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RES 2023-0520 - DENIED - Special Use Permit - Tessa Domingus to allow Transitional living in R6 District, located at 4810 Polk StreetEXHIBIT A: 5 OF 9 NDCS Vocational and Life Skills Transitional Housing MHA’s Collaboration with MCC Special and Conditional Use Permit The Mental Health Association of Nebraska (MHA) is proposing to open an 8-bedroom transitional living house at 4810 Polk Street. The House will be staffed 24/7, 365 days a year with paid staff who do not reside at the house. The staffing will include the 1 FTE Program Coordinator, 5FTE Peer Specialist, and during business hours there will be outreach workers and Metro Community College Staff offering education and supported employment services. The Executive Director will be available to assist the Program Coordinator in the development and implementation of the program and also available should the Coordinator be absent or ill. Currently we will serve those leaving state facilities who are not on supervision and those on probations, we are requesting the special use permit so that we can serve those on parole, which will also provide additional supervision. The Mental Health Association of Nebraska (MHA) is a 501 C3 Non-profit, nationally accredited through The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and governed by a 15-member Board of Directors. MHA is a peer- run, peer-driven organization employing over 50 Peer Specialists and the largest of its kind in the Midwest. We have a 15-year history of providing excellent services demonstrated by our strong outcomes, strong community support, and the continued growth and demand of our programs. All individuals employed with MHA have a long history of mental illness, substance use, trauma and/or incarceration, with a strong passion to serve those who are struggling to move forward; part of our recovery is giving back, what was once given to us. Peer Specialists use their own life experience to support and walk along with participants through life’s challenges. We offer a variety of services to assist individuals in finding wellness and hope. All our services are voluntary, and all participants can expect to be treated with dignity and respect. MHA-NE will partner with Metropolitan Community College (MCC) 180 Re-entry Assistance Program (180 RAP). MHA and 180 RAP have both received national recognition for re-entry best practices and peer support provided to the incarcerated and re-entry populations in Nebraska. MHA’s primary location is Lincoln and MCC’s primary location is Omaha; this is an opportunity for two well established and proven re-entry program to work expertly and collaboratively to best support the Vocation and Life Skills population. MHA’s Mission: We assist individuals living with mental health and/or substance use issues to gain and maintain their recovery by: •Intentional Peer Support •Offering Informed Choice •Advocating •Promoting Wellness •Encourage hope throughout all MHA services and activities MHA’s mission, goals, and plans directly relate to increasing public safety and reducing recidivism. MHA has strongly demonstrated the effectiveness of peer support in serving individuals with mental health and substance use issues for over 15 years and has built strong community relationships. Since 2008, MHA has partnered with a multitude of community-based, hospital-level, and correctional-level organizations and will continue to foster those relationships. MHA has an established environment that promotes recovery and peers that are well trained. EXHIBIT A: 6 OF 9 According to the evidence-based reentry model, the GAINS Center Reentry Checklist there are 8 components that increase community tenure and reduces recidivism, which in turn increases public safety. Those components include mental health, psychiatric medications, housing, substance use services, health care benefits, food/clothing, transportation, and income support and benefits. MHA either provides specific programming in these areas or has built strong community relationships with partners who do, which allow us to address all necessary components for successful reentry. One site programming will include trauma therapy support groups, peer support, supported employment, RentWise, WRAP support groups (Wellness, Recovery Action, Plan), and parenting classes if available. Experience with Target population Since 2009, MHA has operated Lincoln’s Keya House. Keya House is a five bedroom home located in the Indian Village Neighborhood Association which we have been a member of since we opened. We have developed an excellent relationship with the neighbors, so much that at one time they advertised our services on their website. In 2015, we opened MHA’s Honu Home, which at the time was a five-bedroom home located in Union College Neighborhood and we have been a member of the association since we opened. In 2018 we were offered to rent a 20- bedroom facility, located in the same neighborhood. The Honu Home is located just north of the Lexington Assisted Living. Before opening, we had several conversations with them and all the other neighbors. We gave them tours of the house, introduced them to staff, and provided them all our contact information. Not only have they welcomed us to the neighborhood, but they are also a huge support to MHA and all we serve. The Lexington Assisted Living has partnered with us in doing events. During COVID when the elderly population was isolated for so long, we partnered with them, our house guests and their clients had a pumpkin carving contest, the Lexington Staff purchased fireworks for our Honu guests to light off for the elderly who could only look out their apartment windows. They have donated furniture, bedding, towels, and food to our guests, and we have become part of the