to 120% of Palm Beach County Area Median Household Income. HPI is currently in the predevelopment stage of two projects that will result in the development of 81 units. They include: the Celtics expansion, a 46-workforce/affordable rental housing project; the Davis Commons project and 20 for-sale townhouses in partnership with the Community Land Trust of Palm Beach County and the Treasure Cost; and the development of fifteen (15) additional, scattered sites in a joint venture within a joint venture with the Riviera Beach Community Development Corporation and HBR Developers, LLC. Construction on Davis Commons was delayed in 2023 and will resume in summer 2024. Furthermore, HPI also has a land acquisition/construction and resale program that works toward upgrading the housing stock in disenfranchised communities. HPI plans to acquire and redevelop 10 housing units per year. In 2023, we completed 3 units under this program. Across Florida, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available to extremely low-income households (ELI), whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income (AMI). Many of these households are severely cost burdened, spending more than half of their income on housing. Severely cost burdened poor households are more likely than other renters to sacrifice other necessities like healthy food and healthcare to pay the rent, and to experience unstable housing situations like evictions. HPI is tackling the affordable housing crisis by partnering with stakeholders to create affordable and safe options for residents. Palm Beach County Residents voted and approved a $200 million Bond Financing to increase supply of affordable housing during the most recent election.
Child and Family Mental Health Services (CFMHS) - The CFMHS service area believes in changing the odds for children and families facing adversity. We specialize in treatment for trauma, depression, attention-deficit disorder, anxiety and other disorders that can impact the development of children, teens, and adults. The clients served in CFMHS face numerous obstacles related to multilayered risk factors such as poverty, substance abuse, physical abuse, violence at home, and mental illness. (Continued on Schedule O)Therapy Services provides comprehensive behavioral health services for children, adolescents, adults, and their families. Counseling services focus on decreasing the impact of emotional, social, and behavioral issues related to stress, trauma, adjustment issues, or any other mental health disorder. Therapists utilize both in-person and telehealth platforms to increase client access to services and to meet each client's individualized needs. CPSFL Therapy Services had a successful discharge rate of 71%. The High Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) program provides services for children, adolescents, adults, and their families who are experiencing significant emotional difficulties. High Fidelity Wraparound is a nationally recognized, structured, team-based, evidenced-based approach focusing on the internal strengths of the client/family and promotes self-advocacy. The primary goal is to link, advocate, coordinate, and monitor services that will benefit the person's mental health. This year HFW was able to meet with the clients within 10 days of assignment. School Based Programs provides mental health services to students identified by school personnel for social, emotional, and behavioral issues in partnership with the Palm Beach County School District. 87% of students were successfully discharged following the treatment.The Intake Department is responsible for coordination and mental health assessment for the incoming client referrals. All referrals are screened, and clients are connected to appropriate services based on their completed mental health assessments, client's needs , and client choice. The intake department screen approximately 1,500 clients this year. Psychiatric Services In September CPSFL introduced a new program providing psychiatric services to children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 19. Psychiatric program consists of two contract psychiatrists, each providing 20 hours of psychiatric services (psychiatric evaluations and medication management).
Community Services - The conditions in places where people live, learn, work and play affect a wide range of quality-of-life risks and outcomes. Our community programs follow an asset-based model and focus on identifying the strengths and talents that already exist within neighborhoods while addressing disparities in education, environment, housing, health, wellness and economic stability. We listen to residents as they tell us what is needed to maximize success in their communities. We identify and facilitate a neighborhood's own capacity to serve its residents and local youth. We foster new community partnerships and enhance existing ones as needed for the community. (Continued on Schedule O)BRIDGES, CPSFL is the lead agency for five BRIDGES sites in Palm Beach County: in the communities of Belle Glade, Pahokee, Riviera Beach, and two sites in Lake Worth. BRIDGES are gathering places across Palm Beach County with a purpose to connect local families, in specific geographical areas, to community resources so more children are born healthy, remain free from abuse and neglect, are ready for kindergarten, and have increased access to quality afterschool and summer programs.BRIDGES supports a community-networking concept that coordinates services, reduces duplication of efforts; engages residents; and builds partnerships among businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, and civic and religious groups.Funded by the Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County (CSCPBC), the BRIDGES program provides a variety of engaging opportunities for parents and children, including parent-child activities, safety fairs, family-friendly events, parenting workshops, lending libraries, connections to local resources, community advocacy, and additional services. Comprehensive information is provided on wellness for adults and children, as well as assistance in accessing