neighborhood which has decreased the stigma of both populations. MHA has served thousands of people who are still incarcerated or recently released within all our reentry programs. MHA peers provide services primarily in Tecumseh State Correctional Institution (TSCI), Nebraska State Penitentiary (NSP), Lincoln Correctional Center (LCC), Nebraska Correctional Center for Women (NCCW), Community Correction Center Lincoln (CCC-L), Omaha Correctional Center (OCC), Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility (NCYF). MHA peers also provide services in the Lancaster County Jail and have a close working relationship with the Lincoln Police Department, Gage County Sheriff’s Department, Saunders County Sheriff’s Department, Seward County Sheriff’s Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Department and the rural police departments to avert potential criminal justice involvement. MHA’s initial target population, 15 years ago, was to serve primarily those living with significant mental illness and substance use disorders. In 2009, when we opened Keya House, we subsequently became aware of the number of EXHIBIT A: 7 OF 9 individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders being housed in Nebraska State Correctional Facilities and county jails, many of whom, upon release, were utilizing peer support. We took our program plan for peer supported respite services and designed a longer-term peer supported transitional housing model. This was the creation of Honu Home. MHA has carried over its mission of serving those with mental illness and/or substance use disorders, making that a priority population for Honu Home. We have since narrowed our focus further to include those who have served longer term sentences and/or have spent a significant amount of time in restricted housing. From July of 2021 to June of 2022, Honu Home served 101 individuals in our 20-bedroom home, staying on average for 90 days. Seventy-two of those individuals transitioned successfully back into the community. MHA provides wrap around services to those reintegrating into our community, entering the workforce for the first time, or reentering the workforce and living with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder. This has looked different throughout the years, starting with those being released from the Lincoln Regional Center or other psychiatric facilities to those being released from county jails and state prisons. We strive to identify individuals most likely to fall through the cracks of our behavioral health and/or criminal justice systems and build our programs to serve those who may not have access to or would otherwise be denied services elsewhere. We not only serve the target population; we are the target population. We are individuals with firsthand experience in living with trauma, addiction, mental health issues, and histories of incarceration. This makes us uniquely qualified to provide successful services to people in similar situations. We, ourselves, have learned to navigate the behavioral health system, public assistance programs, incentive programs, housing, and treatment programs. We have utilized and currently utilize the services necessary to avert individuals from higher levels of care. Along with lived experience, MHA peers also receive extensive training. Trainings include but is not limited to: Intentional Peer Support, WRAP facilitator training, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), trauma informed care, cultural competency, de-escalation, and vicarious trauma. A select few MHA peers have completed Voice Hearers training. This is a unique training in learning to serve individuals who hear voices and/or experience different realities through the lens of peer support. This training provides information on the process and stages individuals often go through and in what ways peer support can be beneficial (more information provided at Hearing-Voices.org). Concepts MHA embraces in serving the target population includes informed choice, problem solving, post traumatic growth, and harm reduction. Our extensive successful history serving this population alongside with our training and personal experience is what makes MHA ideal in providing reentry services. In addition to MHA’s extensive experience working with the incarcerated and re-entry populations, the partnership with MCC only enhances the application. Like MHA-NE, MCC has worked with the incarcerated, parole and probation populations with the traditional Vocation and Life Skills Grant since February 2015. Since then, more than 7,750 have received education, training and transition support through MCC’s 180 RAP. MCC has worked extensively in the same prisons MHA has: Omaha Correctional Center, Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility, Nebraska Correctional Center for Women, Community Corrections Center – Lincoln, Community Corrections Center – Omaha, Tecumseh State Correctional Center, Nebraska State Penitentiary, Reception & Treatment Center (previously Lincoln Correctional Center and Diagnostic & Evaluation) and Work Ethic Camp. 180 RAP partners regularly with Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, administration, facility wardens and team, parole, probation, and problem-solving courts to support individuals in the Nebraska system and/or community. MHA makes the people we serve priority and health and safety is of the utmost importance. We will have single room occupancy; we will not have more than one guest in a bedroom. We will post occupancy permit/fire inspections in the front entrance. MHA will conduct monthly drills which includes but not limited to, fire drills, tornado drills, and bomb threats. All staff will also be trained in first aid/CPR and communicable diseases/bloodborne pathogens. At the entrance there