medical care for infants, pregnant women, and families with young children.During the 2022-2023 fiscal year, BRIDGES conducted 441 new member intakes and 146 new pregnant mom intakes. Additionally, the BRIDGES locations collectively had over 3,000 families participate in activities for parent and child engagement. CPLFL's Mentoring offers a fun, safe, and structured opportunity for the one-on-one mentoring of children. The mentors and mentees meet weekly and participate in structured activities at school-based sites during the traditional after school hours. CPSFL's four mentoring programs use evidenced-based standards to guide safe and impactful mentoring relationships. Mentoring is a supervised onsite program that happens between 2:30pm to 6:30pm, Monday through Friday and Saturday 9am to 1pm at Highland, Pioneer Park and Pahokee elementary schools in addition to Lake Worth middle school. In addition to our current mentoring opportunities, "Mentees on the Move," CPSFL offers a STEM-focused (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) mentoring program made possible through the Palm Beach County STEM Education Council and the School District of Palm Beach County. Through a collaboration with the Cox Science Center and Aquarium and the support of generous local partners, this unique program is aimed to improve the STEM pipeline, inspire the next generation, and empower STEM professionals to positively influence our community. Preventing students from dropping out of the STEM talent pipeline is essential in meeting current and future U.S. job demands. There is still a high number of students that would like to pursue STEM careers, and this number is increasing. During fiscal year 2022-2023, the CPSFL Mentoring program had 129 matches with 94% of all matches successfully completing or exceeding the program requirements (meeting monthly with mentor, participating in activities, enrichment workshops and parent engagement activities). Across four programs, mentoring programs hosted 102 match activities and workshops and twenty parent engagement opportunities. Safe Kids is a community-based program that is dedicated to keeping all children birth to 19 years of age safe from preventable injuries. Preventable injuries are the #1 killer of all children in the U.S. As the lead organization for Safe Kids Palm Beach County; CPSFL offers education and resources for safety on the road, at home, and at play. Safe Kids conducted 550 community outreach educational session on injury mechanisms and hazards during the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Additionally, Safe Kids conducted 1,400 car safety seat inspections and distributed 1,029 child safety seats to children in need throughout the county. Teen Outreach Program (TOP ) is a youth development program that uses a teen club model. TOP helps teens develop healthy behaviors and life skills, while giving the teen a sense of purpose. TOP is proven to empower teens so they can lead successful lives and contribute positively to their communities. The program is proven to reduce teen pregnancy, lower the risk of school suspension, and increase school success among participating youth. During the 2022-2023 fiscal year, CPSFL enrolled 333 students in the TOP program by hosting 20 clubs at 10 middle and high schools throughout the School District of Palm Beach County. Triple P and Teen Triple P provide interventions that focus on strengthening the child/caregiver dyad, healthy attachment, and positive parenting skills for parents of children ages birth to 17 years. Triple P helps parents raise happy and confident kids, manage misbehavior so everyone in the family enjoys life more, sets rules and routines that everyone respects and follows, encourages positive and appropriate behavior, and supports parents in building confidence in their parenting decisions. Standard Triple P and Teen Triple P served 992 families during the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Strategic Initiatives:Healthier Glades, and Healthier Lake Worth Beach are community-driven health initiatives aiming to increase health equity for individuals, to impact lasting and sustainable change for organizations and systems related to health and well-being, to establish a learning framework to evaluate the overall impact, and to change the behavioral health outcomes for residents.Amplifying Impact is a social enterprise effort that amplifies resident voice through community engagement. Utilizing a variety of facilitative strategies, CPSFL connects system representatives to residents through guided interviews, focus groups, dialogues, action forums, conferences, and participatory processes to create positive community change that includes everyone. Working directly with local communities, Amplifying Impact efforts aim to equip residents to take action and make their voices heard on topics such as racial equity, poverty reduction, education reform, and building strong neighborhoods. AmeriCorps VISTA links high-caliber national volunteers with nonprofit programs and agencies aspiring to end poverty. Each program or agency understands that this can only be accomplished by increasing their internal capacity to sustain their efforts for years to come. AmeriCorps Members apply to 'serve' at a site for one year and to work on goals identified by the 'site'. These goals are updated annually, for a total of three years, to move their program or agency towards sustainability.The Digital Inclusion Program, an equity investment from Quantum Foundation and the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, is a community-based strategy to bridge the gap in digital access. Digital Inclusion refers to the activities necessary to ensure that all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged, have access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This includes five elements: 1) affordable, robust broadband internet service; 2) internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user; 3) access to digital literacy training; 4) quality technical support; and 5) applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation and collaboration.