will be a sign in/out sheet where all guest will be required to check in and out so staff have a count as to how many guest are currently in the house. MHA staff have already gone door to door and spoke with neighbors. The Program Coordinator and Executive Director have meet with members of the city council, we plan to also request meetings with Douglas County Commissioners. We will hold an open house and community meetings if they wish for us to hold them. EXHIBIT A: 8 OF 9 MHA has years of data, community partners, and are well established in the city of Lincoln. We hope to replicate the same services in Omaha and that the community will also support and value the work of MHA. If you have questions or concerns, we will be happy to provide you with whatever you request. We also encourage you to speak with Lincoln City Council members (specifically the Chair, Tammy Ward) or member of our neighborhood associations. Thank you for your consideration. Kasey Kasey Parker Executive Director Mental Health Association of Nebraska www.mha-ne.org Cell:402-499-5525 Office: 402-441-4382 EXHIBIT A: 9 OF 9 1 20. C10-23-088 C8-23-089 Tessa Domingus REQUEST: Rezoning from R5(35) to R6, with approval of a Special Use Permit to allow Transitional living in the R6 District (pending) LOCATION: 4810 Polk Street At the Planning Board meeting held April 5, 2023, Tessa Domingus, 1224 North 26 Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, Mental Health Coordinator for MHA, appeared before the Board. Ms. Domingus stated that the subject property is currently operating as a small group living facility which allows for support to individuals who have jammed out of the Nebraska Department of Corrections and have come out with no other requirements or mandatory supervision, as well as individuals on both supervised release. The request is to rezone with a Special Use Permit to operate as transitional living rather than small group living which would allow to expand services to individuals on parole. Ms. Domingus explained the operation statement and stated that they did reach out to neighbors by going door to door and submitted letters of support. She offered to answer any questions. In response to Mr. Pate, Ms. Domingus stated that supervision includes 24 hour staff with trained employees, wrap around services (employment, outreach, etc.) and programming within the house, BRAP (Bonus Recovery Action Planning) and also provide trauma groups. The Metropolitan Community College program will provide many of the wrap around services. Casey Parker, 3211 South 81 Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, appeared before the Board. Ms. Parker stated that she is Executive Director of Mental Health Association of Nebraska (MHA) and pointed out that they have had no incidents in the existing house located in Lincoln within the last 14 years except for the use of drugs. Sandra Newsome, 2429 (inaudible) Blvd, appeared before the Board. Ms. Newsome stated that she moved into MHA during her fifth year of incarceration. She added that MHA was a positive experience for her and her recovery. Sharon (inaudible), 4546 Seward, appeared before the Board. She stated that she is Program Manager at Metropolitan Community College with a focus on education inside the prisons and with individuals coming out of the state prisons to help them acclimate into society. There is a job center, education center, pantry and ability to assist with basic needs such as obtaining a social security card and identification. She added that Metro is a partner with MHA to help facilitate residents and decrease recidivism. In response to Mr. Pate, Sharon (inaudible) answered that there are job skills training through the job center including the creation of a resume and overcoming job barriers such as clothes and transportation. Nina Ziemba, 4824 Polk Street, appeared before the Board. Ms. Ziemba submitted 14 signatures from nearby neighbors who oppose the proposed house. She stated that she has concerns with regard to parking issues and the risk of possible unhealthy activity at the nearby public park, elementary school and church. Carol Dudzik, 4825 Polk Street, appeared before the Board. Ms. Dudzik stated that she has concerns with regard to decreased property valuations. Mr. Rosacker commented that society recognizes the need for transition and commended the programs to assist with that transition but the neighbors are fearful of the safety in their area. Teesa Domingus and Casey Parker answered several questions from the Board members. With regard to the parking issue, most of the residents living in the house do not own vehicles. There is a system in place 2 with regard to individuals who might wander off. The house is funded by the Nebraska Department of Corrections, Region 5, City of Lincoln, Sherwood Foundation and Community Health Endowment, contracts with Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation for employment support and other funding sources. There is a selection process in place that includes an interview before an individual comes out of prison into the general population. The overall employment success rate is 85% and 70 out of 101 individuals transitioned out successfully in the previous year. Eric Englund, Assistant Director, appeared before the Board on behalf of the Planning Department. Mr. Englund pointed out that R6 zoning west of 48th Street is not Master Plan compliant therefore staff recommends denial of the rezoning therefore the SUP would be denied. He pointed out that if the vote is for denial, the request can proceed to City Council but would need a super majority vote. In response to Mr. Sotolongo, Mr. Englund stated that transitional living is not allowed in R5 zoning or less. Ms. Franklin motioned for denial. Mr. Moore seconded the motion which carried 7-0.